[REVIEW] Another Yuin G1 review

[ClieOS]

Thanks to Fang @ Head-Direct, I just received a set of the new Yuin G1 for review. Since I am still in the process of burning-in this new clip-on, I thought I'll share some photos with you guys first. The actual review is mostly to be posted sometime early next week (with comparison of KSC75 and some other headphones), so stay tuned.





Some kind of metal diaphragm transducer.

[UPDATE]
Spec
Freq. Resp. 20Hz ~ 24kHz
Impedance 150 (+20) ohms @ 1kHz
Sensitivity 105 (+2) dB @ 1kHz
Max. Input Power 1000mW

Package, build quality and comfort
G1 comes in a small harden black paper box, with a set of extra foam pads and a piece of paper which has the warranty info and spec on it. The earpieces themselves are held by hard foam in bottom of the box. There isn't any thing spectacular about the packaging but it does look elegant for it simplicity. On first glance, one can easily tell that G1's overall design in based on the infamous Koss KSC75. The good news is, Yuin, though not famous for having good looking earpieces, does upgrade the old and ugly KSC75 with a modern look. The basic structure that holds the transducer itself is pretty much the same as KSC75, but the outer casing has been replaced by a brushed aluminum shell. Different from KSC75, the clip-on on G1 is formed by a translucent, dark blueish hard plastic material in one piece (for those who don't know, KSC75's clip-on has hard plastic clip, metal backbone which is partially covered by silicone over the hook area). KSC75's clip-on is harder than G1 but you can bend it to give a better fit. G1's clip-on might not be be bendable, but it is still quite easy to wear and flexible enough to give a good fit. In fact, I like it more than the one on KSC75. One thing that bother me is the fact that the clip-on is an one piece hard plastic - since structurally it is similar to the KSC75 version, the lack of a metal backbone means it won't take stress as well as the Koss version. I didn't weight both earphone, but in rough I can tell KSC75 is slightly heavier than G1. Personally speaking, I am not much on a clip-on user since I wear glasses, but overall I think G1 is slightly more comfortable than KSC75. On build quality side, G1 is definitely better with its metal finish and upgrade look.



SQ
As the result of using a metal diaphragm in its transducer, G1 spots the same kind metallic sound signature that one will hear on KSC75, or any transducer that has a metal diaphragm - the kind of sound that carries extra sparkle and crispiness on the treble (a strong point I might add). However, it is not to say G1 sounds like KSC75, In fact, they are far from alike. KSC75 has a mid centric sound - musical and on the warm side with just enough detail and bass on both end to be more than satisfiable for the low price you pay for it. G1, on the other hand, has a rather flat freq. resp. which extends much further upward. I'll describe G1 as fast, analytical and sterile sounding, the kind of sound which one often associates with Etymotic. Bass is light though it does go quite low and there isn't a specific peak on the treble region I can detect. However, since G1 treble extends much further upward (on the upper mid and treble as a plateau), music can sound (very little) harsh at a time if you are using a bright source or listening to a bright recording. The highly detailed sound will also reveal every flaw in the music on any less than good recording, which makes it rather difficult to pair with source or amp. In fact, G1 is so picky on its source I have to experiment with all my amps to find the best fitting sound to listen to. For example (using my Sony D-EJ1000 line-out), my FiiO E3 (which boost bass and lower treble) and cmoy2 (with a pair of slightly warm OP270) sound good with G1, while my XM3 (AD8620) and FireStone Audio Little Country don't. Synergy wise, warm (or even dark) source and amp will be much suitable with G1. In comparison, KSC75 is much less picky and comes with a rather high price/performance ratio. I also find KSC75 to have slightly wider soundstage due to a more airy presentation. This is not to say G1 isn't good, just that airiness isn't G1 strong point (most likely due to the flat freq. response). On casual listening, it is hard to tell whether G1 is indeed worth the money over KSC75 (because of KSC75's easy going sound signature). You will really need to find the right amp and source to do G1 justice, assuming you are looking of its kind of sound signature of course. Like Ety, it is a sound that requires appreciation.

Conclusion
If you already own the KSC75, find it to be good sounding and fit your need than stick to it. Though with good sound quality, G1 isn't the easiest-to-drive clip-on once you factor in its price and the requirement to drive it well. Overall, my opinion with G1 is positive but with reservation. If money is no object and you are seeking a high quality open headphone that are going to be paired with a warm amp and iPod w/ LOD and lossless music, than perhaps G1 is the solution for you.

[2nd UPDATE]
A bit of update after some further usage and answer some general questions regarding G1.

First, some clarification: Are KSC75 good? That's for sure. For US$20, I doubt you can find anything in that price range that can beat KSC75 for its SQ. In fact, one might argue KSC75 could easily beat headphone worths 5 times its price. How about when it goes head-to-head with G1? I had said in my previous conclusion that if you find KSC75 to be good sounding and fit your need, maybe you want to skip G1. That is based on one important reasons: The diminishing performance/cost ratio. People often ask how much a headphone SQ is truly worth, or how much improvement is worthy for the extra money you paid for. The question is personal as well as difficult to answer, and each of us will have a different idea. KSC75 is good, but not the best, and certainly not w/o its own flaws (not accurate / coloration, warm but slight congested mid, lower bass roll-off). This is why I make my recommendation that if you think the KSC75's sound is good enough for you, than further exploration might not give you as much return on your money, as paying 5 times will not give you SQ 5 times better than KSC75 - the rule of diminishing return applies here. You WILL get improvement when you go higher up and beyond the $100 mark, but you shouldn't expect it to be that huge (as it 5x/6x/etc in regard of what you paid, even in subject term). Hence I come to the conclusion that if you find KSC75 to be good enough (*that the important word here), than perhaps you won't find it necessary to go beyond what by itself is already a great value. However, If you are indeed a true sorry-about-the-wallet Head-fi'er looking for that extra bit of SQ you want to squeeze out from you music, than I'll recommend G1 for you.

G1's is quite Ety like - a point I didn't go very far on my last update. Anyone who heard ER4P before will know that it is a sound that requires appreciation. A very distinctive reaction to ER4P is people who audition it usually fall into two groups, those who love it and those who don't - after all, a flat frequency response isn't everyone's cup of tea, especially for those who are accustomed to big bass or warm vocal. IMHO, listening preference always plays a big part on headphone selection. If you are looking for big bass or fun mid, than sorry to say G1 might not be the one for you. However, if you are looking for an open Ety-can with accuracy, crispy detail and the very least of coloration, especially something you want to use in-house without the need of isolation, than G1 will serve you just fine. This isn't about which kind of sound is better in SQ. Some people like their music warm but other like them cold, arguing what kind of preference is better is rather silly if not pointless.

Short comparison w/ Alesandro MS-1: I just got my Dell XPS 420, so I did a brief comparison b/w G1 and MS-1 on it via Go-Vibe USB DAC. MS-1 carries the same forward vocal as many Grado do. Female vocal is slightly harsh on the MS-1 but not on the G1 (as I said before, G1 can sound a little harsh w/ a bright sound, but if the source isn't bright than you won't notice any harshness. It is a synergy issue). On that sense, G1 is much more transparent than MS-1 (= cr*p-in, cr*p-out). In comparison, MS-1 forward vocal seems to have a drop down on low vocal freq that renders the overall sound to be even a bit colder than G1. MS-1 does have a slightly stronger bass response than G1, but not by much (MS-1 mainly has a bit more lower mid-bass rather then lower bass). Though G1 is rated 150ohms, it is actually rather easy to drive by the PC in comparison to MS-1 (volume 82 vs. 80). On the treble, G1 seems to extend further up than MS-1, but MS-1 gives out more low treble sparkle. One thing worth mentioning is the listening to Paul Potts' One Chance led me to realize that G1 is really great w/ classical (the same character shared by ER4P/S, I might add). MS-1 appears to be airier, but the soundstage doesn't seem to be wider than G1. On the comfort side of the story, G1 wins hand down (not surprisingly). All in all, I prefer G1 to MS-1. MS-1 might appeal to those who are looking for grado-ish sound but G1 certainly holds it ground better on various genres of music (as opposite to Grado affinity to mainly Rock and Pop type of music).

Add-on remark: My original overall opinion with G1 still stands. G1 is a great pair of clip-on (certainly the best I ever heard) that will earn its place on those who are seeking for an transparent sounding headphone that carries great detail.

[3rd UPDATE]
Here is the new impression with 3MOVE
Dell XPS 420 (FooBar2K + ASIO) -> 3MOVE (+DAC) -> G1

One thing I have to say, G1 has a very good synergy with 3MOVE! Soundstage is wider. Bass is kicking harder. The cold sound finally has a sense of warmness in it and the overall tone balance has been improved. In sum, the sound is much more enjoyable and fun to listen to (*not to mistaken as fun sounding, which is not what I am trying to describe here). I think G1 finally shows its real potential here. Its high transparency plays well with 3MOVE - even Paul Potts' One Chance, the album I notice sounds great with G1 last time, has become more lively and enjoyable. One lesson to be learned here: Synergy matters!

[4saken]

That grill looks pretty similar to the one on the KSC75.

[QQQ]

Looks like rebranded KSC-75. At least protecting grill are the same and as far as i can tell from pic, the driver is titanium covered.

[HellaChinese]

i'm pretty excited to hear about this review

[toughnut]

wow ClieOS! another goodies to keep your busy. and it's free?

The plastic grill, driver and earclip look same as KSC75. Kramer mod, anyone?

[ClieOS]

Originally Posted by toughnut

wow ClieOS! another goodies to keep your busy. and it's free?

The plastic grill, driver and earclip look same as KSC75. Kramer mod, anyone?

Yes, The G1 is provided to me freely for the review. As far as I can tell, the part under the foam covered are about the same as KSC75, but the outer aluminum covering and its mounting are original. The earclip are fully plastic, unlike KSC75 which is a mix of hard plastic, metal, and silicone. You can probably exchange the earclip of both, but I haven't try it myself.

[nsx_23]

I wish I could get some free G1s.....

Damn they look nice, but the G1 scripting looks a bit cheapo in the overall design theme.

[ClieOS]

As promised, the review section has been added.

[ClieOS]

Updated w/ some afterthought and comparison w/ MS-1.

[HiFlight]

ClieOS...

A very nice review of the G1 that reflects my sentiments as well. I don't have a set KSC-75s, but I do own the KSC-35. I find the bass impact and definition of the KSC-35 to be superior to that of the G1.

It seems that the highs much outperform the lows on the G1 in terms of quality and a perception of reality. It sounds best when rendering acoustic or vocals. It does not excel with orchestral or rock genres. The soundstage, while adequately wide for this type of phone lacks a sense of depth. Every recording is presented with a somewhat 2-dimensional soundstage.

I prefer the Yuin OK2 for casual listening, as it is more comfortable, and has a more balanced presentation than does the G1. A clip-on seems to me to be a compromise between a bud or IEM and an over-the-ear phone, and I personally find the clips to be annoying and irritating after a period of time.

At the price-point of the G1, there is some serious competition offering really good SQ. Unfortunately, for the type of music I most enjoy, the G1 does not live up to my expectations. Perhaps the tonal balance between highs and lows will improve with time, as the other Yuins certainly benefit sonically as they accumulate more hours of use.

[tohni]

As I have won a pair of G1s at the last give-away, I just wanted to add a few things. The KSC-75, including all mods, IMHO sounds artificial, i.e. very coloured. Given the price, they are still decent, I admit. But I personally would never even think about putting them in one league (I know, that's not what OP is doing); the G1s are just amazing. Their bass is slightly emphasized (cannot agree with the naturalness), and the sound is very wide. Dynamics are great: I can distinguish the different attacks of the bass drum by sound and volume; all instruments seem bodied - for the first time really. My K500 don't give me this sensation. Another plus: the separation is outstanding IMO. Actually, this headphone made me first understand the term "separation". You can tell exactly where each singer - and instrument - is located.
There are some (possible) minusses, however: the bass is slightly exaggerated, which, for some, could be a little overpowering. This, and the price, might turn some people off.
My sources were 1. Laptop, MP3 VBR0/ AAC 256 VBR / Flac, DAC, G1 and 2. Ipod, MP3 VBR0/ AAC 256 VBR / Flac, Cmoy, G1.

[FrederikS|TPU]

Nice review. I agree with you
It is a great clip-on (I'm not a great fan of the whole clip-on thing but this design actually works and is quite comfortable).

And by the way it seems that there are two versions one with the G-1 in old school font and one with "G1" in a more modern one.

You can see what I am talking about here: techPowerUp :: Yuin G1 Clip-on Headphones Review :: Page 2 / 4

[ClieOS]

Yeah, people like the 75's colored sound probably won't like G1 for its neutrality (and vise versa). It will be like asking a person who love his SkullCandy to fall in love with K701 in first sight - not impossible but the chance are very slim.

One thing that G1 keeps surprising me is its transparency - that's how reactive it is to a different amplification / source. IMO, a change of amp can really make a huge difference. You should definitely try it with different amp if you can.

[tohni]

Yeah, I'd love to; however, all I have here is a Cmoy and my home system. Meh, I can tell that there is indeed room for improvement. I have the same feeling as i had with my K701: I felt that I didn't have the proper gear to run them.
Again, yeah, the details are amazing, it's just the bass that sticks out a little bit. I have come to label the G1 a phone for basslovers, not for bassheads: the difference being that "basshead" seems to imply some fat, boomy, in other words: exaggerated, bass (I am sure that bassheads are, in the end, looking for quality bass, too.) The bass on these is just of such a high quality.
I must say that I really like these phones, it's just that I have no pair of IEMs right now that I could easily use on the go (without them falling out like my RE2s). I'd love the keep the G1, but with the short budget of mine - plus the K500s around - I don't think I can afford to.

[kostalex]

I've just made a comparison of the best clip-ons I heard: Yuin G1A, ATH-EW9, ultramodded KSC-35, Yuin G2A, DYI Grado clip-ons, KSC-75.