[meringo]

The CEA "Hi-Res" certification guidelines are very lax. Having that logo on the box doesn't really mean much... Not to say headphones with the cert are bad, but just don't be fooled by clever marketing. I still question these new NC IEMs. Hope to read some reviews soon!

 

[obsidianshard]

  The CEA "Hi-Res" certification guidelines are very lax. Having that logo on the box doesn't really mean much... Not to say headphones with the cert are bad, but just don't be fooled by clever marketing. I still question these new NC IEMs. Hope to read some reviews soon!

 
IIRC, Sony has previously made an NC IEMs, but it was with the first wave of XBA headphones and they were fairly disappointing and very overpriced.

 

[dweaver]

Wow sad news about the Z5. I think we need to wait and see if has just been discontinued for North America though as they often continue production in Asian markets.

 

[obsidianshard]

Wow sad news about the Z5. I think we need to wait and see if has just been discontinued for North America though as they often continue production in Asian markets.

 
Looking through the sites for other markets like the UK and Japan it appears they're still front-and-center everywhere else. It's just the US that has erased them completely.
 
The US in-ear selection is pretty bare now in comparison. (Though, it always was.)

 

[dweaver]

They did the same thing with the EX1000 still available elsewhere other than North America. The Z5 is an amazing IEM as good as anything Sony has ever made in that line and is only a year old, it would be silly for them to truly discontinue them this quickly.

 

[axismundi]

They did the same thing with the EX1000 still available elsewhere other than North America. The Z5 is an amazing IEM as good as anything Sony has ever made in that line and is only a year old, it would be silly for them to truly discontinue them this quickly.

Agree, wouldn't hold my breath over this. For what is worth, to my knowledge XBA-Z5/A3 were never available in Europe via official distribution channels. It's the same with TOTL JVC, AT etc. Japanese logic, go figure...

 

[obsidianshard]

Agree, wouldn't hold my breath over this. For what is worth, to my knowledge XBA-Z5/A3 were never available in Europe via official distribution channels. It's the same with TOTL JVC, AT etc. Japanese logic, go figure...

 
Oh, I confused the Z5 for the H3 on the UK site.
 
Wow, the UK never even got them. I feel bad for complaining that we had them and lost them.
 

They did the same thing with the EX1000 still available elsewhere other than North America. The Z5 is an amazing IEM as good as anything Sony has ever made in that line and is only a year old, it would be silly for them to truly discontinue them this quickly.

​
Especially because they could have them available online-only and even ship them out straight from Japan to streamline locally stored product.

 

[Furiousipaduser]

hoping to score a z5 for 400ish, was in on the last groupon but my order was canceled since they went out of stock.

 

[obsidianshard]

Funny, I've been checking the Groupon page daily and this morning noticed that the quantity of XBA-Z5s sold last time dropped from six to five.
 
If they're not back up on Groupon by the end of the week I'm buying a set from Amazon.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

assessoryjack do them for less than $600 I think .. 
 
You can get em open box unused in japan for like $300! 

 

[dweaver]

If I could find a pair for $300 I would buy them as a backup in a heart beat. I honestly like the Z5 more than any IEM I have ever owned. I need to write up a review of them because they deserve it.

 

[gerelmx1986]

If I could find a pair for $300 I would buy them as a backup in a heart beat. I honestly like the Z5 more than any IEM I have ever owned. I need to write up a review of them because they deserve it.

Yes monday i will stab my wallet i'll get a pair of A3, considering they say those sound simnilar to the Z5's

 

[obsidianshard]

At that price I would buy two. Hell, three.

One to use with the Bluetooth cable, one for at-home listening and one just for backup. Because I still fear that cable connection.

And darn, I haven't even listened to them yet! Why am I going into this so blind? Why am I so excited? I'm not sure but I haven't wanted earphones this much in a long time and it's kinda freaking me out.

 

[nuxos]

I am interested by the Z5, but two things worry me :
 
-the cable connector doesn't seem solid
 
-sound signature : I heard that mediums are recessed. Does the Z5 have a V signature ? How is the overall sound signature ?
 
I use a DX 90 btw.
 
Thanks

 

[BensonTT]

I am interested by the Z5, but two things worry me :

-the cable connector doesn't seem solid

-sound signature : I heard that mediums are recessed. Does the Z5 have a V signature ? How is the overall sound signature ?

I use a DX 90 btw.

Thanks

The Z5 is like a capitol L shape sound lol