My apologies for taking so long to update my impressions.. the holidays have been a bit crazy.. I'll be sending these off to kckc shortly (thanks for your patience).. I have had more time to get re-acquainted with them and I continue to like what I hear.
Treble
The midrange & treble remind me most of the DBA in texture and presentation.. the treble is very clean, impressively crisp, and possesses great sparkle. It's not as detailed as the DBA's upper frequencies but it's is well rounded in size and quite airy (more airy than on the DBA). The GR07's treble is certainly smoother and less sparkly in comparison to the GC (what I would expect from a stage monitor). Those who wanted more sparkle, air, and fun from the GR07's treble would like the GC's treble presentation. The FXT's treble is smoother relative to the GC, but the GC has more air and sparkle. The GC's treble isn't the most detailed out there, but it does so many other things right that make up for it. The treble's natural texturing and decay also reminds you it's a dynamic driver and not a BA. The treble is a definite show stealer but it doesn't sound excessively boosted, which I quite like. For under $200, it's some of the nicest treble I've heard. Definitely addicting.
Midrange
The GC's midrange presentation also reminds me of the DBA: on the dry side, quite neutral, and very transparent. It's smoother, more weighted, and the lower midrange is very slightly warmed up in comparison to the DBA's more aggressive, better detailed, but thinner midrange presentation. Like the treble, the very natural texture & decay of the GC's mids remind you this is a dynamic & not a BA. It's not recessed but sounds very very slightly behind the bass & treble.. perhaps a half to quarter step. Again, this can vary widely with the tips & insertion angle used (I used the HFM stock, biflange tips). Like the treble, the mids are quite coherent and well tuned when one observes how they sound in relation to the treble and bass. The GR07 & RE262's mids offer more refinement & better imaging.. but I can certainly appreciate the GC's mids for what they are. Their presentation is certainly enjoyable
Bass
The bass is very un-DBA like. It's got a soft, well-rounded shape with a very soothing but engaging bounce & punch to it. The bass' presentation is closest to what the RE262's bass sound like.. but with more impact and volume. The microdriver's technical ability does limit it's speed and extension, though. Overly complex dynamic pieces can cause it to sound loose or overwhlemed at times. Bottom line though, it's very satisfying & impressive at it's pricepoint. It isn't aggressive or dominating by any means, but it's presence is definitely felt. I can definitely appreciate the bass' cohesive tuning in relation to the midrange and treble.
Odds & ends
The GC has slightly more dynamic range than the GR07 & DBA but not as much as the RE262 or Silver Bullet.. aka.. average in my book. It's definitely quite lively and fun to listen to. It is limited by the microdriver's capabilities though.. it can struggle to cleanly render highly complex passages at times. The soundstage could afford to be a bit wider too. With such an airy overall signature, a wider soundstage could lend itself to an even more immersive presentation.
The GC's tuning & presentation reminds me very much of the the Fischer Audio FA-011 (sparkly treble, smooth mids, & fun bass) & HD598 (romantic overall sound) actually.. two of my favorite, full-sized phones. The refined, slightly v-shaped sound also harkens back to the ECCI PR401 in some ways. These are all phones I hold in high regard so the GC is in good company.
Closing thoughts
What I appreciate most about the GC is it's cohesive tuning & presentation. It's got a distinct sound (fun, bouncy bass // smooth, transparent, mids // crisp, airy, detailed treble with excellent sparkle) I could easily find myself listening to for hours. There's a seductive quality to every part of its sound. And despite some of it's technical shortcomings, it's cohesion, unique sound, and high likeability doesn't leave me feeling like I'm missing out on large parts of the music (whether I'm listening critically or for fun). I definitely get the sense that HiSound looked to tune it with a very respectable degree of refinement and attention to detail. It walks that line of coloration and neutrality well, IMO. I absolutely loved listening to modern jazz/electronica with the GCs (Adani & Wolf, LTJ Bukem, etc).
I think HS did a fantastic job with the signature & I would love to hear them transplant it to a full sized phone or another IEM driver with more technical headroom. I'd definitely recommend it to those looking for a fun phone that's versatile & engaging, but not so wildly goosed that it puts itself before the music. I think it offers tremendous value in the price/performance matrix & should definitely be considered a best buy in it's class. Heck, if I didn't have so many IEMs as it is, I very well might be buying the GC.
Thanks to shotgunshane & -y0- for organizing the tour & sharing them with me.
Edited by FlySweep - 12/27/11 at 4:25pm
