[Jakkal]

My XBA-30 came today
 

 
They've been in my ears and the smile on my face since I got them. The packaging and the build quality are astonishing. First thoughts, very detailed, smooth and sweet. I'm very, very happy with this purchase and thanks to all who recommended it. BTW  didn't know that the cable is flat, but is very good quality, I like it. I think I'm done with IEM purchases for now.
 
Here something that sounds amazing on them:
 

 
I think I'm in love 

 

[darkportent]

Quote:

My XBA-30 came today
 

 
They've been in my ears and the smile on my face since I got them. The packaging and the build quality are astonishing. First thoughts, very detailed, smooth and sweet. I'm very, very happy with this purchase and thanks to all who recommended it. BTW  didn't know that the cable is flat, but is very good quality, I like it. I think I'm done with IEM purchases for now.
 
Here something that sounds amazing on them:
 

 
I think I'm in love 

 
Congratulations on your purchase...!  It would be good to hear your impressions once you've spent a bit longer with the XBA30. I'm trying to decide between the XBA30 and XBA40 myself at the moment....  how does rock music sound with the 30s in general and what are your thoughts on soundstage and midrange/guitars?   The only thing I'm very concerned about is microphonics....I hope it's not such a big issue as it appears to be with the XBA40...

 

[Jakkal]

Well, I don't have much experience and never heard XBA-40, but as far as I know  40 is more U shaped and more suited for genres like EDM. On the other hand 30 is better all-rounder and should play well all genres. I listen to rock and it sound beautifully well on these, mids are very accurate and detailed, vocals and guitars sound amazing. I just can't stop listen to them, they are so much fun. 

 
Edit:BTW the shipping from Tenso took only 5 days. 

 
Edit2: They are so easy to listen, I've been using them for more 10 hours now and no fatigue at all, just pure pleasure. 

 
Edit3: Now I want full-size with the same sound signature.....
 
Edit4: The cable is really nice and microphonics is very low, pretty much nonexistent for me.
 
Edit5: I hope they will be no more edits for today 

 

[sinquito]

Quote:

My XBA-30 came today
 

 
 

That packaging is nice, better than the old one for sure. Congrats 

 

[Inks]

Quote:

I am sorry if you find any of my posts disrespectful and to be honest I find funny how you could swear by those graphs. I haven't heard the XBA-3 so I can't make a judgment, but I have read that many find the XBA-3 to be better overall and that's fine by me, actually I bought the XBA-3 (before  I bought the  XBA-1 and 4 but I still haven't got it yet) based on those opinions.
I guess we can agree on disagree about the graphs? don't be so serious I was kidding when I wrote the first post.

You find it funny I swear by the graphs? Keep going, it just sounds hyprocritical so what you previously said. You have no idea on my stance of the diffuse-field compensatin Rin uses and my knowledge on the graphs, I'm not going to bother explaning.
 
It is what it is, the XBA30 is a XBA3 with more dampening on the nozzle THAT'S IT. Same tactic Sony used for MH1 and MH1C, except people didn't make assumptions in that case and so weren't as deceived by expection bias. 

 

[darkportent]

Quote:

Funny.. I actually like the cable ion the XBA-30.. it's not particularly thick, but thick enough considering the application.. the ridged texture is great.. and it's got enough heft to where it isn't prone to tangling.
 
Running the XBA-30 with the Meridian Explorer (DAC) to the Objective2.. man.. just excellent sound.  Not reference neutral or anything.. but the gentle coloration (in places) ticks all the boxes for me.

I was backtracking on this thread and came across your post.... I am thinking of purchasing the Meridian Explorer and possibly the XBA30s as well so I was wondering whether you noticed any differences in the sound of the XBAs with the revised Explorer with the reduced impedance....it would be quite interesting to know its effect on the sound with or without the O2  (as an amp alone).... 
It certainly sounded like the higher impedance did work very well with your synergy 

 

[sinquito]

Quote:

You find it funny I swear by the graphs? Keep going, it just sounds hyprocritical so what you previously said. You have no idea on my stance of the diffuse-field compensatin Rin uses and my knowledge on the graphs, I'm not going to bother explaning.
 
It is what it is, the XBA30 is a XBA3 with more dampening on the nozzle THAT'S IT. Same tactic Sony used for MH1 and MH1C, except people didn't make assumptions in that case and so weren't as deceived by expection bias. 

 
Am I being hypocritic because I write my opinion? I am really sorry if I wrote something that offend you or upset you, I know that the mesurements are important, but those aren't everything, in the end, hearing something is subjective and from one person to another a sound can be hear different, same with earphones. As you have wrote the XBA-3 and the XBA-30 are not the same and thus they don't sound the same even if only there's a little of variance between them.
 
You are right about something, I don't know squat about you or about Rin approach to the mesurements, but you don't also know me, I never intended to offend you, what I wrote was just a joke, because in many threads I've seen your posts about the damn graphs, anyway if you like I will never quote you or write something about any of your post or you in the future, that's cool?

 

[Inks]

 
Am I being hypocritic because I write my opinion? I am really sorry if I wrote something that offend you or upset you, I know that the mesurements are important, but those aren't everything, in the end, hearing something is subjective and from one person to another a sound can be hear different, same with earphones. As you have wrote the XBA-3 and the XBA-30 are not the same and thus they don't sound the same even if only there's a little of variance between them.
 
You are right about something, I don't know squat about you or about Rin approach to the mesurements, but you don't also know me, I never intended to offend you, what I wrote was just a joke, because in many threads I've seen your posts about the damn graphs, anyway if you like I will never quote you or write something about any of your post or you in the future, that's cool?

You say you're not trying to be disrespectful, but your words show otherwise. What you mention is nothing I don't know or consider, but the point is that instead of buying something from Japan for more and having to wait, you can simply add a bit of foam and that's it...
 
Post whatever you like as long as it's something I can work with, instead of useless rhetoric. 

 

[xProvidence]

Has anyone who has ordered from amazon.jp/tenso gotten a defective pair yet? What about the warranty? I ask cause I really do not want to wait for the North American release, of which, right now, I do not know. 

 

[FlySweep]

Originally Posted by xProvidence /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Has anyone who has ordered from amazon.jp/tenso gotten a defective pair yet? What about the warranty? I ask cause I really do not want to wait for the North American release, of which, right now, I do not know. 

 
I've ordered a number of phones through Amazon.co.jp/Tenso over the past couple of years (e-Q5, FXT90, FXZ100, AT IEMs, etc.).. never once have I received a defective pair of headphones.  Much of that credit goes to the build quality of the phones.. and some of it to the securely packaged shipment, too.  Every phone I've ordered arrived in its retail box (that you'd get if you went to Japan and bought it from a B&M).  That retail packaging was always in another (cardboard) box which was very well cushioned, and sealed.  With all the various phones i've ordered, I've never once been disappointed with the shipping quality and the phones arrived in new/unopened condition.
 
I've never had to deal with warranty issues (for the reasons mentioned above) so I can't comment on that.. but I'd envision it wouldn't be the easiest of things to do since the Amazon.co.jp vendor you bought the phones from might not speak English.. and you'd probably have to route shipping through Tenso (again) somehow.  I'd probably try my hand at getting a refund and re-ordering the phone instead of hassling with an exchange.  The lack of an easy warranty/exchange process is something to consider when ordering from Amazon.co.jp/Tenso.. but you've got to think the (sometimes significant) savings reaped by buying from Amazon.co.jp/Tenso makes the decision easier to take a (well calculated) gamble on.  I've rarely, if ever, had build quality issues with any headphones so it's something I don't really worry about.

 

[Jakkal]

Hello,
My nickname is Jakkal and I'm addicted to XBA-30. 

I just can't stop listening to them. 

 
Edit: I didn't even try other tips on them, when people don't like something in the sound they start tip rolling, changing pads, cables ect. I don't want to change anything on these, I'm in audio heaven.
 
Here is my portable rig:
 
 

 
Quote:

Has anyone who has ordered from amazon.jp/tenso gotten a defective pair yet? What about the warranty? I ask cause I really do not want to wait for the North American release, of which, right now, I do not know. 

 
As far as I know the warranty on these is valid only in Japan, so if something happen to them you have to returned to Amazon.jp.

 

[MrFujisawa]

Short update. Still loving the 30s, there is a hint of silibance, but its not harsh or distracting. I've been going through my music collection and its been a joy listening to old music given a new breath of life.

 

[Jakkal]

Fujisawa what is your source? Cause if the source impedance is high they become bright. IMHO source should be <1 Ohm to sound their best.
 
 
BTW big thanks to Dsnuts for starting this thread, to mugen3 for the nice reviews and to PeterDLai for made me pull the trigger with his price attacks. 

 

[xProvidence]

Quote:

As far as I know the warranty on these is valid only in Japan, so if something happen to them you have to returned to Amazon.jp.

I figured that was the case. Darn. In the back of my mind, I was hoping that I could claim the warranty here despite purchasing it from Japan 

 
Quote:

 
I've ordered a number of phones through Amazon.co.jp/Tenso over the past couple of years (e-Q5, FXT90, FXZ100, AT IEMs, etc.).. never once have I received a defective pair of headphones.  Much of that credit goes to the build quality of the phones.. and some of it to the securely packaged shipment, too.  Every phone I've ordered arrived in its retail box (that you'd get if you went to Japan and bought it from a B&M).  That retail packaging was always in another (cardboard) box which was very well cushioned, and sealed.  With all the various phones i've ordered, I've never once been disappointed with the shipping quality and the phones arrived in new/unopened condition.
 
I've never had to deal with warranty issues (for the reasons mentioned above) so I can't comment on that.. but I'd envision it wouldn't be the easiest of things to do since the Amazon.co.jp vendor you bought the phones from might not speak English.. and you'd probably have to route shipping through Tenso (again) somehow.  I'd probably try my hand at getting a refund and re-ordering the phone instead of hassling with an exchange.  The lack of an easy warranty/exchange process is something to consider when ordering from Amazon.co.jp/Tenso.. but you've got to think the (sometimes significant) savings reaped by buying from Amazon.co.jp/Tenso makes the decision easier to take a (well calculated) gamble on.  I've rarely, if ever, had build quality issues with any headphones so it's something I don't really worry about.

That's really good news. Do you happen to remember how long it took for Sony to release the XBA series in North America after they released it in Japan? Didn't the XBA-3 also used to cost near $300 during their earlier days? Hmm. I'm worried about the warranty cause, I suppose, I don't trust myself enough to take care of it. They'll be my portable headphones. I've never lost or broken a portable pair before but the worry is still there. Then again, physical damage probably isn't covered by the warranty anyways, much less losing the IEM.

 

 

[JonnyRocket]

I think I'm going to end up selling my XBA-3iP and put it towards a Cowen Z2. The sound sig is just not for me.