I've spent most of my day listening to the GK10 and running through Anuoar Brahems' back catalogue. He does interesting Tunisian Jazz Fusion, recorded on the highly regarded ECM label. Most albums on ECM are absolutely brilliant in terms of recording quality.
Anyway, Anuoars 'Blue Maqams' album has his oud (lute) playing accompanied by a pianist, drummer and a bassist. It's all beatifully presented on the GK10, texture to the bassists pulls, piano fundamentals and harmonics, cymbals on the drums clear but not shrill and then ofcourse Anuoars oud sitting nicely in the middle frequencies. I really can't fault the presentation.
I then moved onto Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate' album 'In The Heart of the Moon'. A pair of masterful West African musicians on the guitar and kora (a harp-like instrument).
The kora/harp really pushes the upper mids and treble, it's a good test for shrill / metallic / unnatural sounds. The strings of the kora are run very tight and plucked / played with quick movements. On some sets it can be too sharp and invasive and I'm forced to drop the volume. On my setup of the M8+C9 the GK10 handles it fine. As it presents treble with such fine detail and resolution, the GK10 wouldn't be the set I would pick for a relaxing listen. It gives you everything that sits in the upper frequencies, it's not invasive or offensive, but it certainly demands your attention. Detail lovers will feel at home with this set.
I'm ending the day on some electronic / psytrance / deep house etc to play more into the technicalities and dynamic range of the set. Infected Mushroom, Sphongle, Marsh etc. Infected Mushroom love to play with bass texture and psychoacoustic shape. Everything is represented, all the nuance.
A real stand out today has been this track from Marsh called Heaven (and another called Liberator, both from his Heaven EP).
The size of the sound out of the GK10/Cayin C9 combo is great. The bass line in this track is so smooth and so all-encompassing, it really throws you right into the center of the music. Then his Liberator track has some lovely liquid vocals and use of stage and positioning. They're both worth a listen.
I'm going to have a break from the GK10 tomorrow and go back to my earbuds and hopefully come back to them with a fresh pair of ears, by which point I hope we have more people here to share experiences of their own.