[Gandasaputra]

Interested with the XBA-A3 and wanted to have a bigger brother for my beloved XBA-20 and XBA-1. How "hot" or peaky is the treble of the A3? As a treble sensitive, I can handle the brightness of Duny DN-2000 and JVC FXT90 - which is rather be edgy than being bright. 

 

[johnwamp55]

Well, I got my Z5's in today. Spent only around 3 hours till now, but I'm already sold on them. Superb. You can just tell when something is just going to have synergy with the rest of your equipment. What took me by surprise was that the larger, harder silicone tips they came in the box are the way to go for me. The L comply sized foams that worked so well on the triple-fi's could hardly fit in my ears ( T-200's ), so I tried Medium comply's as well, but they took some of that brilliant 3d soundstage I'm getting from the Z5's away. I've been using the Z5's with the fiio e12a amp from the start and I don't see me having any need to use them un-amped, so hopefully that will help with the burn in.

Just one last thing I was going to ask. If you were going to upgrade your DAP, what do you think would be a good match for the Sony's and the fiio amp? Would something like fiio's x5 or ibasso's dx-90 be a good choice? I've already tried sony's nwz-a17 with my triple-fi's, but I wasn't sold on the interface and the sound wasn't as spectacular as I was hoping for. Maybe I need to revisit it again to see what it sounds like with these Z5's.

So, to sum up. Bass unbelievable, soundstage incredible, fit actually better than the triple-fi's. Amped is the way to go from the start. Burning in should be interesting. Overall, very happy with the purchase.

Thw Z5 will go through some sound changes which will get closer to neutral. The bass will be there but when the song calls for it unlike how they sounded right out of the box when the bass always was eager to pound hard. So after burn in and with an amp it will become more  neutral and be able to sound good in every kind of music you chose to listen to. So DAPs well the Z5 is closer to warm than bright and is able to pound the bass more then be ultra sharp and bright in the Treble and your amp is also consider not exactly neutral nor cold right? So maybe you need a Dap that is neutral and is able to bring out the details. The DX90 or X5 or even the X3II can be good. I demoed the AK120II and AK240 but was not in a wow how great it sound feel but I would think of the AK100II. Yes the Z5 choice of tips really will change its sound some will help and others will make it sound worse. I actually liked the stock silicon tips but I have been using Comply tips lately and they wear out quickly. So wondering to get a second pair and put custom tips on it. I have 8 custom IEMs that I hardly use now that I have been enjoying the Z5. During the week I use the Z5 on Modays, Weds, Fridays. The other days I rotate IEMS and each time I go back to the Z5 it wows me how much better it makes the music sound.

 

[BensonTT]

I'm never sure what to charge for used gear either but if it helps I paid USD$529 new on Amazon from a guy who was importing them from hong kong I believe so my guess is they would still go for around that price.

........

 

[giovvanie]

Well, I got my Z5's in today. Spent only around 3 hours till now, but I'm already sold on them. Superb. You can just tell when something is just going to have synergy with the rest of your equipment. What took me by surprise was that the larger, harder silicone tips they came in the box are the way to go for me. The L comply sized foams that worked so well on the triple-fi's could hardly fit in my ears ( T-200's ), so I tried Medium comply's as well, but they took some of that brilliant 3d soundstage I'm getting from the Z5's away. I've been using the Z5's with the fiio e12a amp from the start and I don't see me having any need to use them un-amped, so hopefully that will help with the burn in.

Just one last thing I was going to ask. If you were going to upgrade your DAP, what do you think would be a good match for the Sony's and the fiio amp? Would something like fiio's x5 or ibasso's dx-90 be a good choice? I've already tried sony's nwz-a17 with my triple-fi's, but I wasn't sold on the interface and the sound wasn't as spectacular as I was hoping for. Maybe I need to revisit it again to see what it sounds like with these Z5's.

So, to sum up. Bass unbelievable, soundstage incredible, fit actually better than the triple-fi's. Amped is the way to go from the start. Burning in should be interesting. Overall, very happy with the purchase.

ibasso dx90!!!

 

[Kerouac]

ibasso dx90!!!

+1
 
Imo Z5 has better synergy with DX90 (on latest fw) than with X5 or X5+Cayin C5. Don't have the E12A though...

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

nah guys. It is official the only DAP the z5 will sound good from is the new Astell & Kern AK380 

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

^ I hope your joking.

 

[giovvanie]

nah guys. It is official the only DAP the z5 will sound good from is the new Astell & Kern AK380 

Astell & Kern is overpriced and worth 3 times less as actual price. I have got universal iems Roxannes and these hp are bit worth this price , are worth not more as 500 dollars , people are very excited with astell & kern music equipment , and i know why , pay sick money and dont be happy ? huge price doesnt mean Good sq, u pay for brand .

 

[Dobrescu George]

Astell & Kern is overpriced and worth 3 times less as actual price. I have got universal iems Roxannes and these hp are bit worth this price , are worth not more as 500 dollars , people are very excited with astell & kern music equipment , and i know why , pay sick money and dont be happy ? huge price doesnt mean Good sq, u pay for brand .

I would not smash AK, they have their own market. they are a luxury brand. In Romania, there is no one importing AK, and mostly because they are way too expensive, compared to the general economy of the country.
 
I still had not heared one, but i think that the fact that AK is still producing DAPs means that there are people who buy them and like them..

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

yeah no I was totally joking. I consider the PONO to be worth a look and may buy one soon. $400 given it is minus needless features (imo), fancy chassis (man jewellery imo) , fancy screen (nice but not why I buy a DAP) and PONO is direct to consumer so you're knocking off prob another 30% in $$ there too ... so for its $400 price it is prob an ak120ii price point if AK made the PONO. 
 
Plus we get to use the nicely included balanced cable with the z5. 
 
But yeah in the end of the day people will buy different DAPs for different reasons. I personally don't listen to hi-res as for better or for worse (prob worse) the bands I like don't release hi-res music. So PONO is my kind of purchase...stripped down,,,, all cash into the board spec and direct to consumer sales. yay
 
Hey BTW has anyone here given the Ayre Codex a go yet balanced with the z5 or z7?? 
 
Ta 

 

[RedJohn456]

 
yeah no I was totally joking. I consider the PONO to be worth a look and may buy one soon. $400 given it is minus needless features (imo), fancy chassis (man jewellery imo) , fancy screen (nice but not why I buy a DAP) and PONO is direct to consumer so you're knocking off prob another 30% in $$ there too ... so for its $400 price it is prob an ak120ii price point if AK made the PONO. 
 
Plus we get to use the nicely included balanced cable with the z5. 
 
But yeah in the end of the day people will buy different DAPs for different reasons. I personally don't listen to hi-res as for better or for worse (prob worse) the bands I like don't release hi-res music. So PONO is my kind of purchase...stripped down,,,, all cash into the board spec and direct to consumer sales. yay
 
Hey BTW has anyone here given the Ayre Codex a go yet balanced with the z5 or z7?? 
 
Ta 

if the pono supported USB Dac with computers I would strongly consider getting it as it would be the perfect am for my Z5 with balanced out. At this point I am stuck waiting to see how the LH GO V2 variants turn out. They have 3.5 mm balanced out puts so thats a huge plus for me. Sucks they are only selling in batches

 

[giovvanie]

I'm z5 owner over 4 months now , usual listen these Iems with my ibasso dx90 , my opinion is never heard found in any Iems soo fantastic sound is just perfect !! I also have got Astell & Kern AKR03 Roxanne , paid to much for this Iems and sound is not even close to z5 which sound is smooth but sharp , transparent but energetic and very detailed I'm also owner ie800 and old unit xba h3 and few imes more . So z5 this is dead end for me God Bless Sony and you guys from this forum many thanks format posts about z5

 

[davidmolliere]

I was on the move and lazy to bring the PHA-3 or even FiiO E18, so I dug out the not much used AudioQuest DragonFly and plugged on my Mac to test with the Z5, and it turns out it's a decent match, mids are just not forward enough and bass is a bit too present (but well defined and extended) compared to the FiiO E18 but the DragonFly is a handy lightweight format. I could see myself using it as a backup with the Macbook.

 

[Sound Eq]

  I would not smash AK, they have their own market. they are a luxury brand. In Romania, there is no one importing AK, and mostly because they are way too expensive, compared to the general economy of the country.
 
I still had not heared one, but i think that the fact that AK is still producing DAPs means that there are people who buy them and like them..

i hope their ak380 sales will succumb due to pricing

 

[Dobrescu George]

  i hope their ak380 sales will succumb due to pricing

In fact, (and i am a good person thinking this) I really hope that their prices will fall, but they will keep selling. I think that having one of these things would be nice, if they sound good enough that some people buy them at those prices, but they are just too inaccessible to most people, i would really love to have one, if it would be cheaper. (i think so, as i stated, i never had hold one in hand, so i do not really know)(btw, i am happy with my fiio!)