The VSonic GR07 Bass Editions are quite possibly the best value in the world of universal IEMs, from my somewhat limited experience. With that being said, let me explain why I absolutely adore these little candy-cane cabled beauties.
First off, let's take a look at the
design and comfort. VSonic made an interesting choice here with the square housing and moveable nozzles. These nozzles allow you to rotate them into a favorable position in your ear canal so that the driver housing can sit squarely in external area of the ear leading up to the ear canal (interior pinna area). This feature does increase comfort and allows you to position the IEMs to fit well in your ear without moving around or falling out, and also allows the tip to reach as deeply as possible into the ear canal for the best isolation. While I have read of QC problems with nozzles not staying in place, I have never had the issue. If anything, they can be difficult to readjust. After using them for roughly 1.5 years, I've never had an issue. The square housing is also comfortable for the most part, even in my tiny ears. Although I wouldn't recommend sleeping in them, it's not a big deal to lay your head down momentarily with them on. When it comes to comfort, they're not perfect, but they're pretty close, in my opinion. I've never tried anything significantly more comfortable except for the Bose IE1s, but these are definitely usable for multiple hours at a time with no issues.
There's another minor point of contention to be addressed in regards to the stylistic elements of the headphones - the candy cane cables. It's a nice red drape over the silver cables which makes them resemble candy canes as a way to distinguish the IEMs from the regular silver cabled GR07s. Some may see it as overly showy or just odd, but I love it. They make the cables unique and aren't so noticeable that they distract others, although I have gotten compliments on them.
Next is
cable quality and microphonics. I'll start this by saying that the cable, in fact, does not normally affect audio quality - all it does is carry an electrical signal. However, the quality of the cable can become an issue when the manufacturer uses high impedance CCA (copper clad aluminum) cables that save on cost, but lower the power transfer and interfere with the overall headphone impedance, as seen in the stock cable for the Philips Fidelio X1. Luckily, this is absolutely no issue here. The pure silver cables are some of the most electrically conductive possible to make and behave very well in terms of pliability and storage. They are extremely easy to bend and have no issue folding. In addition, they have stayed in like new condition over their lifespan so far, despite being thrown around in a backpack for multiple months. No rips, tears, or gashes. They also transmit absolutely no microphonics, which is a major plus. No hisses, crackles, or pops are audible when moving the cable or twisting the jack while plugged in.
Build quality is also quite good. Although there are some minor manufacturer defects, such as impefect crimping of the wire insulation near the headphone jack, it is very minor and has had no effect on the reliability or sound quality that I can find.
Included in the box are the IEMs, a black pleather carrying bag, and about a million tips to try. These include your stock silicone tips, Sony hybrid knockoffs, a couple of flanged tips, and a set of memory foam tips. In terms of sizing, anyone will be able to find something they like and that fits well. I find most of the tips to be of a lower quality than aftermarket tips such as Sony or Comply, but they definitely get the job done. For increased isolation, get a set of Comply T-400s for them. They'll block an additional 25% or more sound out from my personal experience, and don't have a serious effect on audio quality. Sony hybrids are also popular for getting the best sound quality possible.
Now we're on to the meat of the review:
sound quality. I'll break this up into parts, but I'll start by stating that my main goal in reviewing sound is to identify how natural it sounds. For what I care, the headphones could have a perfectly flat response curve, but if the sound is artificial and off, they are not going to sound good to me. This has mostly to do with reproducing the natural timbre and detail of a recording so that it feels as though the band/singer you're listening to is performing right there in front of you. In addition, I will say that these headphones overall do posses a relatively natural timbre and skill in reproducing details, although they are not perfect.
Lows: Now we're talking! The bass on these IEMs is just excellent. It's not overemphasized, as the name may let on, but right on. If you want a truly neutral sound, then these are not it, but for just about anyone else who enjoys their low frequencies, it's just about perfect. The bass itself is very tight and detailed - no one note, low quality subwoofer-like sound. Bass is felt
and heard. Think of it like having a 10" sealed JBL subwoofer in your ears. There's not too much bass, it's not booming or muddy, but it's there, and actually sounds like what it's supposed to. Bass instruments do tend to stand out, which is appreciable on songs with strong bass lines (RHCP has a few that fit this quite well). Drums are excellent as well. I wouldn't categorize these as basshead IEMs, but they're definitely on the bassier, warmer side.
Mids: In my opinion, the mids are quite natural. Voices seem close to a live presentation, but do not have the detail or texture that other full size cans or ultra high end IEMs have. However, I have no real issue with them except for the sibilance. Yes, it's present, and yes, it can get annoying. The issue seems to have exacerbated over time rather than calming down. It's not present all the time, but certain songs can bring it out, especially on pronounced S sounds. Other than that, the mids are quite neutral in volume and still preserve a low grain, acceptably detailed presentation.
Highs: To be honest, highs are not really my interest most of the time. I usually consider these last when listening to just about any pair of headphones or IEMs, but they are definitely still important. On these IEMs, the highs are definitely quite present with a bit of sparkle. Although the sound signature is somewhat dark, there is just enough to preserve detail of sounds like cymbals crashing or even faint snares. Electronic sounds excellent on these due to the nicely detailed highs and strong bass, but not jarring as some overly treble heavy IEMs or headphones can sound. Sustain is not very long, but it's just enough to pick out each instrument in this section of the spectrum without difficulty. Again, a natural sound overall.
Soundstage: Above average for IEMs. Obviously incomparable to most open back full size cans, but L-R movement is easy to track, although 3D placement is nothing special at all. Don't try to use these for serious gaming, for example.
Amplification: Although the impedance is relatively high for IEMs (40 ohm), the sensitivity is high at 105 dB. This means you only need 10 mW to reach 115 dB, which is easily attainable with most portable systems. It definitely improves with a higher power, low output impedance source, but it's not necessary. You'll still be getting the majority of the potential out of these from your iPhone/Android/laptop, but to squeeze that last 15% or so out, proper amplification is key. I use a JDS Labs C5 connected to an iPod Classic via LOD for mobile listening, and it really gets the job done.
Overall: I love these IEMs. They are excellent and sound way above their price bracket. After testing various Shures (SE535, SE846, x11, x7) and other assorted IEMs, I can confidently say these are more than worth the money. In my opinion, they easily outclassed the SE535s without any difficulty due to the unnatural and overblown sound of the Shures. They can't go toe to toe with the $1,000 SE846s, but they're dang close for the money. If you were having any doubts about these IEMs, I'd definitely say to give them a try if you're into bass-heavy genres, such as electronic, rap/hip hop, dubstep, or trap. They also perform masterfully with pop, alternative, most rock, and dance music. They're not really the best for strongly vocal-based music or classical, but will hold their own if used for these genres on occasion. Perfect as all-rounders.
Here's an album of what they look like after a year and a half of use. Hope you found this review useful!
