[Capunk]

The Z5 is more cohesive and natural. IMO

so z5 is able to stand on its own
i have s8f to compare to and good aftermarket balanced cable,
but how does z5 fare against z1r?

 

[Redcarmoose]

so z5 is able to stand on its own
i have s8f to compare to and good aftermarket balanced cable,
but how does z5 fare against z1r?

Never heard the s8f, but it’s really an idea about what sound you want to be complementary and what sound you basically use as a daily driver. I get an idea of what the s8f just may sound like from the S6Rui tune? They (the Z5) would be very opposite in my idea of response. Remember the S6Rui has a very vignetted style of soundstage. Actually the more I use the S6Rui the more I have an issue with that. Some folks love when stuff is held close, but the difference is the XBA-Z5 is going to have way more bass decay and a deeper more physical style of bass response. The soundstage is different yet stuff is cohesive. My daily listener is the Noble Audio Encore and second would be the IER-Z1R.

So in my collection the XBA-Z5 sits behind those. Yet when I first got the S6Rui there was this set of amazements due to detail. BAs can do detail really good. And while the Z5 does use two BAs..........but I don’t think it could be described as a typical BA sound. Also it’s not exactly pushing a detailed midcentric tone like other BA IEMs due naturally.

The times the XBA-Z5 is the best to me is with electronic music. Where the DD is warm sounding and big, the bass hits home and it sounds emotional. Don’t think I’ve heard an all BA IEM have such a response? People gravitate towards all BA IEMs for a faster more curtailed bass response.

In my memory, the XBA-Z5 is one of the first hybrid IEMs. Yet to me it does not sound like a mixture of technologies? It sounds very together? Probably sounds more together than the IER-Z1R? Yet I’ve never felt the IER sounded disjointed?

The IER sound reminded me first of the Z5. It’s safe to say both the XBA-N3 and XBA-Z5 were stepping stones to the IER. The IER is better in every way, yet the Z5 has it’s own personality and is a keeper as well. The longer you own both the farther they start to become separate things. They are very different really. I actually wanted the improvements Sony added above and beyond what the Z5 does. They added a more expanded and imaged out midrange (even in a U signature) and added a magic treble to the IER, going well beyond what would be possible with the Z5. But, contrary to what you would think, the XBA-Z5 has more bass than the IER. But the N3 has more bass than the Z5 and IER.

 

[Damz87]

Cool, you went down in size and obtained a different sound.

The included tips are the greatest as far as I’m concerned.

Yeah! The mid-bass boom has reduced and treble has increased. Sounds a bit closer to Z1R’s signature. Guess I’m now hearing them the way everyone else is with a proper fit. Going to retest them with the various sources and see if PHA-2A is still the fav.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Yeah! The mid-bass boom has reduced and treble has increased. Sounds a bit closer to Z1R’s signature. Guess I’m now hearing them the way everyone else is with a proper fit. Going to retest them with the various sources and see if PHA-2A is still the fav.

I’m going to have to try that too.

 

[redrol]

Ive got the DM6 and the Z5 is just FAR better in every aspect.

 

[JoshG1217]

I think the w peel or final E tips are best. More detail and bass. I tried virtually every tip. Spinfit and capital dots are okay, but symbio and final e take the cake in my opinion.

 

[JoshG1217]

N3 has more bass than Z5? Gotta disagree. I compared previously to s8f, dm6, n3, ex800, it04, blon 03, etc. The Z5 kills them all. Ran with 4.4 and mid comply, symbol, final E tips. Getting them back Wednesday. Excited to have them again and will compare to Shuoer Tapes.

 

[Damz87]

The N3 has more bass quantity, but less refinement and definition. Z5’s bass is far superior in my opinion.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The N3 has more bass quantity, but less refinement and definition. Z5’s bass is far superior in my opinion.

Exactly.

 

[TheRealDz]

Fwiw, I did not enjoy my time with the N3. Its bass was impressive, but I found its midrange to be thin and lacking in body, while its treble was sibilant and fatiguing.

I found a demo M7 for about $100 more, and couldn't be happier.

 

[JoshG1217]

Fwiw, I did not enjoy my time with the N3. Its bass was impressive, but I found its midrange to be thin and lacking in body, while its treble was sibilant and fatiguing.

I found a demo M7 for about $100 more, and couldn't be happier.

Agree. I thought it was a poorer Z5. Bass was decent compared to Z5, but Z5 was better with better mids and highs for sure

 

[Charlie Norwood]

Dude, from the list of IEMs you possess, it seems we have similar tastes since I also have the Z5 and JVC woodies. How does the planar IEM compare to the Z5s and the FX1100?

The P1 isnt much like either. it’s a neutral-bright sound compared to the z5’s neutral-warm sound and the fx1100’s glorious darkness. But the p1 is a detail monster with a really nice tonality. Not quite that near-perfect timbre you get from the fx1100 but genres where the fx1100 shines like instrumental jazz also sound great on the p1. The subbass roll off on the p1 is real. Especially if it’s underpowered. The p1 needs desktop power. It’s probably best with the e1da powerdac because it has the best DSP and eq of pretty much anything on the market. So between the eminently eq-able planar drivers and the pdv2’s peq, loudness curves and compression options you can make the p1 sound like whatever fits you best. It’s also not as forgiving as the z5 or fx1100, and will expose flaws in lesser quality sources. The p1 also sounds really great in the ifi micro black label, on the highest gain and the Xbass on of course. But I’ve found other sources with good but less power to not be a great match, such as the ibasso dx220 or ifi hip dac, though ymmv. Soundstage isn’t as big on the p1 either but it is pretty unique. If the fx1100 is like sitting in a concert hall, and the z5 is like standing in front of the speakers at a club, the p1 is like you’re sitting on the front monitor in the recording studio - vocals are directly in your face and something I had not experienced before. The p1 are a divisive set, but if you put the effort in to properly power and eq them, they are in a class by themselves.

 

[Charlie Norwood]

Curious to know what tips everyone’s using? Today I did some tip rolling which I haven’t really done before with the Z5. Previously using the stock silicon L size. Today I tried spinfits, comply foams, spiral dots and final E’s.

Nothing really worked so I went back to the stocks, but tried some different sizes. Popped on some size S and got a deeper insertion and holy schiit, now they sound amazing! Like lifting a massive veil. Clearly I haven’t been getting the right fit with the L tips!

Currently using the Sedna earfits. They come in inbetween sizes like ML and allow for a fine-tuned seal. Strong but supple silicone and a nice wide and stiff bore. Listening to the z5 earlier on the ifi hip-dac on high gain with the xbass and they were slamming while not losing any of their treble presence. A really really great amp and iem pairing for pop/rap/electronic recordings.

 

[Charlie Norwood]

If you can put up with a VERY clunky UX, this $60 DAC has enough power to make the Z5 sing; E1DA PowerDAC.

Note that it only has a 2.5mm Balanced output though.

I actually found the z5 couldn’t take the best advantage of the pdv2’s DSP, it wasn’t bad just felt overboard. Much prefer them out of the transparent as hell e1da 9038s. Did you set up a custom profile for the z5 or just run the stock settings on the pdv2?

 

[Charlie Norwood]

so z5 is able to stand on its own
i have s8f to compare to and good aftermarket balanced cable,
but how does z5 fare against z1r?

In my short time with the z1r it felt like a natural upgrade to the z5. A little less subbass but more sparkle and energy in the mids and highs. Better detail resolution but with a similar soundstage and overall presentation. Problem I had is that it wasn’t a $1600 upgrade to the z5. The z1r is probably the only double DD I’ve heard that didn’t sound plain wrong and out of phase, a testament to Sony’s superior tuning skills. I guess I could say the same about the TRN V60, but that budget set is so incredibly boring for a basshead earphone.