Sony XBA-H1 Hybrid, 2-Way In-Ear Headphones, Suppression Housing, Tangle-Proof Cable

2016-02-13T19:00:00

Returned to retailer in less than a week Right ear crackled constantly

Nozzer

Originally posted at

2015-09-10T20:00:00

The sound quality and build is amazing .I'm happy with this purchase

Onepunchmicky

Originally posted at

2015-09-10T20:00:00

I bought these headphones a few months back but am about to put them on ebay. The problem I have with them is that they are uncomfortable and too bassy.

jbhgOd

Originally posted at

2015-08-21T20:00:00

These are professional quality ear buds. These are incredibly crisp, these do not have over the top bass, which I actually prefer because they do not sound "artificial." Top notch, great job Sony!

Budgen78

Originally posted at

2015-07-13T20:00:00

After burn in that first review is spot on the clarity is nice but there is no sub bass at all vocals an midrange is very even. Almost like multiple speakers so no range is trying hard. The down is like listening to 4 way towers with 8" but the sub is off.

EMEIVI

Originally posted at

2015-06-21T20:00:00

Great headphones whilst they worked, but the left earphone stopped working after less than 6 months, due to a short connection in the wires. Paying this premium you expect that to be a problem of the past.

JC83

Originally posted at

2015-05-04T20:00:00

these headphones have great bass and treble. they are much better than other brands. they have great noise isolation and comfort.

FRANCIE

Originally posted at

2015-04-30T20:00:00

After reading many reviews, I thought these were going to me much better than my Monster Turbines and Lil Jamz. I was wrong. The sound overall was great. Mids and highs were really nice. Bass was no good. I thought the ear tips didn't seal well, so I changed them. Same results and lack of sub-bass. Bass is there, but not sub-bass. My cheapy Lil Jamz produces deeper bass, while still sounding clean. The Sony did have nicer midrange. I tried EQ and didn't find any improvements. I even used an amp and nothing. I was expecting way more for the price I paid for these IEM's. I have many Sony products, so I'm not here to bash the company. I mean, I have 80's sony products that still work and happy with. But these IEM's are way overpriced for the sound it produces.

snelle

Originally posted at

2015-04-17T20:00:00

These headphones offer incredible sonic performance for the price paid. The balanced armature driver offers magnificent clarity that cannot be matched by any dynamic anywhere close to this price. The mids are smooth and more forwards than the rest of the spectrum, but the frequency range is reasonable flat and pleasant. Highs are sharp and clear without being overly tinny or distorted and bass is smooth and accurate without being boomy. My main concern is the design. The cable is a unique two tone semi flat design, which while looks appealing, is far from tangle proof and has an extreme amount of flex memory (retains shape of bends and folds). The housing is solidly built of durable matte plastic and chrome but is extraordinarily large. It may be quite uncomfortable for people with small ears. In some case they may not fit at all, but this can be counteracted by using third party foam tips such as Comply Foams. Aside from this, while the price is a bit steep, it is difficult to not recommend these headphones.

Zennrix

Originally posted at

2015-04-06T20:00:00

Lught, handy and good noise isolation for frequent traveller

Khoi

Originally posted at

2015-02-12T19:00:00

I bought these after looking at mant pairs of in ear headphones online, an took a chance on these ones. When they arrived, I was pleased at the multiple options for earbuds and quickly found the ones right for me. At first I was not massively impressed with the depth of sound, however after about 2 hours or so of listening, the headphones have 'loosened up' and sound really impressive!

Jonbudden

Originally posted at

2015-01-24T19:00:00

got my wife a set for her birthday about Christmas time and she loved them...so i had a listen to them my self.......and yep they sound really great....so got my self a set to.....happy

rodnanne2

Originally posted at

2015-01-23T19:00:00

BA driver delivers very crisp and clear sound and 9mm dynamic driver seems to add good amount of bass. My previous IEM was MDR EX300 which had 13.5mm dynamic driver. So I felt the bass on XBA-H1 was bit less. So I bought MDR EX 650 which has 12mm dynamic driver and produces good amount of bass. After comparing the two for a week I am unable to decide which one of them is better and hence keeping them both. The sound clarity of XBA-H1 sounds quite good to me.

JayC

Originally posted at

2015-01-19T19:00:00

These H1s can sound superb with the right DAC/headphone amp but they sound mediocre with the wrong equipment. I have one of the best portable players on the market but it simply does not make these headphones sound anything special. On the other hand, I have a popular miniature player which 'Clips' on my lapel which makes them sound pretty good. Very strange! Having tried them with a variety of portable players and found most of them pretty disappointing, I have to conclude that there is some sort of matching/driving problem. Given that most people will buy them for portable use, I can only rate them as average. If you are 100% confident you can drive them well, then they may well be worth 4 or even 5 stars to you.

Nevalti

Originally posted at

2015-01-06T19:00:00

Use regularly with no problems with the exception that the 'in ear' plugs can come loose, but the sound quality is terrific.

Malcolmr32

Originally posted at

2014-12-28T19:00:00

i bought it only month ago. For price and quality it is a great product. I like the trebles, however the bass is not too strong. The noise isolation is good.

guest2004

Originally posted at

2014-12-23T19:00:00

Bought these recently after reading online reviews. I am glad that I did because the treble and bass is well balanced and I can strongly recommend them.

Pedro47

Originally posted at

2014-11-17T19:00:00

Using to listen to Qubuz Hi res online. Very impressive overall and good value for money. Some slight cable noise.

none23

Originally posted at

2014-10-24T20:00:00

Bought these as a replacement for 8 year old Sony buds. I hoped they would extend the bass response and give a wider and balanced dynamic range of sound for all music genres. I was not disappointed. These headphones sound amazing. From Madonna to Mozart, you can really enjoy your music collection. They cut out nearly all of the ambient noise on the train. I'm sure they will be great at reducing aircraft noise when flying too. Cable length is just right. These are excellent value for money. Would thoroughly recommend.

Nick F.

Originally posted at

2014-10-14T20:00:00

Pretty comfortable -- built strong -- good balanced sound.

soundpersononthego

Originally posted at

2014-10-04T20:00:00

Comparing any earbuds to headphones is just ridiculous. Earbuds are small and discrete, that's the design, intent and you're nuts if you think they will ever sound the same, in this price range. The Sony XBA-H1 are for reproducing music as it was recorded, as every high-end earbud should be. They do a very good job in the mid range, which is the mark of real audio reproduction. They are close to my Sennheiser, but the low end is not there. My Audio Technicas at $75 are good too, but the H1 mid range is better. If boomy, fake bass is what you're after, try Bose or Beats. The Apple EarPods are toys. Not in the same world at all. If you like those, don't waste your money on any high end gear. Bottom line, faithful music reproduction, low end is a tad muddy but the mid and high end are very smooth and accurate. Separation is very good also. For MP3 and AAC files there's no need to spend anymore than $100 anyway. Give these a try, Sony has been making pro gear for many, many years. They figured it out!

studawg

Originally posted at

2014-09-26T20:00:00

These are good ear buds. Not the best, but then the price would suggest good, not great. I use them most for plane travel. Pro: - great for travelling due to their small size and nice carrying case - these overpower most noise, even in a plane - cord is nice and often lies flat so reduce wild tangles - pretty comfortable and not rough even after a 4 hour flight Con - base is weak, but it's an ear bud, so no shock there - overall sound quality when compared to more robust headphones from Sony is a bit off. Definitely not terrible sound quality and certainly better than all competitors at this price point, but you never forget you are using earbuds. I would rate the sound capability as good. But reasonably, good is the best anyone can get out of an earbud. The physical limitations can't evaporate. Overall: I am very glad I got these for travelling. Easy and small I can fit them in a shirt pocket and not worry. These are not my main in house earphones though, they don't have the same capabilities of over the ear headphones.

tcsting1

Originally posted at

2014-06-07T20:00:00

I thought my last headphones were good but these were a revelation. I heard things in my music I'd never heard before and some of that music I've had for years

psg406

Originally posted at

2013-12-22T19:00:00

Both bass and treble sound great and with excellent depth and presence. I was skeptical after my experience with the 2-drivers but I'm glad I got these. As a testament I'm actually back buying a new pair to replace the ones my dog chewed up (this is now two pairs of earbuds he's chewed up in a month and a half, a new hiding spot is in the works.) I'm angry to have to drop this kind of cash again but I do feel these are worth it.

MuffenMan

Originally posted at