GS Audio GT12X

Disclaimer: I received this review unit for free from GS Audio, thank you very much.

Price: 252 usd

Specifications:

Sensitivity: 118db SPL/mW

Impedance: 17ohms @1KHz

Frequency range: 20Hz-40KHz


Accessories:

Carry case

Cleaning tool

S/M/L wide bore silicone tips



Cable: 8-core cable measuring at 0.14 ohm. Has a working chin-slider and a metal divider/connector. No need to change the cable.







Build: Resin shell + metal nozzle with a lip. Average size, unvented shell.

Fit: Very good for me.

Comfort: Due to the pressure build-up, it’s not that good for me, although it isn’t as much pressure as on their other iems I got. The shell shape is very good though

Isolation: Top tier due to the ventless shell and shell shape that covers my entire ears.

Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 7-8 o´clock), JVC Spiral dots++, stock cable 3.5mm

Lows: Mid-bass focused, is on the tighter/faster side good texture for a BA, and while the graph shows a lot of quantity, it isn’t that much. It is very warm though and affects the overall tonality a lot. Sub-bass is a bit better than most BAs, but as usual lacks rumble and extension.

Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a bit bloated and very warm due to the high quantity (and early bass-shelf), is actually pretty tight/fast though. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is unclean and not very hearable.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), pretty good texture and quantity, but is unclean due to the warmth, is on the tighter/faster side.

Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), bass extension and rumble are decent for a BA. Punch quantity is a bit low as well as lacking texture, a bit on the tighter/faster side.

Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), quantity could be higher and more texture, although pretty good for a BA. Is on the tighter/faster side.

Mids: Not for people that like female vocals, they are too warm and timbre isn’t the best, although there is zero shoutyness. Male vocals on the other hand are pretty decent tonally, but does lack clarity.

Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is decent, lacks some brightness though and could be more forward, timbre has some BA timbre. Instrument tonality is a bit too warm, lacking clarity, has some BA timbre.

Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), both vocals and instrument tonality is too warm, lacking clarity and vocals needs to be more forward. Has some BA timbre.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), not shouty or peaky at all, very relaxing and fatigue free.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), not shouty or peaky at all, very relaxing and fatigue free.

Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality is too warm but has good timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are pretty good, but lacks clarity, good timbre.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars aren’t sharp at all but does lack some brightness, decent timbre.

Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), not shouty or peaky but separation can’t keep up and it gets chaotic.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and timbre are pretty good, lacking in texture, detail and clarity though. Violin tonality is way too warm, lacking in clarity, detail, treble-extension and BA timbre is present.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality is lacking in brightness and unclean. Some BA timbre is present.

Soundstage: good width and quite deep, holographic.

Tonality: Dark L-shape, note-weight is pretty thick, coherency is pretty good but there is some BA timbre.

Details: both macro and micro-details are bottlenecked pretty hard by the tonality.

Instrument Separation: both separation and imaging are bottlenecked pretty hard by the tonality and imaging do suffer a bit more since the channel matching on my pair isn’t that good.

Songs that highlight the IEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCXhD9cwXZA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Jrql4ZXUo

Good genres: R&B

Bad genres: Not really a good match for my library

Comparisons:

IEM: Audiosense DT300, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, stock cable 3.5mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a bit lower on the GT12X but similar rumble. Punch quantity is similar but a bit more textured on the GT12X, similar speed/tightness. More tonally correct on the GT12X but a bit better timbre on the DT300.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), very similar quantity, speed and tightness but a bit more textured on the GT12X.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), bass is very similar, but a bit cleaner on the DT300 due to the treble.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is better on the DT300 as well as a bit more forward and better timbre, more detailed on the GT12X though. Instrument tonality is similar but better timbre on the DT300 while more detailed on the GT12X.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shoutier on the DT300.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality is a bit better on the DT300 and better timbre, more detailed on the GT12X.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a bit more tonally correct on the DT300 and better timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and timbre are better on the DT300 but more detailed and a bit more textured on the GT12X. Violin tonality and timbre are better on the DT300 but more detailed and a bit better treble-extension on the GT12X,

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality and timbre on the DT300, more detailed on the GT12X.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot wider on the GT12X, similar depth, more holographic on the GT12X. Separation is similar, but more detailed and better imaging on the GT12X, while timbre is a lot better on the DT300.

Overall: They are both quite similar, while the DT300 is the one I say is tuned better and with better timbre, the GT12X is the more technical one.



IEM: GS Audio GD3A, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, cable A6 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles a bit more on the GD3A. Punch quantity is higher on it as well as more textured, faster and tighter. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), similar quantity but more textured, faster and tighter on the GD3A. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), more quantity on the GT12X, similar texture but much faster/tighter and cleaner on the GD3A.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality, timbre and clarity are a lot better on the GD3A and also more forward. Instrument tonality is a bit better on the GD3A with a lot better timbre, clarity and detail.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier, peakier and more fatiguing on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality are better on the GT12X (warmer) but timbre, detail and clarity are better on the GD3A.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper on the GD3A but better timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture, detail and clarity are a lot better on the GD3A. Violin tonality, timbre, texture, detail and treble-extension are better on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), Better tonality, timbre and detail on the GD3A.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), wider and airier soundstage on the GD3A but deeper on the GT12X. Imaging, separation, detail and timbre are a lot better on the GD3A.

Overall: Get the GD3A instead, it is wiping the floor with the GT12X in pretty much all aspects.





Conclusion: Unfortunately, this doesn’t meet the expectations I had for it nor can I recommend it. You are better off getting the GD3A instead.



Graph:


Cable source:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063

Reference/test songs: