This is going to be my 100th post and I wanted use it doing my review of the Gr07 bass edition By this time, they have about 350 hours on them and should be past the recommended burn in time.
Initial impressions:
Out of the box, I was almost sorry I made the purchase. They were dark, congested and the total opposite of smooth. The midbass bleed was too apparent that vocals sounded nasal and overly thick. I purchased the MH1C at the same time and was thinking they sound better than the GR07s. So I decided to put the GR07 though a 300 hour burn in process so the drivers can settle and my brain can adjust.
15 days later:
Well over 300 hours of burn in, I can now say they have opened up quite a bit.
Bass:
To me, they are bass heavy. Sub bass is quite impressive and I can easily hear rumble with 808s and synthetic bass on a few tester tracks. I just love listening to "Woofer Cooker and "Can't Hold Us Down" by Christna Agiulera. Impact is more than enough to make your head bob with some rnb and club music. Equally, they add a little bit of fun factor with rock music and some heavy metal tracks. drums have realistic attack and dynamics. But the drivers are also fast enough that it doesn't sound congested even on bass heavy tracks. Decay is just right that everything seems so, alive. Bass bleed is minimal. They do reach into the mids and add body to vocals and other midbass instruments, but just enough that it doesn't sound muddy. Beware though that this, for me, is borderline. Even the slightest boost in this midbass emphasis can kill the midrange and upset the tonality. Personally, I find it just a little too bass heavy for jazz and classical music. They are, however, perfect for RNB Rock and pop songs and are easily one of the most accurate, fun, bass-ey IEMs.
Mids:
Mids are just wonderful. Since the 07s have a slightly U shaped signature, the mids are not as forward as the bass but in no way are they recessed. It does, however, have ample amount of body due partly to the bass bleed. Vocals come alive and are well textured. A good track to test would be "Biggest Part of Me" by David Pack from the "Secret of Moving On" album. When the backround vocals come in and sing "Sunlight", it just feels so lively and involving. Pianos and female vocals are portrayed beautifully also with Diana Krall's "A Case of You" from the Live in Paris album. Mid detail is also impressive. I remember picking up nuances from my RE0 and I can pick them up just as easily with the Gr07.
Highs:
Treble to me are not the 07's strong suite, but that's not saying they are bad. Even with the Bass Edition, I can hear a little bit of sibilance, but nothing close to my old GR01's. The U shape signature adds a bit of emphasis to the treble which by the way extends fairly high. In my opinion though, the 07's deliver the highs just to enhance the mids, but not to be praised in itself. These are not treble focused nor are they designd to be analytical. The treble is enough to help with above average resolution, (try and listen as singers breathe-in after each line) but falls short compared to the RE0 and the younger brother, the GR01, which in my opinion, two of the best IEM in terms of treble reproduction. Sparkle is present, but a bit dry due to lack of real airiness. They are not dark sounding IEMs per se, neither are they bright. To my ears, they are just right its just not a treble-focused IEM.
Soundstage and Speed:
Nothing too impressive. They are designed to be stage monitors and presentation is quite intimate. Soundstage is just a little above average. Speed is also above average, considering these have dynamic drivers, I would say they are fast enough that they won't skip a beat and portray music accurately, but nothing to say "wow" about.
Overall sound quality and one more special thing:
Individually, the most impressive thing about the 07's are the bass. They have been tuned to provide not just quantity, but quality. The mids will come in at a close second, delivering some of the most vivid and lively vocals with one of the most natural timbre of all the IEMs I've owned. But more than the individual sound spectrum and characteristics, its the overall combination of these that set the GR07 apart from any other IEM at its price range. They are the top of the line from Vsonic and by all means, one of the best in terms of sound quality. Accurate, natural sounding, dynamic and resolving. They are fun and engaging, able to provide hours and hours of musical enjoyment without the slightest hint of fatigue. The very special thing about them apart from their top tier sound quality is that they are so comfortable that you forget you are wearing them.
I would recommend them to anyone looking for an upgrade from your $100 IEM, or even as part of a starter kit for the would-be audiophile. Note though that although they sound fantastic, they are anything but out of the box. I highly recommend both driver and brain burn in to let its sound signature settle and sink in. You may regret buying as i once did, but after about 300 hours, you will start to appreciate how amazing these really are. You may ask me now how they compare against the MH1C that sounded better pre-burn in? Well, I can honestly say, the MH1C had some pretty amazing wow factor that probably lasted 1 week. The GR07s are definitely at the high end bracket and are designed for long term use. They don't have the same wow factor as the Sony's but I would go with long term relationships over love at first sight anytime.
I give them 8.9/10 in sound quality. (If not for the midbass emphasis, I would give them at least a 9.2)
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