[akash neagi]

I got mine brand new form india back when XBA-3 first came for $150..........
I love it!!!!

 

[JoeDoe]

Quote:

Re the Best Buy $39 price...
 
I was unsuccessful getting the price match on BB via toll free for the XBA-3iP. The CSR, a nice woman named Bethany, was going to issue to credit but when she called the back office for approval they said no deal on refurbs. I stayed calm, mentioned that some folks were getting the credit by calling, but she said she could not do it and anyone who was could get into hot water. I asked for a gift card instead and she is sending me a $35 BB gift card via regular mail. Better than a stick in the eye. Anyway, even $79 is a nice price for the XBA-3 if they don't stop working after the 90-day Sony warranty.

Bingo!
 
Even if the CSR consistency is spotty, the price most of us paid initially is still fantastic.

 

[red71rum]

Quote:

Re the Best Buy $39 price...
 
I was unsuccessful getting the price match on BB via toll free for the XBA-3iP. The CSR, a nice woman named Bethany, was going to issue to credit but when she called the back office for approval they said no deal on refurbs. I stayed calm, mentioned that some folks were getting the credit by calling, but she said she could not do it and anyone who was could get into hot water. I asked for a gift card instead and she is sending me a $35 BB gift card via regular mail. Better than a stick in the eye. Anyway, even $79 is a nice price for the XBA-3 if they don't stop working after the 90-day Sony warranty.

I got the $35 gift card, and in essence it is getting the money back, just that we have to use it at BB. I don't think that is really that bad, although I do not buy much at BB.

 

[Fuzaken]

Hi, I've just gotten myself a pair of xba-3's and I was wondering if anyone here has done the filter mod (removing or adding foam) that seems to work for xba-4's, if so what were the changes in SQ and signature?

 

[Jakkal]

Just search the thread, there a few guys that did it.

 

[jagsand]

I have these but I actually prefer the Sony EX 300's that I have from awhile back.  They're not as detailed but they're not as overpowering to my ears.

 

[msavic6]

How would the Xba-3 sound with modern music like pop,dance,hip hop, and rock? I am not an audiophile I just want the music to sound fun and engaging. Would I have any issues when using these with a galaxy nexus?

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Hi, I've just gotten myself a pair of xba-3's and I was wondering if anyone here has done the filter mod (removing or adding foam) that seems to work for xba-4's, if so what were the changes in SQ and signature?

 
I'd forgotten about all this when someone reminded me about the measurements Rinchoi and others took. I just swapped in some microfibre cleaning foam and it seems to have done a good job dampening the slight resonance at 4kHz. It hadn't bothered me all though, possibly because at ~$120 I was just glad to have a set of IEMs that could render percussion in a realistic way and didn't have a boomy and overbearing bass.

 

[akash neagi]

Quote:

Hi, I've just gotten myself a pair of xba-3's and I was wondering if anyone here has done the filter mod (removing or adding foam) that seems to work for xba-4's, if so what were the changes in SQ and signature?

 
EQ your music man!!!
Brings out a totally different side of the XBA-3.....
Quote:

How would the Xba-3 sound with modern music like pop,dance,hip hop, and rock? I am not an audiophile I just want the music to sound fun and engaging. Would I have any issues when using these with a galaxy nexus?

I really like mine with all these genres.....
If you are not a bass head you could get them.....

 

[JoeDoe]

I recently came into a pair of GR07s and had given my XBA 3s a rest. Picked them up this morning - brought a huge smile to my face. The first song on shuffle was AC/DC's Back in Black. I knew after hearing the hi-hat and muted guitar count-off that the deal I got on these from Best Buy was probably the deal of the century. Such detail and clarity! I've boosted some of the lower frequencies a touch and they sound just killer!
 
Next up was Set Fire to the Rain by Adele. Awesome. The ability to hear someone take breaths while they sing makes the performance so much better for me. The XBAs bring the drums up a little (maybe just more clarity?), and the piano melts into the background. 
 
Absolutely love bringing these out to rediscover things in my music like this. Props Sony.

 

[d marc0]

Just reposting this from the discovery thread in the hopes that the boys who've tried the NO-filter mod get to read this:
 
 
Quote:

Some changes in my impressions now that my honeymoon with the DX210 is over:

After proper A/B comparison with the XBA3, I now find this a lot darker than my previous impression. Not that it's bad but some won't surely like this signature. It still is a FUN bassy IEM that is amazing with EDM and bright sounding Rock songs. On top of that, this is the most relaxing IEM I've tried/owned.

After modding my XBA3 by changing the filter, the Sony is now back on my top list. It's like a 2nd honeymoon with this amazingly detailed IEM. Everything is now well controlled especially the highs.

Now I'm back in my search for an affordable yet worthy upgrade to the XBA3. I'm sure it will be discovered in this thread very soon...

 
Now that I have the T-PEOS H-200 I've been prepping for a comparison with the XBA3. I had a filter mod on the XBA3 and found it too warm sounding compared to the H200 thus making the Sony sound inferior. So I decided to remove my filter mod to give XBA 3 some leverage and become a worthy contender against the H200s. I also ordered 3 sets of Comply Tsx200 (pictured below) and installed it on the XBA 3 with NO filter. My main reason for this is for protection against dust/dirt/earwax.
 

 
 
 

 
To my surprise, the XBA 3 sounds great with this setup! More airy, clear and open sounding. Soundstage has improved drastically. One disadvantage though is it's now very transparent and occasionally sibilant depending on the recording. If the song is badly mixed/mastered, the XBA 3 does not hesitate in exposing the flaws.
 
I know a couple of headfiers posted on this thread regarding the removal of filters. If you're reading this, can you try the Comply Tsx-200 and post your impressions? It would be nice to confirm my observations...
 
Update: 31/05/13
After removing the filter mod and despite the Comply Tsx-200, the metallic tinker in the upper highs became bothersome at high volumes.
 
So, I installed another filter mod but VERY THIN this time. I took the foam off one of the Sony Hybrid Noise Isolating tips: cut and shaped them into really thin (1.5 mm thick) filters. Results are spectacular: greatly reduced the metallic tinker without affecting the clarity in the highs. I'm really happy with them. XBA 3 + 1.5mm foam filter mod + Comply Tsx-200 = Awesometacular!

 

[PeterDLai]

Does anybody know of a source of wide-bore silicon tips that fit snugly on the XBA series? UE TF10 single flange and Auvio tips are both wide-bore type, comfortable, and sound great but seem to get stuck in my ears when removing the earphones after a long listening session. The stock tips and the MH1c tips both fit more tightly onto the nozzle, but both of those are of the narrow-bore type (which I feel worsens the sound quality).
 
It's not a huge deal for me since they don't go deep enough into my canals for it to be difficult to pull them out manually with my fingers, but if there's an alternative wide-bore tip choice that fits tighter, I'd like to give it a shot.
 
EDIT: Found the clear tips that came with the Philips SHE3580 I bought a while back and they might just fit the bill: bore as wide as the nozzle opening and fits more snugly.

 

[d marc0]

Quote:

Does anybody know of a source of wide-bore silicon tips that fit snugly on the XBA series? UE TF10 single flange and Auvio tips are both wide-bore type, comfortable, and sound great but seem to get stuck in my ears when removing the earphones after a long listening session. The stock tips and the MH1c tips both fit more tightly onto the nozzle, but both of those are of the narrow-bore type (which I feel worsens the sound quality).
 
It's not a huge deal for me since they don't go deep enough into my canals for it to be difficult to pull them out manually with my fingers, but if there's an alternative wide-bore tip choice that fits tighter, I'd like to give it a shot.
 
EDIT: Found the clear tips that came with the Philips SHE3580 I bought a while back and they might just fit the bill: bore as wide as the nozzle opening and fits more snugly.

 
lol! I was about to recommend the same 

 

[PeterDLai]

Hmm, the Auvio tips still sound better to me for some reason, so I'm just going to go up a size and insert them more shallowly.

 

[sinquito]

Quote:

Hmm, the Auvio tips still sound better to me for some reason, so I'm just going to go up a size and insert them more shallowly.

I use the ones that came with my panasonic hje900, those have the wide bore and fit nicely, but only use them on the xba-4, with the xba-1 I use the hybrid super small (fushia), they fit very well and sound good.