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Posted by Jupit3r (A) on June 16, 2015 at 01:38:36

In Reply to: Astrotec GX-40 in-ear speakers review posted by Jupit3r on June 16, 2015 at 01:15:45:

Performance

For listening, I mainly used a LG Optimus G Pro 2, an Apple iPod Shuffle and the Acer ICONIA W700 tablet/ultrabook hybrid with various tracks of different genres (to gauge what genres the GX-40 is a good match with), without an amp. Almost all portable devices have plenty of power for the GX-40, the amplification is not necessary at all.

TEST TRACKS:

Ed Sheeran – Blood Stream
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Otherside
Emeli Sande – Read All About It
Daft Punk – Get Lucky
Cheryl Core – Parachute
Ed Sheeran – Sing
Rebecca Ferguson – Teach Me How To Be Loved
Alicia Keys – We Are Here
Usher – She Came To Give It To You

BASS: I'm a huge fan of bass-centric music, and I would say that the GX-40 does not disappoint in this area, nor does it impress. It offers good texture and detail without lingering too long in its decay, but the slam and punch is not so hard as the Monster Turbine or the GX-50, and the sub-bass even more so. It is definitely capable in providing fun and some excitement whether I listen to EDM or Metal, but it is certainly far from the best. Overall, I'm happy with the GX-40′s bass performance. However, if compared to the Astrotec GX-50, the GX-40 is just a little bit behind in speed, and most of all in quantity. Please note that this observation was attained by pairing the GX-40 with the Acer Iconia W700. When paired directly to an iPod Shuffle, HTC Desire, or even the LG Optimus G Pro 2, the bass seems to lag behind the findings above, especially in speed and detail.

MIDS: I would say I am happy about how the midrange is presented with the Astrotec GX-40; it may sit a bit lower than bass and treble frequencies but the detail and clarity is retained no matter what genre I listen to. I'm happy to report it doesn't sound veiled nor muddy. Vocals are presented well, quite accurate and detailed. Most instruments including the Piano sounds natural with excellent timbre. Overall, the midrange presence is quite good thanks to its excellent imaging and instrument separation. The Monster Turbine was more upfront for female vocals and guitars which made it sound more edgy in general. Personally, I'd prefer the Turbine for guitar driven songs but I'm happier with the GX-40′s for multi-genre listening.

HIGHS: I am quite surprised to hear such a smooth treble presentation on the Astrotec GX-40, as the GX-50 which I have been listening to since receiving it two months ago really didn't deliver in this department. In most cases, treble quality will highly depend on how the music was originally mastered. Well mastered recordings sound excellent on the GX-40. If I were to nit-pick, I'd say the GX40′s timbre in the treble region is a bit off. Also I personally think that it lacks just a bit of air although it's not really bad for most genres. This affects the soundstage width a bit; not as wide as the Monster Turbine but definitely better than the GX-50.

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Atma-Sphere Music Systems, Inc.

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