We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-30 · 8 min read · Independent comparison
If you want the cleaner path to true 7.1 surround sound with hardware-level control and sidetone, choose EPOS GSX 1000; if you need a self-contained wireless headset with a 120-hour battery and multi-device freedom, choose EKSA 2.4GHz. These two get compared constantly because they both promise immersive game audio — but they solve the problem in completely different ways. One is a desktop sound processor, the other is a headset you wear.
• EPOS GSX 1000 — biggest strength: A dedicated USB DAC and headphone amplifier with an EPOS-engineered binaural 7.1 surround engine, a 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio and a 48 KHz maximum sample rate. This is real audio hardware, not a software toggle.
• EPOS GSX 1000 — biggest trade-off: It is not a headset. You bring your own wired 2-jack analog headphones, and it lives on your desk connected by USB. It is a PC and Mac product, not a couch-and-console product.
• EKSA 2.4GHz — biggest strength: Everything is in the box. A complete over-ear headset with 50 mm dynamic drivers, 2.4GHz USB dongle, Bluetooth 5.3, a 3.5 mm cable and a battery rated for 120 hours.
• EKSA 2.4GHz — biggest trade-off: Its 7.1 surround and environmental noise cancellation are headset-side features at 20 ms latency — convenient, but it doesn't give you the separate game/chat mixing and EQ profile control a desktop DAC does.
• Who each is for: Pick the EPOS if you already own a good wired headset and want the best possible positional audio on a PC. Pick the EKSA if you want one wireless headset that works across PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Mac and mobile.
The GSX 1000 2nd Edition is a gaming DAC and amplifier first and a surround sound device second — and that order matters. Inside it sits a dedicated USB-C DAC chip and a binaural rendering engine that produces EPOS-engineered 7.1 surround. The spec sheet lists surround sound channel configurations of 2.0 and 7.1, with stereo as the alternate output mode, so you can flip between a wide virtual surround field and a straight stereo signal depending on what you're playing. For competitive shooters, that positional accuracy is the whole point: knowing whether the footsteps are behind-left or front-right is the difference between a clean peek and a death screen.
What makes it genuinely useful day to day is the control layer. There's an aluminum volume wheel, an LED touch panel, and separate control over game audio and chat audio. Sidetone is adjustable, which means you can hear your own voice in real time at whatever level you set — a small thing that stops you from shouting into your mic. Four profile settings let you save your preferred audio configurations, and EQ presets cover story-heavy games, music and more. There are also dedicated modes for surround, stereo and a high-definition audio receiver mode.
The connectivity is split by design: separate headphone and speaker outputs, so you can switch between them without unplugging cables, and a line-in too. It works with Windows and Mac, and it's built for all 2-jack analog headsets — the classic separate headphone and mic plug setup.
EKSA 2.4GHz: Who It's For
The EKSA E1000BT takes the opposite approach: instead of upgrading the audio you already own, it replaces the whole chain. Out of the box you get the headset, a Type-C charging cable, a USB dongle, a user manual, a quick setup guide card and safety instructions. That's a complete system with no extra purchases required.
The headline number is battery life — 120 hours average. That is an enormous figure for a wireless gaming headset and it changes how you use the thing. You stop treating it like a phone you have to top up every night and start treating it like a peripheral you charge once in a while. That single spec makes it a strong fit for long sessions, weekend marathons, or anyone who simply refuses to babysit a charging cable.
Connectivity is the other selling point. It supports 2.4GHz via the USB-A dongle for low-latency work, Bluetooth 5.3 for everything else, and a 3.5 mm jack as a wired fallback. The Bluetooth range is listed at 10 meters, and the platform list covers PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Mobile and Mac. That flexibility is the real argument here: one headset, one bag, and it works whether you're on a console, a laptop, a handheld or a phone.
The audio hardware is a 50 mm dynamic driver with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range — a big driver diameter, which generally points to stronger bass and a fuller low end. Latency is rated at 20 ms, and the headset offers 7.1 surround sound plus environmental noise cancellation through the microphone. Build materials are ABS, aluminum and PU with memory foam ear pads in an oval over-ear shape. Controls are push-button, and the colorway is black and silver.
Buy it if you want one wireless headset that travels across consoles, PC and mobile, and you value not thinking about charging. Skip it if you already own high-quality wired headphones and only need better desktop processing — the EKSA replaces your headset rather than upgrading it, and its button-based controls won't give you the granular game/chat mixing a dedicated DAC offers. It's also worth noting the ENC here addresses microphone noise, not active noise cancellation for your ears.
• Best for true positional surround on PC → EPOS GSX 1000. A dedicated binaural 7.1 engine with a 120 dB SNR is a fundamentally different class of processing than headset-side virtual surround.
• Best for battery life → EKSA 2.4GHz. 120 hours is in a different league; the EPOS is USB-powered and has no battery to speak of.
• Best for multi-platform flexibility → EKSA 2.4GHz. 2.4GHz dongle, Bluetooth 5.3 and 3.5 mm wired covers PS5, PS4, PC, Switch, Mac and mobile.
• Best for audio control and tuning → EPOS GSX 1000. Sidetone, EQ presets, four savable profiles, and independent game/chat volume.
• Best for plug-in-and-play simplicity → EKSA 2.4GHz. Everything needed is in the box, including the headset itself.
• Best if you already own good wired headphones → EPOS GSX 1000. It upgrades what you have instead of replacing it, and supports all 2-jack analog headsets.
• Best for a gift or a first gaming headset → EKSA 2.4GHz. A complete, boxed, multi-device headset is easier to hand to someone than a desktop amplifier.
• Best for a fixed desktop setup → EPOS GSX 1000. Separate headphone and speaker outputs plus a line-in make it the natural hub for a permanent PC rig.
If you're chasing the cleanest surround sound experience and you play on a desktop, I'd buy the EPOS GSX 1000. In my opinion, a dedicated DAC with a binaural 7.1 engine, a 120 dB signal-to-noise ratio and real EQ profiles will always beat a virtual surround toggle baked into a headset — and the sidetone plus separate game/chat control is the kind of detail you notice every single session. That said, if you don't already own a decent wired headset, the math changes fast. The EKSA 2.4GHz gives you a headset, a dongle, Bluetooth, a wired fallback and 120 hours of battery in one box, and for most people who just want to hear footsteps clearly on whatever device they're holding, that's the smarter buy. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you decide — the gap between them matters.
how to get surround sound headphones
Surround sound comes from the processing, not the headphone itself. With the EPOS GSX 1000 you enable the EPOS-engineered 7.1 binaural engine in the DAC, which handles the rendering for any connected 2-jack analog headset. With the EKSA 2.4GHz, surround is a feature of the headset and its processing, so you simply enable it on the device.
how to test surround sound headphones
The practical test is directional awareness in a game or a surround test clip: sound should move around you rather than sit flat in front. On the EPOS GSX 1000 you can switch between stereo and 7.1 modes and compare, which makes the difference easy to hear. On the EKSA, compare with surround enabled and disabled.
how to fix surround sound headphones
Most surround issues trace back to a connection or a setting. On the EPOS GSX 1000, confirm you're on the USB connection and that surround is selected rather than stereo, and check your EQ profile hasn't been changed. On the EKSA, make sure you're on the 2.4GHz dongle rather than Bluetooth, since latency and processing differ between the two.
how to make surround sound headphones sound better
Start with the processing and the fit. The EPOS GSX 1000 gives you EQ presets, four savable profiles and adjustable sidetone, so you can tune output to your taste. The EKSA already runs 50 mm dynamic drivers across a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz range, so its gains come from a proper seal with the memory foam ear pads and using the 2.4GHz connection instead of Bluetooth.
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