Let’s get something out of the way from the get-go. The Astrotec GX-50 in-ear Speakers are a great pair of in-ear headphones for the money — and decent headphones period.
Astrotec GX-50 Specs:
Drive Unit: φ9.0mm Dynamic
Impedance: 16OHM
Plug: φ3.5mm
Rated Power: 3mW
Max Power: 10mW
Frequency Response: 12Hz – 25000Hz
Sensitivity: 104dB/1mw (S.P.Lat 1kHz)
Cable: 1.2m ± 0.3m PU
Colors: Athens Black / Dream Blue / Crystal Purple / Jewel Pink / Space Grey / Neptune Blue
Design
Well, for starters, they’re well-built and have a design that’s not only fashionable, but also looks and feels like it will hold up well over time. The back of the headphones’ earbuds are crystal glass which has been shaped by diamond cutting techniques.
The earbuds fit well (you get a few different size ear tips) and the bendable nature of the cable conforms nicely to the contour of your ears. With this type of in-ear headphone, it’s important to get a tight seal because you lose a lot of bass if you don’t (and one of the appeals of this headphone is that it does offer a whole lot of bass).
The GX-50 is relatively comfortable to wear, you won’t feel the burden on your ear until a few hours after you put it on.
I spent some time comparing this model to the Monster Turbine, which I liked a lot and carries a street price of around $180. In terms of design, it’s hard to declare a clear winner. Both are designed to woo users who actually care about the look of their headphones. With that said, there are things I like more about the Astrotec GX-50 and things I like more about the Monster Turbine, I assume it all comes down to personal preference.
The one thing missing for on-the-go listening is a built-in microphone and in-line remote for making cell phone calls. But this set is more designed for purists and it doesn’t have any extra bells and whistles.
Clearly, the high-profile design isn’t really for everyone, but those who do appreciate fashion would instantly fall in love with it.
Performance
I thought the sound quality was quite decent for a pair of in-ear headphones, particularly in this price range. I ran an eclectic mix of music through them and the Astrotec GX-50 sounded really nice with everything I threw at them. They’re clearly designed to play well with just about any kind of music — or movies and games for that matter. Like higher-end headphones that cost much more, these headphones make you want to go back and listen to old songs in your music collection that you haven’t heard in a while just to hear what the headphones can bring out in the song. As I said, there’s lots of detail; the sound is rich, refined, and open for closed-back headphones.
Compared to the Monster NErgy NCredible, the Astrotec GX-50 headphones also play a little louder and offer slightly fuller, more detailed sound, with deeper, better defined bass, which gives it a more exciting sound. That said, it is a little warmer headphone and may be more pleasant to listen to for some people. The Monster NErgy comes across as a more aggressive, forward headphone, and is going to be a better match for those who listen to more hip-hop and techno music.
Take Ed Sheeran’s “X” album, even on CD it can sound aggressively harsh and grating, but here on the GX-50 the grit subsides and the music sounds better for it. The softening doesn’t totally rob better sounding recordings of detail, and the sound is plenty of energy and texture. The GX-50 sound best played fairly loud, and that’s when you really feel that deep bass massaging your eardrums.
Playing Alicia Key’s “Brand New Me” (192KHz/24bit), The sound from the earbuds of the Astrotec GX-50 has an extra deep and thumpy, but not overwhelming bass. Despite the heavy low-end, the GX-50 also manages to offer an impressive amount of clarity, with crisp, shimmery highs. Also, mids are rich and buttery–just like we like them.
Satisfied with what we heard from the GX-50 on their own we switched over to the $188 Monster Turbine in-ear headphones, and we did notice some difference. The Monster Turbine has equally prominent bass fullness, but with a little more detail and texture. Cheryl Cole’s “Parachute” with its snappy percussion lit up the Monster Turbine, while the Astrotec GX-50 diluted details.
Although the Astrotec GX-50 doesn’t have the active noise-cancellation feature of the Sennheiser IE80 or the SONY XBA-NC85D, it still does a good job of passively sealing out the sound from the outside world. No, you don’t get the same level of noise reduction, but they’re a good alternative for people who are sensitive to the slight pressure of active noise cancellation.
Designed for entry-level listeners, the Astrotec GX-50 is definitely not the most accurate sounding in-ear speakers, but the sound is pretty well-balanced, and you won’t get anything less than you get from other similarly priced headphones.
Summary
In recent months we’ve tried quite a few quality in-ear headphones in the $100 price range: the Beyerdynamic DX 160 IE, Klipsch R6i and Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear, to name a few. The Astrotec GX-50 are right there in the mix. They are nicely balanced and offer impressive detail and good tight bass that’s ample but not overpowering. Also, there’s no denying the style and high-end feel of these nice-looking buds. Priced at $80 (Retail Price in China, in other countries prices may vary), they’re good value and well worth a long look, particular if you’re someone who doesn’t stick to a particular kind of music.
Interesting read as I haven't seen these IEMs before!