[Dsnuts]

I noticed a whole lot of new earphones I have never seen before on Amazon. Just browsing around that have dual drivers in them for $10-$20. The market seems to be changing for more and more multi driver configurations on the cheap.

 

[Dsnuts]

  Where you been D's?? The hybrids are getting quite cheap now. Trinity has the Master 4 which is a four driver hybrid with AT style dual phase push-pull drivers(titanium coated IIRC) plus 2 armatures in each side for a sweet price coming. 1more's Triple driver is about $100 as well and sound quite good according to the reviews. ​

 
 
I have been busy with life, but in a recent discovery for me at least. I purchased a used Sony Z5, speaking of hybrids, that pretty much floored me. Never heard such an exquisite sound from a Sony earphone. It basically takes the H3 and refines every part of the sound and then has one of the largest sound stages I have ever heard in an earphone.
 
Sad story but the purchase was not a good one due to the fact that the right housing was cutting in and out, out of the box. I heard it long enough for me to want a pair. 
 
So I have a new one on order as well as a new Pono from frys to use in balanced mode. By the way if any of you guys are looking to get a new dap anytime soon. Frys has the Pono for $250 with a promo code. You have to call them for the code but not a big deal considering your getting a $150 discount. This ends this weekend.
 
Never tried balanced before so this will be interesting.

 

[doctorjazz]

Balanced is good, except that it adds more expense and "stuff". Use the Pono balanced with my HE-1000, not quite as good as a dedicated amp, but quite nice sounding. Still mostly use it single ended, and it sounds fine indeed.

 

[peter123]

For anyone looking for a great budget (less than $10) offering the MEE Audio RX18 really took me by surprise:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/mee-audio-rx18-comfort-fit-in-ear-headphones-with-enhanced-bass-black/reviews/15880

 

[B9Scrambler]

Here is my review of the QKZ W1 Pro! Quite relevant to this thread. Enjoy.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/qkz-w1-pro-in-ear-sport-headphone/reviews/15903
 

 

[dweaver]

I have been busy with life, but in a recent discovery for me at least. I purchased a used Sony Z5, speaking of hybrids, that pretty much floored me. Never heard such an exquisite sound from a Sony earphone. It basically takes the H3 and refines every part of the sound and then has one of the largest sound stages I have ever heard in an earphone.

Sad story but the purchase was not a good one due to the fact that the right housing was cutting in and out, out of the box. I heard it long enough for me to want a pair. 

So I have a new one on order as well as a new Pono from frys to use in balanced mode. By the way if any of you guys are looking to get a new dap anytime soon. Frys has the Pono for $250 with a promo code. You have to call them for the code but not a big deal considering your getting a $150 discount. This ends this weekend.

Never tried balanced before so this will be interesting.

I still like playing with new gear and reviewing stuff but the Z5/Pono combo is as close to end game i own. Glad you like them as much as you do, I wondered what someone like yourself and some of the other regulars here would think of the Z5. Its so darned expensive though, I understand why so many have avoided it.

I have been playing with the AKG N20 and Focal Sphear lately and both are kick butt single dynamic IEMs that reinforce the fact that a well implemented single dynamic driver is still a force to reckoned with. Both are bass lite compared to the Z5 though. The N20 is like a Q701/K7's in an IEM. With the typical boosted upper mids of most AKG headphones. The Sphear has a warmer midrange and slightly more mid bass with similar treble and a bigger sound stage.

BTW I refuse to take my Z5 balanced cables off. I use them exclusively with my Pono along with the Z7. I have had enough MMCX connectors fail on almost every manufacturer who uses them to not want to tempt fate... (that includes my initial Z5 which Sony reached under warranty. My Z5 is now over a year old with ZERO issues...

 

[doctorjazz]

Hmmmm.....I liked the Sony XBA H3 a lot, from what DS was saying, the Z5 is a newer, improved version, very tempting, especially if it comes with a balanced cable that works for the Pono. I've got a birthday coming up...(of course, I've already overspent my birthday if you figure the whole year's purchases in...).

 

[dweaver]

The Z5 kicks @$$ and chews bubble gum and it's allll out of bubble gum!

 

[Hawaiibadboy]

The Z5 kicks @$$ and chews bubble gum and it's allll out of bubble gum!

 
It does. Mine is out of bubblegum too

 

[Dsnuts]

I still like playing with new gear and reviewing stuff but the Z5/Pono combo is as close to end game i own. Glad you like them as much as you do, I wondered what someone like yourself and some of the other regulars here would think of the Z5. Its so darned expensive though, I understand why so many have avoided it.

I have been playing with the AKG N20 and Focal Sphear lately and both are kick butt single dynamic IEMs that reinforce the fact that a well implemented single dynamic driver is still a force to reckoned with. Both are bass lite compared to the Z5 though. The N20 is like a Q701/K7's in an IEM. With the typical boosted upper mids of most AKG headphones. The Sphear has a warmer midrange and slightly more mid bass with similar treble and a bigger sound stage.

BTW I refuse to take my Z5 balanced cables off. I use them exclusively with my Pono along with the Z7. I have had enough MMCX connectors fail on almost every manufacturer who uses them to not want to tempt fate... (that includes my initial Z5 which Sony reached under warranty. My Z5 is now over a year old with ZERO issues...

 
I have read this from more than a few people about how good this combo is.
 
I can say in single mode the Z5 I got through my ICAN sounds about as engaging as anything I have ever heard. Especially in 3D mode. The earphones naturally has a wide stage but in 3D mode it sounds like I am standing in the center of a great theatre surrounded by music.
 
I am also cautious about switching cables on the Z5. Will limit the times I throw on a different cable on the Z5. Though I can say I tried my silver cable on the Z5 and it sounded even better than the stock cable. I am happy with the stock everything on the Z5 so I don't feel the necessity to change up cables much.
 
It was kinda unexpected just how much I fell for these. I knew it was going to be an upgrade to the old H3 but by this much I had no idea. 

 

[dweaver]

I bought the H3 on sale and returned them a week later. I got a small discount on the MSRP of the Z5 and own them still a year plus later (a first for me for me for both Z5 and Z7).

I actually started with the Z7 and was impressed enough to buy the Z5. Today I have to admit I think the Z5 is the better of the two due to its amazing sound stage, bass and detail. Both are severely under rated in my opinion. Probably due to their price being in an area that only the most dedicated audiophile is willing to spend and that crowd tends to think only a balanced sound should be that expensive. We just need a few more of us audiophiles with an inner bass head checking them out .

 

[Dsnuts]

These are so much more than just bass. Sony never let me down in the bass arena. Some serious tech on these. These sound as close to a real 2.1 sound as it gets. That silky quality of the treble mids and that seamless bass with that stage. First time I heard them I was slack jawed. It brings together so much in one package.
 
I was very bumbed out I had to return that used pair I bought but it had to be done. I knew as soon as I got the monies back from that sale I was gonna look for a new Z5. I had to have Sony back in my life again. It is tough to listen to my H3 and I loved my H3.  Tis why I have it on the sales forum. Gotta let it go.

 

[dweaver]

The audiophile crowd see they have bass and immediately write them off, missing how the midrange and treble sound and completely missing the sound stage and 3D imaging. The only knock against them and it's only a knock if your into it, is that these are not bright. Note I didn't say they lacked detail because they have that in spades, they just not bright. Personally I love the fact that I can listen to them for hours on end with ZERO fatigue.

 

[Dsnuts]

Oh yea no doubt very unique in that regard. These are 2 days into a full weeks worth of burn in. Had to try them on my ICan.. Hard to take them out of my ears, makes everything sound so damn good. Never heard so much control in the treble and have so much detail
 
Can't believe these have not been in my ears since now is my point!
So much low sub bass rumble. Lol. Love it.

 

[dweaver]

One thing I really love about the Z5 is the black space, there is very little to no resonance with them. If the music stops in the song it is silent in the IEM. It actually took me a while to understand and appreciate the difference in sound because I was used to hearing resonance and had grown to assume it was part of the music.