VSD3 to Shure SE535
VSD3S to W4R
Price Range
VSD3 & VSD3S - Black Ver.￥259(about $43) Other Color Ver.￥299（about $50)
VSD5 - Release End of July - ￥399（about $67)
I have owned the W4R and UM Pro 30s which I sold recently to fund a new amp. Other IEM experiences include Shure SE215s and Vsonics GR07. The VSD3S may not necessarily be the top tier killer the hype purports it to be, but I must say that it can hold it's own with the tier just below. Based on memory I must say that I can see what they mean with their attempts to tune it like the W4R. It has a sound signature that makes it easily likeable without sacrificing much, or rather anything really. (at 45USD you would have thought that sound would be heavily compromised).
I am particularly impressed because of the way their price is set. Quality of mids and highs blew my mind away - not one you'd expect at this price point. My impression was that it is slightly mid forward and treble is rolled off but not too badly. Bass extension and texture would probably be their weakest point - but it does come in the right amount. Not missing, not overpowering. Do note that to have good quality bass in IEMs you're looking at spending many times more in an IEM. At this price range your expectation should linger around muddy frankly but none of that can be found here. In a word the quality is amazing. Unlike the W4R it is not as laid back, nor it is as energetic as the UM3x - sitting somewhere in the middle which is why it is immediately likable. In a way the VSD3S is really very much like the W4R in the aspect that it doesn't do anything wrong. I remember my Shure SE215 can sound pretty harsh around the upper mids but the VSD3S doesn't have that - which to me already makes the mids much better than the Shures.
Detail retrieval is still behind what top tiers can give you, but that comparison is just unfair. I would say it did matches or surpasses the GR07s and is certainly far ahead what several IEMS at this price point can give you. Soundstage and imaging is just amazing. Definitely far beyond their price point.
However, while their sound quality is a marvel, it is build quality that isn't something to celebrate over - but it does beat the typical 50 dollar fragile earbuds you'd have at this price. The wire is the same as the GR07s except with the MMCX-looking connector. However as a whole it just looks and feels rather cheap. Maybe its the smoky grey plastic they used, maybe its the way everything is just put together. I would still give a nod to SE215 for a better overall build quality. Their packaging is also nothing big. The GR series had better packaging and accessories. This one gives you the bare minimum + one pair of foams.
With such designs isolation is also much easier to achieve than the GR07s that required you to swivel the earpiece within your ear to find the sweet spot which can honestly be frustrating. Note: No swivelly parts here other than the connector.
In a nutshell, you really are getting a fraction of the performance of top tier IEMs for a tiny fraction of the price. I highly praise VSonic and while the wait was really nonsense to deal with... they certainly didn't disappoint. You don't even have to manage expectations to be impressed. (Frankly I came in expecting W4R since that was what they claimed). While it certainly is no W4R, I'd say sound for dollar you get loads more with the VSD3S.
If it ever opens up again, just buy it. I would say your next decent upgrade would be Westone 3 series and above, so this one is here to stay. Call it buyers hype, call it Vsonic fanboyism. I might be both. But it was the happiest 50 dollars I ever invested into this hobby. At the price it is also a perfect introduction IEM for those looking to join us in the dark side.
Cheers.
P.s. I know you might like some pics but it's night time here so lighting is pretty bad. Will try to put some up tomorrow.
