Geek Wold GK10s 1BA + 2 Piezoelectric + 2 Dynamic Driver IEM

Disclaimer:​

Good morning, readers! I apologize tremendously for the delay in publishing the review of the GeekWold GK10S. Honestly, it’s not even the kind of review I would like to release but for total transparency, it should be published like all the others.


I particularly liked the GeekWold GK20 and they were very pleasant IEMs (I still have them and there are absolutely no complaints about them).


However, the review will still be 100% honest and, in no way, biased.


I’m not an audiophile; I’m just a guy that likes to test out different IEMs and DACs and spends a lot of time listening to music.


So I’m not going to use super-technical words to review it, but I will do my best to describe it.

Tech Specs:​

• Driver: 1 balanced armature, 2 Piezoelectric ceramics and 2 Dynamic drivers
• Frequency:20Hz-40kHz
• Impedance:100
• Sensitivity:106dB
• Cable length:1.2M
• Headphone cable specification: 1.2m, 4 strands, oxygen-free copper, silver plated

Packaging:​

The packaging of the GeekWold GK10S is really basic. I can’t say she’s beautiful at all but that’s not what matters. On the accessories side, nothing is missing; in fact, we have:

• Carrying pouch
• Cable
• 6 pairs of tips

We can definitely say that the tips are not the best and a single set of BGVP 07 would have been welcome. These tips should become the basic standard, as they are very balanced and often work well. The cable is not bad at all—a 4-wire braided silver-colored one that is quite flexible.

Design/Build quality:​

At this price, obviously, the design is not very elaborate, the GeekWold GK10S shows off a look that resembles a heart, and the faceplates are not extremely beautiful but passable. The shell is made of plastic—nothing fancy but it’s comfortable and that’s what counts. On the shell, we can see two ventilation holes, one on the inside and the other near the connector.


They managed to put many drivers inside:

• 7mm graphene-plated DD for midrange
• 8mm titanium-coated DD for bass
• BA for treble
• 2 piezoelectric ceramic tweeters

If we think that the GeekWold GK10S is sold for 50 USD, the presence of so many drivers is really crazy. It is not clear how they can sell them for so little. Other brands for this money usually include a good dynamic driver, certainly not 5 different drivers. In my opinion, the problem is that they overdid it; if they had put in a few fewer drivers, the result would probably have been superior. It’s not just a question of how many drivers you can squeeze into one shell.

Comfort/Fit:​

The GeekWold GK10S are absolutely very comfortable and light. I did a 3-hour listening session without feeling any discomfort. I’ll leave you some photos of how they fit me.

Initial sound impression:​

When I put them on after a decidedly long period with the Kefine Delci, I felt a noticeable downgrade. We are discussing two IEMs with a preference for low frequencies, but there is no comparison between them. I literally threw away the original tips; I did not even try the tips with the narrow hole because the stage was already quite limited. I put the BGVP 07 on and saw some improvement, but nothing spectacular. They do not sound bad, but for all of the drivers present, they lack detail, brilliance, and are rather dark.

Faceplate

Final sound impression:​

Equipment used for testing above


Device:

• iMac
• Redmi Note 7 Snapdragon

Software:

• Tidal Hifi Plus (Mobile)
• Amazon music UHD 24bit 96kHz (Both)

DAC:

• LessFox Da2
• LessFox Da1 (neutral)
• F.Audio KS01 (bright neutral)
• Moondrop Dawn Pro ( Good choice but doesn’t help the tuning)
• Simgot DEW4X (extra refinement)
• EPZ TP50 (Audiophile combo)
• iBasso DC04 Pro (always good)
• Muse Hifi M4 (on-the-go option)
• Hidizs S9 Pro Plus (better mids)
• Fiio Ka11 (doesn’t help the tuning)
• Fosi SK02 (extra brillance)

After listening to it for the first time, I decided to let it run for a few hours at medium-high volumes.


Having read some reviews to see if what I felt aligned with other people’s opinions, I decided to also try changing cables.


There was an improvement by switching to an economical but balanced cable but a minimal variation was more dictated by the greater power or perhaps by the different DAC used. It doesn’t change noticeably.


What changes is how our brain receives sounds and the more I listen to them, the more I adapt.

Treble​

I must admit that the highs are far too smooth due to the presence of BA and Piezo drivers. They are certainly extremely tolerable but the lack of some spark quickly makes itself felt. The nasality of the tone is felt less in this region but overall it is also affected. The cymbals sound a little dull.

Mids​

Here comes the most painful note: they are recessed and invaded by excessive heat, which often makes the sound sound nasal. The bass bleeds into the mids and especially the male voices sound nasal. The instruments here, too, are slightly out of tune.

Bass​

There is really a lot of bass; maybe we are in the Bassheads area but the quality is not the best, and they are also a little lazy. But I still have to say that I enjoyed them, especially on deep house tracks. Unfortunately, the sparkling touch of the highs is missing and therefore the lows dominate the tone, making the IEM dark.

Separation/Imaging/Soundstage:​

The soundstage is quite intimate, and for the drivers it has, I would certainly have expected more but I imagine the problem is in the internal structure of the IEM, which will certainly not be very elaborate. As for the image, it’s not the best but it commands respect, but it lacks resolution and macro details. In terms of separation, it doesn’t do terribly well, but it doesn’t excel either. You must always consider that it is a hybrid IEM.

Fast Comparison:​

It is practically impossible to compare other hybrid IEMs in this price range. In this price range, we have an infinite number of single DDs with much higher technical performances. If prices go up, we will already start to see more concrete hybrids from Celest. We can say that GeekWold has proven its ability to create $50 hybrids.

vs Celest Plutus Beast or Phoenixcall​

They are both out-of-the-box IEMs with exotic configurations that have attracted the attention of many enthusiasts. It starts from the packaging up to the beauty of the shells. In both cases, I recommend you read my complete reviews but there is no comparison in sound quality or price. In my opinion, these are products with such a different concept that any comparison makes no sense.

vs Kefine Delci​

Beauty
Taking Kefine’s latest IEM, the Delci, as an example, we find ourselves with a single DD IEM (of excellent quality) with a CNC machined shell that is also of high quality. The package is well cared for and complete with accessories. In terms of sound, we have both an excellent low range that remains seemingly composed in its region without bleeding elsewhere and crisp, detailed highs. The midrange has the correct tone and also a more marked presence than that heard on the Gk10s. The rule of only one good and well-tuned driver is always valid.

vs EPZ Q5 & Simgot EW200​

If the single DD for bassheads is not for you but you are looking for something balanced, you can absolutely look at the EPZ Q5, which is fabulous and balanced with an excellent soundstage. If you want something with a more chic shell and a less problematic connector, then the Simgot EW200 is equally good but slightly inferior to the EPZ Q5 in terms of musicality and soundstage.

Conclusion:​

I thank Siyuan of GeekWold again for the opportunity to test one of their models. In this market segment, there is really too much to offer. On paper, the GeekWold Gk10s offer everything you need to have a well-sounding hybrid IEM but in reality, I would have expected more technique from a hybrid than a single DD. I think they wanted to be too daring by putting 5 drivers per side in a 50 USD IEM. Let’s be clear, it doesn’t sound bad but compared to the competition, it fails to stand out. The bass is very present and borders on the high frequencies, bringing out an L-shaped tuning. Unfortunately, the nasal mids and slightly subdued trebles don’t make it stand out in this price range. In any case, there is considerable potential in GeekWold products that I greatly appreciate.

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank GeekWold for providing the GK10S unit.
It can be gotten here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256806123759223.html (no affiliate links).





SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x balanced armature driver + 2 x piezoelectric ceramics drivers + 2 x dynamic drivers
• Impedance: 10 Ohms
• Frequency response: 20 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 106 dB
• Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; 3.5 mm termination. No info on cable material
• Tested at: $49.90 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone ear tips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone ear tips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Carrying pouch

Accessories are quite decent for a budget pair, can't nitpick too much here.




No foam tips are included, but we have 2 variants of silicone tips. The narrow-bore ones boost bass and tame the upper frequencies, whereas the wide-bore ones do the opposite, and open up the staging a bit.




The stock cable is a 2-pin one. While GeekWold has not provided any info on the cable materials, suffice to say, it is quite decent. Well-braided, the cable has no microphonics, but can be somewhat tangly.




GeekWold has added a leatherette soft carrying pouch to the accessories, which operates via a drawstring mechanism. It is not as sturdy as a hardcase, but should sufficiently prevent scratches.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock wide-bore silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

The GKS10S comes in a unique heart-shaped motif, with a marbled face-plate. Fashioned from resin, ergonomics are excellent - it is light and can be used for extended listening sessions. The inner aspects of the housings are smooth.




I did not find any driver flex on my pair. Being a vented IEM, isolation is bang average.


INTERNALS

The GK10S utilizes a very uncommon 1 x balanced armature driver + 2 x piezoelectric ceramics drivers + 2 x dynamic drivers setup. Unfortunately, we have no information on the driver brands used.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the GK10S with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is easily driven. However, with a 10 ohm impedance, based on the rules of eights, the GK10S is best paired with a source with < 1.25 ohm output impedance (10 divide by 8). If something with a higher output impedance is used, it might skew the frequency response and cause the GK10S to be super bassy and boomy.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES


Graph of the GeekWold GK10S via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.

Tonally, the GK10S sports an L-shaped bassy signature.

This IEM is sub-bass focused, with deep sub-bass extension and rumble. It is definitely one for bassheads in terms of quantity. Quality wise, bass is on the slow side, with below average texturing. The copious bass amounts contributes to mid-bass bleed, and the GK10S does not perform well when complex bass tracks come out to play - we hear smudging and smearing of the basslines sadly.

The lower midrange is recessed, and this region is very hefty, warmed by the aforementioned mid-bass bleed. Upper mids hit nearly 9 dB in ear gain - but surprisingly, this region is not shouty, due to the gargantuan bass balancing it out.

The GK10S is a dark IEM, with the treble rolling off very early. While this will be a treble-sensitive listener's cup of tea, we lose a lot of resolution and clarity in the mix. No doubt there is no sibilance, but cymbals and high hats are very muted, with a distinct lack of air and sparkle. The treble is surprisingly overdampened for a piezo/BA tribrid, where most piezos usually furnish exceptional treble extension.

Moving on from the niche tonality, the GK10S also sadly doesn't fare well in timbral accuracy. When acoustic instruments are heard, there is a marked metallic tinge, possible contributed by the piezos and BAs inside. Note weight is hollow and artificial.

More woes in the tuning are that the GK10S is sub-par when it comes to technicalities. While soundstage is above average in width, height and depth are just average. Micro-details and clarity are lacking, due in part to the dark treble. Instrument separation and imaging are also poorly done. Thus, we hear a somewhat wide soundstage with nebulous imaging, so notes are fuzzy in the headspace. I would describe the GK10S as sounding "lowFI".


COMPARISONS

Comparisons were made against other tribrids. Planars, single DD and pure BA IEMs are omitted, as the different transducers have their own pros and cons.




Kinera Celest Plutus Beast

The Plutus Beast boasts of a special configuration: 1 x 10 mm bone conduction driver + 1 x balanced armature driver + 1 x 10 mm square planar driver.

The Plutus Beast is also L-shaped and bassy, though with better treble extension and less bass than the GK10S.

Technically, the Plutus Beast is ahead, with better soundstage, imaging, instrument separation and micro-detailing.

It also has a lowish impedance at 8 ohms, which makes source pairing a tricky proposition.


Celest Phoenix Call

The Phoenix Call houses a DD + 2 BAs + flat planar driver. It is tuned to a more aggressive V-shape, with greater treble extension, though with some sibilance present, and may not be the best option for the treble-sensitive. Sub-bass is also lesser with the Phoenix Call.

The Phoenix Call is in another league when it comes to technical chops, with a more expansive soundstage, better micro-detailing, imaging and instrument separation.

The Phoenix Call has a thinner note weight, but is more agnostic with source pairing, as it has a 32 ohm impedance.


CONCLUSIONS

It is back to the drawing board for the GK10S. While on paper, it may have an eclectic driver setup, the final product is a mega disappointment. The L-shaped dark profile presents a very lowFI soundscape, with marked loss of resolution. While soundstage is acceptable, the fuzzy imaging and poor instrument separation gives a sense of muddiness.

Actually, there are other L-shaped tribrids such as the Plutus Beast that show how an L-shaped bassy signature can still keep decent resolution. Having said that, perhaps the GK10S will be a suitable IEM for the very treble-sensitive or those that want an immense bass rumble. Even so, bassheads may find the timbre and bass quality are not up-to-mark on the GK10S, so it is a case of bass quantity over quality.

Some redeeming points are the decent ergonomics and accessories, though the low impedance of this IEM may make it fastidious with source pairing, especially for gear with higher output impedance.

This IEM is not recommended. For similarly priced tribrids that are superior, check out the Kinera Plutus Beast or Celest Phoenix Call - even though those are not perfect, they at least do a much better job in other departments.

Introduction:-


Hey guys today I will review the GeekWold Gk10s. This costs about $50 and is an upgrade from the GK10.

I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.




This was a review unit from geekwold and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

You can buy the Geekwold GK10s here :-

Search about it on aliexpress and you can buy it from your favourite seller. Geekwold doesn't seem to have any official store.

I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.


Lets get started!

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Build, Comfort and Accessories:-



1. The packing is very simple it comes with the iem, a very good 2 core cable, some generic tips and the a pouch to carry.



2. I really like this funky heart shape of the iem.



3. They are quite comfortable to hear and can be worn for long periods of time without any issue

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Sound Impressions:-



1. The overall sound is very dark



2. It uses 1BA + 2Pizeo electric + 2DD as its driver configuration



3. They are very easy to drive



4. The overall tonality is quite ok and there is no ba timbre



5. I will be using the Hiby FC6, Fiio BTR5, IFI Hip Dac 3, IFI Go Blu, Colorfly CDA M1, Colorlfy CDA M2, Muse Hifi M4, Fosi Audio N3, Aune Yuki, Hiby M300, Akliam PD4 Plus, Kinera Usb C dongle dac, Razer Usb c dongle dac & My smartphone



Bass-

1. Well the overall bass is ok for the price


2. The sub-bass is nothing great for the price.


3. The mid-bass too is ok.


4. Both the sub-bass and mid bass the overall hits and punchiness lacks a lot, while the quantity is ok but I do feel in songs like crack crack crackle by classy the punchiness and thump lacks quite a bit


Mids-

1. The mids are surprisingly ok for the price but there are lot better at this price point


2. The male mids sounds ok


3. the female sounds detailed and very good surprisngly



Treble-

1. Now this is where the iem falls apart


2. After the vocals the iem doesn’t have anything no details


3. So you have this meh bass and this limp treble



Technicalities:-

There is none in my opinion, as the overall area is very very very dark.



Soundstage:-

The soundstage is meh too as its very cramped, I personally prefer a wide soundstage. But if you like a cramped soundstage this might for you.



Imaging:-

The imaging is below average.

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Final Thoughts:-

1. Now I want to address one thing, I did see that the quite a few people who liked the gk10s.


2. But I also did see that who had the same conclusion as me on the gk10s, idk if what I got is the final tuning or if this is broken.


3. I did see akros’s review he too had the same issues with the iem.


4. Now as usual geekwold doesn’t see the review before you, if there is an update on this I will make an entirely new review and let you know.


5. As of now I don recommend the GK10s. If you want a warm sounding iem at this price range the Artti r1 makes for a great purchase, if you want something a tad bit more neutral which sounds clean then the simgot ew200 is another option. If you want something like ew200 but with even wider soundstage then the aoshida e20 is a great option.


6. So yea that was my review on the Gk10s. I hope you liked it, have a great day bye!

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If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and also if you have any issues regarding this format of review please do comment I will try to mend it. Also sorry to those who are used to reading long paragraphs of review in headfi. I hope my review was upto the mark, I appreciate any feedback.

Again a big thanks to Geekwold for making this review possible.

Have a great day ahead