Does anyone know if GS Audio is having sales for the 11.11 event?
GS Audio Impressions Thread
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
They wont. Someone in my server already asked them about it.
Might be able to use a coupon though. Just need to check on the sale days.
RikudouGoku
Member of the Trade: RikuBuds
yeah, if you have an ali coupon that works globally. Then it will work.
Lamim Rashid
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Well guys I was bored, so I bring to you guys two new head to heads comparing offerings from BGVP to GS Audio's ST line IEMs. Why? Cause they both use all Knowles and Sonion drivers, so it will be easy for me to find aliexpress costs. The two models I will be comparing the are the DM7 to ST6(A/B) and DM8 to ST8B because they have similar prices, four way crossovers and driver counts. As for why I'm doing this? I was just curious which company used more expensive driver configurations because the common opinion is that GS Audio has closer to cost IEMs because they are an OEM/ODM company, so let's see how they stack up against an old and fairly well known brand like BGVP and their newest BA offerings. I will be using soundlink again for price sourcing, pls note that these manufacturers probably get these drivers a bit cheaper in bulk.
The first comparison is the closest one, both these 6 BA iems cost around $290. The difference between the ST6A and ST6B seems to be that the B model uses another Sonion 23 series driver for high frequencies instead of the Knowles TWFK driver.
GS Audio ST6A/B
2 * Sonion 38 Series for Lows - around $24-45 per dual (source)
2 * Sonion 37 Series for Lows - around $23 per dual (source)
1 * Sonion 23 Series for Mids- $19 for dual, $11 for a single (source)
1 * Knowles TWFK Series for Highs - 3 different models available ranging from $22-26 (source)
ST6A Estimated BA cost (per ear): $80-$105
ST6B Estimated BA cost (per ear): $66-$87
BGVP DM7
1 * Knowles CI-22955 for Lows - around $12 each (source)
2 * Sonion 33AP007 for Mid-Low - around $16 per dual (source)
1 * Knowles ED-29689 for Mid-High - around $8 each (source)
2 * Knowles SWFK-31376 for Highs - around $19 per dual (source)
Estimated BA cost (per ear): $55
It does look like the use of a TWFK driver for high range drives up the ST6A driver cost more than the ST6B but I could only find pricing for dual twfk drivers, I assume the singles cost a bit less, probably around 30-40% less than a dual. This would put the estimated costs ST6A costs closer to the ST6B by not by much, and this still puts both models above the DM7 cost by a bit. ST6A also looks like it has much better treble extension in the manufacturer provided graphs.
Now we compare the $350 DM8 to the $330 ST8B.
GS Audio ST8B
2 * Sonion 38 Series for Lows - around $24-45 per dual (source)
2 * Sonion 37 Series for Lows - around $23 per dual (source)
4 * Knowles TWFK Series for Highs - 3 different dual models available ranging from $22-26 (source)
Estimated BA cost (per ear): $91-$120
BGVP DM8
2 * Sonion 38D1XJ007 for Lows - around $45 per dual (source)
1 * Sonion 2354 for Mids - around $12 each (source)
1 * Knowles RAF-32873 for Mids - around $5 each (source)
2 * Knowles TWFK-30017 for Highs - around $22 per dual (source)
2 * Knowles SWFK-31736 for Ultra High Frequency - around $19 per dual (source)
Estimated BA cost (per ear): $103
This one is a lot closer than I expected. Hard to tell which one is the better value proposition without knowing the exact drivers GS audio is using. I've asked them to provide me these details and they said they would get back to me about it but they seem to have forgotten. If they are using the same Sonion drivers for bass as the DM8 than the ST8B is a clearer winner here given the $20 cheaper price tag, but otherwise the DM8 might have a slight edge, depending on what TWFK drivers were used in the ST8B.
So far in all the comparisons I've tried here the GS Audio has more or less been close to other similarly priced IEMs, guesstimated value wise at least, with perhaps a slight edge overall but it's too close within margin of error to know for sure.
RumbleWeed
500+ Head-Fier
Thanx for the comparisons they are very helpful especially considering the models you used to compare with each of the GS Audio models are legitimate competition that people will consider? I suppose the only caveat is how much each company pays for there BA's when bought in bulk?
Lamim Rashid
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There are other things I can't account for, like dampers, crossover circuitry, cavity material, tuning, harmonic distortion (which you can end up getting more of when you try to blend more different drivers, even though in theory more drivers should mean less overall distortion when implemented well). And like you said, we don't know what the actual manufacturer costs are for these drivers. This is mostly just for fun to give us a small idea. If the costs are close, it's well within margin of error and too hard to tell which iem costs more to produce but there are other iems that cost significantly less or more than others, and that's a lot more clearer of a comparison. I'll give you a good one, the mangird tea and fa7s are similarly priced but the fiio fa7s uses a way cheaper driver configuration, even when you don't account for the cost of the DD in the tea and pretend it's free lol.
RumbleWeed
500+ Head-Fier
Yes you bring up some important factors to take into consideration when it come's to total production costs but, putting all that aside and extending on your comment "its for fun" I do actually think what you are doing hear would be a VERY helpful and informative addition to ANY & ALL reviews and if any reviewer's are reading this hopefully they will take a leaf out your book and add this "Production Cost" to there reviews?
Its also a great way to find out if a companies advertising is for real or all 'smoke & mirrors' like your Mangird Tea FiiO Fa7 example!
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RumbleWeed
500+ Head-Fier
Any idea of how GS is getting on with the GD3C?
I'm still waiting for the ST4 Review? But my MEST MK2 arrive on Monday so my mind is a bit else where at present
RumbleWeed
500+ Head-Fier
GS Audio GD7B Review
Pros:
Nearly reference frequency response
Extreme resolution
Wall of sound experience
Incredibly easy to drive
Cons:
Highly source dependant
Can be too easy to drive to uncomfortable volumes
Unkind to poorly mastered tracks
Recessed 2-pin connector isn't very friendly to bluetooth adapters
Specifications:
Impedance: 12ohm@1kHz
Sensitivity: 118dB SPL/mW
Driver configuration: 1DD+6BA
Drivers:
10.2mm DD for sub-bass and bass
Sonion 33 series BA for mid-bass and mids
Sonion 23 series BA for upper mids and low treble
Knowles TWFK series BA for upper treble and UHF
TL;DR: If you want to experience having 15" reference loudspeakers strapped to your head on a budget, get these. They're quite fun.
Sound impressions:
If you've ever heard a set of reference tuned loudspeakers, then this will be easier to understand. I own a set of KEF iQ90 tower speakers and, much like the GD7B, they have what may be considered a ruler flat frequency response. This kind of tuning is a bit unusual and may not be everyone's cup of tea, as it can make vocals seem forward in the mix, because the mids aren't diminished in their tuning. It can make the bass seem weak because no gain has been applied to elevate them over the mids. But when you're listening to music that was mastered well, none of this matters. Everything is just so cohesive. Because there's no real dips in the frequency response, you get no sharp transitions from mids to treble or from bass to mids. Everything just flows naturally into the other. As another reviewer mentioned in their review of the TRI Starshine, this provides a very "Analog" sound signature. And because the bass is being handled by a dynamic driver, there's a comfortable warmth to the bass and enough of an impact that it feels like the first time I listened to a sound system on a tube amp or an album played off a vinyl record. Warm, comfortable, and generally inoffensive in its reproduction. The difference, though, is that underneath that warmth, you get the extreme resolution and layering of all those BA drivers. And despite the bass being handled by a dynamic driver of unknown make and composition, there's real texture and detail in the bass response and it reaches deep for some sub-bass rumble. It never overwhelms or bleeds into the mids, but you do get some depth.
I can't give a particularly good impression of stage size, since I don't have any of the IEM's known for that to compare it against. All I can say is that listening to a stereo recording of an orchestral performance feels like when I was watching my sister play in concert band from the front row. The percussion is crisp and clear, but feels as though it's coming from the back of the stage. The woodwinds feel closer toward the front of the stage, with the brass section behind. It's a very nice listening experience.
Now onto the thing you'll actually notice first: the volume. These things are incredibly easy to drive because they're only 12ohm impedance at 1kHz. Combined with a sensitivity of 118dB SPL/mW, this means these things can get ridiculously loud on very little power. This also means that these are very source dependent because any output impedance is significant compared to the impedance of the IEM. The flat tuning also means that you quickly notice the character of your source's tuning. The best way I can find to describe them is based on Akros' youtube review of this set, which is to say that they sound like I've strapped my set of KEF iQ90 to the sides of my head. They get so loud, but they're so clear and the tuning is so clever that you can push these to volumes that you'd never dream to push other IEMs to, because the treble isn't boosted.
The detriments: nothing in life is perfect, and neither are these IEMs. You do sometimes miss the bass gain from most IEMs, particularly for songs with strong, thumping sub-bass and bass tracks. You'll definitely hear them, but they aren't as impactful as they might be on another set. There's also the details to consider: these may not be the most resolving IEMs out there, and for their price, I can't fault them for that. But they can pull out so many tiny little details that I never noticed in tracks that I've listened to time and time again, that it can sometimes be overwhelming how much information they're pumping into your head. Then there is the volume. These things are just too sensitive sometimes. I connected them to an Ikko Arc bluetooth neckband on loan from a friend of mine until my replacement FiiO LC-BTR2 arrives with its adapters, and the power on and bluetooth link tones nearly deafened me. They definitely weren't supposed to seem loud or obtrusive, but they absolutely were with the GD7B. You also begin to develop a complex about checking the volume of your sources before you press play on things, because these things can just get so overwhelmingly loud.
Observations:
These are actually sealed IEMs with no venting on the shell despite being hybrids with a dynamic driver to deal with. From what I can determine, the DD vents into the hollow cavity of the shell. Because of this, these things isolate the best of any IEM I've worn and compete favorably against headsets with active noise cancellation once you start listening to anything on them. These IEMs also suffer a similar fate to many of the all-resin IEMs in that their nozzle doesn't always like to hold onto aftermarket tips, so your success may be sadly limited when it comes to tip rolling unless you're willing to take some unorthodox countermeasures. In my case, I used some incredibly thin fabric tape intended for wiring harness wrapping and put a layer of that on the nozzle to improve the grip so my Monster Audio Supertips Gel eartips would actually stay on and not get left in my ears.
Some tracks for you to listen to:
This track starts off with marimba and bells, which sound incredibly realistic, then moves into the rich slight rasp of a double bass. The strings and chimes have an attractive brightness to them that isn't piercing. Then everything shifts to a more modern bassline which does feel rich and provides a satisfying thump to back the strings and other effects. It's one of my favorite demo songs because it just goes everywhere.
A friend recommended I demo with this song as well, since it has a rather interesting opening drumline and he was absolutely correct. The drums have good depth and you can tell they've been damped by their short decay and slightly hollow sound. The electric guitars are clear and really have that grunge pedal effect. The different cymbals have a very realistic decay and you can easily differentiate between them.
Another interesting song a friend turned me onto years ago. It opens with a rather strained sounding high note that continues on into the background of the opening. The plucking sound of the opening is incredibly faint and lesser sets will miss it.
I like this one because it manages to achieve both an airy presentation where it is appropriate, but the deep bassline also makes it seem closed in and suffocating, as if you're being squeezed. The vocals are clear and pleasant, but seem to transition from the singer being close to being further away, as though they're moving to and from the listener. It's interesting. Surprisingly, despite this song's heavy reliance on a synthesized heavy bassline, I'm not really missing an elevated bass gain in this set.
I love the marimba and kalimba in the opening of this song, along with the water dripping effect. The use of cymbals is extremely well rendered and everything sounds so natural, it's incredible. You can actually hear the slightly metallic plunk sound that's so indicative of the kalimba being played and the marimba has that warm, wooden hollowness.
And, of course, who could forget Metallica? The intro to this one is also amazing on this set. You can clearly hear the crisp resonance from the steel strings. The bass guitar sounds warm and rounds out the experience. The male vocals are pleasantly rendered. The cymbals are well resolved.
Another favorite demo track of mine, from a relatively obscure documentary movie made by Disney. I like this track mostly because of the reed flap from the bassoon in the intro that lesser IEMs aren't able to fully resolve. If you listen closely, you can even hear the key actuations on the bassoon. The triangle is delicately rendered in the background, as are the chimes when they're used. The plucked strings sound very realistic, as does the rainstick.
Pictures:
I love the chatoyance of the wood grain of these faceplates. "But these don't look like the pictures in the listing!" You might say. No, they don't. I requested the shell resin color and faceplate from the SD3 set instead, because I preferred it over the white over blue chrome Ginko leaf pattern that the GD7B comes with by default. If you want to see what those look like, check out Akron's video from the link earlier in this review.
Here you get to see the three sets of coupled BAs they've used.
Another driver shot, this time with the DD being seen installed sideways in the wing of the shell. This DD certainly reaches low despite being in a sealed enclosure. The tips shown are the Sony Triple Comfort foam dome tips. I can't really recommend those for this set, because they don't like to stay installed and they partially obscure some of the sound tubes, muffling them more than is necessary or beneficial.
Speaking of sound tubes, this one's got four of them. One for the DD, and a separate one for each of the coupled BA units.
Edit: I've been doing some tinkering and decided to try out some of the AutoEQ profiles for the Fearless Audio Tequila on these things, since they're so very similar in their graphs. I've attached the .txt version of the file for the one I've found works for my preferences, though it may be quite a bit more bass-boosted than most would prefer. You can try importing it on EqualizerAPO w/ Peace UI. The default pre-amp gain is -6.9, I think, but you can always change that later.
Are you musically trained? I had some spare time this afternoon and re-read your above review of the GD7B and was very very impressed with your knowledge of some quite obscure instruments that's brings me to the conclusion your are very much more than a casual listener!
Also, I love the review by the way and am stoked after some tip rolling & EQ you are enjoying the GD7B
I used to play trumpet in school and my sister was in band, but I have more of a casual appreciation of instruments these days. I'm currently using my GD7B with no EQ since I found the DioFit Multi-flanged eartips for them. I did have to use a small angled file to undercut the retention ridge and file down the edge of the nozzle to create a proper barb to retain those super short nozzle TWS eartips, but it has been worthwhile to me. They're good eartips for smoothing treble harmonic peaks, providing a very slight reduction in mids, and boosting bass. Given my extreme treble sensitivity, these are still my go-to earphones most days because of how delicate the treble is and how lush and full the bass and mids are. It's definitely an odd sound that seems hopelessly unbalanced compared to the usual V-shaped or W-shaped graphs from other sets, but it's pretty close to reference flat until 6.5kHz, where they begin rolling off the treble.Are you musically trained? I had some spare time this afternoon and re-read your above review of the GD7B and was very very impressed with your knowledge of some quite obscure instruments that's brings me to the conclusion your are very much more than a casual listener!
Also, I love the review by the way and am stoked after some tip rolling & EQ you are enjoying the GD7B
Like I'll continue to say for these unusually tuned sets: know what you're getting into before you order. If you order these expecting them to sound like an Aria or something, then you'll be incredibly disappointed. I went into the purchase expecting something similar to my KEF iQ90 towers and was not disappointed. It's all about managing expectations. Having said that, if you've got cash to burn and want a very unique sound experience, the GD7B can certainly provide that. Based on the graph they posted on Facebook, I'd say the upcoming GT12X will have a significantly more generally appealing sound than the GD7B. It is, like, $80 more expensive, though.
@Tonytex got his in, but is still formulating his review from what I've seen on his channel. He did give first impressions in another video and said that they were somewhat darker sounding, which I find a bit unexpected given their graph from their updated Facebook graphs. I'm also looking forward to seeing Tonytex's graph and hear his in-depth review.
Lamim Rashid
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Speakers are a weird comparison honestly. You shouldn't compare iem graphs to other types of audio devices in the first place. There's a reason why the harmon target for full size headphones look different from the harmon target for iems. Iems and speakers need to be tuned differently because they play in completely different environments, therefore the sound played back is diffused completely differently. Iems are tuned the way they are instead of just a flat line cause they have to diffuse the sound in our ear cavities. It's also a major reason why tip rolling is a thing, and why iems will sound different person to person, we all have differently shaped ear canals. So I apologize if I just misunderstood, but I don't get why you keep comparing your iems to your speakers, they shouldn't have been tuned the same and you definitely don't want them to be tuned the same, unless you're just talking about how they sound similar to each other? I may have misunderstood but it's sounded like you've been saying they're tuned similarly. Unusually tuned is a bit of an understatement, all the flat tuned iems I've ever tried have sounded terrible, and that's just to do with how sound diffuses in our ears, having a flat line is not actually "neutral" or "balanced" reproduction of audio, at least where iems are concerned. This is why we have big companies like etymotics, Harman, moondrop, etc putting so much time/money into research for finding target curves that reproduce audio more faithfully to their intended sound or just sound more pleasing to the human ear.
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RumbleWeed
500+ Head-Fier
Yes this is what I'm waiting for! Where did you find the video with ST4 first Impression?
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