[davescleveland]

It's weird am I the only one struggling with these? I put on the comply tips out of the box. So much bass I couldn't take it. Miss and treble are muddied. My beats studio sound better? So I used Sony tips and the treble cleared right up but the bass disappeared. It seems as if both pairs were sealed well. I've always been able to get good sound with comply on every other iem- x10, rbh ep2, beats tour. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[davescleveland]

Comply s 200 that is

 

[gordec]

Got my custom sleeves back from Westone today. They did a great job as always. Interestingly, they made these with venting channel that can be plugged up with various silicon plugs. I'm an ear, nose, throat, so we do the venting often for patients with hearing aid who do not need the low frequency aided.

The small plugs that came with the sleeves have different sized vent holes. It's pretty interesting how much difference it makes the Z5 sound. When completely plugged, the Z5 is too bassy for my liking. But a small vent hole is perfect. I thought that was a sweet idea. They didn't do it for me for the IE80 sleeves.

 

[gerelmx1986]

don't know if shall buy the Z5 or the A3 or better wait for IFA 2015

 , my H3's start to disrt easily i have started to notice this recently when playing fairly at moderate levels, be it piano, choral, organ what ever it is playing they sounds like distortion.
 
Tested to see if it eas not my HA-2 or files (with MDR-1R) and nope, they sound fine both files and HA-2
 
what does this emans that they sound distorted even at failrly moderate volumes, this also happened to my BF with his 20-year old sennheirses, i ended giving him my ultrasones

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

  don't know if shall buy the Z5 or the A3 or better wait for IFA 2015

 , my H3's start to disrt easily i have started to notice this recently when playing fairly at moderate levels, be it piano, choral, organ what ever it is playing they sounds like distortion.
 
Tested to see if it eas not my HA-2 or files (with MDR-1R) and nope, they sound fine both files and HA-2
 
what does this emans that they sound distorted even at failrly moderate volumes, this also happened to my BF with his 20-year old sennheirses, i ended giving him my ultrasones

I have no familiarity with how often Sony updates its TOTL iems? Are we due a Z5 successor this year?! 

 

[BlinkST]

 
I have no familiarity with how often Sony updates its TOTL iems? Are we due a Z5 successor this year?! 

 
The H3 was in 2013, and the Z5 was last year. It could happen.

 

[tl13m]

Z5 no longer flagship

 

 
 

 

[RedJohn456]

  Z5 no longer flagship

 

 
 

What do you mean?

 

[Kerouac]

  What do you mean?

 
I guess he meant that the custom Sony Just Ear (which costs around $2500) is the current flagship.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/739725/sony-announces-the-just-ear-brand-of-custom-iems
Another price league though...

 

[dweaver]

I don't put CIEMs and IEMs in the same category. They target different audiences generally. Also from what I am reading this CIEM would be a polar opposite to the Z5 so is again aiming at a different market.

I did receive a PM asking if I thought Sony was releasing a new flagship because some sites are marking the Z5 as discontinued. I suspect this may be a case where Sony is pulling back to just their Asian markets. But it may mean they are going to release a new model, time will tell. For me though, the Z5 is as close to perfect as I have ever come so it would take a lot to convince me to try anything new at its price point.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

I don't put CIEMs and IEMs in the same category. They target different audiences generally. Also from what I am reading this CIEM would be a polar opposite to the Z5 so is again aiming at a different market.

I did receive a PM asking if I thought Sony was releasing a new flagship because some sites are marking the Z5 as discontinued. I suspect this may be a case where Sony is pulling back to just their Asian markets. But it may mean they are going to release a new model, time will tell. For me though, the Z5 is as close to perfect as I have ever come so it would take a lot to convince me to try anything new at its price point.

They could def revise some of the bass texture ..maybe touch more detail ontop of its power...so like a 4x hybrid... 2x lows (1 BA) and one full range, one tweeter. Whether or not they can do that with no cross overs like the z5 would be debatable? 
 
In doing so Sony would be following a trend as some companies in CIEM world doing this now 

 

[dweaver]

Hmmm that could be interesting, the trick would be whether the two different bass drivers would be able to work in sync well or if they would sound disjointed.

 

[obsidianshard]

I don't put CIEMs and IEMs in the same category. They target different audiences generally. Also from what I am reading this CIEM would be a polar opposite to the Z5 so is again aiming at a different market.

I did receive a PM asking if I thought Sony was releasing a new flagship because some sites are marking the Z5 as discontinued. I suspect this may be a case where Sony is pulling back to just their Asian markets. But it may mean they are going to release a new model, time will tell. For me though, the Z5 is as close to perfect as I have ever come so it would take a lot to convince me to try anything new at its price point.

 
Darn. I've been using my EX1000s for a few years now but am growing tired of how fatiguing they can be, and heard the Z5s are an improvement in some areas. Came here looking for some insight.
 
I suppose I'll wait another month or so before getting Z5s in case any successors are revealed. But as you said, Sony is currently refreshing their brand space in the US and I really hope they don't pull high-end portable audio out. That'd be sad.
 
And it's so depressing going to any audio/general electronics stores and never seeing any high-end Sony. It's always the cheap or extra-bass stuff. If Sony takes high-end audio out of the US citing "low demand," I'll probably die from laughter.

 

[dweaver]

Watch for sales of the Z5. They might appear in Massdrop like the Z7 did so you get them for a good price.

I had the EX1000 and just found it too fatiguing. The Z5 is a completely different beast. If your really used to the EX1000 the Z5 will sound dark and bassy until your mind adjusts. Initially I listened to the Z5 at louder volumes because I was used to elevated treble and upper midrange but as I grew used to the Z5 I started to listen at lower and lower volumes and now listen at the same volume as the old IEMs. The detail is there you just have to get used to not having it shouted at you.

 

[obsidianshard]

Thanks, I'll be on the lookout. They'll likely be available for $399 again on Groupon for the third or fourth time sometime soon from what I'm seeing.
 
I don't necessarily listen to my EX1000s loud anyway, at most at 30% volume on all of my devices. And they're not the only headphones I use, so the differing signature of the Z5s shouldn't be much of a shock. As long as the spike in the highs from the EX1000 isn't there, I'll likely fall in love with them.
 
Though, if I had point of worry, it'd be the MMCX connectors. Are really as delicate as some people have complained? I've never owned headphones that use them so I don't know what to expect, but then so many headphones have them so maybe I shouldn't worry as much.