Did you get your cheapie Vsonics yet Danny?? Impressions.
It really was a deal not too be missed albeit with some of the current Vsonic concerns. The AN16 is a throw together with probably unused NVX10 housings. Probably cause the the NVX10's are kept black so not technically the GR06 housing. A bit messy on the glue for the housing strains and the cables, which are GR06 cables, were either rejects they decided to use anyway or they did a crappy job making them. A few messed up sheathing issues including on my pair. I fixed/reinforced mine myself. Not sending it back in case the quality control here would get me a slightly different sounding pair. Sound-wise they are even better than the Titan 1's and my pair kind of nailed the better GR06. i run mine with large Brainwavz Sony hybrids clone. Not the larger sound of the Titan 1 but a bit more cohesive, balanced and the bass is tighter and punches a bit harder. Also think it does front to back placement within the soundscape better whereas the Titan pushes most things back and doesn't places things in front or back of each other quite as well. More cohesive, esp. unamped as the decay is more even all across. Titan is a bit quicker on the treble and a bit slower on the bass.
They did seem to nail it. Not a big and spaced out as the GR07 or as treble extended/focused but really a GR06 with smoother but excellent treble, barely forward mids and a just warm enough bass that has BE sub-bass but more mid bass. Really a GR06 successor. That mid-bass though is just right though for full but still quick and tight. Better job than the Titan's which is looser and sloppier unless fed more power. Better than my first batch original GR07 as far as balance, even stage size(GR07 lack of depth stuck out but these are nearly even in 3-D's). Not as much grain or treble sibilance as that model GR07 either. Mids are warmer and not as dry. Just the right amount, for me, more consumer tuning and less monitor tuning.
VSD2S is another typical Vsonic that comes with tips that are not good for it and they are fairly picky with tips anyhow. The right tips fix them up from a more V, treble bright phone to a phone closer to the AN16 but having less a bit less bass, slightly more recessed mids, and brighter treble. If you have the right tips, they difference is not as much as some make it out to be as the bass and mids are really similar but not as good. Housing does give the VSD the bigger stage that is more Titan 1-like. Treble is brighter but it is an "S" version
The AN16 is fine to crank it as they may liven up whilst the VSD2S has more hard C's and S' as far as sibilance issues. The old Shure "olives", the black silicone one before the foams took the name, do give the best sound for me. balancing them, bringing the mid up tightening the bass and taming the treble a bit.
Neither phone's sibilance is an issue for me. Noticeable but the AN16 is just a bit of emphasis and could tame with burn. The VSD2S is more but not too harsh or fatiguing unless the wrong tips are used. Taming some with burn-in and the bass also tightening will make the VSD2S a really nice phone. Just missing it's perfect sound but really quite better than the VSD1 was on all fronts. AN16 is fine the way it is; if it doesn't change any I don't care.
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