No love for XB series here?

Was at Sony Center KLCC yesterday.

The new hybrid XBA series is already for sale there. Unfortunately not for demo though

I did try both the XB920 and R1 MK2 headphone.

The new R1 is quite different than the older one from my memory. MK2 seems to have boosted treble.

XB920 surprised me. Not bad for a so called "xtra bass" headphone.
Quite clean and detailed, isolates way better than R1 and the bass is actually not that wild

come come need impression for H3! Anticipating!

i have XBA-3 in my collection.. it gives me mix feeling.. detail, isolation is awesome… but, i'm not quite satisfied.. i want more.. is XBA-40 a worthy upgrade? anyone can advise?

thinking about T-peos H-200 as well.. hmm..

but as of now, the most worth-every-penny to me is my hifiman re-400.. considered cheap, but very good sound for casual listening and very comfortable to use. i'm looking for something that can beat it in term of price over quality

The xba 4/40 is more or less the same with 3 only with added "sub woofer" BA. If you search for rinchoi's blog,
the frequency response is nearly the same between both models.

My 2 cents, I prefer the xba4 more than the xba40. Xba3 which I've auditioned many times is not far off.
I consider it a sidegrade instead of an upgrade.

Maybe you can try Vsonic GR07.

Some impressions made for XBA H1, H2 and H3 on listening in the Sony Center in The Curve.

XBA H1

Bass
The Bass hits stronger than the XBA BA Drivers only, say the XBA 1 by much more, but the Bass is never too much or too boomy, with a nice decay. However it feels a bit that the Bass is on a different layer from the rest of the frequency, like it is from a different sound source. However, it does not stop you from enjoying it, great Bass with the right amount and of quite a good quality (Coming from EQ5, which is tight, but suffers in the quantity and the too short of decay, however comparing to the SE530, the Bass is definitely tighter on the H1, but less weight).

Mid
With Good Clarity and resolution, better than the XBA-1 BA only in my memory. Vocal produce splendidly, but the resolution is lacking comparing to the H3 or other multiple driver BA earphones. Good air and clear mids, nothing to complaint about.

High
Can't hear much on highs as I mentioned before in any reviews/impression I made (is there is any ), but it is definitely much better than the rolled off SE530 being there and can be heard, but never too sibilance or harsh, just nice. This also helps in the clarity department.

Soundstage and Imaging
Better than average, sound is away from you, wide with slight depth, at least it is not too intimate or close to you. However, listening to the other earphones I have (EX800ST), the position of the sound source is not as precise, if it feels like the sound source is just beside each other in the EX800ST, it sounds like it came from the same spot in the XBA H1, however, that’s not a problem speaking which you can still identify the position of instruments quite clearly.

Detail
Not as detail as EX800ST, but it’s a BA driver that handle the job well.

XBA H2
Bass
First thing when you start your music without the Bass, you feel that the Clarity is all there with you like the H1, but slightly different atmosphere (Will Come to it in the Mid description), however, as soon as the Bass comes, it take over the spotlight and everything focus on it.

The Bass intrude the Mids and Highs, and it is overpowering that it sounds a little boomy for my taste (Coming again from the EQ5 and SA5000 tight Bass).

The Middle to the Middle High
Notice any difference in the Sub-Section Title, yes, it is different from the H1. Which again will come to it in the High Mids.

The Mid is similar to the H1, being clear and has clarity when the Bass isn’t there (Vocals or Instrument only), but the sweet spot is where the High Mid comes with, I believe it is tuned differently or the Dynamic Driver is the cause of the sound.

Vocals, especially female vocals sound so well and nice, it is just special and it is like how other brands handle their female vocal (ATH Woody Series?), that’s it. The only reason to get the H2 will be for the High Mids for the Female Vocal, the Male Vocal, I do not notice any difference. I am bias

Highs
Similar to that of the H1.

Soundstage and Imaging
Similar to the H1
Detail
Similar to H1 again, or I don’t remember them well.

XBA H3
Bass
Here comes the Flagship, so the Bass should be the MOST…






Powerful???

Over-powering Bass take the Spotlight again, this time, it definitely rumbles across the entire frequency, or this will be what I call Bass Head earphone. Nothing can escape the thundering Bass, the Bass is Boomy, more than the H2, but the good thing is that this bring excitement, this is the V-shape signature, this is the Boom Boom territory, there is so much Bass I am starting to hear Bass I never heard on my other earphones. But, I am enjoying it at this very moment. Although I am never a Basshead.

Mid
The Mid is more resolve and has higher resolution than the H1 and H2, being the extra BA driver, it also carry more weight and sounded more real in the vocal, not because the H1 and H2 are not real, but because of the resolution of the vocal that it appears so. The Mid is ruined by the Bass, making it sound not as clear especially the most clarity based earphone, the Sony XBA H1. The Vocal does not beat the H2 for me. But the rest of the MIds are. Also appear to be slightly more detail.

High
I remembered it is slightly more pronounce than the rest of the H1 and H2, but take it with a grain of salt, I don’t focus much on the High. It is there but the Bass is still…..too much.

Soundstage and Imaging
Probably has the biggest Soundstage comparing to the H1 and H2, the imaging is also better, The Soundstage is slightly wider and further.

Detail
The Details are better than on the H1 and H2, but not by much. You can hear it if you compare to the other two.


Summary
If you want the best of the price/performance ratio, while not being a Basshead like me, go for the XBA H1 if you must get the XBA H Series.

Go for the Vocal H2 if your focus is only the Female Vocal, but don’t mind the Bass intruding a little at sometimes.

Go for the Basshead H3 if you are not like me, and the Bass over everything else, especially if you want those cheapo speaker Boomy Bass and Bass to appear all around you, where you have never listen before on your other phones, but with good Mids and detail retrieval. Enjoy the Bass.

XBA H1
Best of all. I know I know, I am selling the XBA H1, that’s why the praise right? Now, go and get some hearing yourself to be sure!!
Or get from me

This post has been edited by lincm: Nov 24 2013, 08:28 PM

Nice review I am looking forward to see the comparison between my TDK BA200 and Sony XBA H3

Thanks for the impression. Looking forward to trying the real stuff!

thanks for the impression.. PM me best price for the H1 you're selling then. (i mean it)

PHA-2,MDR-1R MK2

loving my XBA-3 paired with X3.. finally found a suitable DAP for it.. it suxx bad on ipod

Sound stage are opening wide, after i found a suitable 3.5mm mini plug to fit in my mdr-1r.

finally able to shows it potentials

This post has been edited by ktek: Dec 1 2013, 10:52 PM

is it worth to get the newly launch mdr-10r? for normal use with pc n note 2.
any recommendation is welcome

after a while, i began to love my XBA-3 sounds with Fiio X3 as the source.. maybe i already get used to it, and maybe i already forgot how other IEM sounds.. lOL.. coz i used this most times recently..

This post has been edited by un_id: Dec 9 2013, 11:20 PM

audiophile audio recorder? or for musician

Was wandering too. Mdr 10r or mrd 1r mk2 better?

best to try it yourself. i went to mdr1rmk2 as i found the comfort and size of 10r is not as good as 1rmk2 and the ear-cup is small abit.
no regret getting 1rmk2. now i need to save and get the fio x3 or smth similiar.

was thinking go tonight but the jam is terrible. will drop by klcc tomorrow. the fio is in my list too..

Finally complete my portable music gear. Got good price is mdr-1r mk2 silver. Loving it now.


Attached thumbnail(s)

10R is more like compact version of 1R. think sennheiser momentum vs momentum on-ear


yup. been using 1R for a year, ear pad still soft and comfort for long hour listening.
welcome to 1R club


silver is cool! welcome to 1R club