Sony XBA-Z5 First Impressions Review

The most mature iteration of the new Sony house sound so far?
XBA-Z5 vs. XBA-A3: www.lachlanlikesathing.com/201...
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[@damianhla4940]

The XBA-Z5 is still my favourite IEM after all these years. I found the construction very robust and the years stands as great testimony to this claim, in regards to its reliability. Make note that this Z5 is constructed as professional equipment for recording engineers/artists. The target sector is different to the normal consumer market. Hence the low key and no fuss appearance. I am still actively using this excellent IEM. I have the EX1000 and also the Qualia 010, but in terms of the sonic properties when pair with the Astell & Kern DAP, it is still the closest experience it offers that is comparable to listening the JBL Project K2 and JBL M2 home audio setup augmented with TAD PT-R9 Beryllium Ribbon Super Tweeters, which i much preferred over listening to normal headphones set up. But these IEM are a good compromise when i have to travel.

[@arasaslan]

Great review Lachlan! I actually own the eph-100 and absolutely love them. I especially like sub-bass reverberations on the eph-100. How do you think A3 or Z5 compare to eph-100? Do A3 and Z5 have nice slow decay reverberation or are they just having slamming bass something like a senn ie80?

[@Keertikar64]

Hi Lachlan! Thank you for the comprehensive review! I wonder if you have heard the Tg334 and if yes, how does it compare to the XBA Z5? Aware that there is a big price difference, but still..

[@allen0088]

My first listening experience are these z5 with dragonfly red sound is massive like full sizes cans

[@duhbiyung]

nice review, lachlan. Any plan to review Senn IE80 in the future?

[@dipalb]

Hey Lachlan! Been following your videos for a while and wanted to know what your opinion is of the new XBA 300AP. Have you gotten a chance to test them yet?

[@bk7322]

Just bought an xba-a3 and really loving it. Great review!

[@2901gagandeep]

Great review of the hands bro.

[@dranzerkai5654]

Hey! How come I haven't seen a review on the ie800s on your channel? Or the Miles Davis Trumpets for that matter? I have the trumpets at the moment and can't really find a headphone that's better in terms of detail retrieval and timbre. Have you had the chance to checkout the ie800s or the trumpets?

[@xeryan2747]

hi,how is A2 compared to A3 and Z5?

[@Moli0123]

z5 vs ex800 port taped ? Regards / great review ; )

[@akila219]

hello. will those pair good enough with only a mp3 player/ipod? or does it need a headphone amp/dac? how do they compare to the sennheiser hd 800 soundwise?

[@casildag]

Neat video! Following your recommendations I bought the vsonic vsd3s and thank you much! They sound great and look great. I've been wandering lately what music do you listen to. What are your top 3-5 artists ?

[@lachlanlikesathing]

You might find this playlist of some of my favourite tracks interesting: kzbin.info/aero/PLDp6fyvziq0jIFlKRxhZJW7E2sZpXW1Wr

[@Magnetorheological]

Are you going to do an extended look at the MSR7? I'm really tempted to get those right now and don't know if they are a good buy compared to the M50x (I'm definitely going to get one or the other) Thanks!

[@kevinzeng9606]

Hey Lachlan! Any opinions between the Z5 vs EX1000? Thanks in advance :)

[@rizkidonnysaputratanjung7376]

Which better it Z5 or N3AP? What is differences between of that type?

[@AndroidVageta1]

Yo! Is there ANY chance you can get me some shots of the H3 vs the Z5 and/or A3 from the side so I can see how much thinner the new ones are vs. the H3 please? I'd like to wear these cable down but the thickness of the H3 makes it difficult and think the newer models would be better...not to mention the better sound in general. Thanks!

[@sajida7305]

In your trip to Hong Kong did u had a chance to listen to A1AP ? How's that compared to a3

[@aprilshowers3008]

Would you say the Sony mrd-1a or ath-m50x is better all things considered

[@dooberknob3947]

How do the A2 compare to the A3 and Z5?

[@faffe1]

Is it possible for you to do a review of the DUNU dn-1000?

[@absa64]

Hi,how is the sony xba z5 compare to full size headphones like beyer t1 in terms of headstage , imaging and rich tonality? it'll be my first IEm, I hope I'll like it .

[@RLEEJY051298]

If you've heard Audio Technica's ATH CKR9LTD how would it compare to the XBA H3 as well as soundstage and imaging? Which would you recommend ? I could get them for the same price but H3 is used.

[@Montreal_Audio_Systems]

I just bought the akg n40. They are on there way and I am hoping they sound good? Any one have any taughts?

[@halim5184]

Anybody ever tried iem with a bluetooth receiver like the xiaomi mi bluetooth receiver? Is the sound quality suffer much

[@darthmandude]

I have this with a balanced cable and the older ex1000. Both sound excellent their own ways.

[@AndrewAkuyami]

Hi!I would really appreciate if you would take a minute to answer my question.Which earphones are the best for sound quality but also high in bass?..no more than 100€ though... :)

[@Jetpistolhaki]

can you review the new Sony xba n series?

[@LeGeNdErYblader]

Hey lachlan, congrats on your purchase! I recently went to a local headphone store to try the xba a3 in my search for a $300+ iem. Unfortunately I only had my smartphone as a lousy source to drive them(90% vol for reasonable listening levels), so I am not sure if my impressions stand. I plan to get the fiio x3 soon. However, from what I heard I felt the bass to be messy and uncontrolled. Female vocals impressed me the most with the detail, texture, and layering, but more often than not that magic was lost amidsts the warmth of the iem. Do you think the ex800st will be a better alternative? I want a natural sound for acoustic music mostly. Bass is just a sweet bonus. Unfortunately I can't afford the ex1000, and the ex800 being a "monitor" series, doesn't come with warranty.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

If you weren't a big fan of the warmth, the EX800ST might indeed be a good alternative. It works well with acoustic. Also consider the Audio Technica ATH-IM02 :)

[@LeGeNdErYblader]

***** Thanks for the suggestions! I am going to have to demo the im02 in the coming week or so, especially after reading so many glowing reviews of it. For now, how do you think the im02 compares to the ex800st? I am asking because my budget can stretch a little more, and if the ex800st is markedly "better" i may get that instead.

[@benredfield462]

They are still worth it

[@khlymore]

what u prefer A3 or x1000? and can i use a mic with the x1000 like the A3? and what you think about the Sony XBA-300AP

[@johnyang799]

exk all the way.

[@zuyanhe]

I recently got z5 about a week ago, and after 30+ hours of listening I still feel like Z5 sounds dark and feels a little bit like underwater. I have tried my friend's K3003, and it sounds more detailed and brighter(reference filter). I just don't get the detailed vocal section for the Z5. What do you think? Oh, also I feel the high on H3 be brighter than Z5, do you think so?

[@RojasTKD7]

opinions on the XBA-A2? Awaiting on then to arrive after reading good things and finding them for 189.99 USD, a fair bit cheaper than all other sellers here in the US. same seller on Amazon is now$215.99 (still cheaper than all others by 10 to 50 dollars). Hope I'm not disappointed.

[@MuhammadKharismawan]

@Roby Johan Actually its depend on your preference and need... Example today I've been comparing the sound of Shure SE 215 Special Edition, Audio Technica ATH IM50, and RHA 750i... Getting used to it... Then listen to Audio Technica ATH M50x and Cheaper Sennheiser HD 202... I like the SE215 and IM50 sound better than M50x, but HD202 has great sound for such a cheap Headset... Bough the Shure though (standard edition one, plus a bonus of an AMP)... It's what I come to the shop for in the first place... Realized what they meant by it has laid back sound. Audio Technica has better sound, but they're too big for my taste. RHA... Too heavy. Now I'm considering to go there sometimes to buy that HD 202...

[@functionaldoc5054]

How does XBA-Z5 compare vs the Sony MDR-EX800st 's ? Are the Z5;s worth $399 Us and then must buy the balanced cable for $195? Great reviews as always . I love the sound of my MDR-EX800st just wondering if the Z5's are upgrade in sound.

[@joshgubser2625]

Z5 is an upgrade over 800. Better mids and clarity overall, while still being cousins in terms of sound.

[@reelgreens4127]

Any chance of a review of the Thinksound ON1?

[@LeJohnz]

Do you play any games like CounterStrike: Global Offensive where soundstage matters? If so, could you give me some thoughts from a gaming perspective? I know this is a weird request, I'm just interested in a pair of in-ears that can do it all with classical music, electronic music, movies and games.

[@ninjafrog8419]

could you show how it looks in the ear? such an unusual design must be a big deal with this earphone...

[@ZacharyT94]

Well my beloved XBA-4's are dying on me, the subwoofer drivers are not working very well at all and the whole headphone sounds way too harsh and metallic now. What would you recommend Lachlan? I want to stick to a similar sound signature to the XBA-4's but a little less treble. I'm not too worried about the price, except I can't really afford or justify custom IEM's, otherwise I'd buy Noble Kaiser 10's in a heartbeat. I've been hearing a lot of good things about the RHA MA750i, how are they? Would they satisfy my tastes? The XBA-Z5 is very tempting though, not sure what I want...

[@allen0088]

Whats the attack and decay speed? The ex1000 was slow as fuck

[@johnajr2004]

Is that a first impression or comparison?

[@wiwandrarahmanusyairi8494]

From your experience have you ever try any iem that is comparable in sound quality with full size headphone such as hd650 or k812? From what i saw from your previous reviews you tend to recommend iem at price range around $100 to $200. Are more expensive iems really don't have significant difference in sound quality compared to best iems at that price range? I really curious about your opinion. Thanx! :)

[@lachlanlikesathing]

I tend to recommend $100-$200 earphones because for that money you are getting extremely good sound. It's hard to compare to full sized headphones but I generally find it's easier to find a really good sounding earphone for $100 than it is to find a $100 headphone. I find more expensive IEMs don't really offer all that much more for the money, unlike more expensive headphones.

[@wiwandrarahmanusyairi8494]

I see, so for headphones, what price range is the sweet spot in your opinion? I remember you haven't said anything about it before. :D

[@elijahmodnar1]

You going to review them in balanced mode? And wouldn't it of been better buying them With Sony staff discount?

[@lachlanlikesathing]

If I get the chance I'll try balanced. The Z5 most likely won't be coming to Australia, so no discount is available.

[@061811]

i read from somewhere regarding the shit connector getting loose. " it is used for air release as Z5 has no visible air release hole"

[@hanbinggong537]

best review do much to help me to make my final decision ! Although someone said that it looks like a flash drive but I still love it.

[@ElMacho0423]

I personally thought the ear tips were terrible and extremely uncomfortable to me which almost made me want to return them. But then after searching through the web, I ran into Comply foam tips and that just made my listening experience perfect. My ears no longer hurt and they are much better for noise isolating. ***** have you tried them? if not you should definitely try them. I got the Tsx 200 for my xba-z5

[@HiFiInsider]

the upgraded cable has the same shit connector. Sony failed by using that shitty connector IMO.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

It's definitely the most disappointing part of the build. :P

[@wiwandrarahmanusyairi8494]

I think the previous connector is one of the best part of the build quality, and for me it's the best mechanism for cable connector. Can't think of any reason why it should change to mccx which is more prone to long term problems.

[@zuyanhe]

My left side connector is loose while the right side is perfect -_____-

[@shaolin95]

Hi-Fi Insider dummy

[@drez13]

Nice impressions Lachaln. Hope you are well. Haven't had a chance to hear these, yet, but probably not to my tastes in frequency balance. I heard Z7 recently, you are spot on that it is not performing adequately for the price. Oppo PM2 was way better for the same money (save for wonky soundstage).

[@oliverlam2123]

Thinking on whether or not i should get it. Is it a balanced earphone in terms of sound?

[@lachlanlikesathing]

No, not at all balanced.

[@wawaweewarice5302]

Sony's iems are almost always warm sounding. If you're looking for balanced, some good iems for different price ranges are Er4pt Ck100pro JH audio angie

[@realaudioreviews]

What's your favorite iem?? Under $300 ish. I just can't find any good ones. I hated the 4r because of veiled mid range and muffled sound. And I just don't know what's good.

[@AnCierciello]

audio-technica Imo03

[@AnCierciello]

audio-technica Imo03

[@NiohNiohYT]

How did cable connectors show over time, half a year from review now... Is it holding well? Also if you've heard Sennheiser IE8 / IE80 could you give me brief comparison please?

[@matthewng5931]

i have both the ie80 and xba-a3, and without hesitation i would recommend the a3 over the ie80. i use the ie80 on the lowest bass setting for the highest clarity, but the ba drivers of the a3 beats the ie80 in terms of clarity. Bass feels more controlled on the a3 whereas the bass of the ie80 can overwhelm some listeners. as for a3 vs z5, the a3 sounded more bright and rich while the z5 sounded more mature, therefore boring to my ears. putting the price aside, the a3 sounded better than the z5 to me.

[@NiohNiohYT]

Matthew Ng Z5 sounded more mature? what are you talking about?

[@matthewng5931]

it didn't sound as sparkly at the a3. z5's sound signature is controlled, way too controlled in my opinion. listening to the z5 makes you feel that it could do a little better like it's brother the a3. sorry if im bad at explaining the sounds :(

[@alexchen1466]

+Matthew Ng I definitely agree, after auditioning Sony's lineup at a store, I picked up a pair of XBA-A3s. They just sound so fun and exciting, sparkly up high and punchy down low. I found the Z-5 too dark and mature for my taste. I was also considering getting the 300APs, but due to the lack of a dynamic driver, the subbass seemed a little scarce.

[@shshankking]

Can you please please review IPod Nano 7G in your style. cannot find any good review of it..i want to buy XBZ-Z5 with Ipod but want to know is it good or better than sony's NWZ-A15 ? Please can you? i know one request wont make you to buy but, just a request..

[@lachlanlikesathing]

I think either would be fine with the Z5, it doesn't seem particularly picky with impedance. Just pick based on preference in music transfer.

[@shshankking]

***** Ok then Nano would be my preference. Thanks.

[@fei19317]

Could you compare Z5 with N3AP pls?

[@3l_Pinxhe_JoE]

I personally own the N3AP... if you want PERFECT SOUND I would say the N3AP are your choice. I use them on my PS4 and my Galaxy S9 with poweramp and THEY ARE EXTREMELY PERFECT... the Z5 Im curious to buy because the H3 to me are just disappointing. But N3AP are guaranteed. Buy the Z5 and tell me how they do lol.

[@Mickice]

Looking at my Z7, I kinda expected the Z5 to have the same sort of screw on cable like the MDR7506.

[@kennethchan8902]

other than the Sony XBA-Z5 the AKG K3003 is quite a pleasure to listen to as well

[@paulosilva8200]

Funny that from all earphones in 2020. The Sony are the ones that fits my ears. They have the tube that I can had the tip in a vertical way and not facing up like others. Then the case does stick around the ear like others, that when I try to push in more its impossible because the case is stuck touching the ears and my ear canal is deeper. One fit and goes perfect . Others I cant

[@ropolau]

Have you compared it with the SE846?

[@tempestjay7865]

You just don't. The se846 are on a whole different league than these Sony's.

[@ropolau]

So the SE856's are waaayyy better than these Sonys??? Because maybe the XBA-Z5 is cheaper but better. O__O Just maybe. :D

[@ropolau]

I just saw this one at versus.com, as I cannot find any comparison with the XBA-Z5 and SE846. A cheaper Sony IEM vs the legendary Shure SE846. This one says that XBA-H3 is better than the SE846. O_O versus.com/en/sony-xba-h3-vs-shure-se846 1 point better. I don't have any Sony IEMs. I only own an SE535 and SE846. Now I got curious about Sony IEMs. O___O

[@tempestjay7865]

Jehzeel Laurente well I read somewhere that the xba h3 had about 70-80%of the sound as the se846. However if you want to step it up even more, check out the Westone w80. It has a total of 8 drivers and is a juggernaut.

[@itachi-pf6oz]

Hey :) got a Klipsch X11, NICE Base perfrom! hope you review it in your channal..

[@robyjohan4653]

is earphone sounds better than a headphone if they have the same price? What makes each of them better than the other?

[@lachlanlikesathing]

I'm not sure if there is a general rule, but what I've noticed is that it's easier to get a really good sounding $100 earphone than a really good sounding $100 headphone. Once you get up to this $500 price range though, all bets seem to be off.

[@robyjohan4653]

thank you.. you should do more video about explain the basic rule for headphone earphone thing.. It will sure attract me to watch it..

[@duy418]

whats better mdr 7750, xba h3 or xba a3?

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Duc Duy Au The A3 is a better version of the H3, but between the A3 and the 7550 it's a bit of a question of preference. The 7550 is much more balanced, the A3 sounds more fun and also has more treble extension.

[@duy418]

How does the a3 and the 7550 compare to the Yamaha eph100?

[@TBE99]

+Duc Duy Au I prefer A3 but eph 100 drums sounds amazing

[@donunus]

Is there a 4.4mm balanced pentacon connector for the wm1a?

[@HatsuneMikuCanada]

I when from starting with 15.00 skullcandy to buying Bose in 2009 in-ears To klipsch x11i for 250.00 on sale to the shure se 846, and now when fully crazy with a custom IEM from JH Audio for 1780.00 :P

[@Alex1611AD]

Nice

[@moaydmadrid]

Give your your opinion Which is better v-moda m100 or v-moda xs in ?????

[@igorj2255]

Two completely diffrent headphones.

[@moaydmadrid]

Igor J.​ Why ?? In terms of sound quality (clear and deep bass) ?

[@theodoro89]

moayd mhd Well, the biggest difference of the headphones is that the XS are on-ear and the M100 are over ear. Also there is a big price difference. Which is better for me? I'll go with the M100. I've never heard any of them, but i don't really like on-ear headphones. Done :P (This is why we can't really compare them)

[@igorj2255]

Also the sound signature is different. You can compare them from Lachlan reviews.

[@realaudioreviews]

Get the Sennheiser Momentums

[@Steampunk915]

I wonder when are they going to announce a flagship open back headphone, the true successor of the SA5000, How much do you think that the z5 should cost? As always Lachlan great first impression/full review!

[@lachlanlikesathing]

I think about $300-$400 would be a reasonable price to pay all things considered.

[@shiquannjackson9042]

what do you think of the urbanears zinken?

[@boffyrox02]

The new Sony house sound might come as a disappointment for many, but I I have to give props to Sony engineers and their team. The new Sony A series, Z5, and Z7 are an absolute hit in South Korea at the moment. They are being advertised by some of the most famous celebrities here, and they are appearing in K-Dramas left and right. I am sure this is also happening in Japan too. As many Sony fans know, Sony has been in a slump since the beginning of 21st century, but I have to admit Sony's marketing tactics such as the Hi-Res Audio is slowly pulling them out of the gutters. Hopefully by the next decade, we see an R10 "2" or bunch of other craftsmanship masterpieces like the EX1000.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Haha, are you sure it's a hit, or is it just a super super expensive marketing campaign?

[@boffyrox02]

***** I have seen quite a few people in the streets walking around with a Z7, so it seems like their products are being sold at the very least.

[@bonkiru9818]

5 years later these are hot commodity for almost half the price!

[@hellboy5900]

sir can u plzz suggest me best earphone around 120 us dollars....i prefer to listen trans and hip hop rap and powerfull bass, plz rply fast i m in very need

[@adamnelson8572]

I'd go with the Shure SE215 or the Vsonic GR07 Bass Edition.

[@hellboy5900]

no i only want to buy sony as thier quality are goods and i m really a rough user. So i usually want a product that can match my rough usage.

[@adamnelson8572]

You're really limiting your options there. Sonys are not the only ones with good build quality.

[@hellboy5900]

I m in india right now and these models are not available here so what should i do then

[@adamnelson8572]

Can you order online?

[@abmarable]

I wonder if Sony XBA-A2 are any good... Price is lower, they aren't over-the-ear design (which is an upside for me), still there are multiple drivers put inside those, but the headphones seem smaller.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

I have not heard encouraging things about the A2 nor the H2.

[@abmarable]

Oh. But A2 aren't newer H2, right? A2 have 3 drivers, and H2 only 2. Anyways, I think Z5 for 700$ (amazon) isn't a good choice (well ok, I admit I haven't had opportunity to listen to them, it's just that for that price you can get decent CIEMs).

[@lachlanlikesathing]

abmarable Hmm you're right. It is a three way. That's intriguing... I'll see if I can have a listen one day.

[@deepakrajan08]

Cool.

[@yooanto9465]

Do you think Xba A3 is still the best value >

[@johnyang799]

Never was.

[@yooanto9465]

what's better , I heard him once said yamaha eph100 for half price still about the same sound Q.

[@strickmans]

you should have posted more hk vlogs

[@jeffreyau7942]

Please try out the RHA MA750i and compare it to the yamaha eph-100 ! THANKS :)

[@JJ-op4oj]

Sound quality of Z5 would be obviously improved after removing the little piece of cotton bud in the front part of the earphone.

[@Hierophantes]

Hey guys, would any of you care commenting on the Sony MDR7506? I've been meaning to get them, but now that I'm doing ''research'' on other possible headsets I'm not sure anymore. After some point most recommendations floating out there now somehow seem biased. Maybe I'm going crazy.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Try asking the good folk over at www.reddit.com/r/headphones/ for a recommendation over at one of their daily advice threads :) They can give you a good pointer. Relax and remember that if you get something you don't like, you can always return or resell it without too much fuss.

[@Hierophantes]

***** Thanks for the response and sorry for being off-topic :)

[@theodoro89]

Everybody seems to like the 7506, so i think it's a great choise. The only problem is that the earpads wear off too easily and you'll need to replace them.

[@mrgoodf50]

i dont care about the price i care about quality thats all bout so hows the sound quality

[@allen0088]

I paid around 400 usd ex1000

[@jerrygallo8061]

why don't you buy hesh 2 skullcandy headphones

[@Epic123Doom]

+Jerry Gallo Oh god, Skullcandy... just no.

[@xkambing]

+Jerry Gallo why you don't just eat the skullcandy marketing..?

[@syn010110]

I'm not so into the Sony house sound so much, but I quite liked the MDR-7550 for comfort over absolute sound preference. Probably the thief who stole them along with my laptop likes them too, but they're a bad person who should feel bad. I wish I could find another pair cheap, because I consider them to be great for calmer listening (it helps that they're more comfortable than my IM70s) like when I'm writing and such.

[@boffyrox02]

Waaaaat?! Your 7550 got stolen?! You have my condolences. I also have a pair, and while I have a CIEM that is technically superior than the 7550, it's a lovely IEM and there are days when I go back to it. I suggest visiting For Sale/Trade section at HeadFi if you get a chance. I saw a mi nt pair for $140 a couple days ago.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Corinn Heathers CaffeLatte~ That really does suck. I think the 7550 is a bit of an underrated gem.

[@syn010110]

CaffeLatte~ ***** yup, though I think the only reason the 7550 was stolen was that it happened to be plugged into the laptop that the thief was actually after. I did track around afterward to see if the thief may have dropped the IEMs (which were worth almost as much as the computer they were plugged into) but no dice. Being both without a laptop and without my "comfy plugs" makes me a little sad. I loooooove my IM70s, but they are not what one would call "calm" in sound signature.

[@onastudentbudget8647]

Corinn Heathers very sad to hear that! oh those im70s, why are you tempting me.... i'm been eyeing those babies for a while now =0

[@syn010110]

On A studentbudget hahahaha GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION IT IS YOUR... DESTINY

[@rohanes]

Seems like you are paying for the technology, material, and flagship status more than anything else with the Z5. One could say the same to the Z7. I really think Sony's lineup is lacking relative to their closest competitor, Audio Technica. While I'm not too impressed with their *"Hi-Rez"*, they at least have more options that aren't discontinued...

[@jiry]

***** pls do review for ATH-WS99 :3

[@adamnelson8572]

Huh, I thought we'd be getting at least one more Hong Kong video. Oh well. Sony appears to be very hit or miss with their audio products. That might have something to do with the fact that they're not an exclusively audio-focused company. The Z5 seems like an absolutely terrible value for the money, and there are better options for that price point. If I were to spend $700 on anything, especially an earphone, I would expect to see and hear that money on display. Little things, like the fact that the H3 has a better detachable cable mechanism, annoy me. Sony preferred house sound does not appeal to me, either, though that's a matter of personal taste and I can't fault Sony for that. I'm not really inclined to buy any audio products from them in the future. I will say I do love my PS4, so they did alright there. This video was quite thorough, in my humble opinion, to the point that I think another full review might be unnecessary. Great job!

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Just to be clear, it's the 7550 and the EX1000 that have the more secure mechanism. The H3 and Z5 share a mechanism. I have some leftover footage from Hong Kong that I wasn't quite sure how to piece together, but maybe there will be one more video...

[@adamnelson8572]

Yep, my bad. It's right there in the video. I was very sleepy when I watched it the first time and left that comment.

[@realaudioreviews]

The sony house sound seems disappointing, since the vocals are distant. And the bass is too much, and treble can be smooth. Doesn't sound right.

[@allen0088]

Bought these used for $150 usd

[@ejojo13]

Good deal =D I got a mint pair with 2 aftermarket cables for $270... those cables combined for easily over $200, so basically less than $70 for the pair of IEM's - what a steal!!

[@HatsuneMikuCanada]

Question does Sony sound get any better then go expensive never like Sony style of sound to spent 700.00 on it

[@lachlanlikesathing]

HatsuneMikuCanada No it's not worth spending this kind of money to buy this earphone without at least listening to it first. The XBA-A3 is a safer bet but even then, something like the Yamaha EPH-100 offers a similar sort of sound for much less money than both.

[@HatsuneMikuCanada]

I just spent 1800.00 on the Jh audio Roxanne without listening to them. Had to only high end audio store near me 480 miles away :/

[@yooanto9465]

I have roxanne , I hate it now after compare it to low price dynamic Iem , it's one of the most overpriced ciem I ever bought

[@HatsuneMikuCanada]

lol ^^^^^^

[@yooanto9465]

I swear to you That's my feeling one thing stand out is the soundstage of roxanne

[@joshnichols9406]

These come with the xperia z2 in the package.

[@AnCierciello]

Eyyyyyyyyyy

[@madhawan111]

Just to correct you, The headphones which come with the Xperia Z2 are MDR-NC31EM which are NO way near the XBA A3/H3, forget XBA-Z5. They are a completely different headphone, not even the same class, not even the same sound.

[@adamnelson8572]

I was gonna say, no way would they bundle earphones that cost more than the phone.

[@allen0088]

The yamaha sounds like the miles david trumpets with the micro driver B.Shit

[@Niriom]

turn off rus localization!

[@electro469]

My $10 earphones which is the Philips She3900 is wayyyyyyy muchh worth buying than those.. its not about how gorgeos the earphones , its about how balance the sound of the earphones.. and how durable which is important for people like me.. but for hi-fi earphones i think $700 is more cheaper than other hi-fi earphones out there..still it's still expensive for any avgconsumer.. anyways , i enjoy ur review !

[@RealLifeEddy2K]

I can assure you any 100 dollar pair of earbuds will be 100 times better then your 10 dollar ones lol.

[@theodoro89]

But... Who is this product for? After watching the video i feel like you don't recommend these IEMs, unless somebody heard them and liked them.

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Haha. Well that's pretty much how it goes for every expensive product. At the point where you spend this much money, have a demo first.

[@mrtim6]

Keep your hands still

[@diontng2142]

Don't really like the design tbh.. Sticks out your ear.

[@ozzieburt2350]

Are you bi

[@Alone1am]

you keep the product too close to the camera and your constantly shaking it, what are you trying to do? its very disturbing and found it hard to watch your video if you really wanna get upclose to the product on camera then please keep constant stability and not shake around.

[@mesri3]

Yes ... It's giving me vertigo. So I stopped watching it and heard the VO.

[@kwkarlwang]

i actually want to see the sony a2, a3 and z5 are way too werid to wear outside...it is like injecting a usb drive into your ears... making me look like a werido. a2 seems like the only normal one... although it only has 12 mm driver

[@sapphiresky1773]

just adjust the equalizer man

[@allen0088]

The equalizer 1 or equalizer 2?

[@moowooify]

Lachlan, you are very shaking their hands, is a little uncomfortable to watch the video.

[@ChristopheChardon]

I don't get your obsession with XBA sony series of IEM... they are overpriced, have poor isolation, are hard to wear on the move, ridiculously branded Hi def.... They are so many more interesting alternatives : Shure, Etymotic, Earsonic, Westone, Grado, etc...

[@lachlanlikesathing]

Interest is in the ear of the beholder.... but the thing is, I don't really tend to like the sound of multi balanced armature set ups. If you've noticed, all my favourite headphones are dynamic driver types. I don't like how thick multi BA sets tend to sound, and they have what I think is an unnatural bass timbre. Still haven't heard a Westone or Shure that changed my mind on that. I thought the non-hybrid XBA series wasn't really up to par either, but at least the street prices got quite low.

[@ChristopheChardon]

***** I was not endorsing any particular techno... give a try to the Grado GR10, the Senneheiser IE800, or the almost affordable Shure SE425

[@sdjklsdjksdjklf]

Christophe Chardon The Grado Gr10s are excellent. Very unique IEM.

[@vapidwords]

i will never forgive sony for their disrespectful movie towards Korean people, "The Interview", so screw sony products. get german engineering, sennheiser ie800!

[@vapidwords]

***** they're still ethnically Korean; our civilization has only been divided into north/south since the middle of the 20th century after disagreements between two factions that fought against the japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-1945.

[@vapidwords]

***** well, i think you missed the point of my critique of sony, a transnational but ultimately japanese-owned zaibatsu. also, hollywood is vulgar; the movie itself was vulgar and lined with disgusting western chauvinistic sexual degeneracy. there are more sophisticated ways to create films depicting the plight of Koreans in the north, really.