Disclamer.
 
I provided these Sony Z5 for myself just for the sheer sound of it.
 
 
LOLZ!!
 
Lining your own pockets...with your own money..genius!!
 
Great review! Popped the Z5's review cherry

Somebody had to do it. A damn shame I tell you.

Not available in the UK sadly, we have to make do with their amps and daps. Great review all the same. Posted from my pigmy village, called London. Unicef are promising a clean water filter system, so we don't have to carry water from the river. We still dream of electricity pylons though.

Funny this just made my remembermy youth in the 90's when i had sony's flagship mdr e848 in that time i still remember the bass then with sonys flagship walkman DD30

Finally! After couple years we no have 1 review of this treasures!
Congrats all owners of Z5, here we go))

Lol @ Jackson 6.
Ya these are astounding and I was pretty shocked there was zero reviews on headfi about them.

Sorry for the delay, I've been gathering brushwood to boil the yams all day. Our witch doctor, Bumi bamaH3, is pleased with my work this day. We have sharpened our arrows if their head of international marketing ever emerges from the sacred wood which marks the outline of our village. We have seasoned the big pot with special spices and we shall serve him with shallots. We will be the envy of our shire, and the feasting shall be great.

Thanks for the review.
Z5 a fun sound.

I love the review... my wallet is cursing you however... the lack of a solid review on here has kept me from pursing my interest in these!

Wouldn't buy for $700. But for $500 or less. These are definitely worthy.

How can IEMs deemed 'not really suitable for outdoor use' get 5 stars? Ridiculous.

Let me explain a bit more why I feel they are not really usable out doors. Believe me the sound makes up for any shortcomings of these and I felt that was the greatest determining factor of my score.
 
You can certainly use them outdoors. But just know you are a good yank or two from having the connectors come loose at the connection. The balanced cable is surprisingly long. I believe around 5'. I can see these being yanked by accident in a crowded subway. They stick out of your ears much more so than your average earphones as well. Also adding to possible accidents. There is a wireless adapter which can turn these into wireless Z5s for on the go. That would be a better option for outdoor use. However. I don't know if it is worth $165. If outdoor use is the main use I can see this being worth the price but for a bit more you can buy both the upgraded single and balanced cables from Sony for upgraded sonics.

Great review as usual, Dsnuts, but how different and how much better is the Z5 over the H3? Thank you in advance! lol

Thanks bro. I quickly sold off my H3. Let me put it that way. Take that H3 sound profile. Refine every part of the sound. Highs, mids, bass. I think due to the magnesium housing and that the mid bass is much tighter and is so much more refined the stage soulds much wider to my ears even on single mode. On balanced mode it is crazy how the stage is all around your hearing. It is like I mentioned on the review. End game to my ears. There is nothing more sublime in sound that I own that does what these does on balanced mode.
 
Z5s are not just a bit better. It is on another level imo.

great review, but the price is too high

Thanks for the additional information bro. 

Nice review. I listened to these IEM on a trip to Taiwan last year and agree that they're really underestimated on Head-Fi. Soundwise they can totally compete, or even beat more expensive Shure/Westone in ears: they put the SE846 to shame, bringing greater resolution and timber fidelity, and I also preferred the Z5 over the W60, which sounded a bit off in comparison. The only drawbacks are the slightly awkward fit and questionable build quality. Shame that these are so rarely under the spotlight.