SANWEAR GT Interview. Can These Gaming Earbuds Really Replace Your Headset?
Looking for a new way to enjoy special audio with earbuds instead of large sweaty headsets? Want a unique design that stands out from the same bland copy cat industry? perhaps SAN sound's new SANWEAR Earbuds are for you. We sat down with David Leung, better known as DL, a veteran audio engineer and one of the original minds behind Beats by Dre and now SAN audio. This time, he’s bringing his expertise to gaming with SAN Sound’s latest product, the SANWEAR GT, also called the GameType earbuds. The idea is bold. These aren’t just another set of wireless earbuds with a gaming label and some RGB slapped on them. They were designed specifically for players who care about speed, accuracy, and comfort.
So what exactly is the SANWEAR GT?
At its core, it is SAN Sound’s flagship in-ear gaming solution, a product meant to rival the precision of high-end headsets while giving players the portability and lightness of earbuds. DL explained that this design builds on more than 20 years of his work in spatial audio, technology that started back in his Beats days and has now evolved to recreate convincing 3D soundscapes in a much smaller form factor with great performance.
Under the hood
The spec sheet looks impressive. The GT features SAN Sound’s SANSYNC wireless mode, a low latency connection that clocks in at around 20 milliseconds over 2.4 GHz, alongside a standard Bluetooth 5.2 option at about 30 milliseconds. Inside each bud is a Hyper-Dynamic V3 driver with an 8 mm diaphragm and a wide frequency response of 13 Hz to 20 kHz. They are designed to block out about 30 dB of outside noise, carry an IPX6 water and sweat resistance rating, and provide up to 33 hours of use with the case. The buds also come with built-in ENC microphones for chat and work with the SOUNDSCAPE app where you can adjust EQ, tweak lighting, and even set up gesture controls.
When we talked with DL at PAX West, a few points stood out. First, he made it clear these were built from scratch for gaming. “We didn’t want to be another AirPod lookalike,” he said. “If I play a first-person shooter and I can hear them before I see them, that’s an advantage.” He compared it to Tiger Woods and his golf clubs, explaining that the right equipment really can change performance.
Another big topic was spatial audio. Reproducing sound that feels like it’s coming from outside your head is difficult for earbuds. DL described how the SANWEAR GT simulates the realism of over-ear headphones by covering the full spectrum, including the small environmental details that make games feel alive. He even shared a personal story from testing Fortnite. At one point he thought he heard a mosquito buzzing around his home in Taiwan, only to realize the sound was actually coming from inside the game through the GTs.
Design was another deliberate choice. The buds have a distinct futuristic style that avoids blending in with the sea of plain white clones on the market. The charging case doubles as a wearable accessory, and each bud is shaped for comfort and stability. Despite its low weight and formfactor, battery life was not sacrificed. DL pointed out that these buds last six hours on a single charge, plus another 27 from the case, which all adds up to “a long session,” which is more than enough for most players whether they are casual or hardcore.
After putting them through some quick test rounds on the show floor, here are the clear strengths. At first glance they seem very responsive. The low latency mode really matters for competitive shooters, shaving down the delay so footsteps and gunfire feel in sync with what you see on screen. The positional audio helps you pick up on distance and direction cues that can make or break a match. It will take a longer testing period to really push them to their limits to see if they have what it takes but initial impressions were good.
Having the ability to connect through both Bluetooth and SANSYNC modes makes them flexible in day to day use, whether you are casually listening to music or looking for every edge in an online match a quick 3tap helps you switch quickly from one device to the next, very useful to answer that incoming call real quick during a gaming session. Comfort also stands out. They are much lighter than a headset and with the sport hooks and twist-seal fit, they stay locked in without feeling heavy or feeling like they are about to fall out. Finally, the SOUNDSCAPE app adds customization, from EQ presets like Combat and Open-World and provides a way to push future firmware updates.
Of course, with a steep price of 299 dollars, trying a new product is a big ask, which means expectations are high, though they are working on a new product to address that hurdle. and then there is the fit, which is crucial, because without a proper seal the bass response and spatial precision drop off quickly and a bad fit can cause ear fatigue. Lucky the earbuds come with plenty of interchangeable parts to fit most ears. While the included Bluetooth mode is perfectly fine for everyday use, it still carries more delay than the 2.4ghz connection you can achieve with the SANSYNC dock, so competitive players will want to stick with this low latency option. Lastly it is important to note that, the case itself isn’t water resistant, only the earbuds are, this important to keep in mind when using them as the cool wearable they are promoted as.
It is clear that to the team as SANAUDIO, their SANWEAR-GT represents a bold push in bridging the gap between true spatial gaming headsets and convenient in-ear solutions. What this all means is that the SANWEAR GT could mark a turning point in how gamers think about in-ear audio. For years, “serious play” has been synonymous with bulky headsets, but SAN Sound is making a case that earbuds can give you the same advantages without the extra weight. That shift could be especially important as cross-platform and mobile gaming continue to expand.
Combined with the continued advances in wireless codecs and driver tech, SANWEAR-GT is one of the first to aggressively posture toward a “no-compromise” gaming earbud.
Combined with the continued advances in wireless codecs and driver tech, SANWEAR-GT is one of the first to aggressively posture toward a “no-compromise” gaming earbud.Walking away from PAX, the takeaway is clear. The SANWEAR GT is a serious attempt to create a high-performance earbud designed for gamers first. If you are tired of headset fatigue or just want something smaller that still delivers, this should be on your radar. If you are more casual, the Bluetooth flexibility and immersive sound will still give you plenty to enjoy.
But how good is it? We can tell you all these specs or what our experience has been , but as DL said, “Audio is like food. No one can tell you what the best hamburger is. You have to taste it yourself.” So that is what we intend to do, we are just about done with our month long test and hope to get you the full review very soon. keep an eye out and in the mean while you can watch the full interview with DL right here: watch here: https://youtu.be/QJXyHks2kX0)
and you can learn more about the earbuds at SAN Sound: Spatial Gaming Earbuds
