VSONIC GR01 Info, Impressions & Appreciation thread
Feb 10, 2012 at 3:55 AM Post #31 of 136
A review of GR01 compared to GR07 courtesy of Kalikot from headphiles
http://www.headphiles.org/index.php/topic,4287.msg210561.html#new
 
The full review and credits given to Kalikot of headphiles.
 
''VSonic has really impressed me with their GR07 Dynamic IEM which is still making its rounds throughout audio hobbyists as the best bang for buck IEM under the $200 price range. And having owned the GR07 for a good half year now, it's safe to say that it's a keeper in my IEM assortment. It works for all genres and is able to perform on par with the best of IEMs way above its price range. It really set the bar on what a Chinese OEM can produce for so little cost to the consumer.

With the GR01, VSonic has set similar goals with their sound signature like with the GR07. They aim for non-fatiguing sound signature with all the frequencies presented, well balanced and it aims to achieve the Studio Monitor sound, and they have certainly accomplished that with the GR01 and its TWFK drivers

It looks sleek and small but those dual armatures are really pleasing to listen to because of the non-fatuiging sound. Vocals are well pronounced and caress the listener's ears with good imaging and separation. 

Bass performs admirably well, with enough warmth and punch. It's very tight and has enough impact for most genres of music. It doesnt go down deep, but for non-electronic genres it will do well.

One of the weaknesses of the GR07 is its treble, while pleasing to listen to can tend to be sibilant on some tracks. This is not the case with the GR01 as the treble is just right. It's not particularly impressive but it does no wrong either. It's not too bright but it does not roll off that much. It's sometimes thin on a few tracks however.

I think this IEM is really well made as it is small and compact like the Klipsch X10, UE700 and the Ortofon IEMs. They are very comfortable to wear and they dont fall off easily. I must say I really like the Sony Hybrid-ish tips that VSonic has produced for their newer IEMs. Unlike the cheap clone Hybrids which are rough and very rigid, the VSonic tips while not as soft as the real deal Sony Hybrids, sit comfortably on my ears and makes for a comfortable listen.

The GR01 doesnt really do anything particularly well, but its appeal is that it does no wrong and is pleasing to listen to. Details are great for a Dual Armature IEM but as it is only a Dual Armature IEM, it's still not up to par with something like a UM3x when it comes to detail and imaging.

Comparing it to my pair of GR07 which aims to have the Studio Monitor type of sound as well, it loses out on bass and musicality by default because of the GR07 which is a Dynamic IEM. It's also not as wide when it comes to soundstage. 
However, it is a technically better IEM than the GR07 and it shows with the vocals and detail which I give the win to the GR01.

Is it better than competing Dual Armature IEMs for its price range? I must say I prefer it over the DBA02 and UE700 as unlike those IEMs, this one is very balanced and has all frequencies represented equally in your music. I also like the non-fatiguing sound which means I can listen to music for the whole day without getting tired of piercing highs and sibilance. I think of it as a DBA02 without the piercing highs, which in turn brings out the bass.

It's priced at around $180 on Ebay right now which is on par with other Dual Driver IEMs. It's definitely worth the asking price if you are looking for a Dual BA IEM which is comfortable to wear.''



Setup used:
Cowon J3 on BBE Viva

Tracks used:
James Ingram - Just Once
Traincha - Human Nature
Eagles - Tequila Sunrise
Foo Fighters - Everlong
 
 
 
 
 
Feb 10, 2012 at 8:43 AM Post #32 of 136
Well, I can't visit that forum if I'm not a registered user, and I'm trying to register, but I keep getting an error (I'm pretty shure all fields are correct)... 
confused.gif

 
Quote:
A review of GR01 compared to GR07 courtesy of Kalikot from headphiles
http://www.headphiles.org/index.php/topic,4287.msg210561.html#new



 
 
Feb 20, 2012 at 1:46 PM Post #35 of 136
Just to tell anyone interested in the GR01's that lendmeurears is selling them on eBay for $183 with free shipping, and according to their item description:
 
[size=medium] Reviewer Promotion:[/size]
[size=medium] Write a 200 word review for the GR01 on head-fi and receive a 30SGD refund for your effort! [/size]
[size=medium] Limited to the first 10 reviews only![/size]

 
30SGD is a bit over $23, so the GR01 can be had for less than $160 (for those first 10)! See here:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vsonic-GR01-/320834488127?pt=Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item4ab339c73f#ht_890wt_1241
 
Feb 21, 2012 at 2:22 PM Post #37 of 136
IMO, the GR01 needs incentive since most want to wait for GR08, some reviews favor/prefer the GR07 still, even the GR01 naming may lead some to believe it is inferior. It is probably going to fall through the cracks a bit. Another TWFK model doesn't seem to be that exciting(I, myself feel as if I've been there done that more than once already) at this point. I'm sure they planned for it cause they know the market. Maybe a little less interest than I thought there would be though. As far as I can tell the GR07 went from 84 sold to 90 since the GR01 was listed and the GR01 listing has no "History" of any sold.
 
Mar 12, 2012 at 3:14 PM Post #40 of 136
Well, according to ljokerl, apparently he already has a pair of GR01 with him, and the following are his initial impressions about them:
 
 
Sure - the GR06 should be good for rock considering the price. The bass isn't as tight as that of the GR07 and the depth is poorer but again quite reasonable for the price. I haven't spent much time with the GR01 but so far it seems to be one of the better TWFK-based earphones I've heard. Love the build, fit, and isolation, too.

 

Dual armature, Knowles TWFK in fact. Listening to them right now - they are good, very good. Closer to DBA-02/CK10 in performance than UE700/Phiaton PS200/q-JAYS but with a less bright signature compared to most TWFK-based phones. I've only A:B'd them vs the UE700 and they were the clear winner for me, though admittedly they cost significantly more.
 

 
 
 
Mar 21, 2012 at 2:46 AM Post #41 of 136
My GR01s arrived 2 days ago, and I must say.. I'm impressed!
 
It is still the early days, and I'm still in the honeymoon phase, so I can't really say a lot about these right now.
But to sum it up so far, these are very similar to the GR07s apart from the obvious treble, which to my ears, passes the GR07, and its lesser bass. In a sense, I would just say that these are identical to the GR07s apart from a slightly less weighty bass with less quantity (the bass still reaches very, very low), and a much more brilliant treble, while being overall more detailed.
I may make an attempt to review these as no-one in Head Fi has done so yet, and the $30SGD refund is appealing :wink: , but I have exams literally around the corner and will spend my time preparing.
Right now, I would say that the GR01s scrapes ahead of the GR07s on its technical ability, but subjective-wise, I still prefer the GR07 as I crave its abilities in the sub-bass region. 
smile.gif

 
Mar 22, 2012 at 3:04 AM Post #43 of 136
Thanks! 
smile.gif

 
As for the burn-in, I can't really say for sure (wanting to see if someone else can also confirm as well).
All I'll say though is that straight out of the box, the treble really stood out to my ears (even after listening to AD700 prior to this), and was very prone to sibilance. I have around 20 hours put through these now, and I don't know if it really is burn-in taking effect, or just my brain, but these seem to be less prone to sibilance now, and will only end up being sibilant to stay true to the recording or if the volume is turned up pretty loud.
 
EDIT:
Oh and a few more things... these IEMs are surprisingly small (if my memory serves me well, at least as big or smaller than an Etymotic HF5). Compared to the GR07, the GR07 looks simply gigantic. Unfortunately I don't have access to a good camera so I can't take photos to show its size..
The cable is also quite underwhelming. You can't really tell from the pictures though. The cables look very frail (thin) and cheap compared to the GR07's cables which are more beefy. The cable not only looks cheap, but feels cheap too. It really does remind of something you would expect from something costing a mere $2. The only upside to this is that the strain relief on the L-jack can actually move, unlike the GR07/06's which is far too stiff.
Another downside is that the cables carry quite a bit of microphonics (it annoyed me a lot during my walk home from school). I don't think trying to wear these over-the-ear will do any help, as it does look really silly doing so, in that it looks kind of like a TF10 but more skinnier and basically protruding almost perpendicular out of your ear.. The only remedy I can think of to combat the dreaded microphonics is to use a shirt clip, which unfortunately isn't included in the accessories.
The fit is great though, and isolates very well, comparable to an Etymotic IEM. These come with an insane amount of tips (13 to be exact), so I fail to see someone achieving a poor fit with these. Although it would have been a nice sight to see these coming with tri-flanges as these do need to be inserted quite deep like Etys.Overall I'd say the build quality is great, and aesthetics is also nice. I really like the metal housing (looks very pretty), and the replaceable filter is nice to see.
 

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