Sony Xbah1 Hybrid 2-Way Driver In-Ear Headphones

sony xbah1 hybrid 2 way driver in ear headphones

Sony XBAH1 Hybrid 2-Way Driver In-Ear Headphones

Hybrid 2-way Driver Unit extended bass/profound vocal sound
Suppression housing for smooth frequency response
Hybrid Silicone Ear buds, in 3 sizes, provide a precise fit
Noise isolation Earbuds provide increased noise attenuation
Convenient pouch, cord adjuster, and clip supplied

Buy Now : Sony XBAH1 Hybrid 2-Way Driver In-Ear Headphones

Brand : Sony
Category : Electronics,Headphones, Earbuds & Accessories,Headphones & Earbuds,Earbud Headphones
Rating : 3.7
Review Count : 173
SalesRank : 0

sony xbah1 hybrid 2 way driver in ear headphones

Sony XBAH1 Hybrid 2-Way Driver In-Ear Headphones

My first IEM were the Sony MDR-EX300 and man they were great. I\'ve had it for a while until it was recently stolen and I was in the market for new IEMs. After doing a lot of research and the price drop, I decided to jump on these, and I do not regret my purchase. Now, I am no audiophile by any means but hopefully, this review will help you on picking some decent headphones.Design:I really like the red/black color scheme. The cable is Y-shaped, versus the annoying J-shape that many Sony headphones, including my old EX300, come with. The cable is flat and tangle resistant. You can roll up the headphones and put it in the included pouch, take it out, and it won\'t have that wire memory that some of the round cables have. I feel that the design of the cable also reduces the microphonics. They also include a shirt clip to reduce it even more, especially when you are exercising. The actual casing or body of the headphones is made of plastic, but stylish.Fit:It comes with two sets of tips, both are the silicone hybrid tips, but one has foam and one doesn\'t. I tried the one with the foam and I didn\'t really like the fit/isolation. It just felt a little weird for me and I couldn\'t get a real good seal. The normal silicone tips worked a lot better for me, but it could be because I am used to wearing the normal one with my EX300. I read some reviews that the Comply tips make it even better, so I gave it a shot. I could definitely tell a difference, so see below on the sound quality. The casing is a little bit bigger than most IEMs, and kind of sticks out of your ear, but it doesn\'t feel heavy when you are wearing it. I don\'t feel fatigued after wearing it all day long at work.Sound:So, once you get a good seal and have had some burn-in time with these, the headphones really shine. The comply tips definitely make a difference and brings out the sound more on these headphones. The bass is very controlled and prominent, but not super thumpy (if that is a word). It doesn\'t overwhelm the mids or highs and blends in with the music very well. The best part of these headphones are the mids. Mids are very crisp and clear. I really love how well these headphones do with vocals and instrumentals. It sounds bright and forward. I would say the highs is where these headphones are the weakest. I would say they were pretty harsh at the start, but after burn-in, it smoothed out. The quality is good but it isn\'t as crisp. The soundstage is pretty good. It sounds like you are at a concert and the singer or band is playing at you. The instrument separation is excellent, and you can definitely hear the different layers.Overall, for $99, it isn\'t a bad price for an excellent pair of IEMs. If I can describe these headphones in one word, I would say it sounds \"fun\". Definitely consider the comply tips because I think it helps out these headphones a lot. It is a great set for someone who is looking for some entry level quality headphones.
I am rather disappointed with this iteration of the XBA series. IMO, the H1 is to the EX600 as the H3 is to the EX1000 (similar price and similar place in the line up). But while the EX600 was an excellent value budget entry that shared a lot of the pros of the flagship EX1000, the H1 just does not cut it as a sensible buy.The XBA-H1 is expensive given its sound. While it sounds decent, it pales in comparison with the XBA-H3, and many other IEMS in the price range can offer better comfort or sound or a combination of both.COMFORT:First, to get any reasonable sound production, you have to mess around with the tips and experiment with all sizes. This was true with the EX600-1000 line, the general shape and design of which the H1-H3 line is modeled after. It is disappointing that Sony has made zero improvement to fit and sound since the release of the EX line years ago. You get the same shape, same tips, same awkward ergonomics.If you have owned the EX600 or 1000 and did not enjoy it fit, then you likely won\'t like the H1 H2 or H3.SOUND:These sound decent. It is not that they sound bad, per se. It is just that the H1 sounds exactly as you would expect the cheapest offering of the XBA-H line would offer. For example, I think the XBA-1 sounds very decent for its $23 price tag and would recommend those to anyone. So basically, the XBA-H1 is like the XBA-1, but costing 7 times the price.I bought the H3 and H1 to compare. I was expecting miracles with the H1. Its got decent specs and features - you still get to experience the hybrid technology with 1 dynamic driver plus 1 balanced armature. And the EX600 that came before was the same price range ($149 but gone down to $129 for a while), and sounded very good compared to the flagship EX1000. I was expecting the H1 to still sound very good when I A-B compare it against the H3.This was not the case with the H1. With all the hype of dynamic + BA hybrid IEMs, and that I generally liked Sony\'s in-house designed BAs that were used in the original XBA line, I thought the H1 was going to be a great value at $150, that would destroy all other IEMs in the $150 price range. It simply isn\'t. I would by these at about $70 - taken into account of its build quality, ergonomics, and sound.I digress. Back onto sound: there is good detail and good dynamics with the sound. But it sounds hollow and disjointed. It sounds like it is missing 2 additional BA drivers. It does not sound lean or analytical - I would\'ve been fine with that. I love my single BA ER4PT. But the H1, it just sounds...lacking. Every time I used them, I felt like they were saying \"you should\'ve bought the H3\" - that is the sound they make. And I am glad to have bought the H3 so haha to the H1s.I am peculiar about ergonomics. I would choose the XBA-1 over XBA 3 or 4 simply because the 1 is lighter, easier to wear, and more comfortable over longer listening periods. HOWEVER, the XBAH1 is where I would rather listen to the heavier, bulkier, less comfortable XBAH3 than the H1.It is obvious Sony\'s effort was put on the XBA H3s. Only afterwards, they thought \"we\'ve already swallowed the R&D costs, so we should make a H1 and H2 version that are cheaper so more customers can pay us money.\"