[daniel_hokkaido]

What Comply or other tips should I get for these headphones? The only ones that give enough seal out of the box are the hybrids, but they feel brutal in my canals. The Z5 doesn't seem to have as deep insertion as the EX1000s, which I wasn't expecting. I am warming up to their sound...

get spinfits dude. better than comply or anything else I've tried. headfier dopaminer sells them

 

[Charlie Norwood]

  What Comply or other tips should I get for these headphones? The only ones that give enough seal out of the box are the hybrids, but they feel brutal in my canals. The Z5 doesn't seem to have as deep insertion as the EX1000s, which I wasn't expecting. I am warming up to their sound...

Comply Tx-200! Excellent isolation, doesn't add/remove any bass but controls it the best, and they help with sibilance greatly (not that the z5 suffers from any sibilance issues).

 

[kergin]

 
 

Torture?.....Guess I'm about to see
 
 

 
They weren't for me, but YMMV?
 

  Comply Tx-200! Excellent isolation, doesn't add/remove any bass but controls it the best, and they help with sibilance greatly (not that the z5 suffers from any sibilance issues).

 
This is what I ended up ordering. Got a multi-pack to see which suits best. 
 
These _are_ nice headphones. I guess my only other comment would be that Sony needs to step up their cable game. When I opened the box, I seriously thought I was looking at fakes. These cables have the texture and flimsiness of something that came out of a gumball machine. Is there anything special baked into them, or can they be replaced by custom cables easily?

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

You can just use a MMCX cable. The Z5 is really an acquired taste IMO. If you don't favor elevated bass and colored mids, It won't be for you. I really liked its sound staging and sense of placement though. Really great depth on that phone, but it really lacked bite for rock music, and guitars just sounded so off to me 

 

[xedjflowx]

What's the community consensus on this IEM? Does it exist?

 

[dweaver]

What's the community consensus on this IEM? Does it exist?

as much as any other IEM... The bottom line is no IEM or headphone will ever be perfect for everyone. I think there is a pretty good consensus on the general signature though and those that like the signature (like myself) enjoy all of the technical merits of the IEM immensely. Even those who don't like the signature seem to agree with most of those merits in regards to detail and 3D presentation, they just don't like those merits enough to overcome the fact that they don't like the signature. At this price point an IEM needs to be firing on all cylinders to justify owning it, so I fully understand not keeping it unless your happy with all aspects of its sound.

 

[RedJohn456]

as much as any other IEM... The bottom line is no IEM or headphone will ever be perfect for everyone. I think there is a pretty good consensus on the general signature though and those that like the signature (like myself) enjoy all of the technical merits of the IEM immensely. Even those who don't like the signature seem to agree with most of those merits in regards to detail and 3D presentation, they just don't like those merits enough to overcome the fact that they don't like the signature. At this price point an IEM needs to be firing on all cylinders to justify owning it, so I fully understand not keeping it unless your happy with all aspects of its sound.

I have like a love and hate relationship with my Z5. Lots to love but some niggles here and there keep it from being perfect for me but it gets more right than wrong for me.

 

[waynes world]

as much as any other IEM... The bottom line is no IEM or headphone will ever be perfect for everyone. I think there is a pretty good consensus on the general signature though and those that like the signature (like myself) enjoy all of the technical merits of the IEM immensely. Even those who don't like the signature seem to agree with most of those merits in regards to detail and 3D presentation, they just don't like those merits enough to overcome the fact that they don't like the signature. At this price point an IEM needs to be firing on all cylinders to justify owning it, so I fully understand not keeping it unless your happy with all aspects of its sound.

 
It's pretty impressive that you have remained satisfied with them for so long!

 

[Wiz33]

   
Very interested to hear your thoughts on the bluetooth cable!
 
I'm a little confused as to how it can power these properly though? I find the z5 nothing special at all coming from the HP out on iphone 6 or (haswell) macbook pro - not bad, but until they are amped, they just don't get anywhere close to the sound that they're capable of. I felt the same way about the H1's, really nothing to write home about until you put some power behind them.

  Well, I got the SONY MUC-M1BT1 Bluetooth cable today for my A3. I too was concern if they will have enough power to drive the A3 with on-board power alone. I'm quite surprised by the result. This unit can get pretty loud. I'm playing at half volume on the iPhone 6 with the BT unit at Max or I can run the BT unit at half volume and the iPhone 6 at max. Compare to a off-board DAC/AMP, the BT unit was able to drive the A3 at about the same volume as 2/3 max (2 o'clock position) on a Teac HA-P50 at low gain (which is louder than that I can listen to for long period as I usually listen at about the 10-11 o'clock position). I'll write about if there is a noticeable quality difference later as I need to spend some time with the unit between corded to phone, corded to Teac and the BT cable.

 

[dweaver]

It's pretty impressive that you have remained satisfied with them for so long!

yup, for a serial flipper of gear these have lasted longer than most of the gear I have owned. I have had gear that I have kept longer but nothing I have listened to as much as the Z5 and Z7. I have only bought 2 other IEMs since these and both were sold in short order.

 

[TokenGesture]

Using these straight out of an iPhone i was wondering what the fuss was about. But out of the Hugo - suddenly yes they are in the region of the Z7s. Interesting

Not sure they are a keeper for me though as I find the way they sit hanging out of the ear annoying. Maybe I'm not wearing them right but they keep shifting on my ear losing seal.

 

[sardar17]

Using these straight out of an iPhone i was wondering what the fuss was about. But out of the Hugo - suddenly yes they are in the region of the Z7s. Interesting

Not sure they are a keeper for me though as I find the way they sit hanging out of the ear annoying. Maybe I'm not wearing them right but they keep shifting on my ear losing seal.

Try tripleflange tips if u are not getting good seal,not sure if they fit with z5's but worth the effort.
Thy will hurt for a few days until silicon becomes soft and afterwards u won't be able to use simple tips.
 
This is a general tip,,am not an owner of z5 for ur information.Tips can make dramatic changes,,,i never believed before i experienced it myself.

 

[dweaver]

Using these straight out of an iPhone i was wondering what the fuss was about. But out of the Hugo - suddenly yes they are in the region of the Z7s. Interesting

Not sure they are a keeper for me though as I find the way they sit hanging out of the ear annoying. Maybe I'm not wearing them right but they keep shifting on my ear losing seal.

it sounds like you need to sculpt the memory wire more. I struggled to get a good fit until I figured out the cable. Now I use an after market Android cable for the controls plus it fits much much easier.

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

Being a bit sold on the merits of the peli case I ordered a nicely priced peli 1010 with pick and pluck foam kit for 21 sterling. Not bad price. 
 
Got it here (for UK head-fi'ers) 
 
http://www.3d-cases.co.uk/

 

[DTKZ]

I'm a bit curious as to why everyone seems to hate the Sony foam-silicone hybrids? I actually like them quite a lot on the Z5. I admit that they were not incredibly comfortable in the beginning but I never found them that bad. I figured that the foam would break in eventually and they'd become more comfortable later on and they did in the end.. Due to the shallow fit of the Z5, I actually use the large size tips, although I'm usually a medium, and I find that the foam helps to main a nice secure fit which I don't get with most plain silicone tips on the Z5.