[saveDqueen]

Hi there, this is my first post here in head-fi after centuries of lurking, so do pardon me if some terms or abbreviations are not expressed accordingly in this account of an IEM-hunting trip that I had today.
 
I bought the Vsonic GR06, after auditioning Westone 1 & UM1/ Shure SE215/ GR07 / GR02 / Klipsch S4 & S4i. And just for reference I currently own Brainwavz M2, Monster Turbine, PX100.
 
I have a taste for strong vocals, clear highs and controlled bass, the build of the IEM must be of an adequate weight for long hour of usage and a foam tip is always a bonus.
 
My M2 provided me good mids and highs and the Turbine gave me overpowering bass but with a well-controlled soundstage, it might sound muddy at times but that's my dark side.
 
After auditioning the GR06, the first thing that I noticed was the forward-mids signature that so many of you guys mentioned in this thread. I absolutely love it, even though at times it may stand out so much causing fatigue over sometime. But that was what I was looking for, to have the vocal reaching me instead of searching for them. The bass and highs are wonderfully controlled, 
 
The accessories are incredible especially the foam tip, which provides the best fit and isolation, but the leather pouch for sure would be disintegrating in a few years time. And sure enough the build quality of the cable and IEM compliments one another by having a light plastic housing build, the heavier cables are able to weigh them down properly in place for over-the-ear fit. Right angled plug is the best feature for users like me who has cables hanging out of pocket to reduce the stress on the connector.
 
Some complains about GR06, I find that the seal connecting the housing and cable looks dodgy. The lows/bass are not expressive or extreme enough for trance/techno songs, but my main genres of rock/pop/jazz is the main focus for the purchase of this IEM.
 
At the end of the day, I'm just a happy guy with three IEMs within my spending power that would satisfy every need of mine and GR06 was the last piece of the puzzle.
 
Pardon me if I sound biased because this account was based solely on finding an IEM that would suit my taste for music.

 

[bowlofsoup]

Anyone know if these would work for someone who listens to a lot of metal?

 

[UnityIsPower]

"The thing is though it is slow and loose"

*just started listening, so far...
^this is really bothering me to no end. Music I know has fast punchy bass sounds washed and bleeds. They sound as if I cover my head with a thick cloth; singers voice come from inside the cloth, all other instruments are outside. Drums are missing impact and slow. Guitars missing detail, vocals missing sparkle, and piano missing clarity and resonance. They sound clutered w/vocals suffering least. What is this treason... (T_T) The size and fit is great however. I also like the cable.

I gifted lots of iem's from my group purchase but so far not sure I want to gift these... I'd say Rockit R20 made a better gift.

What say u fellow human?

Still trying to force myself to see the good in these iem's and nothing. I can tell horrible presentation in multiple songs I know should sound better. 60$ loss for me...

Just some examples;

The detail and clarity I expect in this clip @0:06-0:54 for example is met with utter disappointment.

http://youtu.be/Q3KlH3g1KI0

The guitar @0:42 of How to save a life by The Fray is hard to hear, drowned by the vocals and cluttered w/ other instruments. All the negatives mentioned above are also present.

It seems the vocals take center stage in all my library. To boot, the vocals aren't even that great to begin with. Music with no vocals just plays awful as instruments show low detail/poor reproduction. Why do audio engineers bother mixing and balancing all the instruments/vocals if people go out and buy iem's like this? Wouldn't it be better to produce iem's that simply respond well to EQ but are balanced by default?

I can't even agree they are good for the $. Rather have Rockit R20's...

 

[Sweden]

Quote:

Anyone know if these would work for someone who listens to a lot of metal?

With some extra EQ to the treble I think they are great with metal.
With TB EZQ they are even fantastic.

 

[astron]

is this earphone recommended for classical music and a quality rock music?(Dream Theater?)

 

[Swimsonny]

Quote:

is this earphone recommended for classical music and a quality rock music?(Dream Theater?)

there is no reason why not!

 

[topmanta]

hi everyone, are the Gr06 a bass heavy iem, would these be a better buy than all the brainwavz models. thanks.

 

[Tom22]

Quote:

[size=13.0pt]VSonic GR06 Review[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Intro[/size]
[size=13.0pt]So the VSonic Gr06, I am sure by now that you have heard of it. Through out this review, like all my reviews, I will be reviewing, as it is not thinking about how much they are. However while you read the review think about this, Frogbeats in the UK sell it for £40 and that’s after a recent price raise.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]So we have established one think, these are fairly cheap and could easily be considered as budget earphones. So who are VSonic? VSonic are a Chinese earphone company who took the audiophile world by storm with one of their first earphones, the GR07 (which I still not have the pleasure to try). The reason they were such a hit was to do with their rather cheap price (£100 yeh I know not cheap, but humour me) and the awesome quality that it offered. Since then they have done big things with their own take on a TWFK dual balanced armature (BA) driven earphone and also a range of budget earphones that are all meant to re define what you can get in a price bracket which are the GR02 (and its bass edition), GR99, GR04 and then these the GR06. So they are pretty busy company by the looks of things, so lets go.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]I would also like to thanks Nuckin Futz for allowing me to loan these.[/size]
 

​

 
[size=13.0pt]Set-up[/size]
[size=13.0pt]Have been doing most listening of these with my Cowon J3 and FLAC and MP3 but also my iPhone 4 so that I really got to know these earphones. As for tips I chose to use some medium Phonak tips that I found to offer both the best comfort and sound from these earphones compared to Sony Hybrid tips.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Build Quality/Design[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The GR06 incorporates an odd colour scheme as well as an odd shape for a housing of an earphone.  I say this in not a bad way and I quite like the unique design. They have a brown cable and housing and they also have a square housing. I think this is all pretty cool and appreciate them aesthetically for their colour. I though I would also mention about the nozzle on these. It articulates on roughly a 45 degrees rotation so that you can get the most effective fit on these.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]The jack and y-split of these seem to be used in a little of earphones coming out of Chine and Asia recently and they and they seem to be almost identical to what you get with HiSoundAudio earphones. This is a good thing as I think they are very solidly built.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]So starting of these have a right-angled jack which has a gold plated plug and a solid black housing with the VSonic logo on it. The strain relied on them is a bit on the short side but still nothing to worry about. The cable on the GR06s is considered by some to be ‘the best’ and I can see why. Personally the only better cable I have encountered is the Phonak PFE cable. So why is it so good? It is a mixture to its thickness which is only around average (maybe slightly thicker), the suppleness and flexibility which is possible the best and finally its resistance to tangling which will give you no problems, forget the weak Beats by Dre flat cable. The y-split is the same solid plastic as in the jack housing and does also have a slightly longer strain relief but it is nit flexible at all. One thing these do sadly lack, yes there is one thing, is a cable cinch but I have seen some very nice DIY work by some people making one fairly simply.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]The housings do not have a conventional strain relief and the cables just go straight into the housing. The housings are all a lightweight plastic. [/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]I am very happy with the build of these.[/size]
 

​

 
[size=13.0pt]Accessories[/size]
[size=13.0pt]As these are on loan I do not have the accessory kit but just the case. The case is a spring clasp cloth pouch which is portable and everything but not so protective.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]As I have not had anything else I will give you a list:[/size]
[size=13.0pt]1 Set Foam Ear Tips, 1 Set of Bi Flanges, 3 Sets of Hybrids with Foam, 3 Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L), 5 Sets of Hybrids, Silicone Ear Hook, Storage Case, Warranty Card[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]So from the list there is not a lot more other than quite literally (maybe not) a million tips. I can only say this is a good thing and will result in a great fit there. Also from experience with cable guides in the past they are quite handy, as to how good the ones with these are I can unfortunately not say.[/size]
 

​

 
[size=13.0pt]Comfort/Fit[/size]
[size=13.0pt]Well when I first saw pictures of these I did not think the looked comfortable due to the square housing. DO NOT LET THIS PUT YOU OFF. With the articulating nozzle this are extremely ergonomic and therefore comfy.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Together with the Phonak tips, ergonomic rotating nozzle and the light plastic housing, these fit extremely pleasantly.[/size]
 

​

 
[size=13.0pt]Isolation[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The isolation with Phonak tips is never anything special and there is no change here with you being able to here snippets of the outside world. However if you chose to switch to the stock triple flange tips I am sure that you would get much higher levels of ambient noise reduction.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Microphonics (Cable Noise)[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The cable as I have already mentioned is great. It is also great in this category and you will suffer no annoyance from burn in. This is mainly because they fit over the ear but the cable also contributes to it.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]These have been used and burned in by the owner of these. [/size]
[size=13.0pt]Soundstage and instrument separation[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The soundstage of these is perhaps just more than averagely wide but have no depth to them what so ever. These are actually fairly fast for dynamic and separate instruments fairly well with almost slightly airy sense.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Bass[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The bass probably the most surprising part when I started listening to these. I was expecting small quantity yet tight bass. Not what I got at all. These are not bass heavy earphones but they have very warm bass, which gives of the impression that there is more than there is. At the end of the day the mid-bass quantity will surely satisfy pretty much anyone. The thing is though it is slow and loose, and instead of hitting hard and fast it sort of just slowly washes over you. It is still not bloated and only slightly boomy[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]The extension into sub-bass regions is excellent and you are not left with out rumble. Not head pounding like I got with my Thinksound ms01 but a quantity that you can appreciate and it compliments the mid-bass really quite nice.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Midrange[/size]
[size=13.0pt]One word could probably describe as much as a thousand and you have to hear the earphones to really appreciate the mids of the GR06. So these are mid-centric earphones due to the mid being forward. They are beautifully airy and sweet and have a touch of warmth from the bass. They have just other a natural decay which is quite pleasant and are also revealing enough to show of nice details. Instruments are nice but the vocals are even better and they steal the show. The mids are so good I have been tempted to buy a pair being a mid head and these have some truly FANTASTIC mids. [/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Treble[/size]
[size=13.0pt]The treble I am going to be harsh on as I think that is maybe ‘worst’ bit of the GR06 sound. The first thing that you notice is that it is sibilant and although that is no be or end all of nay earphones it is of course not ideal. Looking passed that I have found that it rolls of quickly and leaves no extended sparkle. It is also fairly recessed, for example when you are going to listen to a nice guitar solo instead of it sitting way in front of what else is going on, with these the guitar seems to just blend in. Other than that it is quite smooth.[/size]
 
[size=13.0pt]Overall[/size]
[size=13.0pt]So pretty positive review being a review done at price no object hey! So lets bring this all down to their price of £40 and all I can say is go buy one, NOW! You will not be disappointed and even if you do not like the sound of the signature I think VSonic deserve you to give it a try, as I am sure you will love it! I can now only wonder how good the GR07 are as these compete handily with a lot of my earphones ranging up to £120. For £40 you cannot go wrong with this package of sound, accessories and build quality. Easiest recommendation I have ever made.[/size]

hi there i was wondering if the shure olive foam eartips fit these? i looked on ljokerl's thread the shure's nozzle is 2.5mm. the vsonic is 3.5mm though but the olive foams fit my klipsch s4i. i love the foam! and from your review it sounds like the gr06 is perfect for me!

 

[lisagorbin]

i have my gr06 for about a month now. i cant seem to appreciate it. it is good sounding, i know that. but for me the mids are too forward and loud that it covers up the highs. turning the volume down will make me try to find the highs more. is it the genre im listening to? my music taste is pretty main stream, mumford & sons, adele, the beatles, i listen to some classical pieces, and i can say they are great for piano pieces, but thats all i can give them. im not saying they sound bad, its just i think i can get better sound for the same price. can you help me appreciate it? i know it sounds stupid but, you know, i want to enjoy it

 

 

[lisagorbin]

"The thing is though it is slow and loose"

*just started listening, so far...
^this is really bothering me to no end. Music I know has fast punchy bass sounds washed and bleeds. They sound as if I cover my head with a thick cloth; singers voice come from inside the cloth, all other instruments are outside. Drums are missing impact and slow. Guitars missing detail, vocals missing sparkle, and piano missing clarity and resonance. They sound clutered w/vocals suffering least. What is this treason... (T_T) The size and fit is great however. I also like the cable.

I gifted lots of iem's from my group purchase but so far not sure I want to gift these... I'd say Rockit R20 made a better gift.

What say u fellow human?

Still trying to force myself to see the good in these iem's and nothing. I can tell horrible presentation in multiple songs I know should sound better. 60$ loss for me...

Just some examples;

The detail and clarity I expect in this clip @0:06-0:54 for example is met with utter disappointment.

http://youtu.be/Q3KlH3g1KI0

The guitar @0:42 of How to save a life by The Fray is hard to hear, drowned by the vocals and cluttered w/ other instruments. All the negatives mentioned above are also present.

It seems the vocals take center stage in all my library. To boot, the vocals aren't even that great to begin with. Music with no vocals just plays awful as instruments show low detail/poor reproduction. Why do audio engineers bother mixing and balancing all the instruments/vocals if people go out and buy iem's like this? Wouldn't it be better to produce iem's that simply respond well to EQ but are balanced by default?

I can't even agree they are good for the $. Rather have Rockit R20's...

 
i agree. the guitars seem unrealistic compared to other iems.

 

[NuckinFutz]

I personally disagree with you, I find the timbre is very good in these, not gr07 good but pretty fine. 90% of my music is rock and metal and I was very happy with these, thought guitars sounded great. If you use eq I recommend tweaking up the treble and sub bass.

 

[lisagorbin]

I personally disagree with you, I find the timbre is very good in these, not gr07 good but pretty fine. 90% of my music is rock and metal and I was very happy with these, thought guitars sounded great. If you use eq I recommend tweaking up the treble and sub bass.

yes, tweaking up the treble will completely change my opinion on gr06, because i really think the highs are too recessed. the mids covers up everything without using eq. turning up the treble a little bit will give me the "stringiness"  of the guitar im looking for. umm, yes the gr06 sounds nice, but i want more treble, thats my only complaint i think. and i can easily trade the mids off to an earphone that has better highs for my taste.

 

[NuckinFutz]

Sounds like you're after a more neutral or analytical sound so perhaps the 06's aren't your thing. In fairness they haven't been reviewed as anything other than mid centric, still quite unusual for an iem at this price

 

[lisagorbin]

Sounds like you're after a more neutral or analytical sound so perhaps the 06's aren't your thing. In fairness they haven't been reviewed as anything other than mid centric, still quite unusual for an iem at this price

+1