backsideslappy
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2013
- Posts
- 21
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- 12
I picked a set of these up as an interim replacement for my DBA-02 MKII's (after thinking I'd lost them on an aeroplane - they later resurfaced behind a cupboard).
A few initial thoughts after maybe 2 or 3 hours of listening (through DX90, low gain, FLAC source (16/44 and 24/96):
- Bass quantity is notably greater than the DBA, but is lacking quite a lot of the immediacy and speed that I like in an earphone
- Fit isn't perhaps as problematic as I thought it might be in looking at the design of the IEM, a reasonable insertion is possible both straight down and over the ear, though worn straight down the enclosure does protrude rather oddly and after a short time feels pretty unnatural. Over the ear offers greater isolation, ergo greater bass extension.
- My immediate thoughts as compared to the DBA is that I miss the speed and clarity, but coming back to them some of the treble does seem a little aggressive.
- The noise floor on the DBA seems a bit better to my ears. It's as close as I've come to a dead black background in an IEM. There's not too much by way of audible noise in the GR07...just a bit of muddiness maybe? Could be resolved through burn-in.
- The ability to actually move my head while listening without the aural assault of the DBA-02 mkii's horrendously microphonic cable is a luxury. The GR07 will become my IEM of choice for anything that requires moving...walking...slight twitching of the head etc
Overall I'm reasonably impressed, but certainly if I hadn't found my DBA's behind that cupboard I would either be looking to replace them with another set or look more closely at other balanced armature options on the market. I think I will keep the GR07's though, for times where I need to move my body without creating a vibration-vacuum around the cables.
A few initial thoughts after maybe 2 or 3 hours of listening (through DX90, low gain, FLAC source (16/44 and 24/96):
- Bass quantity is notably greater than the DBA, but is lacking quite a lot of the immediacy and speed that I like in an earphone
- Fit isn't perhaps as problematic as I thought it might be in looking at the design of the IEM, a reasonable insertion is possible both straight down and over the ear, though worn straight down the enclosure does protrude rather oddly and after a short time feels pretty unnatural. Over the ear offers greater isolation, ergo greater bass extension.
- My immediate thoughts as compared to the DBA is that I miss the speed and clarity, but coming back to them some of the treble does seem a little aggressive.
- The noise floor on the DBA seems a bit better to my ears. It's as close as I've come to a dead black background in an IEM. There's not too much by way of audible noise in the GR07...just a bit of muddiness maybe? Could be resolved through burn-in.
- The ability to actually move my head while listening without the aural assault of the DBA-02 mkii's horrendously microphonic cable is a luxury. The GR07 will become my IEM of choice for anything that requires moving...walking...slight twitching of the head etc
Overall I'm reasonably impressed, but certainly if I hadn't found my DBA's behind that cupboard I would either be looking to replace them with another set or look more closely at other balanced armature options on the market. I think I will keep the GR07's though, for times where I need to move my body without creating a vibration-vacuum around the cables.
