In an age where (multi-driver) hybrids are all the rage, the G3 is a single dynamic from a maker known for well-regarded, modestly-price earbuds. I bought these after reading the frenetic praise of Head-Fier//Englishman Vidal, whose recommendations have previously been spot-on.
Purchased on Ali, these arrived fairly quickly. The maker certainly did not over-extend itself in the packaging--they came in two cardboard boxes containing the phones and three silicon tips.
The phones themselves seem solidly built, with well-machined metal casings and a well reinforced plug, though the woven cable (no mic) seems extremely frail and is maddeningly tangly. It' would be a truly terrible cable but for the complete lack of microphonics. Despite their open-vented design, isolation is excellent. Comfort is about average, as the casings are sleek but fairly heavy.
OTOB, I found these suprisingly anemic, as if all the low end had been eq'd out--there was literally no bass. I noted that blocking the vents increased the bottom, so i deigned to plug them with some blutak. This markedly increased the bass response, though it wasn't clear how much the overall sonic qualities were compromised thereby. (Generally, I have an irrational aversion to modding gear, which always reminds me of some dolt putting a Mercedes grill on his Volkswagen).
After some further wanking with tips and sources, several curious things emerged. First, these sound significantly bassier and better from my HTC 10 (or directly from a low-gain CD player) than from much fancier/more powerful amps. Secondly, these are as tip-sensitive as almost any IEM I've heard--without very deep insertion and good seal they're forgettable; I ultimately settled on wide-bore large Spinfit types-- foams, for whatever reason dulled the presentation and didn't work. Finally, these changed with burn-in as radically as I've heard (burn-in deniers should try these).
Ultimately, one can describe their signature as bright, balanced and energetic, with a notably wide, 3D soundstage. Stereo separation is particularly sharp, and instrument placement is accurate--these have the scale of a good over-ear headphone. Treble is well-extended, crisp and detailed, if somewhat "digital" sounding--it is less eerily lifelike as , say the Vivo XE-800 or neutral as the Urbanfun, though more exciting than either. Again, this is a bright phone which might sound slightly splashy to the treble-sensitve. Mids are likewise full and detailed. Lowend, after finding optimal fit and tips, does emerge--it emphasizes midbass and is not very impactful, but has speed and musicality. Note that unblocking the vents does decrease bass quantity, but makes the entire presentation sound more open. Likewise, as noted above, bass presence seems (anamolously) to increase in inverse proportion to the output of the source. In general, this DD gives up nothing to comparably-situated hybrids in terms of clarity, though it is by no means an uncolored stage monitor--it has drive and a toe-tapping quality. Coupled with the excellent isolation, it's easy to get immersed in these for all but the most bass-heavy genres.
So, mainly very positive. Thanks for reading this far.
Purchased on Ali, these arrived fairly quickly. The maker certainly did not over-extend itself in the packaging--they came in two cardboard boxes containing the phones and three silicon tips.
The phones themselves seem solidly built, with well-machined metal casings and a well reinforced plug, though the woven cable (no mic) seems extremely frail and is maddeningly tangly. It' would be a truly terrible cable but for the complete lack of microphonics. Despite their open-vented design, isolation is excellent. Comfort is about average, as the casings are sleek but fairly heavy.
OTOB, I found these suprisingly anemic, as if all the low end had been eq'd out--there was literally no bass. I noted that blocking the vents increased the bottom, so i deigned to plug them with some blutak. This markedly increased the bass response, though it wasn't clear how much the overall sonic qualities were compromised thereby. (Generally, I have an irrational aversion to modding gear, which always reminds me of some dolt putting a Mercedes grill on his Volkswagen).
After some further wanking with tips and sources, several curious things emerged. First, these sound significantly bassier and better from my HTC 10 (or directly from a low-gain CD player) than from much fancier/more powerful amps. Secondly, these are as tip-sensitive as almost any IEM I've heard--without very deep insertion and good seal they're forgettable; I ultimately settled on wide-bore large Spinfit types-- foams, for whatever reason dulled the presentation and didn't work. Finally, these changed with burn-in as radically as I've heard (burn-in deniers should try these).
Ultimately, one can describe their signature as bright, balanced and energetic, with a notably wide, 3D soundstage. Stereo separation is particularly sharp, and instrument placement is accurate--these have the scale of a good over-ear headphone. Treble is well-extended, crisp and detailed, if somewhat "digital" sounding--it is less eerily lifelike as , say the Vivo XE-800 or neutral as the Urbanfun, though more exciting than either. Again, this is a bright phone which might sound slightly splashy to the treble-sensitve. Mids are likewise full and detailed. Lowend, after finding optimal fit and tips, does emerge--it emphasizes midbass and is not very impactful, but has speed and musicality. Note that unblocking the vents does decrease bass quantity, but makes the entire presentation sound more open. Likewise, as noted above, bass presence seems (anamolously) to increase in inverse proportion to the output of the source. In general, this DD gives up nothing to comparably-situated hybrids in terms of clarity, though it is by no means an uncolored stage monitor--it has drive and a toe-tapping quality. Coupled with the excellent isolation, it's easy to get immersed in these for all but the most bass-heavy genres.
So, mainly very positive. Thanks for reading this far.
