Can you drive DT880s with a Sennheiser EPOS GSX 1000 Gaming Headset Amplifier

[Aricin]

Hi,

as per title can you properly drive Beyerdynamics DT880pros (250Ohm) with the Sennheiser EPOS GSX 1000 Gaming Headset Amplifier. Games via virtual surround and music / movies etc.

on various internal sound cards you can see in the specs something like "600Ohm Amp" but cant find anything for GSX external amp

Thanks for input

 

[EsaT]

Any "up to xxx ohms" is barely half truth marketing BS.
Ohms don't tell even half of how demanding cans are.

But so is that "amplifier" hype of those GSXes also marketing BS.
Used Conexant sound chip is literally meant for phones, tablets and such generic devices!
https://prom-electric.ru/media/CX20745_ds.pdf

As result despite of Sennheiser brand overhype price it's comparable to basic level sound cards.
Both in headphone output capability and DAC.
And while 250 ohm DT990 (same driver with different tuning/enclosure) certainly work with basic Realtek, there just isn't any sense in those brand hype overprices.

Sound BlasterX G6, whose B-stock Creative sells for £70, is completely superior in both DAC and has actually good headphone amplifier laughing at 250 ohm Beyers.

 

[Aricin]

Any "up to xxx ohms" is barely half truth marketing BS.
Ohms don't tell even half of how demanding cans are.

But so is that "amplifier" hype of those GSXes also marketing BS.
Used Conexant sound chip is literally meant for phones, tablets and such generic devices!
https://prom-electric.ru/media/CX20745_ds.pdf

As result despite of Sennheiser brand overhype price it's comparable to basic level sound cards.
Both in headphone output capability and DAC.
And while 250 ohm DT990 (same driver with different tuning/enclosure) certainly work with basic Realtek, there just isn't any sense in those brand hype overprices.

Sound BlasterX G6, whose B-stock Creative sells for £70, is completely superior in both DAC and has actually good headphone amplifier laughing at 250 ohm Beyers.

Thank you. Appreciate the detailed response. Ill look into a G6.

 

[bazzabear]

I'm not saying EsaT is incorrect. But before you assume that's 100% accurate, bear in mind that his general approach in the GSX1000 thread is repeatedly telling everyone how rubbish it is - something which doesn't seem to be agreed on by the people who actually own one:

Someone else's words, not mine:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/posts/33374230/

Personally I'm very happy with my GSX1000. The sound quality seems very good to me, and the features it has are perfect. I don't know the answer to your question though.

 

[Guest2]

I have no experience of the GSX 1000, nor know if EsaT owns one so can’t comment on that but the Soundblaster G6 has just replaced my Xonar essense st.

To my ears it sounds as good and mic recording is better. Mainly using it for Warzone with Geforce experience recording and for music. I also use Dolby Atmos.
Headphones at AKG 702 with a Vmoda boompro mic plugged into headphones

 

[EsaT]

Personally I'm very happy with my GSX1000. The sound quality seems very good to me, and the features it has are perfect.

Indeed objectivically/scientifically speaking human ear's accuracy doesn't need any highest spec DACs etc.
Measuring instruments are capable to measuring far smaller differences in signal accuracy than human hearing.

In this blind testing they had problems telling basic Realtek from very expensive high end equipment:

I sank $2000 of my own money into the DAC2 HGC last December, so I subjectively wanted it to sound better than everything else. Tests have shown that it doesn't. I was surprised, but, having been personally involved in the evaluation and believing in the integrity of what we set up, I rationally accept the findings.

Of course, we're ready for the audiophile community to rise up in arms about the statement you'll read next, but it's true that neither an intermediate enthusiast nor a serious one with ~$70,000 in gear at home were able to reliably tell apart any of the four devices once we properly set up a blind test with accurate volume-matching. We actually enjoyed them all as great audio experiences.

Using world-class headphones, a $2 Realtek integrated audio codec could not be reliably distinguished from the $2000 Benchmark DAC2 HGC in a four-device round-up.
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html​

Though that still doesn't justify price Sennheiser puts into sticker of these GSXes.
If price was well below £100 that would be different thing, but now it's asking high end price from basic stuff.

As for that headphone "amplifier" of GSXes, sound chip's block diagram (page 3) actually marks output for 32 ohm headphones.
Also electrical specifications (page 10) states designed output load between 16 and 32 ohms, with 1 Vrms as full scale output signal.

While higher load impedance (lowering current draw) always increases max deliverable voltage, there just isn't headroom with design for low voltage battery operated devices.
Actually headphone amplifier operating voltage is specified as 3.3V in page 7 power pin definitions.
Which translates to completely ordinary ~2 Vrms as absolute max output voltage.
And 2 Vrms is something even outputs of budget/entry level sound cards like Audigy Fx/Xonar DGX can do with 250 ohm load.
For comparison SBX G6's headphone amp goes up to 5 Vrms.

 

[bazzabear]

To be fair, I would have baulked at the asking price. But Sennheiser have an excellent outlet store and I got a 'b-stock' one from there - still in a sealed box and with no sign it was anything other than brand new.

 

[Aricin]

Any "up to xxx ohms" is barely half truth marketing BS.
Ohms don't tell even half of how demanding cans are.

But so is that "amplifier" hype of those GSXes also marketing BS.
Used Conexant sound chip is literally meant for phones, tablets and such generic devices!
https://prom-electric.ru/media/CX20745_ds.pdf

As result despite of Sennheiser brand overhype price it's comparable to basic level sound cards.
Both in headphone output capability and DAC.
And while 250 ohm DT990 (same driver with different tuning/enclosure) certainly work with basic Realtek, there just isn't any sense in those brand hype overprices.

Sound BlasterX G6, whose B-stock Creative sells for £70, is completely superior in both DAC and has actually good headphone amplifier laughing at 250 ohm Beyers.

quick update, ended up picking up a brand new G6 Black Friday weekend for £80 and very happy I did. Virtual Surround Sound is a huge improvement over the Essence STX card. Music and everything else is at least same level. Thank you for the recommendation!

 

[Wegason]

I'm not saying EsaT is incorrect. But before you assume that's 100% accurate, bear in mind that his general approach in the GSX1000 thread is repeatedly telling everyone how rubbish it is - something which doesn't seem to be agreed on by the people who actually own one:

Someone else's words, not mine:
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/forums/posts/33374230/

Personally I'm very happy with my GSX1000. The sound quality seems very good to me, and the features it has are perfect. I don't know the answer to your question though.

You quoted me He rants against the GSX 1000 all the time it is ever mentioned, like he's paid to discredit it (definitively not saying he is because that would be crazy, but his passion to lambast it is high), even though as far as I am aware he has never owned one or tried it out.

For me, it has the best virtual surround sound of any device i've tried and i have to use it at volume 22 out of a 100 on mt Phillips Fidelio X2HR's or it is too loud, for my 80 ohm DT770's it was at 30 i think. While the chip may be cheap, the binaural algorithm that it has really gives a wide, open, and accurate sound stage when set in 7.1 mode and more to the point, he has posted an example himself of $2,000 sound set ups being indistinguishable from much cheaper set ups.

The GSX 1000 is often on sale for around £120. It is pricier than other solutions but offers for me what i want, the best virtual surround sound, a device that is beautifully designed and everyone asks about, volume control is easy, settings are easily changed and I can switch from headphones to speakers with the touch of a button.