As huge and successful as Sony might be, we’ve very rarely been particularly impressed with its headphones over the years. Of course, like everyone else the company has watched the inexorable rise in popularity of the sector, and has clearly re-doubled its efforts with a whole new range of in-ears.
What makes these Sony XBA-4iP earphones so interesting is that they all use balanced armatures, essentially a floating transducer that’s capable of greater efficiency and (theoretically) better sound.
It’s the ‘in’ thing in headphone design these days, and while Sony is far from the first or only company to utilize the technology, it’s the first that we’re aware of that’s managed to combine four such drivers into a single enclosure, as it has with the top-of-the-range XBA-4iP model you see here.
Sony XBA-4iP: Sound quality
So, in each earphone you have a tweeter, full-range driver and two woofers, and while that results in a rather chunky design, these are surprisingly comfortable and secure in the ears. On top of that, they sound absolutely fantastic.
Play the dance-tastic Ether Drift from Com Truise and you’re treated to supremely crisp, sparkly treble, clear, attacking mid-range and a rock-solid bottom-end, all delivered with exceptional verve and gusto.
The amount of directness makes it feel like a truly private, personal performance, and the amount of detail is at time truly stunning. If you’ve got the cash and are serious about portable audio you have to hear them – just avoid those low-res tracks: that treble can be baited to brightness by weak material.
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