EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition review: Incredible audio for all types of gamers

As a content creator, livestreamer, and gamer in general, having quality audio is very important to me. The EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition offers just that. As someone who is hard of hearing. I will take any advantage I can have, whether it’s in an online shooter or some kind of Soulslike game.

Though being able to hear everything clearly during gaming sessions is important, I want my movies, TV shows, and anime to all sound brilliant. Thankfully, this is a piece of hardware that’s easy to set up and satisfying to use.

EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition is an amazing piece of hardware

As someone who spends an enormous amount of time at their desk, I need quality audio, which The EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition offers. While I didn’t use the previous version of this particular product, I am familiar with external soundcards. They’ve really grown in power and popularity, and I cannot recommend this one enough.

After a bit of research, I found there are some differences between this one and the previous EPOS GSX 1000. The second edition has a sleek, all-black color palette. It does look incredible, however. I'm quite familiar with EPOS products, so I go in expecting quality. And I was not disappointed.

Instead of a micro-USB seen in the first edition, the second one features a USB-C port, which is a great change, if for no other reason than facilitating convenience. USB-C is just more common these days.

The volume knob is smooth and turns easily. The microphone input port was also upgraded, so it features a 16-bit/48KHz sound path. However, it’s not going to work for you if you have a headset that uses a USB plug. This is for headsets that use a microphone/headphone jack. It’s also worth noting that if you have a 1.4 jack, you’re going to need an adapter.

As someone who was already using an EPOS H6 PRO Closed — my personal favorite headset — I knew that it would likely work well with the EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition. I was right! There were zero issues setting up this soundcard. I had to download the drivers through the EPOS app, but that’s it.

While I was shocked that I could not change my settings within the EPOS Audio app, after a bit of time, I was grateful that I could make all the audio adjustments through the actual EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition.

EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition's audio settings are second to none

When it comes to the actual audio of this soundcard, it has several presets, which can be cycled through, including Esports, Music, and Audio. The Esports tab, when active, genuinely gave me the most accurate audio feedback I’ve had in an online game.

The device made it clear where a sound was coming from, and that sort of thing matters in competitive gaming. While I spent my time working on World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV, I realized the music and sound effects had never sounded so bold, so loud, or so clear.

However, I don’t just play games on my PC. It’s where I watch a significant chunk of my anime, professional wrestling, or movies as well. As I have a three-monitor setup, it’s easy for me to have something on while I’m working.

Whether I’m watching OSW Review while I write, listening to Spotify, or catching up on the latest episode of Mobile Suit Gundam: Witch from Mercury, the audio quality is always solid. That said, the soundcard doesn't provide the greatest audio quality on the market, but it’s great for what you pay.

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While it won’t replace setups that cost over $1,000, at this price point, this product will ensure you get your money’s worth and more. It only costs $199.

You also have access to 7.1 virtual surround sound, and though that doesn’t expressly do anything for me, it’s surely going to delight people who love the feature.

You can also adjust the sidetone (how much you hear yourself when using your mic). But I tend to leave this off. It’s incredibly distracting, but I’m glad it’s a feature offered by the product. Moreover, you can change the reverb (three levels). It’s all very easy to adjust, and I’m glad that when you aren’t fiddling with settings, the bright red lighting dies down.

I do have to say that I’m shocked that this product does not feature RGB settings! I’m not mad about it, but that’s such a common thing with gaming hardware these days. It could be a feature seen in future editions of the soundcard though.

In conclusion

The EPOS GSX 1000 2nd Edition is a really satisfying external soundcard for people who love to play online games competitively. While I enjoyed the quality I got while watching YouTube and Crunchyroll, I do have a bit of a hearing deficit. That said, the music sounded great, and so did every game I played.

The product is incredibly easy to set up, doesn’t require any outside apps to control it, and it’s clear on the onboard display exactly what you’re changing. While, again, it’s not going to take the place of an incredibly expensive audio setup, I think this device is more than worth the price you pay for it.