[d marc0]

Quote:

 
Yeah, and ebay and amazon also have never enjoyed us this much before stumbling upon dsnuts and head-fi lol!

 
That's right! and you can add tenso to that as well...

 

[luisdent]

Posted a review of the XBA-3...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTDXgQRQac4
 
If you are interested, this is the best price I've seen by far...
 
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_158XBA3IP/Sony-XBA-3iP.html?tp=36775

 

[mugen3]

Got the new XBA-30s. I never had the XBA-3s so I'm not sure if they sound any different. But the 30s are amazing. I can't pick any bones with them.

The build quality is fantastic. The earpieces feel more solid this time around, and not as plasticky as the original XBAs. The cable is now a 4' Y-cord instead of the old annoying 2' J-cord. It is light, very flexible, and strong. Same with the strain reliefs. Almost no microphonics here. Just one of the best IEM cables I've seen.

Sound quality is top-tier for sure. The bass comes out strong and powerful like a dynamic, but it never masks the rest of the sound. It's linear, goes deep, tight and well textured. There's no bleed into the mids, which are just sublime. Super liquid smooth and not recessed at all. I've heard people say that voices and highs sound a bit metallic on the XBA-3s, but I'm not hearing such a thing. Everything sounds natural to me. This might've been fixed in the XBA-30s. The highs are a bit soft, but there's a lot of extension. Its non-fatiguing but still very detailed, which is the perfect highs to me. Soundstage is huge, very 3D. The background is black and imaging is super precise.
 
This is the most satisfying purchase I've made at $200+. The XBA-30s have a very complete and enticing sound that somehow works well with all genres. They should easily please most listeners.

 

[Dsnuts]

One of these days I will have to pick up a XBA-30. Excellent impressions on the XBA-30 mugen3

 

[AUDIOBREEDER]

Quote:

I never had the XBA-3s

not as plasticky as the original XBAs.

 

[d marc0]

Quote:

 I've heard people say that voices and highs sound a bit metallic on the XBA-3s, but I'm not hearing such a thing. Everything sounds natural to me. This might've been fixed in the XBA-30s. The highs are a bit soft, but there's a lot of extension. Its non-fatiguing but still very detailed, which is the perfect highs to me.

This is great news! I might sell my XBA 3 to get the 30 if this gets more confirmation. Thanks for sharing!
 
Quote:

One of these days I will have to pick up a XBA-30. Excellent impressions on the XBA-30 mugen3

'can't wait to read your impressions on the XBA 30! I always find your reviews reliable... most probably we both have the same sound signature preference. BTW, my wife just got me the MDR 1r and I'm loving it! Exactly sounds the way you described it. Great job!

 

[Dsnuts]

Well we will see. I just spent a whole grip of money for the holidays. I do have the XBA-30 in my want list. I just got some new purchases from Amazon Japan. The prices on stuff was so outrageous I ended up buying much more than I initially thought I would . That is how it goes once you realize Tenso and Amazon Japan is all of a sudden a reality to me. For example. I can get the XBA-40 for around $207 and the XBA-30 for around $180. Both excellent pricing.
 
You start browsing that site and next thing you know I end up with a CKS1000 a new AD900X a FXZ100 and a FXZ200. Not good.

 

[mugen3]

Lol I've been using Tenso for a while too. They are a godsend for making things so easy to get from Japan. Got the XBA-4, FXD80, S500, and the XBA-30 with their help. Plan on getting the CKN50 next.
 
Quote:

Didn't mean to confuse anyone, I had the XBA-4 so that's how I knew.

 

[AnakChan]

Giving this thread a bump a little.
 
I've been burning in my RWAK100 (Red Wine Audio mod of the iRiver AK100 DAP) with my XBA-30. It's 4:10 a.m. when the wife and baby are asleep and decided to have a listen whilst burning in. Towards the very end of the El Cuarto de Tula track of the Buena Vista Social Club (@ 24/96) there's this sound around the 8:17 mark which sounded like a crack or something on the left channel.
 
Anyhow, I wasn't expecting it and it sounded so realistic on the XBA-30 that I turned around wondering who was in my kitchen. Kinda eerie. The only other time I did such a thing (again in the wee hours of the morning) was listening to My Foolish Heart of Bill Evan Trio's Waltz for Debby on my Stax SR-009 where again I thought someone was in my kitchen.
 
Maybe I shouldn't be selling these Sony's.

 

[killerweed]

I have a pair on order via Amazon.jp/Tenso. That is creepy when you think someone is in the room when listening via isolating phones. Looking forward to trying them out. I also have the XBA-3, via the Gropon deal. So I will get the chance to compare the two before I sell the XBA-3 (figuring the 30s even if they sound the same will have the better build. Sony had to have some reason for the new iteration).

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

Giving this thread a bump a little.
 
I've been burning in my RWAK100 (Red Wine Audio mod of the iRiver AK100 DAP) with my XBA-30. It's 4:10 a.m. when the wife and baby are asleep and decided to have a listen whilst burning in. Towards the very end of the El Cuarto de Tula track of the Buena Vista Social Club (@ 24/96) there's this sound around the 8:17 mark which sounded like a crack or something on the left channel.
 
Anyhow, I wasn't expecting it and it sounded so realistic on the XBA-30 that I turned around wondering who was in my kitchen. Kinda eerie. The only other time I did such a thing (again in the wee hours of the morning) was listening to My Foolish Heart of Bill Evan Trio's Waltz for Debby on my Stax SR-009 where again I thought someone was in my kitchen.
 
Maybe I shouldn't be selling these Sony's.

 
Not to dissuade you, as those are indeed nice with the right source, but that effect can happen on lesser headphones as well.  For instance, this made me laugh so hard when I thought someone was at my door.  I found this audio file on this test site, but not on the actual page i'm linking, so I didn't know what it was.  I clicked it and as I was about to listen to it I heard someone knocking at my door.  My heart almost stopped a little, because it was a firm knock, and I was thinking "am i being too loud" (apartment)?  I didn't hear the second knock because I took the headphones off real quick. ha
 
Listen to the last file "the real thing":
http://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_stereophonicsound.php
 
Mind you I had on the $99 sennheiser HD390s, and I was 100% fooled.  It took me a few seconds after I took off the headphones to listen that maybe that was the file. haha.  Later I had my wife put the headphone on and I didn't tell her what it was, but that I just wanted to show her something.  I played the file and she had the same reaction only worse.  She completely thought someone was coming to complain about something. haha.  The volume is critical though.  I had it at a good medium listening volume when I first heard it.
 
See how many people you can fool lmao

 

[killerweed]

I think you missed his point. He noticed something he had not noticed before on a piece of music, is what he was saying, I believe.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

I think you missed his point. He noticed something he had not noticed before on a piece of music, is what he was saying, I believe.

No I got that.   He had never heard it sound so realistic though.  I'm just saying that same sort of effect can happen on other phones, even some lesser ones.  That's all.  If he keeps them and enjoys them, that's what it's all about.  But if he was wowed because of that, others can produce the same effect.  That's all.  The xbas, other than being slightly "metallic" have a very good "depth" in their treble.  It changes based on source, but with the right impedance they really shine.

 

[killerweed]

Interesting. I have the XBA-3s and with my sources (iPhone 5, iPod Classic/Arrow 4G) and tips (Comply Ts200) they don't sound metallic. Of course, he is speaking of the XBA-30s, not the 3s. I have the 30s on order, not sure if they sound different than the 3s, but I will have to judge that for myself.
 
While I agree that you can be spooked by lesser phones, lesser phones may not be able to deliver the same realism that the XBA-30s did in his specific case. Owning Stax phones indicates that AnaChan is a pretty experienced member. I am sure he realizes that lesser IEMs can cause a similar though not necessarily identical experience.

 

[luisdent]

Quote:

Interesting. I have the XBA-3s and with my sources (iPhone 5, iPod Classic/Arrow 4G) and tips (Comply Ts200) they don't sound metallic. Of course, he is speaking of the XBA-30s, not the 3s. I have the 30s on order, not sure if they sound different than the 3s, but I will have to judge that for myself.
 
While I agree that you can be spooked by lesser phones, lesser phones may not be able to deliver the same realism that the XBA-30s did in his specific case. Owning Stax phones indicates that AnaChan is a pretty experienced member. I am sure he realizes that lesser IEMs can cause a similar though not identical experience.

 
You are correct, he is referring to the 30s.  However, the reviews I've read indicate they are only cosmetically different.  But I can't guarantee that having not tried them myself.  In terms of sources, the metallic aspect becomes much more apparent at higher impedances.  Say, above 16ohms. 32ohms is drastic.  Most ipods are 5ohms or so.  And the comply might tame the treble a bit as well, at least in the sense that the seal gives better bass response usually.  Once you hear it you should be able to pick it out on the low impedance sources as well, but I wouldn't call it objectionable at all around 5ohms.
 
I also agree about the realism.  I didn't mean to imply that lesser phones can replicate the experience of the xba, but only that that sort of effect can also be heard in lesser phones.   The senn 439 for instance.  I would consider the xba to have much better "detail" and depth.  I just wrote a review on the xba-3 here with a link to my video review as well:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/xba-3ip-xba-series-triple-driver-balanced-armature-in-ear-earphones-with-apple-3-button-remote-mic/reviews/8110
 
He just seemed like he was deciding whether to keep them.  There are other sets that give a similar listening experience at that price range.  That's all.