Hate to do it but I must respectfully disagree with Nik. In my rig, I hear no "treble spike". Are these the be all end all cans? I doubt it, but they still have a good way to go before being broken/burned in so it's premature to speculate. In the end, it's all a matter of taste so I take these posts/opinions with a grain of salt. No offense Nik!!
After two days of listening, these cans stand out for comfort, bass, and soundstage. So far I don't find them lacking in any area. The bass is stong and deep but I would prefer it be a tad tighter but I've been told that time will take care of this. Mids are very good and there's no lack for detail/top end. I personally don't feel they are that close to the 701's but again, break/burn-in is far from complete.
IMO, they most certainly are gradoesque in their sonic signature, and I've done the most of my comparison with the PS-1's. Again, in my rig and IMO, the PS-1's are more aggressive and "in your face" than the GS-1K. I think the PS-1 has deeper and more slam to its bass and is a bit edgier in the top end, but I expect things to change as these cans settle in and hit their stride.
I also find them very non-fatiguing in my system and that's something I'm very sensitive to.....bright/fatiguing gear that is.
I know of one head-fier who's at 100 hours and feels like the GS-1k's are beginning to settle so that's my magic number. JMO but I think it's not only premature but a bit unfair to judge a headphone before it's broken in.
I'll be honest in saying that I'm favorably impressed with these phones. Will I keep them? Probably. Will they move to the top of the heap for me? I don't know. Time will tell I suppose. Hey, take all this for what it's worth.....not much other than just another opinion.
