Well I have spent some time with the RW-9 now and honestly I think the X6 is better.
The bass on the RW-9 has more quantity but quality cant keep up and it is bleeding a bit into the mids. Although it does extend a bit lower and also has rumbles a bit more than the X6, but the X6 is faster, tighter and more textured.
Mids are slightly recessed so it gives it a v-shaped sound profile but quality is very similar.
Treble quality is also very similar but has a bit more quantity on the RW-9 However the tonality is still pretty similar because of that bass quantity that balances out the extra treble quantity.
Technicalities are similar on timbre, soundstage, imaging. But details is a bit better on the RW-9 (probably “fake details” with the added treble quantity) while instrument separation is a bit better on the X6 due to the cleaner bass.
Which one do I rec? Both of them are on the same level to me so the only differences are the sound profile (X6 = bass boosted neutral, RW-9 = V-shaped) and the cable that feels/looks better on the RW-9 (although it is quite thin). So based on my own preferences leaning towards the X6 AND because it is half the price (also not discontinued) I rec the X6 over the RW-9.
They removed 1 out of 2 BA´s, made the DD smaller from 16 to 9mm on the Z5 and yet it sounds better and with a better tuning. A masterpiece from Sony. Better get it sooner rather than later if it really is discontinued. Now the biggest question is…where do N3 lovers go next? Sony pretty much forces us to look at the Z1R with no other iem in between lol.
Although I am currently looking at the JVC HA-MX100V headphones…
Setup: Ibasso DX160 (high gain, volume around 46), stock cable (3.5mm), stock pads
Tonality wise they are very bright (a bit toobright for my vocal tracks) and are a bit shouty.
Vocals are leaning towards female vocals and male vocals do lack some warmth and is on the thinner side overall.
Very little bass rumble and extension is just ok, both sub/mid-bass quantity is very even but not a lot of quantiy.
So the tonality isnt what I prefer.
Fortunately the quality across the entire range is very good. Very clean (tight/fast) bass, high quality vocals and very good treble extension.
Soundstage is huge as expected from an open-back as are the instrument separation, imaging and details. Timbre does get bottlenecked by the too bright tonality but is still good.
Build wise it is entirely plastic (good quality) but is also why it is very lightweight. Isolation is poor as one would expect from an open-back.
The pads (and the inside of the headband) are using velour. Which I dont like because they make my skin itch and gets hot after a while
The cable is removable but the biggest issue I have with it is the stupid 6.35mm jack on it.
Usually you get a 3.5mm cable with a small adapter that you can screw on it to get 6.35mm.
But on this one, the adapter is very long and bulky and I believe sennheiser made this to be more portable and yet that adapter is such a bad way for portable use that they are really shooting themselves in the foot.
I will mention that I wont rec this at all for portable use, if you dont have something as powerful as the Ibasso DX160 at least.
Because It does sound better on my JDS Atom amp. (not being able to use the balanced port in my DX160 is a big hit to its portability and you cant change the cable either.)
Personally this is my current gaming setup (with the Antlion Modmic attached on it) and it is perfect for it.
EDIT: cable is removable, it was a locking mechanism…
I dont believe that they spent 1 year “tuning” this. Because it sounds like garbage.
10 minutes playing with EQ on the original Tape sounds better on all aspects than this crap.
Well, lets see if I will get another review unit from linsoul hahahah.
@Rikudou_Goku I Just bought a LZ A7 after read a lot u wrote about It.
Now could u Tell me a good and cheap 2.5mm balanced cable to use with the A7?
I’ll use BTR5 to play It.
I have a KZ ZSX, FH3 and Tape Pro. I rly love the KZ and FH3, but don’t enjoyed the tape pro. Between these u’d say that the A7 signature os close to ZSX?
Have you tried the KBEAR 8-core Copper cables? Seems to be similar to the Rhyme, but with a more direct aesthetic (only cooper color), a little cheaper ($4 or $5). Bought them on sale in the 11/11 a really liked them so far. A little heavy, but hard to tangle and with nice metal details in the Y-split and the connector.
Thanks for these suggestions a few weeks back. I finally received my Linsoul black Friday purchases on Monday. I ended up going with the BL-01, Live 3 and a TRN T3 cable and am pretty happy with all of them so far. The coloring on the Live 3 shell is a bit disappointing however. I went with the orange and it is more of a creamsicle color with no real apparent detail in comparison to the photos they provide.
