Hey! I've owned the GSX 300 since October now and honestly... it has been a really rough experience. Whilst the DAC does a good job of delivering what is advertised, it is massively plagued by constant firmware & hardware issues including things such as the DAC suddenly shutting off randomly on nearly a daily basis and rare occasions where the DAC will completely malfunction and emit a *terrible* static screech which either destroys your eardrum or the eardrums of other people in a Discord chat with you. The EPOS Gaming Software used to adjust the settings frequently fails to save customizations, forcing you to keep returning upon starting up your PC, and sometimes fails to even recognize the DAC itself unless power-cycled. These issues started occurring around December with the frequency of disconnection issues rising concerningly fast with the DAC ultimately killing itself just a few days ago just 7 months since purchase. EPOS support did *not* seem to understand the issue and I was instead given a textbook response to send my email for further progress and have yet to recieve any. These issues are not isolated and have seen other GSX 300 owners complaining about the same issues which is really sad. If the product actually continued to work properly, I would say it is worth the price & delivered what I expected. TL;DR: GSX 300 too faulty to even be considered market-worthy, better off getting something else that will last until EPOS gets their shit together and I really think Hardware Canucks should stop advertising it.
@@unknown-random4271 If you are using a headset with one cable that is split into mic and headphones and you plug the headphones into the dac and the mic into your pc, Iv heard this can cause an issue something to do with a shared ground wire. that might be your problem? if thats the case (which it might not be) a stand alone mic would solve it
@@chappie1420 provided he got good headphones. so many people commit the cardinal sin of buying a dac/amp + headphones in a budget when theyd just be better off spending their limited budget on a pair of good headphones thatll last em a decade
And the mic from the Fulla is too piercing if you have headphones that have the piercing highs sound signature. Heck my Audio Technica almost blow my ears when he started talking without any warning, that I had to reduce the volume from the level I've heard the rest of the video before.
Depending on what headphones/mic you're driving the Fulla 3 will do though if you don't want to shell that much. While the Hel does offer some features like the mic gain knob and gain switch for the headphones as far as I know it's pretty much the same hardware inside. I got a Hel on a ModMic/DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm and I'm really happy with it.
Update for anyone wondering: I've bought the Sound Blaster X3 (144 EUR) last week and run it with Ryzen 5 5600x and a B550 motherboard with 0 issues on both hardware and software side so far. 2 months of extensive use, latest drivers and Windows. I'm paring it with AD700x and DT990, sound is great! Happy I didn't go for the mayflower arc 2 as I doubt it would be worth twice as much as X3 (>300 USD with import fees to EU). I also used the X3 with 2019 MacBook Pro, no problems there either. Edit: 2 months later update since I got a random like today (ty lol).
Question here, does the Mix function in the X3 allow listening to music from an external analog source via the 3.5 Line-in and a conference call from a PC connected via USB simultaneously? Or do I need to switch between Line-in and USB audio source?
@@batt3ryac1d There is a solution to do that... Voicemeeter allows you to set audio outputs per virtual output, then the windows applications you adjust which apps go to which audio output. I think that is what you might be looking for. The virtual audio outputs can have multiple different windows audio outputs, so say hook up your monitors audio output along with your computers sound card audio output or even a cheap USB audio output. Only problem doing that is synchronizing the delay that can vary(especially bluetooth audio output - as that seems to slowly shift/change).
I was hoping to see a tube amplifier compared against these :/ I'd bet a $100 small tube amplifier would give all these a run for the money, but I'm not an audio expert, but from what I know I think I may have a good point! EDIT: Some tube amplifiers you can find DO actually have a USB connection with them!
@@ihatesignupsgrrrrrrr as someone who has built amps, I'd recommend not going with tubes on an entry level budget. For a proper tube experience on a budget, try the Bottlehead Crack with Sennheiser HD600/650/800
@@ihatesignupsgrrrrrrr Be careful with the cheap tube amps. Many of them are not actually using the tube at all. Sometimes it is hooked up internally and sometimes not but either way it does not mean it is actually using it.
@@ihatesignupsgrrrrrrr Also tubes have a very biased sound. So only buy a tube if you like the sound of tubes. Most people couldn't even tell the difference in my opinion. Tubes give the same effect as a quality tape with a smooth compression and smooth curves. I love it for certain genres.
I have had the GSX 1000 for a couple of years now and yes I wish it had more power to drive better headsets. The 7.1 is absolutely amazing! I was turned on to it with your original review so thank you!
I can attest to the Q4, I've had it for a couple years and it's a pretty great entry level dac/amp. I upgraded to the Micca OriGen G2 because I got a set of T50RP planars, but the Q4 can push those. Recently though I bought a Soundavo HP-DAC1 and that's pretty much my end-game. Tons of power, incredible sound, more sound stage, I run my headphones (a collection of them) and my speakers (Edifier R1280T) through it, and I use the optical passthrough to the Q4 for when I want adjustments. Then I also have a SMSL mini tube amp that I'll run either through. It's a pretty good combo.
I just got a set of DT 990 Pro X headphones and have a BTR5 showing up today, but I’ve still been eyeballing the Q4 for my desktop. I don’t need mic input because I use a Blue Snowball. Would you recommend the Q4?
I got the Schiit Hel 2E after watching this video and weighing my options. It ships from NL to your door, if you're in Europe. Expensive but worth it. It's a solid unit, metal, proper buttons and smooth knobs. Very well-built. It comes with a US wall plug for power, but you can use your own or plug it into an adapter. The 2E has USB-C inputs for both power and audio. Edit: It sometimes doesn't want to connect via USB, takes a few tries before it does. But when it does it stays connected. Could be because I'm using a weaker power brick than recommended, idk.
For just a headphones DAC Amp combo in a PC setup, you could also go with the FX Audio DAC-X6, I've got it powering my Hifiman HE400i's. Very well built, great volume knob, USB connection and good wide sound stage.
The Hel would be my choice and it has been my choice for about 5 months already. It's A BEAST with more than enough power to move planar magnetic headphones to deaf levels. Currently using them with HiFiman Sundara for everything from gaming to music and it's awesome!
Yeah I have a Hel as well, I have no complaints. Used with Shure SRH1840 and HD800s and powers them both easily. Don’t even have to switch to high gain.
Exactly what I've been looking for for a while, think I've been convinced for the Schiit Hel. Now if only I could find a Canadian retailer selling it... wish headphonebar still carried their stuff
Bought an Aiyima DAC A-2 myself, its the same as the Fosi Q4 DAC. Experience so far using it for the past whole months with my Samson SR850 has been solid. It delivers wayyy more power than my headphones need LOL. At the loudest I would have it would be 12'o clock on the volume. I use the Bass and Treble knobs and have them set at 9 & 8'o clock respectively as setting them to the minimum made the sound mostly mids and not that lively. Yes, soundstage became a bit more forward as Dmitri said. But compared to my motherboard's on board audio its a bit cleaner especially when there's nothing playing.
Happy to see the Mayflower Arc MkII here. I have one myself and love it. It's a small business and local to my area so doubly glad to send them my support.
My Soundblaster X3 has a 4 pole headphone jack, just FYI. Maybe they’ve refreshed it since you got yours. Just thought I’d throw that out there for those watching this.
Thanks! I have a Beyerdynamic MMX300 Headset and my mainboard soundcard is not quite powerful enough to drive it. Since the MMX300 is using a 4 pole connector and not a splitter the X3 would be perfect. I sadly could not find any info on the product page.
@@leplumber3246 I know this is super old but did you end up getting the x3? Just ordered myself some MMX300s and was looking at either the g6 or x4 to pair with it
@@Pimp_Shrimp Hey, yeah I ended up buying the X3 and I am pretty happy. I can crank up the volume to uncomfortable levels now ^^ I don't know what I was on about the MMX300s not having a splitter tho (they do).
Thank you Dimitri. An awesome and detailed video. I ended up with a focusrite scarlet 2i2 just to get everything I needed. It’s great to see that there’s are a lot more selection now.
I've been running the MOTU M2 for desktop and gaming. Priced below the Schiit Hel, I think it delivers good performance as a gaming DAC as well as the option to move to more professional audio equipment. I use a balanced XLR microphone primarily, but the antlion 48V-5V XLR to 1/8" jack converter works well for headset use on the Motu M2.
@@ericpelton4157 It should be easy for the quiet preamp on the M2 to handle the Q2 or any other dynamic mic very well. The only hiccup I've come across is one specific system where the Motu driver is not happy and I am forced to run large buffer sizes. I finally gave up and used focusrite on that computer. In the 3-5 other systems I use regularly, the M2 has been solid. The headphone amp on the M2 has no business being as good as it is for the class of product it is.
XLR input on dac is so underrated. Not only for mic but also useful if you play music instrument because you can use it as direct input. I use it to connect my guitar and uses my PC as a virtual Amp.
@@lukasz123_ Dont get me wrong, I hate Crative. I yet only had them til today and they are a real pain! But they had never serious competition so they did not had to care. That is the problem so why care for stability and reliablity for theire sold hardware!??
I owned the original version of the Mayflower ARC and I returned it because the mic input sounded bad and the left and right channels on the RCA outputs were reversed. Mayflower took the return, but only after charging a hefty restock fee, which I took exception to because I considered it a faulty unit. So now I don't buy Mayflower products anymore.
Fulla 3 is really good bang for the buck. It has more power than gaming headsets will need and offers good flexibility for headphone upgrades. Pair the Fulla 3 with something like the PC 37x and you have a beast gaming audio setup for about $220-$240
Hi dimitry, I have to say, I choose some months ago the sound blaster x3, is awesome! I like that I can use it in any OS and sounds so good with the default settings. Today I bought the creative Pebble v2 and is a fantastic combination. Please make a budget pc speakers comparation :D
I have the Sharkoon Gaming DAC Pro S for roughly a year now and am more than happy with the 30€ USB stick version. I control the audiolevel via my keyboard.
it's so satisfying when your headphones start having issues and you wanna upgrade and one of your favourite RU-vidrs uploads just the right video for you
I just bought HyperX Cloud Alpha S which comes with a 7.1 external driver. and i also have Equalizer APO running on my SO to give a more fine tuning control over the sound. do i still need one of these DAC's if i want to improve audio quality? or would that be overkill?
@@Cangaca777 You dont need to amp your headset. It would be overkill because the HyperX Cloud does not really benefit that much and is like poop compared to these dacs,amps and hybrids(dac+amp). Its like using a seasonic X 850 titanium PSU on a nvidia GT 420. Almost all gaming headsets have bad sound(compared to non-gaming headphones) and your hyperx does not have 7 drivers and a subwoofer, it uses binaural recording to simulate 3d space which is used by traditional headphones and your cheap earbuds.
@@TheDevestatorX Just setting up Equalizer APO on my SO made a HUGE difference on the audio quality and definition here. so i'm not sure if it would not benefit from a DAC. but i get what you said. thx!
@@Cangaca777 No problem, I personally dont equalize my headphones, although my other headphone gives me sibilance which I definitely need to equalize soon. I think I need to clarify that you dont really have a bad headphone/headset, its just that you can do better with that investment.
I'd say Shiit is my personal winner here. Wide sounds stage is a must for gaming, neutral sound, powerful enough for 300Ohms headphones, and superior mic recording quality. Plus Shiit is famous for their amps and DACs as one of the best sounding budget option on the market, so no brainier.
What's great about the GSX-1000 is that it's super easy to set up as a bridge between your headset and external speakers with the line out on the back. So with a single touch of a button, you can switch between headphones and speakers. No crappy software complicating things (cough - Creative products - cough). It could definitely use more power, but I'm not running anything over 300ohms anyway. The vast majority of cans and gaming headsets will do just fine.
Does the hd58x benefit greatly from the Hel in your opinion? I have the same headphones and I love them, but idk if I should get the Hel. I have a dragonfly black dac/amp and I’m satisfied, but I like the look of the Hel😅
I ended up going with DT990 Pros and the Schiit Magni Heresy/Modi 3+ took me countless hours of research but I’m glad I went with them. Came from Game Ones / GSX1000
I’d stick with the schiit Hel or GSX 1000 in this price range for gaming. I want to love the Mayflower ARC but I’ve had tons of issues with mine. If you don’t mind not having a mic input than an O2/ODAC is great and incredibly neutral then you can use something like a modmic wireless or a desktop mic
I have the same issues with the X3 and USB on amd, only happens every so often however. Surprised you didn't mention the chat mixer functionality which is really useful when gaming and in a discord, team speak etc.
Been using the Fiio E10K for a few years now. Works great for the price! I had a buddy 3D print my a holder for the DAC which includes a headphone hanger. Mounted under the desk for a clean setup.
I just got the e10k just having an issue where everytime I shut my computer down when I turn it back on I don't get any audio out but the dac still shows up in the sound settings.
@@belwar45 I think the problem may be caused by a aditional audio divice, if you have one plugged in. To fix this just go into your settings and disable the other audio divice.
fosi amps are a secret audiophile weapon! And you can get similar internal class d amp parts as low as $30 giving you 300-500watts in the palm of your hand and they're very clean and efficient
I wish Schiit had a standalone DAC with the mic in for those of us who already have say a Vali 2 we really don't want to replace but want/need a mic input on our DAC... I'm torn on either getting a Hel or going the Modi route and figuring out something else for mic
I have the Magni and Modi and I just use a 3.5 extender for my mic. I used to have the Hel but the volume wheel was really scratchy and annoying for me.
@@Kenjis9965 then I would just grab the modi if you don’t do a lot of communication. You already have 1/2 of the setup. Having it separate means easy error fixing and ability to have more power vs an all in one.
@@stealthytrooper9233 I use my microphone a lot. That's why I'm debating. I've been considering going the separate USB mic on a boom route my issue is I'm afraid it's going to pick up every bit of extra noise in the house and such
Just so you know, the fosi volume latency suggests it is due to it being digitally controlled... I cant find the specs on their site, but the most transparent way is an analog pot post Dac... As for dropping information pre DAC, bits are dropped and the quality suffers,.... Low volume, means less bits required thus not needing the same impact of the dynamic range... Still, multi pole analog pots are expensive, and thats just half decent ones..... maybe they put an op amp post dac thats digitally controlled? These days it'd be a cost thats viable... Definitely though.... Having to be powered seperatley form the USB port, unlike many others, is in fact what makes a good design.. This is important. When it comes to audio, besides. "SPECS" , a very important part is the implementation of the power supply.... So it may be a nuisance, but in the Pro Audio World, its a given. Anyway, just passing by, thought id drop in....
@@exshana7969 nice👍🏻 Dude I want to know something. Zeos from Z reviews says that fiio k3 outputs stereo audio instead of true 5.1. Is that really true? I want to connect fiio k3 to Logitech z906 5.1 speakers. A reply will be highly appreciated ☺️
@@GauravSharma-dy8xv I think it is indeed stereo, I always use stereo in CSGO anyways...There is an optical output but I highly doubt it will support 5.1
Great vid. I have the Syba Sonic, it's really impressive, agreed: excellent value. The volume nob on my unit is perfectly smooth. I would like to upgrade to a Hel though in the future... sucks its micro usb.
Two comments. You keep saying sensitive headphones need more power... its the opposite. More sensitive dB require less power to produce the same volume. Also, higher impedance cans require more voltage while low impedance/large driver(inefficient) cans require more current. Lastly, the perceived sound reproduction character each unit has is the DAC implementation not the amplifier unit. Other than that great job!
. Love your content and reviews mam keep em coming. And I also curious, Will my arctis pro wired headset work with the EPOS Sennheiser GSX 1200 PRO game dac
I like the GSX 1000 but I have a few whoas with it that I haven't seen a single youtube review mention. First is that it cannot output surround sound when set to the highest quality in the Windows sound setting, the highest you can put the settings and still have the surround sound work is DVD quality which is really a bummer. One of the most annoying things about it is that the "Line Out" on the device is literally just another headphone port because it has the exact same amplification as the headphone port which means that if you are wanting to use this solely as a DAC and pair it with a powerful amp you can't really do that and you are going to have to double amp your signal. Also you cannot enable surround sound on the line out but it's not like that would be useful because like I said it's just another headphone port.
I have the Schiit Fulla 3 and the Hel. Started with the Fulla 3 and switched to the Hel because it has the ability to have 2 switchable inputs. The Fulla 3 was one or the other. Really love the sound and I also appreciate the fact that it is driverless.
Agreed...I upgraded from X3 and the power is sooo much better. Not to mention the X3 had so many features, button combinations, AND bloated software a 53 year old gamer couldn't possibly remember....Hel is great and simple..plug it in, and turn up the volume knob...DONE!!
I have an X3 great for gaming and mic features and when I bought another set of headphones that needed more juice I stacked it on a JDS Atom and its amazing. I have an AMD system and have not had any issues with software crashing, but I do know the software can be finicky for some.
Love your reviews Dmitry! I think you guys have the hands-down most professional reviews/videos. I always love to watch your b-rolls, they look very cool! In fact you guys gave me the inspiration to practice b-rolls! Now I am more professional at making videos!
I bought the PC38x on day one along with the all black fulla 3 and I think it’s fair to say that it’s a god tier combo for value and performance, truly the most advantageous purchase for my gaming setup especially when clutching up on FPS games
@@j.d.4697 Ehhh, the PC37X and 38X are good enough for audio and definitely good for microphones, and if you want to consolidate cables instead of going for a separate headphone and mic combo, it’s hard to beat.
The timing feels awfully right for a lot of people... Me included! Been watching a lot of DankPods videos lately and i've been wondering if I needed a DAC or not, so thanks for this video!
You need a DAC. One thing Dimitri doesn't go over is the INSANE upgrade that it is going from no DAC to something like the Sybia Sonic. Dimitri doesn't give enough credit to the Sybia Sonic for what it's doing at $45. Just remember the "rankings" that he gives are not linear. So the Sybia Sonic will be like a WOW moment if you've never heard a good pair of cans on a DAC. While an upgrade from the Sybia Sonic to say the Epos, will not get you that wow factor. I love these videos though, because he's truly used them all and has an experience to base his reviews off of.
The Syba Sonic 24 bit is actually really good, I'm able to drive HD58x's with essentially no trouble, and will definitely be using it as an amp whenever I can get my hands on a PS5
Hey Canucks, You do such great videos , can just tell it over and over again. But now i am hella confused of what i should by myself I want to use it only on my PC-Setup The first question, where peoples opionion splits is -----> DO I WANT DAC+AMP-Combo or is just an AMP enough? Devices i researched and i want to decide between are: DAC/AMP: Creative Sound Blaster X3 Creative Sound BlasterX G6 Schiit Fulla 4 - E Syba Sonic AMP: Schiit Audio Magni // Heresy iFi Audio Zen CAN FiiO K5 Pro Fosi Audio Q4 DAC JDS Labs Atom Amp iFi Hip DAC What would you say i should go for? Regards, Benny
I have been using the GSX 1000 for about a year and a half and it has been awesome paired with HD58X head phones. For me personally it suits my needs and has worked great. I love that you can hear directional sound of foot steps or other sounds in games.
