[G777]

That's a lot of sub-bass!

 

[Lamim Rashid]

That's a lot of sub-bass!

Ba sub bass decays a lot quicker so it's very likely that the actual perceived sub bass is a lot less than the fr graph would indicate. Not to mention the lack of air movement and tactile feedback of DD. We'll have to see what our resident bass head, @RikudouGoku will have to say about these when he gets his pair. He likes a lot of sub bass if his target is anything to go off of

 

[TheVortex]

My GT12x has finally shipped so I can see what it will be like compared to the OG GT12 and GD5.

 

[BenF]

I have received my GD3A couple of days ago. After burning it for ~24 hours, here are my initial impressions:

Comfort - possibly the most comfortable IEM ever, the small shell is very ergonomic.
Bass - there is plenty of it, but it's very dull - you hear it, but don't feel it. Lacks texture and resolution. Decay is too fast, BA-like
Mids - very dry. lacks natural brilliance. Lack a lot of detail.
Treble - subdued, not very extended. Dry as well (as the mids)
Soundstage/Imaging - The musicians sound further away than usual, don't feel immersion in the music. The soundstage is fairly narrow.

No matter what music I tried, there was never any "wow" factor, I never enjoyed it - just listened to it. A very headphone-like experience, doesn't emulate going to a concert. No tow-tapping on any of the songs.

Tried half a dozen different tips - some improvement, but everything said above was still valid.

I guess I should have read @RikudouGoku 's review more carefully: "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"
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/gs-audio-gd3a.25278/reviews#review-26253

Overall, it's a big disappointment so far. I have expected a lot more based on @RikudouGoku review, and the high ranking on his list - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YNuslYM4CrhMPrOLofzTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit?usp=sharing
The comparison to LZ A7 was especially promising - " The GD3A is beating the A7 in pretty much every aspect."
My experience is the opposite - GD3A is nowhere near LZ A7 in every aspect.

Maybe my taste in earphones is just too different from @RikudouGoku ? I'll know for sure soon enough - EST112 (the highest ranking IEM on his list) should arrive tomorrow...

 

[BenF]

Question to people who tried multiple GS Audio IEMs:
1) Does GD5 has the same sound signature with GD3A - dry sound with BA-like bass?
2) What about SD3 and SD5 - do they have proper dynamic bass, natural mids and better extended (but not sibilant) treble?

 

[Rush87]

Question to people who tried multiple GS Audio IEMs:
1) Does GD5 has the same sound signature with GD3A - dry sound with BA-like bass?
2) What about SD3 and SD5 - do they have proper dynamic bass, natural mids and better extended (but not sibilant) treble?

My experience is limited to my SD9 and a trial of the SE11.
If I'm not mistaken, all GS Audio hybrid models share the same DD. Some, like the SD9, have BA drivers for bas as well, which may improve details, but doesn't make it feel more DD like.
Treble extension on upper range models is very good.

 

[mndless]

My experience is limited to my SD9 and a trial of the SE11.
If I'm not mistaken, all GS Audio hybrid models share the same DD. Some, like the SD9, have BA drivers for bas as well, which may improve details, but doesn't make it feel more DD like.
Treble extension on upper range models is very good.

Their dynamics really do have the same vibe as some of those micro-dynamics, the 6mm ones. Very quick attack, very fast decay, and, to many, quite BA-like. I do wish they had the kind of bass impact I get out of my E13-Pro, which are 6mm micro dynamic drivers and have some ridiculous bass for their size. I would honestly love to see them find whoever manufactures those DD and pair it with another microDD tuned for enhanced treble performance and spatiality. Capture that entry-level Chifi market with an inexpensive multi-DD set with that delightful "holographic" sound and some thunderous bass.

 

[HealPerson]

So, anyone listened to gt12x? Are they bassheads? How are the highs?
I'm on gd3a now. Don't want more bass but I'd like get highs clearer.

 

[TheVortex]

So, anyone listened to gt12x? Are they bassheads? How are the highs?
I'm on gd3a now. Don't want more bass but I'd like get highs clearer.

No one has the GT12x yet but some are on the way to people so it won't be long for impressions to turn up.

 

[RikudouGoku]

I have received my GD3A couple of days ago. After burning it for ~24 hours, here are my initial impressions:

Comfort - possibly the most comfortable IEM ever, the small shell is very ergonomic.
Bass - there is plenty of it, but it's very dull - you hear it, but don't feel it. Lacks texture and resolution. Decay is too fast, BA-like
Mids - very dry. lacks natural brilliance. Lack a lot of detail.
Treble - subdued, not very extended. Dry as well (as the mids)
Soundstage/Imaging - The musicians sound further away than usual, don't feel immersion in the music. The soundstage is fairly narrow.

No matter what music I tried, there was never any "wow" factor, I never enjoyed it - just listened to it. A very headphone-like experience, doesn't emulate going to a concert. No tow-tapping on any of the songs.

Tried half a dozen different tips - some improvement, but everything said above was still valid.

I guess I should have read @RikudouGoku 's review more carefully: "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"
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/gs-audio-gd3a.25278/reviews#review-26253

Overall, it's a big disappointment so far. I have expected a lot more based on @RikudouGoku review, and the high ranking on his list - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YNuslYM4CrhMPrOLofzTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit?usp=sharing
The comparison to LZ A7 was especially promising - " The GD3A is beating the A7 in pretty much every aspect."
My experience is the opposite - GD3A is nowhere near LZ A7 in every aspect.

Maybe my taste in earphones is just too different from @RikudouGoku ? I'll know for sure soon enough - EST112 (the highest ranking IEM on his list) should arrive tomorrow...

you are hearing it a lot differently than I do. Treble is not subdued at all, heck it has that 5k peak that can be an issue for some people.
Soundstage is quite big to me as well.


Did you buy the EST112 on the 11.11/Black-Friday sale? That is a damn good price for it.

 

[mndless]

Question to people who tried multiple GS Audio IEMs:
1) Does GD5 has the same sound signature with GD3A - dry sound with BA-like bass?
2) What about SD3 and SD5 - do they have proper dynamic bass, natural mids and better extended (but not sibilant) treble?

If you didn't like the GD3A, then the GD5 will offer no particular improvement in general.

 

[RikudouGoku]

(GD3C)

 

[BenF]

Their dynamics really do have the same vibe as some of those micro-dynamics, the 6mm ones. Very quick attack, very fast decay, and, to many, quite BA-like. I do wish they had the kind of bass impact I get out of my E13-Pro, which are 6mm micro dynamic drivers and have some ridiculous bass for their size. I would honestly love to see them find whoever manufactures those DD and pair it with another microDD tuned for enhanced treble performance and spatiality. Capture that entry-level Chifi market with an inexpensive multi-DD set with that delightful "holographic" sound and some thunderous bass.

If you didn't like the GD3A, then the GD5 will offer no particular improvement in general.

My experience is limited to my SD9 and a trial of the SE11.
If I'm not mistaken, all GS Audio hybrid models share the same DD. Some, like the SD9, have BA drivers for bas as well, which may improve details, but doesn't make it feel more DD like.
Treble extension on upper range models is very good.

Such a shame...
I had such high hopes for GD3A, I even paid extra to customize it to look a bit like my UM MEST JP:

I was hoping it could become MEST's little brother, but the SQ doesn't match the looks...

BTW, I think that if they would have vented GD3A, the bass could have become a lot better...

 

[RikudouGoku]

BTW, I think that if they would have vented GD3A, the bass could have become a lot better...

GD3C will be vented and a new DD.

 

[BenF]

you are hearing it a lot differently than I do. Treble is not subdued at all, heck it has that 5k peak that can be an issue for some people.
Soundstage is quite big to me as well.

My customized GD3A sounds a lot like this review of GD3B - could they have put the wrong earphone into the custom shells?
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/gs-audio-gd3b.25564/reviews#review-27333

Did you buy the EST112 on the 11.11/Black-Friday sale? That is a damn good price for it.

I paid 400$ for it (50$ extra for express shipping). Hopefully it will justify the price.
Too bad the delivery has been rescheduled for Sunday