[REVIEW] VSONIC GR07 – Labor of Love - Page 7

Just got mine. I'd agree with clieOS that it's not something that "wow"s me out of the box. I don't think it'll be the best in class if individual elements are taken and analyzed - like bass quantity, treble etc., Rather, it comes across something that does little or no wrong and hence sounds better than the sum of parts. If I have to describe GR07 based on whatever little I've listened thus far, I'd simply say "non-fatiguing".

esanthosh.. how would you characterize the treble? Is there any sparkle? Timbre accuracy?

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlySweep 

esanthosh.. how would you characterize the treble? Is there any sparkle? Timbre accuracy?

I spent only sometime with it. Coming from CK10/DBA-02, sparkle is lacking. But, I still like and would prefer GR07 over many others because treble is not rolled off, well detailed and is neither recessed nor laid-back. It is just not upfront or aggressive. I don't think I am the right person to talk about timbre accuracy, so I'll skip that question.

Edit: The treble head that I am, this Rockbox EQ worked for me on Clip+ (Vol of -22 to -24): 60Hz - +1.0, 1200Hz - +1.0, 10000Hz - +5.0 (Q and the rest of the settings untouched from 'Default' preset). But then my ears are used to "no amount of treble is trouble"  and naturally protected from peaks, spikes and valleys beyond 16Khz as it cannot hear them anyways . So, YMMV!

just went ahead and bought them yesterday

it didnt have the wow effect. but after listening to them for a little i m starting to like them.

soundstage - although not as wide as the SE535 but is pretty good and definitely better then my e3g

Over they much cleaner/clearer then my e3g and also more detailed. Mids are not too forward nor far back.

I really like the bass compared to my e3g n se535, as i m not really a bass guy this sounds just about right or maybe a little too much sometimes but they sounded accurate to me totally different from the silver bullet that i tried some time back. definitely does not feel fatigue listening to them. i really hate the earguides that came along. Way too stiff however the included eartips are great. Love the medium size silicon tips. I always have trouble finding silicon tips that fit my ears and the 1 include works great however the foam tips are just too big for me. becareful when removing the foam tips i almost ripped the foam off. Will try the sony hybrid clone and see how they turn out.

Appreciate the insight, esanthosh.. I'm a treble fan too (a raving supporter of the DBA, at that), but enjoy a balanced presentation.. I'm certainly not expecting DBA-like treble from the GR07, but the overall presentation of these phones intrigues me (and I'm always down to check out a phone getting ClieOS' lofty Sonic Diamond award)..

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlySweep 

Appreciate the insight, esanthosh.. I'm a treble fan too (a raving supporter of the DBA, at that), but enjoy a balanced presentation.. I'm certainly not expecting DBA-like treble from the GR07, but the overall presentation of these phones intrigues me (and I'm always down to check out a phone getting ClieOS' lofty Sonic Diamond award)..

Since I'm saying this after spending a very short time with GR07, take it with all the salt you can imagine. Since I've never heard a stage monitor IEM before, I'll try to explain GR07 from 'just another IEM' perspective.

GR07, as I see it, is not something you'll associate with excitement. The 'exciting' part usually comes from IEMs which have a slight exaggeration or a tilt towards particular areas of the spectrum. But, usually, they don't do the other parts as well. For example, I don't think that DBA-02 lacks bass. But at the same time, I don't expect it to be as exciting as TF10 with genres that require that bass punch and impact. RE-262 is more focused on the smooth mids, but it's treble is a bit 'sleepy' when compared to other Hifiman IEMs.

GR07 on the other hand, has presence across the spectrum. It is in general, genre neutral. Sure, it won't make your ear drums shake to sub-bass, but it won't be absent either (like many which roll off below 40Hz). On the other hand, with metal, it would show a slight hint of aggression without mellowing down entirely. For vocal based genres, it's warm mids would allow you to enjoy the music. It's a respectable compromise between sounding dry & analytical and warm, smooth & musical. A bit more focus on treble and I would have nothing to complain.

It has got good clarity across the spectrum, but no excesses that will make you excited on first listen. On the other hand, that lack of excesses is what makes it fatigue free. A touch of EQ here and there can make it sound to your liking (if needed). Similar is the case with build quality. While it does not have rope for the cable like CK10 or looks like it will win the sexiest IEM award, it comes with a useful set of accessories (and a chin slider which e-Q5 does not have ) and decent build quality. Put all this together, you have an interesting IEM at an interesting price point.

Just my 2c.

is the shell plastic or aluminum?

it's plastic with alum nozzle. very light weight n superb build quality i would say 

ABS perhaps like used on the Sony EX700. 

somehow it seems that my e3g are more comfortable and i can wear them for a long time without feel pain or discomfort.

maybe it's cos of the tips on the gr07

thks for recommendation.. will be getting both to try out.