From what I remember of my time with the Provence, it definitely sounds like a DD, although nowhere near as bassy as it graphs; it has more of a warm, thick feeling than Fat Bass or Massive Slam. @rattlingblanketwoman bought my pair off of me, and can probably weigh in on it as well.
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Hey Goku anything I should look out for when shopping for a used sony N3?
I read a bunch about them and I trust we have similar goal in sound, I saw your charts and everything (great job btw!) and I was surprised you ranked it so high.
You think low 200ish euros for mint condition set is a good enough deal nowadays?
Back in summer I saw a couple had sold for around 150. Even one listing for a brand new one wrapped for 150 ?!
I also wonder how this set compares to the Hook-X because they are in a similar price and maybe similar tuning, have you heard it?
Thats a stealā¦
All you need to note is to take a good look at the nozzle, specifically to see how the tuning foam inside it looks.
(thats the MDR-EX800ST, but also has a tuning foam and that one is in perfect health.)
Never heard it, all iems I heard are in my DB.
Thanks so much! Hopefully I can land the deal 
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FiiO FH3 with bass tips. These never sounded sibilant or harsh to me. The sub-bass is very satisfying.
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I bought your pair from him and I can confirm your experience. Iām liking them quite a bit on the right tracks, but I havenāt had a ton of time with them yet.
Edit: I also think this jives with what I said about the Provence originally when I brought them up earlier in this post. And the bass definitely sounds like DD bass and not at all like BA bass.
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Kind of funny how we have uncovered the whole journey of this particular set from one member to the next. 
Anyway the Provence is something I will have to try at some point but for now I went ahead and bought a Sony XBA-N3 since it really peaked my interest. Hasnāt arrived yet.
Anonymous I saw that you have it in your collection and I was wondering if I could hear your thoughts about it. 
Hard to go wrong with the N3s. They arenāt the most technical IEMs, but they are very cohesive in their tuning which can be described as a warm mild to moderate v shape, IMO.
The bass is kinda fuzzy and slowish, but it has good extension and it fits the rest of the tuning well. The mids are warm and take a decent step back as well as being pretty linear and not having much of a slant towards upper or lower mids. Despite their recessed nature, the mids reproduce vocals and mid based instruments with good presence which is important in a well done v shaped tuning, IMO. The treble is really a fantastic example of how to do conservative treble well. Itās restrained and totally inoffensive without losing timbral accuracy or allowing the sound signature to come off as imbalanced which seems to be a difficult treble tuning to pull off.
Overall, the N3s are a set you can listen to for as long as youād like without fatigue once you get the tips and fit sorted out to your satisfaction. On that note I will add that the fit and sound are both very susceptible to the the influence of the tips you use so experimenting can be key to getting a good and satisfying performance from them. If you have any specific questions that I didnāt cover here feel free to ask and Iāll do my best to answer.
Edit: I should add that this is one of the few IEMs I use silicone tips on and I have found the Final Type E tips to be my favorite of all the tips I have tried.
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Thank you, its a really great description. So you prefer foam or foam-like tips I guess then (generally speaking)? I was very curious to try the āTriple Comfortā tips that come with this, you didnāt like them?
Yes, in general I prefer foam tips. I find them to be more comfortable and I get a better fit and seal with them 9 times out of 10. Also, foam tips are available in so many shapes, sizes, and material densities that they are no longer just the stereotypical bass heavy, treble killers many talk about.
Regarding the triple comforts, I couldnāt get a good fit with them as they kept letting the N3s slowly back out of my ears. I also felt that they didnāt provide the best sonic benefits either. I have an acquaintance who uses the stock triple comforts with his though, so as always YMMV.
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Do you have any decent foam tips at the top of your mind that are worth looking into?
For the N3s or in general?
Generally speaking, since you said that with the N3 you didnāt like them.
Lol thatās why I was wondering! Foam tips I like Tinhifi T2 Blue Foams are pretty good, Comply makes an incredible array of foam tips, but they can be expensive, Dekoni Bullets are nice, but also expebsive, and I actually use some comply TS-400 copies from a chinese make named Anjirui. They last just as long as Comply tips, are my favorite wide bore shape (TS-400), and are actually a bit smoother and more comfortable than the original Comply tips they are copies of. Oh, and they are cheap too. You can get 10 pairs in the size of your choice for like $6 or $7 bucks on AliExpress.
The thing is foam tips are much more personal than silicone tips, IME/IMO. You can find pretty much any shape made by several manufacturers in foams of different densities and textures. I tend to like firm foams with slow rebound (though I own exceptions to this like the T2 Blues) that are also pretty smooth so they hold firm and donāt irritate my skin/ear canals. I have friends that tend to like much softer foams that have faster rebounds.
Point being, foams vary a lot and each variant has a different feel. Finding the one(s) that work for you and for your IEM(s) takes experimentation and patience. Iāll also say that everyone who likes foams should have some of the Tin T2 Blue Foams and you work on finding the shapes that work for you (S-XXX, T-XXX, TS-XXX, etc) and then work on finding a manufacturer that makes them from the foam material you prefer at a cost youāre cool with. Eventually youāll want to have a few options that you like in various shapes, sizes, and densities so you can tip roll comfortably as you would with silicone tips.
Youāll also slowly build a collection of foams just like you will silicone tips as it seems more and more IEM manufacturers are including foams these days.
Edit: Sorry for the essay and for any spelling mistakes. Typed in a smartphone will big thumbs! 
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Nahh I actually appreciate the essay a lot 
!! Thanks again Anonymous youāve been super helpful in this post. I really needed these tips so I can start collecting some decent tips (lol?!).
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Happy to help! As always, feel free to ask anything else here or shoot me a PM.
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Not sure your location but, an N3 is on reddit
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Thanks for looking out! I actually made a deal with someone in Europe and I am waiting for my pair to arrive. Supposedly itās only been used for about an hour too so lets seeā¦ The guy on reddit is selling for quite a bit cheaper than what I paid for mine tho!
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At least you scored one. The N3 is a super fun IEM. Itās not a detail monster or really resolving set. Matter of opinion itās complete opposite. Even makes some of the horribly recorded reggae and punk I like sound good. Itās one of my sets that I throw and just soak in all the warmth and midbass/mids glory. Helps too that the treble is tame and makes the set high volume approved for my taste. Recommend as @Rikudou_Goku and @nymz did to me to pickup a set of Moondrop Spring tips.
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Ohh I canāt wait to try them 
Trying new gear for the first time is a great feeling as well and this set I really think I am going to like. I will check the tips as well, being new to IEMs I really appreciate the suggestions 
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