Well first, lets just get this out of the way: The ASG-2 (G-2) ergonomics, comfort, and cable trounce all over the 1plus2 (1p2). Not that the 1p2 is uncomfortable by any means, but the G-2 is SO comfortable. Reminds me of Westone and how they just slip in nice and tight and you don't worry about them. Part of the 1p2 problem is the unwieldy cable. It did not bother me that much until the G-2 reminded me that cable flex can be easy to deal with. I have to occasionally press my 1p2 in to my ears to maintain a secure fit. With the same Ortofon tips on the G-2, maintaining fit/seal is never a distracting thought when I am concentrating on the music.
The Sound?
I listened to some ambient, warm, electronic music (Tycho, Dive)
I listened to a Joshua Bell Violin/Piano Concerto
I listened to some Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, Adele, and Bjork for some vocals.
I listened to some brightly produced experimental music (Tineidae)
Among other stuff.
In a nutshell: I think the 1p2 is cleaner and clearer. It has more presence and detail up top. The 1p2 mids are a tad more recessed than the G-2, as is the bass. The 1p2 has just the right amount of bass for me. I thought the G-2 just a tad much for my tastes. It was clean, plump, and robust, no doubt, very good quality, but a bit too present.
More on bass - the 1p2 has less of it. But I feel it's more liquid and textured, not as plump. The 1p2 is very agile, and subtle at times with its bass. Like a nimble Tiger cub, growing into a young adult and hitting its hunting prime. The G-2 is the older Tiger. Bigger, established. But the younger doesn't yet know that it's faster, more agile and nimble. The G-2 is robust and dynamic. The 1p2 is liquid and textured, and still very present, but not as much as the G-2.
The midrange on both are very different, both good. The G-2's midrange is definitely thicker, richer, more colored as well as more present. Norah Jones sounds warm and inviting, begging you to open up a bottle of red with her. The vocals on the 1p2 borderline on sibilant, which can be a tad distracting. It's not too bad. I'm sensitive to it, and I've heard much, much worse. It's something I can deal with. But the vocals on the 1p2 are so clean and clear and transparent. You get drawn into the purity of her voice, like sipping the purity of freshly melted water from glacier runoff. It's so clean, clear, refreshing - pure.
Which mids do I like better? Man, that's tough. Honestly I'd like it right in the middle of the two. But I just recently got out of a relationship with a Westone ES5 that I ended up not being able to stand due to its so richly colored mids, they exuded congestion to me. Which is funny because I'm a Final Audio fan which can be very mid-centric... but they have an upper mid energy that keeps it clean.
Right now, I pick the purest sip of water after a day of spirit-elevating hiking in the Galapagos, rather than a bottle of Cab with Norah.
The high end is no contest to me. There's more detail, and presence, while possessing the quality to be able to be subtle and gentle, euphoric, and yet the ability to be very vivacious as well. Read Bright! With bright recordings, the 1p2 is WAY too much. Harsh. With the right recording the highs are sublime. Unfortunately a lot of the experimental music I like is brightly mastered, and I preferred and was grateful for the G-2 presentation for that music. But on great recordings, the high end lacked for me on the G-2. It lacked anything magical or special - It was just sorta there.
Eke mentioned that when you go to the G-2 after 1p2 it sounds muddy and congested, and when you go to the 1p2 it sounds bright and tinny, until the brain settles in. I definitely get that. But the G-2 sounded muddier than the 1p2 sounded bright and tinny. It was more refreshing coming back to 1p2 after being bogged down with the G-2 to me.
I think one of the biggest differences was imaging and soundstage. Even though the mids were more recessed on the 1p2, they had a 3-D magic to them, and sense of wrapping you in aural bliss that was missing on the G-2. To me, the 1p2 outclasses the G-2 in imaging and soundstage. Everything in the sonic landscape seems much more clear on the 1p2.
I'm at the point in my journey were I have really gotten away from bass in my music, unless I want to bomb some EDM on occasion. To me, the 1p2 bass is perfect. I wish the 1p2 upper mid was a touch less hot, but I love the high end extension and clarity. Why I prefer the 1p2 right now is the soundstage. That is also a new-found love of mine. Previously I did not take to the HD800. Now, it shows much potential.
This is all until I have to deal with the horrendous ergonomics of the 1p2. In a truly portable, on-the-go setup, that might be a deal breaker. I like portable gear because I can transport it easily. I rarely use gear actually on-the-go.
This is just my initial 2 cents.
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