It controls Windows volume through keystrokes like a keyboard, whoever thought that was a good idea I will never know.
Enabling hotkey support for volume up/down for my keyboard makes the GSX hijack that function seeing as they use the same keystrokes.
So now I can't control the music volume alone.
It's a product for audio enthusiast gamers, not all gamers.
It's priced as such and should perform as such.
None with a cheap headset is gonna go out and buy this thing I hope.
They don't even support their own headphones.
It would certainly be a shame if they threw away this wonderful virtual 7.1 DSP.
It's also a shame you gotta deal with all this gaming BS to get it.
I don't think it was market as an audio enthusiast product but more for a competitive gamer product.
Yeah, for the price it is being sold for, I expected more.
And yeah no one with a cheap headset will go out and buy and I don't think that was Sennheiser's intention lol.
I don't know what you mean about them not supporting their own headphones.....I mean even though it is not very intended for audiophiles but someone that has a general idea of how audio works should always be looking up at the specs. Specs for the GSX for out before it was released and most kind of knew that the internal amp powering up to 150ohm headphones was not going to cut it. Like I said, in my opinion, it performs well with headphones rated around 50ohms or less like the HD598 or the X2. With my AKG K7XX it worked well but not at it's best since it requires a bit more juice to really make the K7XX shine. Even my CALs did very well when I used them with the GSX 1000.
I played with the GSX 1000 for 3 weeks and then returned it because like you mentioned....$200+ for such a product with mediocre specs is not really worth it. If the GSX were to be sold around the $120 range, then it would have been just right and I would be sure many gamers would buy it because it would compete with other similar devices around the same range like the Astro Mix Amp, Creative G5 (well it's eh for virtual surround sound), Creatives X7, etc.
Considering how cheap the G5 went on sale a few months ago (around $75 dollars I think, Just like the Recon3D was sold for $70 before it was discontinued and I have one still), the GSX will no doubt drop in price soon in the coming months because it doesn't seem to be selling that well. Overstock has it for $166 I think, so that gives an indication that it will drop in price.
As for how I said that this may be a test, well I don't think they will abolish this DSP they have made, it kicks butt. All they really have to do is package it up with more beefy hardware and slightly better firmware/software implementation (doesn't require drivers btw) and a second gen GSX will definitely would be worth it (although the price may be higher, since Sennheiser is know to uber charge for most of their headphones anyways, but they are still worth it to some extent).
So yeah. I am not a Sennheiser fanboy, even if I have 3 pairs of their headphones lol but the GSX, without talking price wise, is a good piece of hardware...all it needs is refinement.
your problems may be due to your particular set up, that is something you have to remember because everyone's computer is built differently using different hardware and drivers so results will always vary from person to person. You may just be one of the unlucky ones, that is all. But don't give up, something new (which there will be plenty during this year) will come out and satisfy your needs and will work with your current set up.
