GS Audio GD3A

Disclaimer: I received some discount when I bought it, so I could review the product, but other than that fact, the opinion is entirely mine and not previously approved by the manufacturer, since I bought it because I wanted it in first place, and now it’s part of my personal collection.

Music I hear on this generally is on my DAP (FiiO MK3 on manufacturer’s firmware, volume around 30 (out of 60) and no eq unless otherwise specified), quality normally is MP3@320kbps, or lossless FLAC 16bit/44KHz (CD-Rip) or even some 24bit/96Khz FLACs. Genres varying from jazz fusion, city pop, Brazilian MPB, soundtracks, J-rock, classic rock’n’roll, hard rock, progressive metal, some electronica and maybe even K-pop, you name it.

English is not my first language and it’s also my first review, so opinions and feedback will be very welcome =) . Later I might add some photos, and even make an video review of this earphone, but no promises.

INTRO AND GENERAL INFO

If you’re here, you probably already know what you want and I hardly will change your opinion, but hear me out. If you know this earphone is for you, go buy it NOW! Lemme try to explain why.

GS Audio is an OEM manufacturer (probably behind some well-known brands) that is recently venturing selling directly to consumers through AliExpress, they have a lot models (30+) and are researching / launching more, all with diverse prices, specs, setups and sound signatures, and a lot of possibilities of customization. Paying the premium, you can even make a batch of IEMs with your very own custom sound signature and appearance. They do a really great job overall and are very communicative with clients in general.

Let's dig into the GD3A, one of the main representatives of the cost-benefit line of this manufacturer (the other being the high-performance models with more pedigree on components).

Specifications won’t change a lot the idea here, everything come as expected in an IEM. It’s not hard to drive competently even by a regular smartphone. All you need to know is that the GD3A is a hybrid IEM with 1 DD and 2 BA. Accordingly the seller, they use a dual magnetic circuit composite diaphragm DD, a Sonion 23xx and a Custom WBFK (Knowles?) BAs.

Appearance is the ones you might find in “pseudo” custom earphones, it’s entirely made of resin and sport a very good construction, being also super light. You can spot the circuitry inside and see the crossover in transparent and semi-transparent models. Fit and comfort are top tier for me, isolation is also superb.

Generally speaking, it’s a very well-made piece. Mine I changed the faceplate and resin color to match my tastes, but even the original blue one is very pretty. You’ll have plenty of options and can mix and match faceplate styles and body colors. You can also add GS Audio logo (that looks like a hexagon or umbrella) free of charge or pay an extra to have a custom one.

For practical reasons I added a metal nozzle so I could do some tip rolling, even knowing this might affect the sound presentation a little. You can also change the connector for a MMCX if you prefer, but I didn’t. Both options also cost a little extra and like the appearance, need to be purchased through another product page of the same store and later informed to the seller via chat.

After some days in the making it was sent to me and took a couple of weeks before arriving. It came in a small plastic case that looks like a musical instrument case and is likely very sturdy and durable, an awesome case, also with some basic tips, a small cleaning brush and the cable, besides the ear pieces. But oh boy, the cable. It’s simply unseen at this price range a cable that might cost the price of a Blon BL03 (~$30) alone.

It’s very fancy and as bright silver as Xmas decorations can be; this thing is THICC, likely twice compared to my 8c TRN cable, 6 times a cheap cable like older KZs and BLONs. It’s not even possible to see on photos clearly how robust, bright and well made it is. My only complaint is that the cable is so thick that putting it back to the case is like trying to close a can of worms, and I say that with a giant smile.

Let’s go to the part you want to know.

ZA SOUND

Sound is powerful, very lively, but not sibilant or bass-bloated. I might call it slight V-Shaped, but not as a lot of recess in vocals, they’re just not the focus, but they're well represented. At first, I thought the sound was a bit metallic, but after some “brain burn-in” and distancing from romanticized and calm IEMs I was hearing I find it actually being pretty coherent and natural-sounding overall. (Romanticized like, er… Moondrop Aria, but also other 1DD that are almost always 100% coherent given the driver setup with only a driver to worry about)

Sound is very balanced (but not neutral, neutral and balanced are different concepts), timbre is competent and it was masterfully tuned, so GS Audio did their homework and the crossover works as expected. Some might not like the fact it’s not vented, but once the tips are sealing the external sound, it has complete dominion of the sound it wants to passes to your ears.

ABOUT DA BASS

Bass focus is on sub-bass, mostly. Some songs I was used to some extra mid-bass, well, it doesn’t deliver them fully. It is not that it’s lacking, it’s the opposite, it has very good bass, but the sound isn’t any bass bloated, only by some specific low frequency it becomes really strong. Result is a fast and dry bass, but never in a bad sense, probably it has incredibly fast transients, so it’s very separated from the rest of the sound and do not bleed into the other frequencies. Never.

It has a very good ‘thump’ in some songs, but lacks a bit in others, it’s almost bass selective. But even if it detracts from some lack of mid-bass in other songs, it does make up for it, with plenty of goodies in other frequencies. In general, I loved the bass approach here and the focus on sub-bass, it gives the sound a lot of energy without being fatiguing or any muddy and has a very decent ‘physical’ impact that makes it very suitable for several genres.

MIDS FOR US, KIDS

I’m not specially into the mids and vocals of any given sound, but even after Aria changed my perspective and brought me some love for this part of the music spectrum. So, I’m also considering more this part of the sound these days and I can affirm the GD3A is competent in this area as well. Male vocals are a little better for me here on this one compared to females, at least on my ears, because as close it gets of the 800-1k valley, the more recessed it sounds.

Obviously, this earphone is not neutral or mid-centric and not intended to bring vocals closer to the listener. So, one might think that it may fall apart in some acoustic (voice and guitar) music, but that’s also not entirely the case here. Strings aren’t prominent but have some nice texture and enough details so it won’t fare bad if you’re into genres or artists that do this kind of music occasionally. But where it shines better is obviously when there are a wide range of instruments and the audio spectrum is better utilized.

TREBLE IS NO TROUBLE

Unlike some cheaper sets where they elevate artificially the treble to make up for the lack of details or transparency or snappy quality dynamic drivers, there are no tricks here.

Treble has plenty of details and impact, again, without being fatiguing. I can’t compare in trebles and details to a Moondrop Aria, where you can listen even a needle dropping in the ground during recording, but on GD3A you can hear pretty much everything else competently, albeit a bit lower on volume. BAs do a great job here, delivering what is expected from them.

Extensions obviously isn’t perfect and some might find it lacks air, but considering the safe tuning, at least you will never get into anywhere sibilant or gritty, so treble sensitive people might be at home here. It doesn’t mean that treble is faint or anemic. The cymbals and high hats of drums are definitely here, and they’re very powerful together with the kick and snare drums, so music with these will never be boring.

TECHNICALITIES

I’m no specialist about analyzing technicalities, but here we go…

First the separation of the instruments is very good considering everything has its place with no overlaps. The sound doesn’t “wrap”, but the “cutout” of each instrument could be better. It’s not as refined as an Aria, but is no slouch either.

The stereo separation sensation is huge and it shows on soundstage. In some songs I can’t pinpoint exactly instrument positions like I did, for example on my Blon, but that is probably because I’m not used to this kind of soundstage. I’m used to more romanticized phones with a more personal stage.

To me this one seems to be a much wider, albeit not very deep soundstage, so instruments are well spread across the stage, but the stage isn’t huge per se, maybe big enough. What I found strange is that even having this impression of separation of channels, having the inaccuracy in directions for some tracks but not for others. Maybe it’s my head playing tricks on me because I’m very used to some songs, who knows.

Detail retrieval and resolution is good, as I said in treble section, it does this OK because it doesn’t need a lot of treble to reach good results. Also, comparing to cheaper sets, the music seems to be fully represented, it’s a problem on entry-level IEMs, at least from some years ago (this part of the review might not age well): Music seems to be lacking of something or some frequencies, I can’t explain it very well. There is something odd on those cheap sets, like holes on the frequency representation, but not here on GD3A.

TL; DR: SHOULD I BUY IT?

That’s an easy and a hard question to answer. When I started on the hobby, I started by the lower deck and I was climbing step by step. When I bought a new IEM, sometimes it took up to 3 days to start realizing the potential of the piece I had on hands. A superb earphone like a Moondrop Aria was no exception, it was good but not great at first for me. Few days later I understood the hype and praised the Aria, but I had to learn how to listen to it. This one here was different, I was very afraid to buy it and thought that it can’t possibly be a match for the Aria. But I was wrong, oh boy, how I was.

Once it arrived, I was immediately hooked. Several songs became much more engaging. And have been listening for a good amount of weeks since then, and it became my de facto daily driver. Is it better than Aria? No, not exactly. Aria isn’t better than this one either, they're just different, I found them being complimentary to each other in the genres I listen. So, depending on the album I want to listen, I might change back to Aria sometimes, and I absolutely love both of them.

Back to the question, if you like some very lively and powerful sound yet safe and never, never fatiguing, isn’t sub-bass sensitive and like having the customization possibilities (customization possibilities are infinite, my friend!), this one is for you, I can recommend it with no concerns. It’s a good representative in this kind of sound signature in case you don’t want to miss that.

But the hard part is in case you already have more technically capable IEMs or prefer a different sound signature, in this case, well, it’s up to you. Obviously, there are better IEMS out there. Also, there are plenty of different and very capable cheap IEMs being launched every day, and once they hit a good tuning, it’s hard to an IEM that I consider mostly artisanal compete against mass produced stuff selling in droves.

Maybe you don’t need to spend this much on an earphone, or might want to save a little more to take something better, (oh c’mon, you’re on head-fi.org, you probably have a lot of IEMs already, hahaha) it’s the problem of trying to compete in a very competitive price range. But as the Aria, it fights in equity with earphones multiple times expensive and its leagues, cost benefit is insane in this one.

For me, it’s a must buy, if I lose it or got stolen, I might buy another one or similarly tuned model.

• Non-sound
• Sound
• Comparisons
• Conclusion

EDIT 2022-01-14: Demoted the rating from 5/5 to 4.5/5 due to the CCA CRA.

Disclaimer: I bought this with a review discount around the time it was listed and the MSRP was a bit cheaper than it is at the time of this review.

Price: 86 usd (I paid 56 usd)

Specifications:

Driver: 1 DD + 2 BA (Sonion Mids and “custom driver” for the treble according to them (most likely Bellsing))

Sensitivity: 109DB SPL/MW

Impedance: 20 OHMS @1KHZ

Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz


Accessories:

Carry case

S/M/L wide bore silicone tips

Cleaning tool


Cable: An 8-core SPC cable measuring at 0.26 ohms. Plastic 2-pin connectors but metal divider and 3.5mm connector and has a working chin-slider. It works and don’t need a different cable.









Build: Entirely made out of resin and is one the smaller side, including the nozzle that has 2 sound bores. The nozzle doesn’t have a lip but it is a bit wider at the top so tips don’t fall off. It is unvented.





(Audiosense DT200 = left, GS Audio GD3A = middle, Fiio FH3 = right)

Fit: Most people shouldn’t have problems with it as it is on the smaller side.

Comfort: Due to the unvented shell, there is pressure-build up similar to BA-only iems. So, if you are sensitive to that, you might find this uncomfortable.

Isolation: Top tier due to the unvented shell.

Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 8 o´clock), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, cable A6 4.4mm

Lows: The bass in this DD is very different from other DDs. It basically sounds more like a BA driver but with DD texture/air/timbre (probably because of the unvented shell). Has a sub-bass focus, so this results in an extremely clean but fun bass when the track has a lot of bass. It definitely doesn’t sound nearly as much as the graph implies though, so if you are a basshead, this isn’t a basshead iem but more of an elevated yet clean bass.

Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), extremely clean due to the “BA like” speed and tightness, texture could be a bit better as well as have more quantity though. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is hearable but could be a bit more forward.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), speed and tightness are very good as well as good texture but quantity could be a bit higher.

Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extension and rumble could be better, it resembles a BA in that regard. Punch quantity and texture is very good though, as well as clean because of the speed and tightness.

Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), fun due to the quantity and texture but also very clean due to the speed and tightness.

Mids: Male vocals tend to be a bit recessed while female vocals are more neutral. Tonality wise they are very good for my library, although male vocals can lack some warmth on some tracks. Timbre is great as well as clean and detailed.

Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), both tonality and timbre are excellent as well as very clean and detailed. Vocals are neutral but could be a bit more forward.

Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), timbre is excellent as well as coherent but vocal tonality could be a bit brighter as well as more forward.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), not shouty at all and is still tonally correct.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), a bit shouty here.

Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), clean and detailed as well as good tonality but it is a bit recessed.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), tonality is lacking a bit of warmth as well as being a bit recessed but is very clean.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are bit sharp.

Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), a bit shouty.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture and details are all very good. Violin timbre, texture and treble extension are very good but tonality could be brighter.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), very good tonality, timbre and clean.

Soundstage: Very wide and deep and makes it holographic.

Tonality: Mildly V-shaped, with a tonality that can adapt to the track and doesn’t lean too much

Details: impressive detail (macro and micro details) for this price range and its tuning.

Instrument Separation: Average separation and imaging for this price.

Songs that highlight the IEM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Jrql4ZXUo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSzyI3u5DFo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-olabt8ci4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkID8_gnTxw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7Grto8dtDI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ-QLl5qjLg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoCD5wZEgo4

Good genres: Rock/metal, R&B, Trance, Pop, Kpop, OST

Bad genres: Jack of all trades master of none type, works with pretty much my entire library but hip-hop isn’t as good as the other genres because of how fast/tight the bass is.



Comparisons:

IEM: Blon BL-03 (mesh mod), Radius deep mount tips L, cable B3 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles a lot more on the 03. Punch quantity is a bit higher on the 03 but is a lot cleaner on the GD3A due to it being a lot faster and tighter, texture is a bit better on the GD3A as well. Tonality is slightly better on the GD3A but timbre is a bit better on the 03.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), tonality and timbre are better on the 03 but is a lot cleaner on the GD3A.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a lot cleaner on the GD3A due to the bass being a lot tighter and faster, as well as separation being a lot better.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), similar vocal quantity and tonality, but slightly better timbre on the 03 (very close though, mids timbre are very similar, but the treble timbre on the GD3A has more BA timbre and loses to the 03). A lot cleaner and detailed on the GD3A though.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), the 03 is actually a bit more fatiguing because of it being brighter.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality and timbre are better on the 03 but a lot more detailed and cleaner on the GD3A.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), sharper electric guitars on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello timbre is a bit better on the 03 but texture, detail and tonality are better on the GD3A. Violin timbre is a bit better on the 03 but tonality, texture, detail and treble extension are a lot better on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality is a bit better on the GD3A and a lot cleaner/detailed. But timbre is slightly better on the 03.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), the GD3A is a lot wider and deeper so it is holographic and makes the 03 sound narrow. Detail, imaging and instrument separation are all a lot better on the GD3A. Timbre is slightly better on the 03 (most noticeable in the treble).

Overall: The GD3A has a lot better technicalities and is also more versatile than the 03 but if you want something that is bassier and more fun, the 03 is better, otherwise the GD3A will suit more people.


IEM: Audiosense DT200, Sony EP-EX11 tips L, cable A6 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a lot lower and rumbles more on the GD3A. Punch quantity is also higher on the GD3A but is tighter, faster and more textured so it is more fun yet cleaner at the same time. Tonality is a lot better on the GD3A and has better timbre.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity on the GD3A but cleaner because of the faster and tighter bass along with more texture. Tonality and timbre are better on the GD3A.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), similar quantity but a lot tighter, faster and more textured on the GD3A.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is better on the GD3A as well as cleaner and more detailed, timbre is similar though. Instrument tonality and timbre are better on the GD3A.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), more relaxing and fatigue free on the DT200.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality is a bit better on the DT200 but timbre is similar. A lot cleaner and more detailed on the GD3A.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), more relaxing and fatigue free on the DT200.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture and detail are 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), Soundstage is a lot wider and deeper as well as more holographic on the GD3A. Detail, imaging and instrument separation are a lot better on the GD3A. Timbre is similar (although better bass timbre on the GD3A).

Overall: I see no reason to get the DT200 over the GD3A unless you want a more relaxing set. They both have similar shell shapes (and unvented) while the GD3A is a lot better in almost all aspects.


IEM: Fiio FH3, Final Audio Type E tips LL, cable A3 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), a bit lower extension and rumble on the FH3. Quantity is similar but tighter and faster on the GD3A while texture is better on the FH3. More tonally accurate on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity and more textured on the FH3 but tighter and faster on the GD3A. tonality is a bit better on the FH3 but more natural on the GD3A due to the timbre.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the GD3A due to the faster and tighter bass. Quantity is a bit higher on the FH3 as well as more textured.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Vocal tonality is a bit better as well as more forward on the FH3 but timbre is a lot better on the GD3A and ends up being a lot more natural. Instrument tonality and timbre are a lot better on the GD3A.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), more fatiguing on the FH3.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), both tonality and timbre with vocals and instruments are a lot better on the GD3A. Unnatural BA timbre and incoherent on the FH3.

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

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and timbre are better on the GD3A while detail is similar but better texture on the FH3. Violin tonality, timbre, texture, detail and treble-extension are better on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality is more correct on the FH3 but better timbre on the GD3A.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a bit wider width and deeper as well as more holographic on the GD3A. Macro-details are similar but a bit better micro-detail on the GD3A. Imaging and instrument separation are also a bit better (most likely due to the cleaner bass) on the GD3A. Timbre and overall coherency on the GD3A is outclassing the FH3.

Overall: Besides the bass, the GD3A is better than the FH3 in pretty much every other aspect.


IEM: Fiio FD5, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, stock cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), lower extension on the FD5 but similar rumble. Punch quantity is also similar but more textured on the FD5 while it is a bit faster and tighter on the GD3A. Similar tonality but a bit better timbre on the FD5.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity and texture on the FD5 while speed and tightness are similar. Tonality is a bit better on the FD5.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the GD3A due to the faster and tighter bass. Quantity is similar as well as texture.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocals are more forward on the GD3A and has similar timbre but tonality is a bit better on the FD5 due to it being brighter. Instrument tonality is a bit better on the GD3A while timbre is a bit better on the FD5. Similarly clean but a bit more detailed on the FD5 (mostly in the treble).



Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit more fatiguing and sharper on the FD5.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), similar vocal tonality and timbre but a bit more forward on the GD3A as well as cleaner.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), a bit sharper electric guitar on the FD5.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture and detail are similar. Violin tonality and timbre are better on the FD5 but similar detail and treble-extension.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), similar tonality but a bit better timbre on the FD5 while similarly clean and detail.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), soundstage is wider on the FD5 but similarly deep and holographic. Imaging, instrument separation and timbre are better on the FD5 (not by a lot though) while detail is very similar.

Overall: This… is one of those comparisons that makes me question what I am hearing. But the differences between these 2 is very slim. The GD3A has better mids and similar technicalities while the FD5 has better extension both ways.

IEM: LZ A7 (pop-red), Final Audio Type E tips LL, cable A3 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), a bit lower extension on the A7 while it rumbles more as well. Punch quantity is similar but cleaner on the GD3A due to the faster and tighter bass. Texture is better on the A7. Tonality and timbre are better on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity on the A7 but a lot cleaner on the GD3A because of the faster and tighter speed. Texture is a bit better on the A7.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a lot cleaner on the GD3A due to the faster and tighter bass, to the point that the A7 sounds bloated. Individual bass strikes are a lot more distinct on the GD3A.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), similar vocal quantity but a lot cleaner on the GD3A and has better tonality and timbre. Instrument tonality and timbre are a lot better on the GD3A.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a lot cleaner and tonally correct on the GD3A but also more fatiguing.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), a lot better timbre on the GD3A while tonality (vocal and instrument) is a bit better on the A7.

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

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is similar but better texture, detail and timbre on the GD3A. Violin tonality and treble-extension are better on the A7 but similar detail and timbre is a lot better on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality on the A7 but a lot better timbre and cleaner on the GD3A.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), soundstage is wider, deeper and more holographic on the GD3A. Imaging, instrument separation and details are better on the GD3A. Timbre and overall coherency on the GD3A is outclassing the A7.

Overall: The GD3A is beating the A7 in pretty much every aspect. I only recommend the A7 over the GD3A if you want something more versatile (due to the 10 different configs) and if you can’t stand unvented shells.


IEM: Tanchjim Oxygen, Final Audio Type E tips LL, cable A6 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), a lot lower extension and more rumble on the GD3A. A but more punch quantity on the GD3A but similar speed and tightness while texture is better on the GD3A. Tonality is more correct on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), cleaner on the Oxygen due to the lower bass quantity but similar speed and tightness while it is more textured on the GD3A. More tonally correct on the GD3A.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), very similar bass here but cleaner on the Oxygen due to the brighter tonality.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality and timbre are better on the Oxygen as well as cleaner and more detailed (could be because of the brighter tonality). Instrument tonality on the other hand is better on the GD3A while timbre is similar.

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

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), instrument and vocal tonality are better on the GD3A while timbre is a bit better on the Oxygen.

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

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

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality on the GD3A but similarly clean while the Oxygen has better timbre.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar width but deeper and more holographic on the GD3A. Detail, imaging, instrument separation and timbre are better on the Oxygen.

Overall: The GD3A and the Oxygen are tuned very different, the Oxygen is better for acoustic/vocal focused music as it is a specialist in that regard while the GD3A is a lot more versatile and safer due to the warmer tonality.


IEM: Sony XBA-N3, Final Audio Type E tips LL, cable A6 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), lower extension and a lot more rumble on the N3. Punch quantity is also a lot higher on the N3 but a LOT faster, tighter and cleaner on the GD3A as well a having more texture. Tonality is more correct on the N3 though.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a lot more bass quantity on the N3 but more textured, faster, tighter and cleaner on the GD3A. More tonally correct on the N3 though.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), a lot cleaner on the GD3A because of the tighter, faster and lower bass quantity. Individual bass strikes are a lot more distinct on the GD3A.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), a bit more forward vocals on the N3 but similar timbre and tonality. Instrument tonality is better on the GD3A but similar timbre and overall coherency.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), more relaxing and fatigue free on the N3.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), similar vocal timbre and quantity but a bit better tonality on the N3 (warmer). Instrument tonality is better on the GD3A while timbre is similar.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), more relaxing and fatigue free on the N3. But more tonally correct on the GD3A.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and texture are better on the N3 while timbre is similar and detail is better on the GD3A. Violin tonality, texture, detail and treble-extension are better on the GD3A while timbre is similar.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality and timbre on the N3 while it is a lot cleaner and detailed on the GD3A.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), soundstage is a bit wider on the GD3A but deeper and more holographic on the N3. Details, imaging and instrument separation are better on the GD3A. Timbre is a bit better on the N3 (better treble timbre, but mids and bass timbre are similar) so it is also a bit more coherent on the N3 but it is very close.

Overall: N3 is the more relaxing and fun iem but also less versatile because of that. The GD3A is more versatile and has better technicalities.



Conclusion: Well, what more can I say. This is budget iem that is competing with the 300 usd range iems without much issues at all. Only reason I can say to not buy this is if you really can’t stand unvented shells due to pressure build up. Thanks for reading.

Graph:


Cable source:

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

Reference/test songs: