# ASUS Xonar Essence STX II



## Blackbird09

gradius said:


> ASUS Announces Essence STX II and Essence STX II 7.1 Hi-Fi-Grade Sound Cards with 124dB SNR and 600ohm-Headphone Amplifier High-end cards build on capabilities of hugely popular Essence STX to deliver exceptional audio clarity drawn from long and trusted Hi-Fi development experience
> *Taipei, Taiwan (12th March, 2014)* — ASUS today announced Essence STX II and Essence STX II 7.1, two new Hi-Fi-grade sound cards designed to delight audiophiles with 124dB signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) clarity and a 600ohm-headphone amplifier.
> Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 build on the success and huge popularity of ASUS Essence STX – the world’s first consumer sound card to deliver 124db SNR audio clarity plus 600ohm headphone amp, and the long-term holder of the number-one position in Head-Fi’s Sound Cards charts, as voted by highly-satisfied users globally.
> Keeping the audiophile spirit and philosophy alive, the new Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 cards both feature a remarkable 124dB SNR for line-out connections and 120dB SNR for headphone listening. Precision clock is controlled by a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) clock source, optimized power delivery is assured with low-dropout (LDO) regulators and WIMA® capacitors deliver balanced sound.
> ...


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## bwmarrin

Now this is exciting news.  I've been thinking about replacing my HT Omega for something with RCA connectors!


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## cheneric

Source? Any specs yet?


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## Blackbird09

ASUS official Facebook page posted the pictures.
  
 What I can tell from the pictures:
 1. MUSES 8920 as stock OP-AMP
 2. ASUS AV100 Audio Chipset (Same as the ST, STX, and DX)
 3. TI PCM1792 DAC - 28bit 192kHz sampling @ 132dB SNR. I think this is an upgrade over the ST and STX? The image quality isn't the best and it could very well be PCM1782 which would be a downgrade.
 4. New crystal oscillator SMD package
 5. WIMA caps around buffer
 6. Changed from OSCON caps for power input


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## Harvester

I do not see a Dolby Logo on the board.
  
 I wonder if that doesn't mean DHTV4?


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## germanium

blackbird09 said:


> ASUS official Facebook page posted the pictures.
> 
> What I can tell from the pictures:
> 1. MUSES 8920 as stock OP-AMP
> ...


 

 TI PCM 1792 is 24bit 192 KHZ in a 28 pin package. Is only 132db SNR in mono mode, 127db SNR in stereo mode as used in this card.


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## MrTechAgent

Interesting , they did space out the PCB
Would have have loved if they got in DSD and 32Bit , would have been a great upgrade if that was the case


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## GeorgeVes

Muses stock opamps? Sounds sweet. I wonder when it's coming out...
  
 Asus seem to be following up on the success of the Essence One...


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## Gradius

ASUS Announces Essence STX II and Essence STX II 7.1 Hi-Fi-Grade Sound Cards with 124dB SNR and 600ohm-Headphone Amplifier High-end cards build on capabilities of hugely popular Essence STX to deliver exceptional audio clarity drawn from long and trusted Hi-Fi development experience  
*Taipei, Taiwan (12th March, 2014)* — ASUS today announced Essence STX II and Essence STX II 7.1, two new Hi-Fi-grade sound cards designed to delight audiophiles with 124dB signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) clarity and a 600ohm-headphone amplifier.
 Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 build on the success and huge popularity of ASUS Essence STX – the world’s first consumer sound card to deliver 124db SNR audio clarity plus 600ohm headphone amp, and the long-term holder of the number-one position in Head-Fi’s Sound Cards charts, as voted by highly-satisfied users globally.
 Keeping the audiophile spirit and philosophy alive, the new Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 cards both feature a remarkable 124dB SNR for line-out connections and 120dB SNR for headphone listening. Precision clock is controlled by a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) clock source, optimized power delivery is assured with low-dropout (LDO) regulators and WIMA® capacitors deliver balanced sound.
 With an amplifier capable of delivering impeccable output for up to 600ohm headphones, an additional gain control for in-ear monitor (IEM) headphones, high-quality MUSES operational amplifiers (op-amps) and an included op-amp swap kit, ASUS once again demonstrates its ability to redefine the sound card market.  Essence STX II 7.1 even has the ability to output true 7.1-channel surround sound, via the included simple-to-fit daughterboard.
 Commenting on the launch, Ives Chiu, ASUS Product Manager for the Audio Sector in the Multimedia Business Department, said: “Four years after the debut of Essence STX, ASUS remains committed to delivering ever better high-end sound cards to delight the most demanding audiophiles. Drawing on years of experience in developing Essence One, Essence STU and Essence III, Essence STX II delivers meticulous design, quintessential performance and profound musicality — elements that shape the spirit of the whole Essence Hi-Fi series.”
  
Legendary audio quality that just got better Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 deliver industry-leading 124dB SNR audio clarity, a much-envied quality inherited from the revolutionary and widely-acclaimed Essence STX sound card — and up to 64 times (64X) better than typical onboard audio hardware. Headphone output reaches a fantastic 120dB.
 To attain the essence of sound, ASUS engineers equipped Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 with even more Hi-Fi-quality components. These include a premium TCXO clock source that ensures ultra-low jitter, high-fidelity LDO regulators for consistent linear regulation and German-made WIMA capacitors for a more balanced sound. The profound musicality that Essence listeners expect is encapsulated by celebrated MUSES 8920 and MUSES 8820 op-amps, which deliver true-to-life tonality and spacious sound imaging.
 Both Essence STX II and STX II 7.1 benefit from swappable op-amp sockets and come with a swap kit that includes three additional op-amps — two Texas Instruments LME49720s and one MUSES 8820 — that allow users to create different timbres and tonal combinations. The swap kit includes a clamp tool that makes it easy to remove the op-amp microchips.
  
True 7.1-channel surround sound that’s easy to fit and great to customize Exclusive to Essence STX II 7.1 is a multichannel daughterboard that delivers true 7.1-channel surround with high-fidelity 120dB SNR outputs. This easy-to-fit daughterboard slides into a slot adjacent to Essence STX II 7.1, so installation couldn’t be more convenient.
 Each channel is fully customizable with nine swappable op-amp sockets — giving audiophiles complete freedom to create the perfect surround-sound experience for their ears and listening environment.
  
Impeccable audio quality that’s all about the details In their mission to create peerless sound output ASUS audio engineers study and consider all aspects of product design — attention to detail that shines through both Essence STX II and STX II 7.1.
 The built-in headphone amplifier supports up to 600ohm impedance — so audiophiles can plug in the finest high-impedance headphones to enjoy the pure quality delivered by Essence STX II and STX II 7.1.
 ASUS engineers have also furnished the new cards with an additional gain control designed especially for high-sensitivity IEM headphones, allowing musicians, audio purists and everyday listeners to use snug-fitting earpieces that channel audio output straight to the ear canal — isolating ambient noise for clear sound and undisturbed listening experience.
 The cards also benefit from a software package that includes a full version of Dolby® Home Theater, an advanced software suite that turns a PC into a dedicated home-theater center with enhanced surround sound.
  
*Official infos here:*
 http://rog.asus.com/307922014/news/asus-essence-stx-ii-and-essence-stx-ii-7-1-hi-fi-grade-sound-launches/


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## Gradius

Confirmed, it uses TI PCM1792 as DAC.
  
 Photos:

  
  

  
 Click on photos, then select original.


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## Harvester

The cards also benefit from a software package that includes a full version of Dolby® Home Theater, an advanced software suite that turns a PC into a dedicated home-theater center with enhanced surround sound.
  
 Software
 Dolby® Digital Live/ Dolby® Headphone/ Dolby® Virtual Speaker/Dolby® Pro-Logic II
  
 ==============================================================
  
 I hope they do not mean Dolby Headphone as it's implemented in the Phoebus Cards:  Solely through the DHTV4 Panel removing most control away from the user.....no way to control # of input channels ...ect....ect... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
  
 I'll hope for the best.


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## Gradius

I always used Dolby Home Theater (full version) on my modded STX.
  
 It's better than SRS.  Of course, I had to hack Dolby Home Theater in order to run on my STX.
  
 I might upgrade my STX to STX II, waiting for reviews before to decide.
  
 Hmm, ST/STX also use the PCM1792.  Don't think it would be that much of difference now.
  
 What Asus really need to do is better drivers.
  
 Asus AV100 = OxygenHD CMI8788.


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## hugoboss

does anyone know the price already?


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## bcschmerker4

If my experience with the first-gen STX™ (which I purchased for $150 from a vendor at eBay®; amazon.com has it at $166.72 as of 14 March 2014) and estimate of inflation and materials costs are accurate, ASUSTeK Computer will probably set the MSRP at $229 for the STX™ II, $269 for the combined package with the H6 daughtercard - the redesign to accommodate the H6 and the premium MUSES® dual op amps are factors.  Best-case estimate:  It may be possible to land the two-card package for on or around $200.


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## Blackbird09

Newegg has the STX at $189 right now (March 14th). IIRC the price hasn't really changed since the launch of the STX. Looking at the pictures of the STX II, the only thing that seems to be different are a few passive components, opamps, and layout changes. If ASUS doesn't lower the MSRP of the STX then I can see them selling the STX II at $220. That is pure speculation though. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 Edit: Updated first post with Gradius' reply of the press release.


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## stv014

Apparently, there are only minor differences other than the card now supporting the Xonar H6 for 7.1 channel analog outputs (previously, this was limited to the ST, and the PCI bus is now becoming obsolete). It probably still has the same problems as the STX, like the output impedance of the headphone amplifier, and noise with very sensitive headphones/IEMs (due to the lack of analog volume and gain control), maybe even the increased noise floor at 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz sample rate is still there.


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## Blackbird09

Edit: Removed for redundant information.


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## Gradius

So far what I see on STX II:
  
 - Better Power Supply (new caps) and regulator on MOLEX section;
 - Better cap on SPDIF section;
 - Realocated position for AV100;
 - New IC "asmedia" ASM1083;
 - Better Clock/Cristal;
 - Double clock;
 - Changed OPamps to Muses.
  
 Asmedia infos:
 http://www.asmedia.com.tw/eng/e_show_products.php?item=114&cate_index=112
  
 In other words... ASM1083 is just the interface between AV100 and PCIe.
  
 On original STX PLX PEX8112 was used.
  
 Original STX photo for comparison:

  
 I might perform the upgrade, waiting for prices and reviews.  Of course, I would never use IC OPamps, and stock clock.


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## Gradius

stv014 said:


> It probably still has the same problems as the STX, like the output impedance of the headphone amplifier, and noise with very sensitive headphones/IEMs (due to the lack of analog volume and gain control), maybe even the increased noise floor at 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz sample rate is still there.


 
  
 My modded STX is dead silent, using HD650.   I'm planning to get HD800 soon.


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## MrTechAgent

gradius said:


> My modded STX is dead silent, using HD650.   I'm planning to get HD800 soon.


 
 Modded ?  .....I don't hear anything at all with my system and that's stock , could be because of my Seasonic PSU


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## Ra97oR

Those MUSE are the budget version, not the MUSE 01 and MUSE 02.


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## Gradius

ra97or said:


> Those MUSE are the budget version, not the MUSE 01 and MUSE 02.


 

 Correct, but I wouldn't use them either.  Unless I had no choice (no space or something like that).
  
 MUSES01: $29~$37
 MUSES02: $44~$59


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## Blackbird09

I wonder if this version will be just as moddable as the original. I have 2 AMB σ11's (1@12v and 1@5v) that I put together awhile back for the purpose of a dedicated PSU for my STX. I just haven't gotten around to soldering the MOSFETS and purchasing the transformers.
  
 The different crystal oscillator remains to be seen as an improvement. Maybe a bit overkill to add an audio-gd or burson audio clock upgrade.
  
 I remember people replacing the Nichicon Fine Gold capacitors with the Elna Silmic II.
  
 Finally, was it ever deemed a waste to upgrade the opamps to the audio-gd or burson audio discreet opamps?


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## cimbolic

> Output impedance - 10ohm (headphone out)


 
  
 Why is it 10 ohms? Why do manufacturers still build DACs/sound cards with headphone output impedance that are more than 1 ohm when there are many articles/people (perhaps even Asus employees themselves) that are against it?
  
 Are the articles professing the benefits of < 1 ohm headphone output impedance just rubbish? And it doesn't really matter if its 1 or 10 or 12 ohms?
  
 Or is it terribly difficult or cost prohibitive to make them as low as possible?


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## James neutron

Xonar ST's output impedance is largely identical to that of the TPA6120A2 op--amp (which is the actual headphone amplifier of the soundcard).
 As I understand it, lowering the output impedance is a fairly tricky process and cannot be done without some design changes.
 The typical ways by are employing negative feedback in the circuit, or putting resistive networks before the output (but that will automatically lower the power output), using inductors or filters (but those affect signal purity), etc
  
 All solutions come with compromises, some more drastic than others, and I think Asus preferred a slightly higher output impedance (which is more than fine for all +5-60 ohm headphones) and offer more power.
 Lots of tube amplifiers have much higher out impedances and that didn't stop anybody from enjoying their sound.
  
 *And although I am an advocate of low output impedance myself, I also think people get caught up in it too much.
 There's more to an amp than just that number. I'd take a better quality design over lower impedance any day.


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## Manel

I'm about to buy a Sound Blaster ZxR. Should I make that move or wait to see how this one turns up on reviews? I wonder if STX II is more moddable than ZxR. 
 As you are talking about the output impedance on the headphone jack, I read here on the forum that ZxR's is even higher (~40 ohm) despite sharing the same headphone amplifier with STX.


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## Gradius

blackbird09 said:


> I wonder if this version will be just as moddable as the original. I have 2 AMB σ11's (1@12v and 1@5v) that I put together awhile back for the purpose of a dedicated PSU for my STX. I just haven't gotten around to soldering the MOSFETS and purchasing the transformers.
> 
> The different crystal oscillator remains to be seen as an improvement. Maybe a bit overkill to add an audio-gd or burson audio clock upgrade.
> 
> ...


 

 From photo (ain't help that much since is low quality), I can see just one single 7805 (5V) regulator.
  
 On STX, I used a better clock, it does improves the quality around 20~25%.   The rest (of quality) was done with Bursons OPamps.
  
 I was planning to mod the PSU with AMB σ11's too, but now with STX II, I don't think I'll do it on original STX as I'm planning to upgrade (STX 2) and then mod it (of course!).


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## Blackbird09

gradius said:


> From photo (ain't help that much since is low quality), I can see just one single 7805 (5V) regulator.


 
  
 Weird. On the old STX there are two regulators (silkscreen component labels: U20, U24) plus empty outline on the silkscreen where another regulator could go (U34). On the STX II the U20 regulator (I assume this is still a 7805) is still there. Both the U24 and U34 spots are populated with two identical ICs. Could these be some weird SMD regulators? 
  
 Here is the area I'm talking about on the STX II:


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## stv014

gradius said:


> My modded STX is dead silent, using HD650.   I'm planning to get HD800 soon.


 
  
 The HD650 is not exactly very sensitive, or even typical at all, compared to most new headphone models that are low impedance and are optimized for portable devices. On the other hand, the Shure SE535 IEMs for example would have a noise floor of ~31 dBA at 44.1 kHz sample rate, which is not quite dead silent, not to mention the frequency response problems because of the output impedance. Nevertheless, these cards are indeed fine for high impedance full size headphones.


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## stv014

james neutron said:


> As I understand it, lowering the output impedance is a fairly tricky process and cannot be done without some design changes.
> The typical ways by are employing negative feedback in the circuit, or putting resistive networks before the output (but that will automatically lower the power output), using inductors or filters (but those affect signal purity), etc


 
  
 The use of a parallel inductor and resistor serially connected to the output is a fairly standard practice in speaker amplifiers, to isolate capacitive loads in the RF range for stability, but allow for low output impedance in the audio band. Of course, the problem could also be avoided by not using the TPA6120 in the first place. For example, the two parallel NJM4556's in the O2 are stable with much lower output impedance, and are even cheaper than the TPA6120.


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## James neutron

You are right.
 I think they made the choice for TPA6120 with power output in mind. Given the low voltage at which the soundcard operates (much lower than O2) it's possible that the TPA opamp would output more mW than NJM4556 for the same gain.
 But this is just an assumption, I don't have enough experience with opamps or circuit design.


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## Renfield1217

Just a heads up, Asus has posted the STX II on their website...
  
http://www.asus.com/Sound_Cards_and_DigitaltoAnalog_Converters/Essence_STX_II/


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## cimbolic

> *Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution :*
> 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit
> 
> *ASIO Driver Support :*
> 44.1K/48K/88.2K/96K/176.4K/192KHz @ 16bit/24bit


 
  
  
 What does that mean?
 Can it play FLAC @ 24bit 88.2kHz & 24bit 176.4kHz or not?


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## stv014

james neutron said:


> I think they made the choice for TPA6120 with power output in mind. Given the low voltage at which the soundcard operates (much lower than O2) it's possible that the TPA opamp would output more mW than NJM4556 for the same gain.


 
  
 Actually, both the O2 and the analog output section of the STX operate at +/-12 V regulated supply voltage. In the case of the O2, the voltage is even slightly less, because of the power management/protection circuit.
  
 However, the TPA6120 can output more power into low impedance loads (although this is mostly useful only for orthodynamic headphones), as it has a higher current limit than even two parallel NJM4556's. Also, sound card manufacturers may prefer the use of a single SMT chip for the headphone amplifier. Still, it is surprising that no sound card uses a similar solution to the O2, given that it can perform so well at a low cost.


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## stv014

cimbolic said:


> What does that mean?
> Can it play FLAC @ 24bit 88.2kHz & 24bit 176.4kHz or not?


 
  
 The hardware does support analog output at 88.2 and 176.4 kHz sample rates, I can confirm this on Linux. However, it is possible that C-Media/ASUS did not implement those sample rates in the WIndows drivers because of the lack of market demand.


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## bcschmerker4

Well, Maxed Tech® has no qualms about handling 176.4 kHz in UNi XONAR® Audio Software™ 1.7x, which packs the same C-Media® CMI-8788 Driver going into the Win8 version of Asus® XONAR® Audio Center™.  I'm running Release 1.63 in my Asus® CM1630-06 as modified, as of 21 March 2014; with an EAH6850 DirectCU® video card right alongside the XONAR® Essence™ STX™ (literally!) on my rig (forced by both the slot layout of the stock M4A78LT-M mobo and the DirectCU® fansink contraindicating the Essence™ ST™ on account of airflow issues), I can vouch for the STX'™ shielding, and the STX™ II should perform equally well.


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## Gradius

blackbird09 said:


> Weird. On the old STX there are two regulators (silkscreen component labels: U20, U24) plus empty outline on the silkscreen where another regulator could go (U34). On the STX II the U20 regulator (I assume this is still a 7805) is still there. Both the U24 and U34 spots are populated with two identical ICs. Could these be some weird SMD regulators?
> 
> Here is the area I'm talking about on the STX II:


 
 Yes, I saw those two odd ICs too.  Without the card in my hands, or a proper photo quality, or someone to write what ICs are they... we can't say anything about them.


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## HiFan

I used to have STX. It is quite a good card except for the pre-installed OP-AMPs. It looks like ASUS has slight improved the clock by using TCXO clock. As for the red WIMA, it could be a downside for some.
  
 Again, Asus is pre-installing weird OP-AMP combos. I happened to have 8820 and 8920. Both are very expensive but not good at all for music playback. OPA2111 will be a lot better in terms of SQ and keeps the same warm signature... Perhaps MUSES are just more tempting for many.
  
 Anyway, it is good to see new music-oriented product coming out.


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## Ars92

Hmm, I guess the release date for this will be towards the end of this year? Can't find anything about that on the Internet. 

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk


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## blackie333

I hope you are wrong, I'm waiting for the release and plan to buy the card asap.
 As the pictures and card information are already available on official Asus pages, I'm expecting the actual release date to be sooner than later.
  
 If anyone here knows more details, please share


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## Ars92

I sure do hope I'm wrong too. These card looks pretty interesting. Looking to upgrade from my DX to this one.


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## Renfield1217

I also am excited about this card (I just sent back an ST to wait for this). I would think this would hit the US market just ahead of the holiday buying season.
 I have not seen any reviews or talk of them as of yet and the US version of the Asus site still does not list them.
  
 We might be in for a wait until it's released.


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## Linkin

Looking forward to picking one of these up, including the daughterboard.
  
 How to the muse opamps compare to LME49720 and LM6172?
  
 A little bummed they are still using a molex and not a sata connector...
  
 Pricing is also yet to be seen...


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## blackie333

On this Hungarian website: http://prohardver.hu/hir/asus_xonar_essence_stx_ii_7_1_hangkartya.html
 I have found information that the card should be available from the middle of April for a price approx. 200 EUR.
  
 If it's true, then the price is little higher than I have expected, probably because of those expensive MUSE opamp chips included (although I plan to use LME49720 chips for my card). Whether the new card is really better sounding(and by how much) compared to the original STX has yet to be seen


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## Ra97oR

Yet again, those are cheap MUSE chips. No where near the price of a MUSE 01 or MUSE 02, they are different things.


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## HiFan

ra97or said:


> Yet again, those are cheap MUSE chips. No where near the price of a MUSE 01 or MUSE 02, they are different things.


 
 01 and 02 both have pretty awkward price. $50 each, that price is in the same range with several famous TO-99 opamps. It is very difficult for people to try them out and justify their price.
  
 I will be really happy if ASUS could just cut these muses 8x20 and put in OP amps like opa2111. Combo such as opa627bq + opa249 will be much better and definitely more widely welcomed than current configuration, and remain the same cost or less.
  
 But again, I think Asus just put in these MUSES to attract eyeballs. Not every consumer understand the difference between ICs. All they concern is how good they appears to be in a quick Google search. Muses probably wins in that battle.


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## Savian

Many pictures with the real product on my review.
  
 You can use google translate for the text, is romanian. The english version will be ready later.
  
 http://soundnews.ro/2014/04/10/asus-essence-stx-ii-review/


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## Piospi

Hi, I have a Xonar ST. Is it worth it to change to STX II? 
The advantage for me is PCIE, new motherboards doesn't have PCI.


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## verde57

Are those WIMA an upgrade that I could do to my ST? any reason to do it?


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## finaxe

piospi said:


> Hi, I have a Xonar ST. Is it worth it to change to STX II?
> The advantage for me is PCIE, new motherboards doesn't have PCI.


 
  
 STX II = Better clock and better current filtering = Better sound


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## Renfield1217

Looks like reviews are starting to trickle in
  
http://www.kitguru.net/components/soundcard/zardon/asus-essence-stx-ii-7-1-sound-card-headphone-amplifier-review/


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## Gradius

More:
 http://www.reviewstudio.net/1744-asus-essence-stx-ii-soundcard-review-pc-s-high-end-audio


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## Gradius

About OPAs (ICs) they are all bad jokes after you compare them with solid state OPAMPs.


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## germanium

gradius said:


> About OPAs (ICs) they are all bad jokes after you compare them with solid state OPAMPs.


 

 They are not bad jokes if you know how to get the best out of them. Direct coupling & power supply modifications
  is critical to getting the best out of them. I would pit my modified card against with stock IC opamps with any discreet solid state opamp.


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## Gradius

germanium said:


> They are not bad jokes if you know how to get the best out of them. Direct coupling & power supply modifications
> is critical to getting the best out of them. I would pit my modified card against with stock IC opamps with any discreet solid state opamp.


 

 Pretty sure it will be better, but no way to compare it (IMHO).
  
 The difference is just TOO much.


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## Suncatcher

stv014 said:


> It probably still has the same problems as the STX, like the output impedance of the headphone amplifier, and noise with very sensitive headphones/IEMs (due to the lack of analog volume and gain control), maybe even the increased noise floor at 44.1/88.2/176.4 kHz sample rate is still there.


 
 This statement got me curious and at first I thought you maybe experienced a defective unit, because I use an HD 650 and even at 600 ohm setting getting the volume slider on max produces zero practical noise. But to check your statement I plugged in my Xperia PLAY in-ear headphones and at 300 ohm on maximum volume a background noise is evident, low volume, but still very noticeable if no music is playing.
  
 But then you have to remember, this is not a sound card designed to drive low sensitivity headphones. At 600 ohm, this is a monster sound card to drive brutal diaphragms. If you want to use low sensitivity headphones it's probably better to stay away from a monster card like the STX.
  
 Not everyone will agree with what I'm saying, thinking that a good card will handle any headphone with perfection, but there is a fact in the engineering world that is inevitable: if you gain too much on one side you'll also lose on the opposite. The fact that the STX performs with incredible performance on higher end headphones and has background noise on lower end headphones shows that the STX was clearly engineered towards high end, and I accept that. I won't use my cellphone in-ear phones on my PC.
  
 The noise is not a problem on this card if you use a headphone recommended for a card like this. I call this "using a product the way it was intended to". It's the same as trying to use 10" wheels (headphones) with an off-road vehicle (sound card). It will work, but with clear limitations.


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## Suncatcher

suncatcher said:


> ...because I use an HD 650 and even at 600 ohm setting getting the volume slider on max produces zero practical noise.


 
 I want to correct this statement. I did more tests and I can actually hear a very, very low and subtle noise on max with the HD 650. But then again, I always listen to music at 300 ohm at 10% volume. That noise is REALLY light years from being heard in these amplification conditions.
  
 Turning an HD 650 at maximum volume @ 600 ohm on an STX is begging for losing your hearing. It's nuts and might also damage the diaphragms.


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## bcschmerker4

finaxe said:


> STX II = Better clock and better current filtering = Better sound


 

 Concerning the clock on the STX™ II, what additional power connections, if any, would I need to retrofit the TCXO to my first-gen STX™?  Asus® is obviously reading the reviews of mods; my first-gen STX™ (and the ST™ before it) used a different crystal from the temperature-controlled one in the second-gen.


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## networkn

I was considering upgrading, but I have the same problem I've got with the STX, that the SPDIF and COAX are combined, and if I want my BiFrost and Logitech Speaker System connected via digital, then I am out of options unless I do the biFrost via  USB. I don't think you can use the motherboard onboard sound AND the STX at the same time right?


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## PurpleAngel

networkn said:


> I was considering upgrading, but I have the same problem I've got with the STX, that the SPDIF and COAX are combined, and if I want my BiFrost and Logitech Speaker System connected via digital, then I am out of options unless I do the biFrost via  USB. I don't think you can use the motherboard on-board sound AND the STX at the same time right?


 
  
 Why not just replace the Essence STX with a cheaper Xonar DX?
 Connect the Bifrost with the optical and connect the Logitech speakers to the analog outputs on the Xonar DX.
 I would guess the Xonar DX's CS4398 DAC chip should match or better the Logitech's DAC chip.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

If any STX II purchasers are either disappointed with their purchase/or doesn't need it or wants to try something else I'd gladly trade my SoundBlaster ZxR for your STX II.


----------



## networkn

So is the consensus that the STX II isn't worth the $200 to upgrade over the STX 1?


----------



## PurpleAngel

networkn said:


> So is the consensus that the STX II isn't worth the $200 to upgrade over the STX 1?


 
  
 I would guess it a better value to just get better(?) op-amps ($55) for your STX.
 AD797BR or LME49990, or other.


----------



## bcschmerker4

networkn said:


> So is the consensus that the STX II isn't worth the $200 to upgrade over the STX 1?


 
  


purpleangel said:


> I would guess it a better value to just get better(?) op-amps ($55) for your STX.
> AD797BR or LME49990, or other.


 
  
 I consider the STX™ II more an outright replacement for the ST™ when upgrading to a new system with PCI-Express x1.  I'm currently awaiting a reply on another Thread concerning a TCXO retrofit to the original STX™; all three will use dual amplifiers consistent in supply parameters and pinout with the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM4562N (a broad field including several MUSES, Brown-Burr/TI, Analog Devices, and competitive items in the JEDEC DIP8 package), in addition to modifications to retrofit pairs of surface-mount op amps (such as the NSC LME49990MA) and splice bypass capacitors from the adapter PCB's to the card's supply rails.


----------



## networkn

purpleangel said:


> Why not just replace the Essence STX with a cheaper Xonar DX?
> Connect the Bifrost with the optical and connect the Logitech speakers to the analog outputs on the Xonar DX.
> I would guess the Xonar DX's CS4398 DAC chip should match or better the Logitech's DAC chip.


 
  
  
 Well the STX has analog outs too right via RCA? Actually my Logitechs seem to have only a 3 x 3.5mm input, or Coax or Optical.


----------



## Linkin

linkin said:


> Looking forward to picking one of these up, including the daughterboard.
> 
> How to the muse opamps compare to LME49720 and LM6172?
> 
> ...


 
  
 So I picked up a second hand STX II for $250 AUD including daughterboard (Retail price here is $399 AUD)
  
 The muses op amps are ****. Listened to them once and put the LME47920NA's straight back in.
  
 Now it sounds as good as the STX. Yet to evaluate if it sounds better or worse.
  
  
 So as it stands, if you have the STX, upgrade the op amps and don't worry about an STX II. I prefer the styling on the old card anyway (black and gold, not grey and silver like on the new one)


----------



## Incognito73

linkin said:


> So I picked up a second hand STX II for $250 AUD including daughterboard (Retail price here is $399 AUD)
> 
> The muses op amps are ****. Listened to them once and put the LME47920NA's straight back in.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Well, exactly. After 6 years or so, one would expect that Asus move things a bit forward with the Essence ST(X) series. It's same old anti-inovative tech, tweaked here and there with the same old problems. To put it blantatly, STX II was the card to begin with back in the days.
  
 Regarding opamps, I had best of luck with dual mono LME49900
  
 My Essence ST is up for sale not because it's a bad card or I want to upgrade to STX II (although I did consider) ... but funny enough I dusted off my Cantatis Overture 192 for a quick run and was properly blown away. I recently upgraded my system and it's extremely reveling, so it may happen that Overture is now properly picked up in the audio chain. It's a great card: dual (mono) PCM1794A DAC design, four stage analogue power supplies,discrete design and made in the UK! I guess that it can compete with the DACs many times the price. I'm sucker for the sound cards btw  ... I've been integrating them for over 20 years or so. They are incredibly underestimated as excellent (and wallet friendly) source in the audio chain. So yeah, it was completely unexpected upgrade and didn't cost anything 
  
I may be tempted with the second hand (only) STX II for my second system, as I don't have many motherboards left with native PCI slots. Actually, I don't understand why Asus didn't opt for native PCI-e chipset this time (like for example CMI 8788DH Oxygen Express) but still using that dreadful Asmedia PCI bridge.


----------



## bcschmerker4

incognito73 said:


> ....I may be tempted with the second hand (only) STX II for my second system, as I don't have many motherboards left with native PCI slots. Actually, I don't understand why Asus didn't opt for native PCI-e chipset this time (like for example CMI 8788DH Oxygen Express) but still using that dreadful Asmedia PCI bridge.


 
 CMI-8788? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I think ye refer to the C-Media® CMI-8888DHT around which ASUSTeK Computer designed the gaming-specific ROG® XONAR® Phoebus™.  The STX™ II is a product improvement of a known working package for the music fan - does "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" ring a bell?  Should I land an STX™ II at some future date, I'll swap in an I-V major upgrade around up to sixteen National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LME49990MA's (in for the eight stock MUSES dual op amps) and call it done.


----------



## Incognito73

Yes, CMI-8888 native PCI-e chipset from Xonar Phoebus ... you are right about the error. I was thinking about Phoebus but writing about Essence 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  Your moto "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" does ring a bell for me and it's perfectly fine in general world - but Head-Fi wouldn't exist today if that's general practice in HiFi 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




  In some sense, one should never stop at what has been already accomplished and I still believe that Essence sound cards can be improved. Asus is just a bit lazy imho and STX II is just basic product refresh.
  
 Sound cards for music fans ... well that's a good thing to thinker about. Quite probably Cantatis Overture for me, at the moment. Pure stereo design, no fuss, no unecessary features, excellent discrete design, exemplary build quality, stable audio drivers hacked to support 88.2 and presenting the sound card as digital audio device (so no nasty windows mixer involvement) ... but I have a feeling that Cantatis will suffer the same fate as Auzentech. Speaking of Auzentech,  Meridian 7.1 2G was probably only sound card I found better then Essence series. I've sold it ages ago and I'm  deeply regretting it now. Anyhow ... don't want to drift from the thread subject.


----------



## Circumaural

Apparently Asus isn't planning on selling the STX II in North America as per the following link:

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?46619-ASUS-Essence-STX-II&s=ff2ae0d8bc47213f362a07de229c7dec

Amazon in the UK has them for sale, the STX II 7.1 version is currently going for 189.99 GBP.


----------



## Savian

Here is the english version of my review:
 http://soundnews.ro/2014/06/28/asus-essence-stx-ii-review-english-version/


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

savian said:


> Here is the english version of my review:
> http://soundnews.ro/2014/06/28/asus-essence-stx-ii-review-english-version/


 

 You got me slightly curious on the STX II now. I've got a ZxR sitting on the shelf since I didn't like the sound of it (I prefer the onboard Realtek ALC1150 with NE5532 opamps that my new motherboard has over it even). Particularly I liked the comment versus the other source that STX II has a more "closer to the scene" presentation which is to my taste, I don't like a laid-back concert hall sound but want to be engaged with more in your face sound so transparency isn't my number 1 concern, do you think STX II might be a good fit for me?


----------



## PurpleAngel

rpgwizard said:


> You got me slightly curious on the STX II now. I've got a ZxR sitting on the shelf since I didn't like the sound of it (I prefer the onboard Realtek ALC1150 with NE5532 opamps that my new motherboard has over it even). Particularly I liked the comment versus the other source that STX II has a more "closer to the scene" presentation which is to my taste, I don't like a laid-back concert hall sound but want to be engaged with more in your face sound so transparency isn't my number 1 concern, do you think STX II might be a good fit for me?


 
  
 When you were using the SB-ZxR, was the on-board disabled?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

purpleangel said:


> When you were using the SB-ZxR, was the on-board disabled?


 


 I've tried the ZxR like 3-4 times and made sure onboard is disabled in BIOS and always came to the same conclusion; what's bugging me on ZxR is the soundstage is very "in-your-head" and the bass is bloated & muddy in the subbass. I think it's how the Creative has its own way of handling speaker config in the Z series which is the problem. The soundstaging improves slightly if I choose the RCA out and use "speakers" as output device, the "Headphone" setting in Creative's control panel messes with soundstage negatively (I'm the person that prefers more a out-of your head soundstage and the onboard does this suprisingly well if using 5.1 speakers (soundstaging sucks with stereo though on the onboard).

 The onboard solutions these days, the ALC1150 is the "flagship" Realtek chip these days surprise me, then couple together with a very nicely configured package on the ASRock boards dubbed "Purity Sound" (I did get the chance to compare them both with ASUS ROG VI Hero since I had both boards ordered which also uses ALC1150 chip but different amping/caps config and in comparison the ASUS motherboard sounded a lot worse (muddy, lacking highs but had quite sweet fullbodied mids but bass was also waaaaaay too bloated, it was way bassier and bloated than ZxR even).

 The only thing I reaaally liked in ZxR was the midrange, that was beautifully sounding with very lifelike piano/vocals voicing etc but both highs and bass and soundstaging goes to the onboard.

 Since the ASUS Xonar drivers seems to have a lot more common software wise with onboard (CMedia if I'm not mistaken?), maybe I'm more lucky with that, I still think it's the way Creative handles speaker config and possibly add some own HRTF (because the settings in creative driver panel and windows isn't synced like they are on onboard) is the thing that simply doesn't work for my ears/mind.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Quick question, the STX II version without the extra daughterboard for analog 7.1 output, it still allows up to 7.1 processing internally right? (it's still selectable in the software?) Surprisingly hard to find an answer since all the reviews of the STX II is the 7.1 analog output version.

 For gaming in mind, I'm slightly curious in the Xonar ROG Phoebus card too due to Dolby Home Theater v4 which seems to work pretty well for gaming but the sound quality again is a lot worse of that card in comparison to STX/STX II. It's a shame STX II doesn't support it!

 EDIT: Nevermind on Dolby Home Theater v4, everything sounds too "distant" after checking a couple of youtube vids which leads to less immersion.


----------



## bcschmerker4

rpgwizard said:


> Quick question, the STX II version without the extra daughterboard for analog 7.1 output, it still allows up to 7.1 processing internally right? (it's still selectable in the software?) Surprisingly hard to find an answer since all the reviews of the STX II is the 7.1 analog output version.
> 
> For gaming in mind, I'm slightly curious in the Xonar ROG Phoebus card too due to Dolby Home Theater v4 which seems to work pretty well for gaming but the sound quality again is a lot worse of that card in comparison to STX/STX II. It's a shame STX II doesn't support it!
> 
> EDIT: Nevermind on Dolby Home Theater v4, everything sounds too "distant" after checking a couple of youtube vids which leads to less immersion.


 

 In fact, the Essence™ STX II packs digital 7.1 capability from the outset, as does the original STX, but is also engineered to drive the Asus® XONAR® H6™ daughtercard for analog connections to the Side, Rear, Front-Center, and Subwoofer channels.  Additionally, the latest drivers for the CMI-8788 from C-Media International allow for scaling the Effects section's virtual room to three sizes, as I found in Maxed Tech® UNi XONAR® Audio Software™ 1.71.


----------



## verde57

bcschmerker4 said:


> retrofit to the original STX™; splice bypass capacitors from the adapter PCB's to the card's supply rails.


 
 where can I find more details about this?


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Ordered the STX II, now let's hope for the best. Would be awkward if after BOTH trying STX II and ZxR I'd still use onboard.


----------



## Ultracer

Where can i order one in the us?


----------



## richbass

rpgwizard said:


> Ordered the STX II, now let's hope for the best. Would be awkward if after BOTH trying STX II and ZxR I'd still use onboard.


 
 Congratulations. Where did you order it from ? Do share your impressions with us. Thank you.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

richbass said:


> Congratulations. Where did you order it from ? Do share your impressions with us. Thank you.


 

 I'm from Finland so I ordered from a finnish store with -6% off so it matched amazon.co.uk pricing. There's been a bit delay with the shipping though due to labor strike with the postal service so might get it hopefully on monday or tuesday.

 I hope there are experienced opamp rollers around if I don't like the stock signature. That's a new field for me so don't know anything about which chips sounds like what.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

So I picked it up today. After a little testing I definitely like it more than ZxR soundwise from a soundstaging point of view but the funny thing is that I still think the onboard Realtek solution on my ASRock Extreme6 Z87 with a ALC1150 chip and two TI NE5532 onboard amps sounds (which is by far the best sounding onboard chip solution I've tried) at least like 80% of that of STX II and has a very similar sound signature too, only small small differences. The ZxR stood out more clearly in sound having a much more bloated subbass response and the highs slightly bit toned down. The STX II in comparison to the ZxR is less bloated in the subbass and a brighter but the onboard may be like ~5% brighter still leading to the STX II sounding ever so bit smoother/more fullbodied than the onboard. For my equipment the STX II and Realtek is a much better fit making the ZxR sound too warm and too bloated in the subbass.

 So far it's difficult to say with the stock STX II opamps whether or not I prefer the Realtek or STX II, the Realtek have suprisingly tight and punchy bass characteristics which is highly attractive to me personally, in that aspect it may even be slightly bit favorable but the mids may be like slightly bit favorable towards STX II but I'm unsure whether I find the highs TOO smooth or not. Might need to try some other opamps.

 Edit: The other included opamps just plain sucked to my ears, not that much of a different sound signature, just less clear, almost shockingly muffled so avoid those, there's a reason the muse (although cheaper models) are used by default.


----------



## Incognito73

Intriguing it is 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ... I have *exactly* the same motherboard and never bothered with onboard sound solution! I'm on discrete atm (at the time was considering STX II too) ... so may, just may, try the onboard  as one purely fun fueled exercise ,  as I hear from you that onboard is certainly no slouch at all. On the other hand, maybe it's not good idea as I may question my existing "high end" audio chain - and that would be no fun at all 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Who would say that ASRock will take such care of audio circuit ...


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

incognito73 said:


> Intriguing it is
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Has to be said that it also has to be setup correctly (I'm the person who would try ticking/disabling every possible checkbox and audition what happens), the only config which sounds good for music (good soundstaging) and quite okay positioning for gaming is when speaker config set to:
  

  
 With stereo speaker config, the soundstaging and imaging is just horrible with Realtek, I tend to prefer 5.1 with it. Now those speaker checkboxes needs to be EXACTLY like that too or otherwise you will be missing front and rear sounds in games. With ASUS STX II that wasn't the case, in fact a premilary quick test concluded I'd just select 8 speakers in the ASUS control panel and be done with it which will have all checkboxes selected and you won't miss any sounds in games either, with the ASUS card I'd say slightly preferred 7.1 speakers as opposed to 5.1 like with onboard, there's some slight differences how the positioning/imaging is while gaming, nothing major. On the onboard I think 7.1 is tiny bit worse than 5.1 though, it's like the positioning becomes slightly bit more messy while with STX II 8 speaker setting actually handles it quite nicely and it sounds more smoother processed on a 360 degree and possibly ever so tiny bit less "in-your-face".

 Also another slight tweak I like to do with Realtek as it very slightly affects how the soundstaging is projected is to go to the "Levels" tab in properties for the Realtek "speaker" output in the windows control panel and scroll down to the last volume slider, the "front" vol slider and decrease it from 100 -> 97%. This seems to make the mids come slightly less centered/in-your-face with 5.1 speaker config allowing for a bit more realistic/spacious soundstaging. It's not the same as just decreasing/increasing the volume, I've focused on this thing changing back n forth and with critical listening you can hear it does give a slight improvement in that regard. So with these things in mind, the Realtek cope well in terms of soundstaging, now ASUS does a very similar job with 5.1/7.1 speakers. ZxR I found can't give the same kind of virtual 5.1 sound, must be a driver/software processing thing. If I'm not mistaken the ASUS drivers and Realtek drivers are built from CMedia? If so I'm not totally surprised.


----------



## donaldduck2004

Hey guys I'd like to try this Asus...but I'd like to kow if it would be good for a pair of dt990 (250 ohm) or with a couple of empire r1900 or It's only a way to waste money?
  
 Then it would be so much better than STX (first version) or ST (I'm talking about sound,flexibility,driver support)?
  
 Thanks


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Today have been quite satisfied with the STX II. 8 Channels, 24bit/44.1kHz, EQ etc disabled. I've tried Dolby headphones before for gaming so that's no news, it varies quite a lot from game to game if I like it or not (It's not something I'd use on say any UE3 engine based game as that game has good natural processing as long as you stick to 5.1/7.1 speakers for example). I definitely prefer DH-1 mode since DH-2 starts to sound slightly bit too distant to me already and DH-3 is obviously too reverby and too spacious. DH-1 has a closest to natural sounding distance to stuff, especially if you're standing in front of an NPC talking for example, give it some slight bit of a EQ tweak (since DH adds a slight bass boost and slight highs cut) and results slightly improve too (bit of a bass decrease and very slight highs increase (like 1-2 steps down in the bass range) and like 1 step up at 4kHz, 2 steps up at 8kHz and 16kHz or something along those lines. Having set up like this, especially indoor voices sound particularly convincing in Skyrim, like being in the same place even it feels like.

 Yesterday I was unsure whether or not the highs were too smooth but today after having played around a little with gain settings, amp volume vs source volume, I've found that it's just fine, pretty much on the same level as the Realtek onboard source which I also found to have really good synergy with my setup. In this case I have to say the most notable difference comparing the STX II to the Realtek has to be the midrange, it offers a bit better resolution there, as for the bass and highs, I dunno, it feels actually quite neck and neck, nothing particularly standing clearly out as noticeably better (the bass on the STX II sounds like reaching/offering ever so tiny bit more very very low bass but the onboard is no slouch either and it's stepped up a bigtime since say 4-5 years time or so when onboard always had crappy bass output still. Besides I'm personally looking for punch rather than quantity bass so it's not necessarily a pro either having more, the ZxR was definitely too bloated in the deep subbass for my needs) but yea I was almost shocked the first time I auditioned this motherboard's amped output (only the frontpanel is amped to the capability of driving up to 600 ohm headphones so I can get probs with noise depending on amp volume set as you can imagine so therefore I used to keep the amp vol a bit lower and source a bit higher when using that (I'm using the fully analog amp digiZoid ZO2.1 if any1 wonders which was designed to be used out of a headphone jack). Anyway I hear a night and day difference between plugging to the onboard's frontpanel amped output compared to the rear panel which is significantly less powerful (and sounds less clear, muddier, less dynamic etc and comparing to that there would be a night and day win for STX II but from the frontpanel the difference isn't such huge like some most people have thought, it's specced as 115dB SNR which starts to be high for Realtek though).

 The 4-level gain settings is a nice touch on the STX II, the normal gain <64 ohm setting works perfectly with my M-Audio Q40 with 64 ohm impedance. The 16-32 ohm gain setting is a nice touch though for IEMs or very sensitive headphones.

 I checked the latency and it's not quite ideal but varies between like 25 - 52 microseconds (usually there around 50 while in use).

 EDIT: slightly offtopic but interesting food for thought. Just as an example what kind of capacities the onboard solutions can have these days. If I'd have the digiZoid ZO2.1 amp volume set to max vol from the amped onboard jack I'd have to use like 7%(!) windows volume on the source, every 1% would give a very noticeable difference in volume, I'd probably already starting feeling uncomfortable at like 10-12% haha. Now with ZxR for example I was more like 9-10% for normal listening volume if amp was set to max. I haven't tested with STX II but I suppose it's more like 6% probably too at max gain so yea it's crazy what kind of power they stuff directly onto onboard solutions these days, especially in such a noisy environment and not even being able to select any gain levels, one gain level for 16 - 600 ohm, yea right!!


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

Switching back to Onboard after having used the STX II exclusively for a few days I become instantly a bit unsure with the STX II. The soundstaging seems to be a bit more to my liking on the onboard still if using the particular config I posted above. It seems more speaker-like, free-roaming, around the head, doesn't sound very in-your-head at all. Damn. xD 

 There's slightly bit better resolution in the mids in the STX II but otherwise I don't instantly feel a big downgrade in sound quality but the soundstaging differences stands out quite a bit to me. This kind of sucks, I'd want better SQ but with the soundstaging of onboard.  Soundstaging is a big deal when you use a closed headphone with not overly good soundstage ability but with onboard it takes it more closer to open headphone staging so it's kind of hard to ignore that.


----------



## x7007

rpgwizard said:


> Switching back to Onboard after having used the STX II exclusively for a few days I become instantly a bit unsure with the STX II. The soundstaging seems to be a bit more to my liking on the onboard still if using the particular config I posted above. It seems more speaker-like, free-roaming, around the head, doesn't sound very in-your-head at all. Damn. xD
> 
> There's slightly bit better resolution in the mids in the STX II but otherwise I don't instantly feel a big downgrade in sound quality but the soundstaging differences stands out quite a bit to me. This kind of sucks, I'd want better SQ but with the soundstaging of onboard.  Soundstaging is a big deal when you use a closed headphone with not overly good soundstage ability but with onboard it takes it more closer to open headphone staging so it's kind of hard to ignore that.


 
 How can I set the Xonar Phoebus to have the same 7.1 channel Headphone settings like the STX .  I have dolby home v4 installed  and do I need to enable Surround Virtualizer headphones or just enabling DHV4 is enough to enable the Surround Decoder ?
  
 If I see  MKV DTS movies with media player, what settings should I select in the audio option, Stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 . What should I select if I see 7.1 movie ?
  
 It's so hard to know what to select compare to Razer Surround Headphones that has 7.1 discrete channels, u just set to 7.1 and done with it.


----------



## donaldduck2004

hey guys!
 is there a big difference of sound quality between 1st and 2nd version ? I would avoid spend 50 euros...or 2nd version  of them worth?
  
 I'm talking about of only 2.1 usage and headphones of max 300/600 ohm...


----------



## raymond555

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728124/asus-stx-ii-vs-creative-zxr


----------



## donaldduck2004

raymond555 said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/t/728124/asus-stx-ii-vs-creative-zxr


 
 ok but what about the first version? I know it's a very good audio card...I would know if I should spend 50 euros more than the first version... (I would use only for headphones (300/600 ohm) and a pair of r1900tii)


----------



## koshtramba

Wow, that sounds really interesting! I used to own both the ST and the Essence One, any idea if these are already available for ordering online? I'd love to check out the Muses sound!


----------



## donaldduck2004

hey guys do you think it's better buy the second version or I could save some money taking the version one?
 I would use it only for 2.1 + headphones so I don't think I'll need of H6 module.
  
 What do you think?


----------



## Ultracer

donaldduck2004 said:


> hey guys do you think it's better buy the second version or I could save some money taking the version one?
> I would use it only for 2.1 + headphones so I don't think I'll need of H6 module.
> 
> What do you think?



I use both cards, if you are not someone who seeks for the last few percent in audio fidelity, you should just go with version one. With that said, version two isnt that much better than version one.


----------



## donaldduck2004

ultracer said:


> I use both cards, if you are not someone who seeks for the last few percent in audio fidelity, you should just go with version one. With that said, version two isnt that much better than version one.


 
 With that said, I think I'll take the version one (100 euros for a used one I think it's a good price)


----------



## BigTerminator

donaldduck2004 said:


> hey guys do you think it's better buy the second version or I could save some money taking the version one?
> I would use it only for 2.1 + headphones so I don't think I'll need of H6 module.
> 
> What do you think?


 
 You can see my audio setup in my signature. I would recommend getting the Essence ST. The original STX cannot take the H6 and apparently clocks bad. If you are doing true 2.1 then you need the H6 to act as a crossover UNLESS if you have a subwoofer with line level inputs/outputs or some form of bass management. Also make sure you get a low ripple power supply. Just upgraded my power supply and sound was a little better, not much but a little. And get some 49720 op amps and call it a day.


----------



## bcschmerker4

bigterminator said:


> ...I would recommend getting the Essence ST. The original STX cannot take the H6 and apparently clocks bad. If you are doing true 2.1 then you need the H6 to act as a crossover UNLESS if you have a subwoofer with line level inputs/outputs or some form of bass management. Also make sure you get a low ripple power supply. Just upgraded my power supply and sound was a little better, not much but a little. And get some 49720 op amps and call it a day.


 
 On my Asus® CM1630-06, the original XONAR® ST™ is not an option; it would cut off cooling air for the EAH6850 DirectCU® - design limitation of the stock M5A78LT-M/CSM mobo, which has the legacy PCI 2.2 slots below the PCIe x16 (now populated by the EAH6850DC) below the PCIe x1 (populated by the XONAR® STX™).  Perhaps the time is right to see how the new STX™ II does w/r/t the original ST™.
  
 Installing the EAH6850DC, I pulled the CM1630's stock 350W LiteOn® in favor of a 750W Antec® TruePower® New™ to remedy a specvio concerning the SATA drives (viz., provide a source of +3.3VDC to the hard and optical drives that was lacking on the stocker), as well as provide power for the video and audio cards; the 750 has not presented any issues, sonically or otherwise.


----------



## donaldduck2004

Typically the power supply change something only if you pass from the worst Chinese PS to a good antec or seasonic...


----------



## richbass

koshtramba said:


> Wow, that sounds really interesting! I used to own both the ST and the Essence One, any idea if these are already available for ordering online? I'd love to check out the Muses sound!


 

 And what do you own now ? Sir.


----------



## D126

STX2/ZxR/STX/Titanium HD - which one would you guys recommend?


----------



## hypr

Can anyone tell me where this can be purchased in the US? I can't seem to find it anywhere, but people talk about it as though it's readily available....


----------



## Ultracer

You should go with the STX. The STX 2 can be purchased from Amazon


----------



## hypr

Why should I go with the STX? I want 7.1 capability with the add-on card and I can't seem to get that with the STX.
  
 Also, I had checked Amazon before but I only see it being sold by some place called "Cellular Shack" for over $400...


----------



## Ultracer

hypr said:


> Why should I go with the STX? I want 7.1 capability with the add-on card and I can't seem to get that with the STX.
> 
> Also, I had checked Amazon before but I only see it being sold by some place called "Cellular Shack" for over $400...


 
 Oh I thought that you are just using the card for its stereo output. If you need 7.1, just go with the stx 2.
 Currently STX 2 is not sold in the US yet, from what I know. In Singapore where i live, the stx 2 7.1 is sold at around 333usd. So yeah, you can either pull the trigger, or wait a few more months for its availability.


----------



## BigTerminator

Get an essence ST if you want 7.1. The STX 2 is worth maybe an extra $30-50 over the ST, not almost double. Either wait for the STX 2 to come to America or buy a used Essence ST for around $130.


----------



## Ainalcar

Hey guys, can someone tell me if they fixed this annoying buzzing for input while gpu is under load?
 I have this issue with my STX one and there are a lot of talk on the boards about this issue, so it isn't a malfunction.
 If this has been discussed before - sorry, i tried but couldn't find it.


----------



## Ultracer

You try to get a different gpu and psu to go with your stx? I guess it's just problems with your psu, unable to produce clean power under heavy gpu load, affecting your stx


----------



## Ainalcar

redundant


----------



## Ainalcar

For unknown reasons, my post was deleted.. Can i not post links to another threads from this forum? A pm would be nice.
  
 To summarize what i was saying..
  
 I built pretty much everything anew except for PSU which may seem a good indicator for you being right about where the problem lies but before buying another one I'd rather rule everything else out.
  
 I tried to stress my PSU by putting stress onto my CPU with Prime95 and the mic - in was crystal clear. I tried switching lines since my PSU is semi - modular but it didn't help.
  
 Other people reported that shielding the open part of the Audio Card didn't help and suggested using a Ground Loop Isolator instead.
  
 So far I didn't find any indication for whether it was helpful or not, but it seems unlikely since the signal "originates" at the microphone and not in the PC, so filtering it before the Audio Card is kinda pointless.
  
 I'd rather try using a Ferrite bead on the Molex cable which goes into the Audio Card, but in my opinion the chances of it helping me are also very grim.
  
 Does anyone have any ideas how to make sure the problem lies with the PSU without actually exchanging it? ^^
  
 Thanks in advance!
  
 edit:
  
 some people apparently tried replacing the PSU and it didnt help..
 "..took my PC to the local PC shop, they tried a new PSU and GPU...same issue.."


----------



## manningr83

I recently added a Sound Blaster Z to my system and the static from mic recordings is terrible when compared to the X-Fi Platinum it replaced. It's so bad that Crystal voice noise cancellation needs to be enabled for any voip and then audio quality just drops off a cliff!
  
 I tried a Asus Xonar DS in the same system and although it produced slightly less gain with the same microphone the background hiss and clarity was the best out of the three cards tested and no helicopter/buzz interference. I cannot vouch for the ZxR but the Z or Zx are not great for mic use at all!
  
 My PSU is a Corsair AX850 which I believe is a re branded Seasonic. GPU is a Asus DirectCU II GTX670.  
  
 I am also concerned if I change the Sound Blaster Z to the STX II I might just end up with another microphone issue.


----------



## BigTerminator

If you are having mic issues with internal cards then you best get an external mic pre amp or ADC of some sort, or even get a USB mic. These sounds cards should not be that bad with mics for say gaming. If you need studio quality stuff then do not even bother with the sound cards. They spend the money on the DAC not the ADC.  Your power supply is good so either your mic sucks or the card is malfunctioning. Try an STX first, the STX II is not worth the double price tag. Or again get something separate for your mic and keep your card for playback only.


----------



## manningr83

Thank you for your help on this. I was actually considering a Focusrite Scarlett Solo or something similar alongside a desktop condenser microphone. I already have an O2+ODAC so with this combination the sound cards only purpose would be as a DSP for Dolby headphone / SBX Surround.
  
 To be fair the Sound Blaster Z microphone input is acceptable for games but when compared to other cards its one of the worst in its class.
  
 Someone else is having the exact same issue here http://www.head-fi.org/t/725685/eliminating-modmic-1-0-microphone-hiss-on-soundblaster-z
  
 STX II would be a better fit for me due to the low gain option for IEM'S but other than that I agree that the STX is much better value.


----------



## bcschmerker4

Thanks for the details, @BigTerminator.  From my experience with the STX™, @manningr83, the mic/line input is clean enough with -10dBV stereo and does need care for adequate shielding with most computer mics.  I got decent results with, of all things, a Sony® SingStar® cardioid line-powered condenser mic (+3.6VDC on the Signal Out) on a Creative Laboratories® SB0350 PCI 2.0 audio card (said mic requires a Radio Shack® #274-0348 to attach to the Mic/Line In on the STX™).
  
 Unfortunately, it appears that Auzentech, Inc., is no longer in business, making the X-Meridian™ 2G, X-Fi® Bravura™, and X-Fi® Home Theater HD™ non-options, so balanced-monaural mics (such as the Shure® SM48-LC, SM58-LC, SM7-LC, or similar) will require professional gear such as the Creative Laboratories® EM8803 or EM8962 or compatible PCI 2.0 audio cards.  A +48VDC condenser mic will force an external phantom power supply or offboard mixing console.


----------



## Ultracer

ainalcar said:


> Hey guys, can someone tell me if they fixed this annoying buzzing for input while gpu is under load?
> I have this issue with my STX one and there are a lot of talk on the boards about this issue, so it isn't a malfunction.
> If this has been discussed before - sorry, i tried but couldn't find it.



Hey i just thought of this and i guess it could help. Since both you gpu and stx are using the limited 16 pcie lanes, when you push the gpu hard, i guess the problem can come from sharing of pcie lanes. You can try using better platform such as 2011 x99 or x79 to chk for that.


----------



## Strangelove424

ultracer said:


> Hey i just thought of this and i guess it could help. Since both you gpu and stx are using the limited 16 pcie lanes, when you push the gpu hard, i guess the problem can come from sharing of pcie lanes. You can try using better platform such as 2011 x99 or x79 to chk for that.




I highly doubt it's a data bandwidth issue, otherwise the music would cut out. Even if the GPU and sound card were sharing 16x and cut to 8x each, it would hardly effect GPU performance and certainly not hurt audio quality. I've had my sound card sharing lanes with GPU before so speak from personal experience. Buzzing I think would be more caused by the current the GPU is drawing, because some GPUs are getting closer to 300w nowadays when under full power. Poor circuitry, rippling or ineffecient power supply, motherboard with poor power regulation, or even the sound card being too close to the GPU backboard while those 250 or so watts pulsing through it imo are more likely contributing causes.


----------



## x7007

Guys, if sharing IRQ is doing you problem try putting the card in MSI mode, it means it will be as part of a memory and not a part of virtual IRQ which is not real priority.
  
 It was posted on guru3d forum.
  
 Do you want more information ?  search a file named MSI_util.exe , it let you mark the devices you want to change to MSI mode and uncheck for windows Virtual IRQ. 
  
 If you go to Device Manager > View by Type > Scroll down until you see (PCI)   -  - - Take notice on the  (number)  ( - number )
  
 any number that is higher than IRQ 15 means it is virtual.
 any number with a - mark means it is in MSI mode and does not share IRQ
 any device in MSI mode would have low ISR or not at all. ( Latency Mon )
 any device in MSI mode should perform better and have less impact of cpu usage
  
 My Creative ZXR works in MSI mode, Realtek sound cards I don't think that work.
  
 Usually if you have NVIDIA card will not be in MSI mode, should highly prefer you put it on MSI mode and every drive update you will need to check and apply again.
  
 MSI_Util usage
  
 Make sure to have Registry Backup , System Restore for easy management.
  
 If some device doesn't like MSI mode and you get BSOD, you should load Last Known Configuration and don't select this item again, just move on to others.


----------



## Straz

Had the original STX a few years ago, I'm looking to get something aimed towards gaming and virtual surround. Been looking the Q701 + Astro mixamp however I'm going to need a separate amp to give it some more juice. Which then pushes the price up towards the STX II... So I guess it pairs fairly well with the Q701/K701?


----------



## prerich

I know this is Head-Fi.org .... meaning that most people here are using headsets (albeit very good ones) with their computer rigs.  I'm reading a lot of bad post concerning the Muses op-amps in the new Asus STX II .  Well, I find the Muses very favorable - but here's the rub.... I listen on a more traditional rig (Klipsch Cornwalls and a Heresy for center, SVS and Wharfedale subs, and Def Tech rears - Adcom and Yamaha power amps connected directly to my ST/H6 combo with Muses op-amps).  The Muses sound great with free space speakers (at least with this combo).  They really open up the sound - many people say that larger Klipsch can't pull off the disappearing act that a mini monitor can...well mine can and I credit a good deal of it with the sonic character of the Muses.  These op-amps compliment the Klipsch just right. I'm using the Muses 02 and the lesser 8920's.  I believe that we should approach listening as a system rather than just a collection of parts.  Say if someone prefers say the OPA2132P (which is a great op-amp) but it doesn't mate right with the rest of the system....- it's not the op-amps problem, its just not right for that setup. 
  
 My son and I had an extended listening session with the ST using the Muses and it was nothing short of spectacular. Wide, open and deep soundstage! Excellent pinpoint imaging, and the bass was tight and extended. Headphones are a different animal  (I have Grado SR225's that I use at work) and I believe that we should take these different things into consideration before we execute a product.  Mind you, this is all subjective - but at the end of the day...isn't listening a personal thing anyway? 
  
  I'm excited about the STX II (as I will need one the next time I upgrade my motherboard ..if there isn't anything better at that time).


----------



## storris

Hi all,

 I've been milling around audio forums trying to find a suitable sound card for my PC.  I was hoping some enterprising bunch had built a DSD card, but the closest I've got so far is, well, here...
  
 I notice that the Essence ST & STX use a DSD capable chip.  Can the DSD functions be enabled?


----------



## cladisch

> Can the DSD functions be enabled?


 
  
 No; the card's DMA controller does not support moving data in a format suitable for DSD.


----------



## storris

Thanks Cladisch.  I suppose the DMA is a non-hackable component?


----------



## Ultracer

storris said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I've been milling around audio forums trying to find a suitable sound card for my PC.  I was hoping some enterprising bunch had built a DSD card, but the closest I've got so far is, well, here...
> 
> I notice that the Essence ST & STX use a DSD capable chip.  Can the DSD functions be enabled?


 
 Try the Schiit Loki?


----------



## Gradius

Wow.  So little talk on STX 2  so far, perhaps due the price?
  
 http://www.amazon.com/Essence-Express-PCI-E-High-Fidelity-Audio/dp/B00LWFLHDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410703709&sr=8-1
  
 Too expensive compared with STX.


----------



## Ultracer

gradius said:


> Wow.  So little talk on STX 2  so far, perhaps due the price?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Essence-Express-PCI-E-High-Fidelity-Audio/dp/B00LWFLHDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410703709&sr=8-1
> 
> Too expensive compared with STX.


 
 I believe PC audio card reached the end point in term of sound quality/cost. With this sort of price, you may just well go buy dedicated components, like Schiit DAC and Amp, or even those ASUS external DAC Amp.
  
 People say external power circuitry is much better for sound quality, so going away from sound card seems to be the better choice. IDK?
  
 I'm still trying to tell my STX II apart from my Schiit Stack, but It's hard. Training my ear now lol.
  
 Hopefully the STX I/II can redeem the price tag some how. And I'm a pure objectivist, so yeah.


----------



## Strangelove424

ultracer said:


> I'm still trying to tell my STX II apart from my Schiit Stack, but It's hard. Training my ear now lol.


 
  
 Transparent is transparent, if you're getting to the point where it sounds the same, that's just the what the music sounds like and it's time to stop worrying about equipment and enjoy.


----------



## Renfield1217

Looks like this Forum should be picking up shortly. Asus now has the STX II on their US site and seems it includes the opamp kit.


----------



## EdibleStereos

I'd still say sound cards do a better job then most dedicated DACs. The measurements for them are often much better.


----------



## RPGWiZaRD

It took this long for US market to get them? I bought mine ages ago in europe. :O Sadly while pretty okay sounding, mine ended up on my bookshelf, might have tried to sell it if I had known it wasn't available in US. 

 The spare set of opamps were quite useless, the installed muse ones were a night and day improvement over those, was like listening to 1-3 tracks. OK, muse going back.


----------



## Ainalcar

All right, I had enough of the noise in the mic so i ordered some copper EMI tape and went ahead and cloaked the whole soundcard in it.
 Of course not directly on the card but on tissue/tape. Cant test it right now because my motherboard is in RMA and it might take like another 2 weeks or so for it to come back.
 Here is a photo so you get a general idea.
 Or a link, because apparently I can't post photos.
 i.imgur.com/zrgSXPD.jpg


----------



## EdibleStereos

Is that copper tape grounded to anything? If it isn't grounded, it cant block anything.

 I've done my own DIY EMI shields for soundcards before. Made a pad of electrical tape the same size as my soundcard, placed a same size sheet of thick aluminum foil over that, and then arranged pennies in an overlapping fashion, another sheet of foil, placed on a grounding strap, then wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape. Was like a black sheet of foil and copper scale armour, then I ran the grounding strap to my computer case. Probably much more effective and cheaper then tape.

 Ideally the best would be a grounded copper plate. Really provides little in the term of benefits though. And the source of your problem more likely lies within your powersupply.


----------



## Ainalcar

ediblestereos said:


> Is that copper tape grounded to anything? If it isn't grounded, it cant block anything.
> 
> I've done my own DIY EMI shields for soundcards before. Made a pad of electrical tape the same size as my soundcard, placed a same size sheet of thick aluminum foil over that, and then arranged pennies in an overlapping fashion, another sheet of foil, placed on a grounding strap, then wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape. Was like a black sheet of foil and copper scale armour, then I ran the grounding strap to my computer case. Probably much more effective and cheaper then tape.
> 
> Ideally the best would be a grounded copper plate. Really provides little in the term of benefits though. And the source of your problem more likely lies within your powersupply.


 
 I tested it grounded/not grounded and it didnt do much. The problem doesn't lie within the power supply as people with the same problem already exchanged those and it didn't change anything. The only measures that helped have been moving dac further away from gpu and/or placing some peripheral card in-between dac and gpu.
 With ASUS - all I do is run into problems. 
 Sent them my mobo for RMA repairs, it came back with the same issue 6 weeks later. I paid like 250$ for this board and it didn't even last a year. Very disappointing.
  
 What's even worse is that I can't find a decent replacement from another brand.


----------



## Glasofruix

Try isolating the metal parts that are in contact with the case, it worked like a charm on a x-fi forte back in the day, got me like three weeks more before the card died


----------



## stvn758

Can anyone tell me why my coax cable won't work on my Asus Phoebus card. I can see the S/PDIF connectors on the other Asus cards stick out where as on the Phoebus it is flat. The cable fits but is very loose, requires no force to pull out. As far as I could see S/PDIF and coax are identical - the cable I bought says both in the description, I'm at a loss.
  
 I have just spent a hundred quid on a card for the sole purpose of connecting my PC directly to my Audiolab MDAC, as it was I was using one of those Toslink to Coax adaptors with the separate power supply with my Audigy X-Fi which has Toslinks only.
  
 Any of you guys use your S/PDIF/COAX out on your cards. I did check the right box in the software. Might return this card and get another Asus one if you can help with the details. Don't want another disappointment.   
  
 Thanks
  
  
 Finally figured out what a 'combo' is so it's all packed up and ready to go back, that'll cost me a few quid. An Optical Toslink connector in disguise - well done Asus, whoever thought of that should get a thick ear. I'd still like anyone with a better Asus card to let me know if they have a proper Coax connector on it, one I can hook up to my DAC directly.
  
 A couple of their cards are around two hundred quid, not sure I want to spend that much.
  
 Thanks again.


----------



## icsi

Could you recommend an AKG headphone for this card? Is the K612 PRO good choice?


----------



## Harry1971

Could be a good combination V-Can + asus sonar essence st + AKG 701 ?


----------



## Mackem

So guys, do I get the ST, STX or STX II?


----------



## Solarium

How is the headphone amp on this card using the HD 650? Is it comparable to the Schiit Magni or the O2 in quality?
  
 I'm trying to get a sound card that will free up my front/back output jacks for my speakers, and allow me to completely ditch my headphone amps.


----------



## Ultracer

Hey guys, I found out that the STX II sound better with the stock Muses Opamp. I tried 49720NA/HA, 49860 as well as 49990 but it doesn't sound that good.
 I'm using HFM He-560. I will try to compare with the Schiit stack and report soon. Again, comparing audio is really hard )


----------



## Renfield1217

mackem said:


> So guys, do I get the ST, STX or STX II?


 
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9551988&CatId=4489
  
 The ST and STX II are both very good cards. I tried the STX but didn't like the sound, tried the ST and it was great.
 But sent it back when i read the STX II was coming out.


----------



## Renfield1217

ultracer said:


> Hey guys, I found out that the STX II sound better with the stock Muses Opamp. I tried 49720NA/HA, 49860 as well as 49990 but it doesn't sound that good.
> I'm using HFM He-560. I will try to compare with the Schiit stack and report soon. Again, comparing audio is really hard )


 
 The stock Muses sound good but was too laid back for me replaced the stock buffer with a stacked pair of OPA 637s.
 Really opened up the sound to me.
 Would be interesting to hear Muses01's in the I/V sockets.


----------



## Ultracer

renfield1217 said:


> The stock Muses sound good but was too laid back for me replaced the stock buffer with a stacked pair of OPA 637s.
> Really opened up the sound to me.
> Would be interesting to hear Muses01's in the I/V sockets.


 
 I was using HP so the buffer on my STX II is not used. So yeah.
  
 BTW, after some time listening and comparing between STX II and Schiit Stack, both sound the same to me. Will spend more time on both set up though.


----------



## Renfield1217

ultracer said:


> I was using HP so the buffer on my STX II is not used. So yeah.
> 
> BTW, after some time listening and comparing between STX II and Schiit Stack, both sound the same to me. Will spend more time on both set up though.


 

 Undertandable about the HP's and that says something about the STX II that it can stand up to the Schiit Stack they make really nice gear. I got the STX II to replace an old Auzentech Prelude and I am very pleased.


----------



## Solarium

For anyone who currently has the STX II, plus some opamp's (preferably the Muse 02's), and who are waiting to get rid of them, please PM me. I'm interested in either buying them or trading my Bottlehead Crack + Speedball new in box, unassembled, for them.


----------



## icsi

I got the *XONAR STX II *+ *AKG K612 PRO*. I'm really happy with them. I get so many little details from the background... i cant stop listening.


----------



## Solarium

So I'm trying to figure out what is the difference between the STX II and the STX II 7.1. Is it only the daughter card that makes it 7.1 and nothing else?


----------



## cladisch

Yes; the STX II base card is exactly the same.


----------



## Solarium

Thanks, what's the consensus of the STX II's AQ compared to the Schiit Magni/Modi stack using HD 650? I'm trying to get rid of any extra amp/DAC's on my desk to clear up space, in fact I'm selling my bottlehead crack/speedball in doing so.
  
 Also, what's the consensus on a good sounding opamp with the HD 650 besides the Muse 02? (how many of those do I need anyway)


----------



## Renfield1217

You might want to ask Ultracer, they are running both the STX II and a Schiit Stack. From his posts above seems he can't tell the diff between them in stock mode.


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Solarium just a heads up newegg now has these cards and are only charging $20 for the daughter card.


----------



## donaldduck2004

hi guys do you suggest me this audio card?I'm afraid it will cause noise because of the nearness with the vga (gtx 770). What do you think?


----------



## xeizo

You know that you can place the card in a full length pcie-socket, it may give you some extra distance from the graphics card depending on your actual motherboard layout.
  
 My trusted Essence ST is dead quiet in the background with a GTX680(using 770-bios) a couple of sockets above it.


----------



## donaldduck2004

xeizo said:


> You know that you can place the card in a full length pcie-socket, it may give you some extra distance from the graphics card depending on your actual motherboard layout.
> 
> My trusted Essence ST is dead quiet in the background with a GTX680(using 770-bios) a couple of sockets above it.


 
 oh I think it's so crazy that could work... XD
  
 My motherboard is this
 http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4488#
  
 I've the vga on the nearest pci-e  to the edge. on the left on the second picture.
  
 what do you think? Could I have problem with this?


----------



## xeizo

donaldduck2004 said:


> oh I think it's so crazy that could work... XD
> 
> My motherboard is this
> http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4488#
> ...


 
  
 You should have the VGA in the large slot exactly at the center of the board, since that one is full speed(16x), as you have it now you don't have full speed ....
  
 And, you can place the sound card in the slot closest to the edge, it will give you the maximum distance between the two.
  
 Inside my "music" PC:


----------



## donaldduck2004

xeizo said:


> You should have the VGA in the slot exactly at the center of the board, since that one is full speed(16x), as you have it now you don't have full speed ....
> 
> And, you can place the sound card in the slot closest to the edge, it will give you the maximum distance between the two.


 
 oh sorry I wrote wrong...the vga in on the PCI Express x8...is something wrong in my assembly?


----------



## xeizo

Not exactly wrong, it works, but you do not get full speed from the graphics card if you don't use the main pcie-slot at the center of the board for graphics(as it is intended) ...


----------



## donaldduck2004

xeizo said:


> Not exactly wrong, it works, but you do not get full speed from the graphics card if you don't use the main pcie-slot at the center of the board for graphics(as it is intended) ...


 
 I thought the assembly was correct only thinking about the correct alignment with the case exitat the back. 
 ok! I'll swap it.
  
 Thanks for the picture and the suggestion. 
  
 Have you ever got any disturbance with your stx?
 how much time do you own it?
  
 have you ever thought to buy a DAC fed with optical out of stx?then from the dac to an amplifier?


----------



## xeizo

donaldduck2004 said:


> I thought the assembly was correct only thinking about the correct alignment with the case exitat the back.
> ok! I'll swap it.
> 
> Thanks for the picture and the suggestion.
> ...


 
  
 It has worked as intended for a couple of years, no disturbances  
  
 That box is also a Linux-server(DLNA, HTTP etc.) so it is on 24/7!
  
 I mostly use the line-out of the ST(X) feeding an old school HiFi-stereo setup which works as my "PC-speakers", I have experimented some with OP-amps and ended up with swapping one of the JRC2114DD:s from the I/V to the buffer, and using two LM4562NA:s as I/V instead. That gives me the most "live" sound over both speakers and local heaphones. The headphone out is just great imho!
  
 I've never thought about a DAC, since the ST(X) sounds good enough that a "better" DAC would cost too much money. Optical to DAC seems impractical, if you go that route skip the soundcard and buy an asynchronous USB-DAC instead.
  
 As the box is a server, I play from it using wireless on my other appliances like Home Theater and Smartphones and of course they have their own DAC:s of varying quality, good enough for their use though(my HTPC actually uses optical out to it's receiver, so no exotic sound card needed there). However, in example the Galaxy S5 has a too weak HP out for my taste, so I often use a Topping NX-1 portable Headphone Amp on the move  
  
 I use another PC(Windows) for gaming and such, the "music" box is pure Linux!


----------



## donaldduck2004

xeizo said:


> It has worked as intended for a couple of years, no disturbances
> 
> That box is also a Linux-server(DLNA, HTTP etc.) so it is on 24/7!
> 
> ...


 
 But do you think the modding it's so widespread for the 2nd version too?Where can I read something about it?I'd like to mod it if I would have the possibility...


----------



## xeizo

donaldduck2004 said:


> But do you think the modding it's so widespread for the 2nd version too?Where can I read something about it?I'd like to mod it if I would have the possibility...


 
  
 The 2nd version ships with the highly regarded "Muses" OP-amps as I understand, it makes the need for modding less important, it is easy enough to just swap OP:s and test for yourself though


----------



## donaldduck2004

xeizo said:


> The 2nd version ships with the highly regarded "Muses" OP-amps as I understand, it makes the need for modding less important, it is easy enough to just swap OP:s and test for yourself though


 
 but how many op are there?not enough for me... XD


----------



## bcschmerker4

donaldduck2004 said:


> But do you think the modding it's so widespread for the 2nd version too?Where can I read something about it?I'd like to mod it if I would have the possibility...


 
  
  


xeizo said:


> The 2nd version ships with the highly regarded "Muses" OP-amps as I understand, it makes the need for modding less important, it is easy enough to just swap OP:s and test for yourself though


 
  
  


donaldduck2004 said:


> but how many op are there?not enough for me... XD


 

 The Asus® XONAR® STX II™ packs two I-V and one buffer dual op amps, as did the ST™ and original STX™; the H6 daughtercard packs six and three, respectively.


----------



## martin vegas

Anyone tried the STX II with the AKG K712?


----------



## Renfield1217

Just a heads up for people with the STX II, if you do want to swap opamps the Muses that come stock have very flimsy connecting legs ( ie: they will bend all over on you when you remove them).
 I would suggest getting some DIM 8 opamp IC sockets and mount the Muses on those. Will make your life much easier down the line, and will protect the legs of the Muses.


----------



## donaldduck2004

renfield1217 said:


> Just a heads up for people with the STX II, if you do want to swap opamps the Muses that come stock have very flimsy connecting legs ( ie: they will bend all over on you when you remove them).
> I would suggest getting some DIM 8 opamp IC sockets and mount the Muses on those. Will make your life much easier down the line, and will protect the legs of the Muses.


 
 this is something of totally new for me. Are you talking about something like this?

  
 is it possible to buy other op amps except for sold ones with stx 2?I think the only important thing is the number/distance of pins.isn't it?


----------



## Renfield1217

I have already pulled an opamp switch on the STX II that I really enjoy with my setup.


----------



## Renfield1217

donaldduck2004 said:


> this is something of totally new for me. Are you talking about something like this?
> 
> 
> is it possible to buy other op amps except for sold ones with stx 2?I think the only important thing is the number/distance of pins.isn't it?


 
 No, that looks like a soldered pin socket you want the ones that look like the original socket on the card and the flat spade legs like the opamps.


----------



## donaldduck2004

renfield1217 said:


> I have already pulled an opamp switch on the STX II that I really enjoy with my setup.


 
 can you be more clear? 
 I'm interested.


----------



## Renfield1217

Sure, I use the STX II mainly through the speaker outputs and this does not effect the headphones out. I liked the stock Muses, but they sounded way laid back for me. So I replaced the buffer Muses with a stacked set of OPA 637s and the sound is wonderful now  at least to my ears.


----------



## donaldduck2004

renfield1217 said:


> Sure, I use the STX II mainly through the speaker outputs and this does not effect the headphones out. I liked the stock Muses, but they sounded way laid back for me. So I replaced the buffer Muses with a stacked set of OPA 637s and the sound is wonderful now  at least to my ears.


 
 OPA 637s are those  included  in the stx 2 box or have you bought them?


----------



## Renfield1217

lol no they are NOT included in the opamp kit that comes with.


----------



## donaldduck2004

renfield1217 said:


> lol no they are NOT included in the opamp kit that comes with.


 
 ok as I thougth. So what about your knowledge about this modding?can you link (also via PM) something to understand what op amps could be the best for me?
  
 Searching "stx 2 moding" the result is only this thread or  few others...


----------



## Renfield1217

The OPA 637s ( from what I have read) can only be used in the buffer of Asus essence cards, this is do to their required gain to maintain stability.


----------



## Renfield1217

donaldduck2004 said:


> ok as I thougth. So what about your knowledge about this modding?can you link (also via PM) something to understand what op amps could be the best for me?
> 
> Searching "stx 2 moding" the result is only this thread or  few others...


 
 To be honest it will take awhile. The STX II just became available in the North American market.


----------



## donaldduck2004

renfield1217 said:


> The OPA 637s ( from what I have read) can only be used in the buffer of Asus essence cards, this is do to their required gain to maintain stability.


 





  


renfield1217 said:


> To be honest it will take awhile. The STX II just became available in the North American market.


 
 oh I thought it was available first in America and the n in Europe... XD as the moto Maxx...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (but this is another story....  XD)
  
 btw do you think will it reach the same modding community of STX?  It would be beautiful!


----------



## Renfield1217

donaldduck2004 said:


> oh I thought it was available first in America and the n in Europe... XD as the moto Maxx...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Oh for sure  the STX II is built for modding, and not just the opamps. Look at the card layout  caps etc have room around them Asus did a really nice job on the layout of this card.


----------



## icsi

I got the *ASUS XONAR STX II* and the *AKG K612 PRO*.
  
 I want go get the most out of the set, what do you recommend?
 - What setting to choose at installing *UNIXONAR*?
 - *ASIO *or *WASAPI* or *ASIO4ALL*?
 - *FOOBAR *or anything else? How to set them up?


----------



## Renfield1217

icsi said:


> I got the *ASUS XONAR STX II* and the *AKG K612 PRO*.
> 
> I want go get the most out of the set, what do you recommend?
> - What setting to choose at installing *UNIXONAR*?
> ...


 

 Is a great card. I did just the vanilla install of Uni drivers with the Asus control panel. Use either ASIO or Wasapi ( watch out for the direct ASIO they can max out volumes) do not use ASIO4All its acually a version of Kernal Streaming. I use Wasapi event.
 On Foobar run no componennts other than the Wasapi and ASIO do not do any up sampling etc.
 I set the PM on the card to 192k.
 Hope that helps.


----------



## Solarium

Can anyone comment on splitting the RCA output between a set of 2.0 speakers (Swan MK200MKIII's) and just the subwoofer of a 2.1 unit (Klipsch iFi 2.1's)? Theoretically, will that degrade the AQ in any way?


----------



## donaldduck2004

solarium said:


> Can anyone comment on splitting the RCA output between a set of 2.0 speakers (Swan MK200MKIII's) and just the subwoofer of a 2.1 unit (Klipsch iFi 2.1's)? Theoretically, will that degrade the AQ in any way?


 
 I don't think.Anyway if you want to do something like this you must bring the signal to the sub and then to the speakers...The advice is to buy a good sub (apart from cables...)
  
 have you got the h6 modules?if yes are there other exit there...
 number 11 here
 http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/Audio_Card/Essence_STX_II/U8920_Essence_STX_II_7_1_QSG.PDF


----------



## Solarium

I'm so confused about the STX II vs and H6. What is the point of having H6, is it just to upgrade the 5.1 to 7.1?


----------



## bcschmerker4

solarium said:


> I'm so confused about the STX II vs and H6. What is the point of having H6, is it just to upgrade the 5.1 to 7.1?


 

 Many of our fellow Head-Fiers have home audio systems with discrete analog multichannel inputs (e.g., a McIntosh® MX140 surround-sound processor driving a full bag of active studio-monitor-grade speakers:  Seven full-ranges for the front left/center/right, side left/right, and rear left/right; plus one subwoofer or group of subwoofers).  The Asus® XONAR® H6, developed as a companion to the Essence™ ST™ and updated for the STX II™, provides the additional analog outputs (viz., sides, rears, center and sub) for multichannel home audio.


----------



## Solarium

bcschmerker4 said:


> Many of our fellow Head-Fiers have home audio systems with discrete analog multichannel inputs (e.g., a McIntosh® MX140 surround-sound processor driving a full bag of active studio-monitor-grade speakers:  Seven full-ranges for the front left/center/right, side left/right, and rear left/right; plus one subwoofer or group of subwoofers).  The Asus® XONAR® H6, developed as a companion to the Essence™ ST™ and updated for the STX II™, provides the additional analog outputs (viz., sides, rears, center and sub) for multichannel home audio.


 
 Is the Essence H6 the same daughter board as the Xonar H6? I've tried looking everywhere for the Essence H6 but only found the Xonar ones.


----------



## bcschmerker4

solarium said:


> Is the Essence H6 the same daughter board as the Xonar H6? I've tried looking everywhere for the Essence H6 but only found the Xonar ones.


 
 They are one and the same.


----------



## Gradius

solarium said:


> How is the headphone amp on this card using the HD 650? Is it comparable to the Schiit Magni or the O2 in quality?
> 
> I'm trying to get a sound card that will free up my front/back output jacks for my speakers, and allow me to completely ditch my headphone amps.


 

 You shouldn't have any problem as I use my STX (super modded) to drive my HD 650.  They play LOUD and superb.


----------



## donaldduck2004

gradius said:


> You shouldn't have any problem as I use my STX (super modded) to drive my HD 650.  They play LOUD and superb.


 
 what about your modding?have you found something on the net?


----------



## icsi

This  *Pro'sKit PK-501E* is *unusable*, but its great for destroying everything on the card.


----------



## Solarium

gradius said:


> You shouldn't have any problem as I use my STX (super modded) to drive my HD 650.  They play LOUD and superb.




How is the soundstage?


----------



## Solarium

Btw, I got the 7.1 from this link:

Essence STX II 7.1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF6RO7C/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_AH4Cub17ASDAT

You guys think it's legit? High ratings from vendor and it clearly says 7.1 with the pic of the daughter card. They just raised the price by $10 after I bought it.


----------



## donaldduck2004

solarium said:


> Btw, I got the 7.1 from this link:
> 
> Essence STX II 7.1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF6RO7C/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_AH4Cub17ASDAT
> 
> You guys think it's legit? High ratings from vendor and it clearly says 7.1 with the pic of the daughter card. They just raised the price by $10 after I bought it.


 
 how much did you pay?the price is about 200/230 euros that's ok..


----------



## Ultracer

donaldduck2004 said:


> how much did you pay?the price is about 200/230 euros that's ok..


 
 I paid 299USD for my STX II without the daughter board.


----------



## donaldduck2004

ultracer said:


> I paid 299USD for my STX II without the daughter board.


 
 Oh yes I've noticed now the info...I think amazon is reliable...


----------



## Solarium

Amazon UK has the 7.1 $280 shipped, I got it from the link above for $289 from a US vendor because I wasn't sure whether buying from UK would cause problems returning the card. You can get rushed shipping from amazin UK for $296 2-4 days too.

By the way, what's the consensus on a good opamp, particularly one that increase the soyndstage. And how many of them so I need?


----------



## donaldduck2004

solarium said:


> Amazon UK has the 7.1 $280 shipped, I got it from the link above for $289 from a US vendor because I wasn't sure whether buying from UK would cause problems returning the card. You can get rushed shipping from amazin UK for $296 2-4 days too.
> 
> By the way, what's the consensus on a good opamp, particularly one that increase the soyndstage. And how many of them so I need?


 
 Yes What about soundstage and color of sound?We want opinions not prices! XD
  
 @Solarium what will you do with your stx 2?source for the magni?


----------



## Solarium

I actually got the package today from Factory Depot, it was NOT the 7.1 version even though I confirmed it to be the 7.1 version by messaging them prior to buying. Anyway, moral of the story is don't buy stuff not directly from amazon. This is the link of the real 7.1 version from amazon uk:
  
 http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JF6RO7C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
  
 it's $280 shipped to US via 5-10 day delivery, or $295 with 2-4 shipping. Much better deal.
  
@donaldduck2004 I'm not going to use the magni, the whole point of buying this card is so that I don't have to use an external amp/DAC and can plug the headphone directly into the sound card.


----------



## donaldduck2004

solarium said:


> I actually got the package today from Factory Depot, it was NOT the 7.1 version even though I confirmed it to be the 7.1 version by messaging them prior to buying. Anyway, moral of the story is don't buy stuff not directly from amazon. This is the link of the real 7.1 version from amazon uk:
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JF6RO7C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
> 
> ...


 
 oh so you will send it back?
  
 about magni: ok I thougth the stx 2 could be only  a source...sorry...


----------



## icsi

donaldduck2004 said:


> hi guys do you suggest me this audio card?I'm afraid it will cause noise because of the nearness with the vga (gtx 770). What do you think?


 
 I want to build a htpc out of my pc, and i think i will go with a solution like this :http://polotek.en.alibaba.com/product/958392630-218316614/PCIe_1x_To_Dual_Slot_PCI_Riser_Card_Optical_Drive_Bay.html
  
 Or this solution:
 http://www.overclock.net/t/1199098/cooler-master-cosmos-2-club/3450


----------



## Renfield1217

Solarium,
  
 If you are in the US you might check out http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9551988&CatId=4489
 or this  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=Asus+essence+STX+II&N=-1&isNodeId=1


----------



## Solarium

renfield1217 said:


> Solarium,
> 
> If you are in the US you might check out http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9551988&CatId=4489
> or this  http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=Asus+essence+STX+II&N=-1&isNodeId=1




Thanks, I reordered from amazin UK, they have the best price I've found for the 7.1, even with shipping


----------



## Solarium

Got the 7.1 today. I'm going to have some trouble connection my 2.0 Swans, the subwoofer (using just the sub of the Klipsch iFi 2.1), and the Schiit Magni, because they all use 2 RCA plugs. I have only 1 splitter, how should I connect all these? Should I use the splitter to connect the sub + Swans, then plug the 650 directly into the headphone jack of the STX? Or the splitter to connect the Swans and the Magni, and connect the sub somewhere else on the daughter board? Hmmmm


----------



## Solarium

Holy crap, connecting the HD 650 directly via the HP jack on the STX II resulted in a MUCH larger sound stage vs the Titanium HD's. Everything is more balanced, the bass is less boomy, and just sounds better! I wonder if I should directly connect the Magni to the HP jack and double amp it, or just leave the 650 directly plugged into the STX.


----------



## donaldduck2004

solarium said:


> Got the 7.1 today. I'm going to have some trouble connection my 2.0 Swans, the subwoofer (using just the sub of the Klipsch iFi 2.1), and the Schiit Magni, because they all use 2 RCA plugs. I have only 1 splitter, how should I connect all these? Should I use the splitter to connect the sub + Swans, then plug the 650 directly into the headphone jack of the STX? Or the splitter to connect the Swans and the Magni, and connect the sub somewhere else on the daughter board? Hmmmm


 
 you must bring the signla to sub and then ro the speaker if you have all RCA connectors...  NO splitters!


----------



## bcschmerker4

solarium said:


> Got the 7.1 today. I'm going to have some trouble connection my 2.0 Swans, the subwoofer (using just the sub of the Klipsch iFi 2.1), and the Schiit Magni, because they all use 2 RCA plugs. I have only 1 splitter, how should I connect all these? Should I use the splitter to connect the sub + Swans, then plug the 650 directly into the headphone jack of the STX? Or the splitter to connect the Swans and the Magni, and connect the sub somewhere else on the daughter board? Hmmmm


 

 The Asus® XONAR® STX™ 7.1 package is set up for 7.1 analog, using two RCA jacks on the STX II and six on the H6:
  
 [XONAR® STX™ II]
 White:  Front Left
 Red:  Front Right
  
 [XONAR® H6]
 Blue:  Side Left
 Grey:  Side Right
 Green:  Front Center
 Lavender:  Subwoofer
 Brown:  Rear Left
 Black:  Rear Right
   
With a properly-configured amplifier/speaker set, no splitters are necessary.


----------



## donaldduck2004

bcschmerker4 said:


> The Asus® XONAR® STX™ 7.1 package is set up for 7.1 analog, using two RCA jacks on the STX II and six on the H6:
> 
> [XONAR® STX™ II]
> White:  Front Left
> ...


 
 ops...I thougth he had only the stx II... 
  
 ur--> (you are rigth)
 XD


----------



## Solarium

bcschmerker4 said:


> The Asus® XONAR® STX™ 7.1 package is set up for 7.1 analog, using two RCA jacks on the STX II and six on the H6:
> 
> [XONAR® STX™ II]
> White:  Front Left
> ...



But still, how would I be able to configure so that I use the front L/R for my 2.0 system and the subwoofer/center plugs for my subwoofer from another 2.1 system (without the speakers)? I would have to use 5.1/7.1 configuration setting but only using technically a 2.1 set.


----------



## Solarium

How does the STX II's HP amp and its own DAC compare to the Schiit Magni/Modi stack?


----------



## Solarium

I'm getting a HT subwoofer (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2PC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) from the recent sale. How do I configure the STX II 7.1 so that it uses output from the front L/R RCA's as well as the subwoofer RCA from the daughter board, combined for a 2.1 setup? I'm using Swan MKIII's as my mains.


----------



## BigTerminator

My previous setup used the H6 board with a HT sub and studio monitors. You connect your mains to the L/R channels on the STX II. You connect your subwoofer to the center channel on the H6. Center channel is the real channel for subwoofer. You can use the sub channel but you will have to swap center/sub channel in software so might as well plug the sub in the center channel. 
  
 There is a way to make 2.1 run perfectly even though the Xonar and windows thinks you are in 5.1 mode. For me, I uninstalled Asus' drivers and got the Xonar unified drivers. During the installation something will come up with stereo upmix or something like that, make sure it is turned off. After that all your video games, movies, music should run 2.1 flawlessly. 
  
 With stock Asus drivers, many video games would think I am in 5.1 mode so I could not hear any dialogue and the sound overall was screwed up because I only had 2.1. With those drivers, all my games worked in 2.1 just fine. 
  
 You also need to use the built in crossover through the software, otherwise you will get no bass from the sub.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> My previous setup used the H6 board with a HT sub and studio monitors. You connect your mains to the L/R channels on the STX II. You connect your subwoofer to the center channel on the H6. Center channel is the real channel for subwoofer. You can use the sub channel but you will have to swap center/sub channel in software so might as well plug the sub in the center channel.
> 
> There is a way to make 2.1 run perfectly even though the Xonar and windows thinks you are in 5.1 mode. For me, I uninstalled Asus' drivers and got the Xonar unified drivers. During the installation something will come up with stereo upmix or something like that, make sure it is turned off. After that all your video games, movies, music should run 2.1 flawlessly.
> 
> ...




So do I need the unified drivers with the STX II 7.1's to get the same effect too? And also, is it possible to get 7.1 output with a 2.1 setup like I'm currently having just with the 2.0 / subwoofer connected using splitter cables from the front L/R RCA's?


----------



## BigTerminator

You can do 2.1. The whole point of the H6 addon card for 2.1 setups is to act as a crossover between main speakers and subwoofer so the frequencies do not get intertwined. Using a splitter is fine if your sub has a low pass filter and you are okay running your main speakers full range. I do that with my current setup, minus the splitters. 
  
 You should be running the card in 5.1 mode, not point of running it as 7.1. Install the unified xonar drivers and you will be fine. You do not want programs thinking you are in 5.1 so that is why you want that driver with upmix disabled.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> You can do 2.1. The whole point of the H6 addon card for 2.1 setups is to act as a crossover between main speakers and subwoofer so the frequencies do not get intertwined. Using a splitter is fine if your sub has a low pass filter and you are okay running your main speakers full range. I do that with my current setup, minus the splitters.
> 
> You should be running the card in 5.1 mode, not point of running it as 7.1. Install the unified xonar drivers and you will be fine. You do not want programs thinking you are in 5.1 so that is why you want that driver with upmix disabled.


 
 Do you put "2 Channels" in audio channel setting, and "5.1 speakers" in the Analog Out setting on the Asus control panel? I'm not sure if I'm going to miss the center channels or rears if I use 5.1 analog out, but if I don't use 5.1 the subwoofer won't have any output. On the other hand, if I use 2 channels I'm not sure if my 2.1 setup will play 5.1 mtv/divx movies, or play all sounds from games.


----------



## BigTerminator

For a 2.1 setup use 2 channels for audio and 5.1 for analog out. The whole goal is for the same stereo sound, just with the subwoofer added.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> For a 2.1 setup use 2 channels for audio and 5.1 for analog out. The whole goal is for the same stereo sound, just with the subwoofer added.


 
 Does this setup allows 7.1 surround simulation still? Games like CSGO I put 5.1 in the sound setup, I'm not sure if I'm getting all channels through.
  
 Also, the volume seems to be a lot lower when I put 2 channels instead of 8 channels.


----------



## BigTerminator

You can still use the surround sound DSP's but I would urge against it as you want the sound to be pure. I game with my 2.1 setup without any DSP's and can locate all the enemies, even behind me. If it makes it better than use it but I personally don't.
  
 You can use 8 channels but it might mess with your music and regular sources that are stereo. 
  
 The honest truth, if you have your speakers positioned correctly with your listening position, the soundstage and imaging should be good enough for gaming without the use of DSP's to give you fake surround sound. I would say run it in Hifi mode (unless you want the eq), 2 channel in, 5.1 channel out. Adjust your speakers to give you accurate imaging. 
  
 The DSP's make the sound from my speakers unnatural. For headphones it helped, but for speakers it ruined it.


----------



## vourt

Just needs a short advise if the 7.1 connections can be connected to a regular 5.1 speakers system (Morel MT2) by taking the cable from each speaker into this sound card?


----------



## BigTerminator

It will do 5.1 if you plug in all the speakers via RCA. You do not have to run it in 7.1 mode.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> You can still use the surround sound DSP's but I would urge against it as you want the sound to be pure. I game with my 2.1 setup without any DSP's and can locate all the enemies, even behind me. If it makes it better than use it but I personally don't.
> 
> You can use 8 channels but it might mess with your music and regular sources that are stereo.
> 
> ...


 
 Does your volume get lower when you change the channel from 8 to 2? My volume gets unnaturally low when I set it to 2 channels, not sure why


----------



## BigTerminator

It sounds identical. Check the volume mixer. Also when I switch channels sometimes the audio track has to be refreshed otherwise it won't work. If you are still getting loud enough volumes then what is the big deal. Is your setup generally working with the sub?


----------



## vourt

bigterminator said:


> It will do 5.1 if you plug in all the speakers via RCA. You do not have to run it in 7.1 mode.


 
 I see, but will it have enough power to drive 5.1 regular speakers that are not powered? (satellite + sub speakers).
  
 Thanks


----------



## BigTerminator

vourt said:


> I see, but will it have enough power to drive 5.1 regular speakers that are not powered? (satellite + sub speakers).
> 
> Thanks


 
 This is not an amp, it is a DAC. No power is going through.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> It sounds identical. Check the volume mixer. Also when I switch channels sometimes the audio track has to be refreshed otherwise it won't work. If you are still getting loud enough volumes then what is the big deal. Is your setup generally working with the sub?


 
 I played with a mixer a little bit to increase the default 76 to 86, and now the 2 channel sounds like the same volume as the 8 channel setup. Although when I revert back to the 8 channel, it still sounds louder when using the same mixer settings. I'm not sure why is the case, the sound also is a bit different. Otherwise, the sub is working perfectly with the FlexBass, and generally the music sounds a WHOLE lot better than plugging in both speakers and sub with a splitter into the front R/L RCA's. This is a huge upgrade for me from the Titanium HD.
  
 BTW, how do I check whether all 5.1/7.1 channels are coming out to the front R/L speakers when I play games or movies using 5.1/7.1 output?


----------



## BigTerminator

When I first got my H6 to use with my sub, some games had no dialogue. It did this because I had no center channel, so I was missing all that information. When I installed the drivers and disabled upmixing I could hear the game normally. You can play with stereo output and 5.1 to see if you are missing any information. Usually you can tell if the movie or video game is trying to run a 5.1 signal. It will sound quieter and dialogue will be axed away. Keep the card in 2 channel mode, keep the volume at 76 unless you NEED the extra volume, 76 is a 0db signal which is what you want.


----------



## Solarium

bigterminator said:


> When I first got my H6 to use with my sub, some games had no dialogue. It did this because I had no center channel, so I was missing all that information. When I installed the drivers and disabled upmixing I could hear the game normally. You can play with stereo output and 5.1 to see if you are missing any information. Usually you can tell if the movie or video game is trying to run a 5.1 signal. It will sound quieter and dialogue will be axed away. Keep the card in 2 channel mode, keep the volume at 76 unless you NEED the extra volume, 76 is a 0db signal which is what you want.


 
 2 channel mode does get a bit quieter, I would have to increase my main windows volume from 50 to 70 or so to keep the same loudness. So far I don't think I'm missing any sounds with 2 channel/5.1 output.
  
 One thing though, is there a way to save your settings for speakers and headphones? Whenever I have to use headphones, I have to change the 2 channel to 8 channels, the 5.1 to headphones, and the FlexBass off, so it's kind of a hassle. Is there a way to save the settings to one of those DSP settings to change it with just 1 button?


----------



## BigTerminator

It does not have profiles so yes you have to switch all that stuff around.


----------



## Renfield1217

Just a heads up, You might want to try the XonarSwitch they are beta testing on the UniXonar site. Seems it allows you to set profiles that you can change on the fly.
 I personally have not tried it, but here is the url.
  
http://maxedtech.com/xonarswitch-beta-testing/


----------



## PeterMac

I'm using Essence ST with HD600 does it worth to upgrade to STX II ? How about jitter on STX II compare to ST ?


----------



## BigTerminator

Switch your opamps and you have 99% of a STX II. Get something external if you want an upgrade. Spending more than $50 to "upgrade" to an STX II is a waste of money. STX had jitter problems not the ST.


----------



## PeterMac

yes right STX has jitter problems not ST, but did they reduce jitter in STX II to ST level ?


----------



## Wamoto

I got the STX II 7.1 now for a few days and I really like it. I had an Asus Xonar Xense with a  Headphone port that got unsuable. It only outputs sound on one side and the other one is really really quite. Anyone maybe got an idea what should be damaged here? I guess it is the headphone amp. The Xense is said to be nearly identical to the first STX and I only noticed a little bit of improvements on the highs and clarity. I'm a bit happy that they released the STX II with the daughterboard header because I'm using a 5.1 speaker set for blu-rays and such. That was the only reason I got the Xense and not the STX until it died. Can't wait to try out a few op-amps on booth boards.


----------



## I-Siamak-I

hey guys my Essence STX II just arrived yesterday and I was blown away by the quality of this sound card but then I noticed a small issue. I have my 2.1 speakers hooked up to the Red/White jack and my Sennheiser HD598 hooked up to the big headphone jack.

1. If I have the Headphone output selected in the Xonar Control Panel and I shut down the computer I hear a audio thump/or surge in the headphone right before the system shuts down.

2. If I switched from Speaker to Headphone output on the Asus Control Panel again I hear a surge/thump coming from the speaker and vise versa if I switch from Headphone to Speaker again a Surge/Thump comes from Headphones.


I have the latest Drivers installed from Asus. I also tried the latest Uni Driver and the same issue was there. I also tried switching the slots that the card was installed and same behavior. *BTW none of this is refering to the Clicking noise on Xonar sound cards as I know that is normal.*

so for those of u who have or used STX or STX II, can you please tell me if this is normal or not?
  
*Again this is mostly happening when switching between Speaker and Headphone output and have both Speaker and Headphone plugged in and are turn on with volume up.*


----------



## 552388

ASUS makes some very cool soundcard, super cool. But I have to say. The HIFI quality of them still has a long way to go, even compare to Creative


----------



## Voidrunner

I disagree. Every experience I've had so far with the two brands has shown me otherwise. I haven't tried the Titanium HD, but over the years, I have been rather consistently underwhelmed by Creative. Only reason I have a Creative card in my rig right now is because of issues with the S/PDIF output and the Xonar drivers for the DS. If I can find another, more stable solution without going into 3-400 dollar territory? That X-Fi Titanium is gone.


----------



## abvolt

Is this available in north america yet ? asus stated about 5 or 6 months ago on their forums board that no new audio gear like this card and the essence one muse edition would be released in the area I live in. so I got the woo wa7d+wa7tp instead.  far better for music but no good for gaming. have any of you guys heard any more on this. thanks


----------



## Ultracer

i-siamak-i said:


> [COLOR=181818]hey guys my Essence STX II just arrived yesterday and I was blown away by the quality of this sound card but then I noticed a small issue. I have my 2.1 speakers hooked up to the Red/White jack and my Sennheiser HD598 hooked up to the big headphone jack.[/COLOR][COLOR=181818]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=181818]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=181818]1. If I have the Headphone output selected in the Xonar Control Panel and I shut down the computer I hear a audio thump/or surge in the headphone right before the system shuts down.[/COLOR][COLOR=181818]
> [/COLOR][COLOR=181818]
> ...



That's completely normal. Its just the sound card turning on and off the relay before the pc shutting down.


----------



## icsi

A got the *XONAR STX II*, and i can't take out the opamps with the tool. Is somebody having this problem to?


----------



## Renfield1217

icsi said:


> A got the *XONAR STX II*, and i can't take out the opamps with the tool. Is somebody having this problem to?


 

 Yes, those are basically needle nose pliers. Go to an Radio Shack or electronics store and pick up an IC puller. They are very cheap. You might want to take along the spare op amps to show them what you want to pull.
 Be very careful pulling those Muses op amps  their legs are very weak.
  
 Hope this helps...


----------



## Renfield1217

Yes, the STX II is available in the US now
  
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1087539-REG/asus_essencestxii_essence_stx_ii_sound.html
  
 Hope this helps


----------



## Renfield1217

petermac said:


> yes right STX has jitter problems not ST, but did they reduce jitter in STX II to ST level ?
> 
> yes, actually the STX II has a better clock than the ST.


----------



## echineko

Hi there,

I've been using this card for a while now, and I'm very happy so far (mostly use my existing Klipsch M40 when gaming/listening to music as I haven't upgraded my speaker setup yet). I've seen lots of discussion on swapping out the opamps in various threads, but before going down that route, I'd like to know from people here who have done it, does it make a noticeable difference?

I guess the logical follow up to that would be would I even notice, given my less than stellar setup right now? I don't mind spending the cash (I've been eyeing the Muses01/02 and even the Burson audios) but don't really want to be stuck with something that doesn't do anything for me.

Cheers


----------



## BigTerminator

Op Amps do not do much. I have done various swaps and listening through a speaker system where the differences would be more apparent, the differences were negligible. Op amps solely will give the sound a different color kind of like how an eq would. I chose LM49860's for all 3 slots because they are bright and detailed. I have a sub so bass performance is not that important. It was not night and day and for your headphones I doubt you would have heard much difference. I would rather spend that money on getting a better DAC. But the truth is if you swapped DAC's entirely you will probably not hear much of a difference. I used a TEAC-UDH01 for a couple days and the bass was better but I lost the detailed highs from my Xonar with LME49860's. I preferred my Xonar. 
  
 If you have the STX II with muses op amps than you are set. If you have the ST or STX than I would advise on trying some $3-5 op amps but that's is it. You would be better off getting a better DAC than spending $50 on an op amp.


----------



## echineko

This is the sort of feedback I was looking for, thanks for your time. I guess I might try a relatively low cost op amp just to see for myself, but I won't be going too far with the cost. I figured it might be the case, to be honest, just wanted to hear from someone who's been there.

Cheers


----------



## Rayz

Hey people, what's the exact differences between the original STX and the new STX II? also in terms of sound of course. is it worth upgrade (I can use 2nd card anyway)?


----------



## Sactus

bigterminator said:


> Op Amps do not do much. I have done various swaps and listening through a speaker system where the differences would be more apparent, the differences were negligible. Op amps solely will give the sound a different color kind of like how an eq would. I chose LM49860's for all 3 slots because they are bright and detailed. I have a sub so bass performance is not that important. It was not night and day and for your headphones I doubt you would have heard much difference. I would rather spend that money on getting a better DAC. But the truth is if you swapped DAC's entirely you will probably not hear much of a difference. I used a TEAC-UDH01 for a couple days and the bass was better but I lost the detailed highs from my Xonar with LME49860's. I preferred my Xonar.
> 
> If you have the STX II with muses op amps than you are set. If you have the ST or STX than I would advise on trying some $3-5 op amps but that's is it. You would be better off getting a better DAC than spending $50 on an op amp.


 
  
 I beg to differ. A few weeks back I replaced my old Auzentech Meridian 7.1 (1G) + OPA637 with the Essence STX II. The first time I played music with the stock OPAMPS, I about bursted to tears. The quality of the audio truly was horrible in comparison, and I am not exaggerating. Using the OPA637 in the Asus however, was even worse, probably because the Asus has a lower gain in the circuit.
 I replaced the I/V with the LME49720's and the buffer with the unity gain stable OPA627. It sounded quite like the Auzentech now, had them both in the PC and connected to the same AMP, switching inputs to observe difference in sound. Still the Auzentech was slightly, just slightly more detailed and had a wee better sound stage, but negligible. However, after a while I noticed the hissssssing in vocals, and went on a search for different I/V's to match with the OPA627. I found a thread somewhere mentioning the LT1498CN8 to match nicely (giving a larger soundstage as well), and I confirm. The bass is more tight, sound stage and stereo separation is bigger, the sound is more neutral (as the OPA627 tends to be a wee darker) and more importantly, the hissing is gone 
 I've tried other OPAMPS as well in the buffer, together with the LME49720's in the I/V, such as the AD797, OPA2604, AD825, LME49990 and some others, and again there was a very noticeable difference in sound. The difference was even more noticeable than in the Auzentech by the way. Next to the OPA627, the AD797 performs very nicely, though a bit too bassy / muddy in the low end when listening to classical music. The OPA2604 has been the most amazing, true to life experience yet, bizarrely crisp and detailed in all ends. However, it also becomes bothersome after a while (days/weeks) to listen to, and it tends to start hissing noticeably in the high ends. Perhaps this is also solved with different I/V's, maybe I'll give them a try with the LT1498's as well.
 Anyway.. The stock Muses really degrade the quality the board can deliver. If you want anything better but not pay too much, I can advice the AD797 best, as the OPA627 is much more expensive.


----------



## BigTerminator

The fact that you did not like the stock op amps shows that this DAC is not for you. I have not heard anyone else hate the sound especially while using the Muses. 
  
 Instead of spending $100's of dollars experimenting with op amps I would rather spend it on a better DAC that suites my sound signature. I myself spent maybe $30 in op amps but that is as far as I am willing to go. 
  
 If you really want to make the Xonar sound better get the best low ripple power supply you can afford. Going from my old Corsair TX750 to an EVGA Supernova G2 made the Xonar sound clearer with tighter bass. If you have a really crappy PSU than the difference will be greater. But again, you will be better off spending it on a better or different DAC, or just loving the sound you currently have.


----------



## Wamoto

What really bugs me about this sound card (Basicially any sound card except creative ZXR that got a external volume control device) is that if you want to use a other headphone you must fiddle the cables at the back of you computer to change the headphones and need to use the software to control the volume. I'm using right now Xonar Switch and an extension cable (Still the cables hang around and gets annoying) that helps a bit but I am currently searching for a solution to plug my headphones into a small little device that I can control the volume without altering the sound with while in the xonar software the volume stays at 100 all the time so I can change the output on the fly easily without any fiddling in the software around. In the end a physically volume knob is the best.


----------



## icsi

We need something like this:
 http://kepfeltoltes.hu/141229/asusdrivebay_www.kepfeltoltes.hu_.jpg

 A drive bay, with a pci riser. I dont understand why asus didnt think about this. they sould throw out the Pros kit tool and give something like this to the packeg.


----------



## echineko

bigterminator said:


> The fact that you did not like the stock op amps shows that this DAC is not for you. I have not heard anyone else hate the sound especially while using the Muses.
> 
> Instead of spending $100's of dollars experimenting with op amps I would rather spend it on a better DAC that suites my sound signature. I myself spent maybe $30 in op amps but that is as far as I am willing to go.
> 
> If you really want to make the Xonar sound better get the best low ripple power supply you can afford. Going from my old Corsair TX750 to an EVGA Supernova G2 made the Xonar sound clearer with tighter bass. If you have a really crappy PSU than the difference will be greater. But again, you will be better off spending it on a better or different DAC, or just loving the sound you currently have.


 
  
 I ended up getting the MUSES01 and MUSES02 upgrades for about $30 each, and while I did notice a better overall sound (clarity and warmth, at least to my ears), I agree that it probably wasn't $90 worth. I'm satisfied that it was a positive upgrade, but not the best value for money. Thanks for your earlier input
  
 Still, I now have absolute proof of this, instead of always wondering for myself, I count that a win. To anyone else who's thinking of doing the same, I'd say go ahead if you can spare the cash, but don't expect miracles  And be really careful when plugging these opamps in, it's scarily easy to bend the metal legs (but luckily also fairly easy to correct, if you're careful)


----------



## BigTerminator

Glad you like your upgrade. I myself just ordered a Musical Fidelity V90 DAC. I of course am hoping for a lot of improvement but honestly not expecting much. I would honestly be happy if it retains the detailed highs of my Xonar but also improves the bass. And being the audio obsessed person I am, I will probably later upgrade the PSU for another $50-100. Is it worth it, no but I like spending money on audio for whatever reason. DAC's tap out early though. After a $100 you are emptying wallets to pinch out just a little bit extra. That goes for most audio equipment but DAC's peak a lot earlier.


----------



## Yatsuman

Hey fellas! I've got a few of questions for you. I have read the entire thread and couldn't answer those myself in terms of my case.
 To help you out a bit, let me give you some initial info about the situation I am currently placed in.
 I have the ASUS Xonar U7 to which I have connect my Sennheiser PC350 headset and the Logitech Z-5500 speakers via optical.
 Recently I have ordered Sennheiser HD700 and I would like to experience them in the best possible way, without losing the out "hot swap" with.my speakers.
 I am leaning towards STX II over the old card, because of the feedback given here.
 Unfortunately, here is the place where I also read about the STX's jitter issue, which is non-existent in the ST series.
 As per my sound image preferences I'd say I like present, punchy bass with distinctive, clear mids with somewhat neutral to slightly bright highs.
 Something that would make mixed gender vocals sound life-like without losing any detail in the bass guitar's chords or the barely noticeable xylophone presence in Vivaldi's Winter I. Alegro non molto, performed by Yehundi Menuhin.
 My genre preference is so vast, that I'd better say I like melodic tunes with significant musical harmony.
 Using my modded PC350 and playing with the EQ I got closer to my desired sound image, but I felt something is till missing.
 I thought it maybe is the bigger soundstage of the open cans, which everyone is talking about.
 I was also firstly thrilled by the HD800's, but I read I will have to invest much more in terms of gear and sources for those, as well as them being quite the non-forgiving cans.
 Some of the music I like isn't available in lossless formats, so I thought the HD800's wouldn't be the greatest choice, thus the purchase of the more forgiving, yet still awesome HD700's.
 So here are my questions:
  
*TL/DR:*
 I own Sennheiser PC350 and Logitech Z-5500, and just purchased HD700's. 
  
 1, Do I really need to upgrade my external U7 ?
 2. If yes, what should my choice be Essense ST or STX II?
 2a. Will I be able to have the DTS/DDL signal output emitted through the SPDIF to my Z-5500?
 2b. Can I "hot swap" the playback device same as on my U7 (with a single button click in the ASUS Xear Software)?
 2c. Could you explain the STX (possibly STX II) jitter issue, as to an intelligent person with not much of an experience in the area?
 3. If no, is just the U7 enough or should consider an AMP?
  
 Thanks a lot in advance for your time and effort in answering those for me, I promise your opinion will be valued and remembered!
  
 Best regards,
 Yatsu


----------



## headfinoob

Quick question regarding this sound card. I have been searching around. Is there another card with similar SNR on the input? This card seems to have the best specs. I saw some RMAA loopback measurements that were fantastic. I just want to know if there are any close competitors that would have similar or better loopback performance.


----------



## Renfield1217

hi and hope this helps
 1) upgrading is up to you from your U7
 2) I would go with the STX !! I have had an STX ( which I really did not like), tried an ST ( which I very much liked) and running now the STX II
 2A) Yes but by doing that you are bypassing all the STX II's sound is basically a sound passthrough an you will utilizing the Z-5500's DAC
 2B) Yes, but I have heard of issues of loud pops when doing this ( personally I have not tested this)
 2C) There is no jitter issue with the STX II it has a better clock than the ST at least to me
 3) depends on what you want for my needs the STX II does it fine. I ran an Auzentech Prelude for years and am an ex musician. I use the STX II in stereo only for headphones, the computer set up, my main amp/speaker set up and for some music streaming to friends.
  
 my suggestion to you is order one for a trial from a supplier that gives a 30 day return. That way you can test it yourself on your rig against the U7, but to be honest you have to use the analog out to get all the quality the card can deliver and that you pay for. If you are mostly using passthrough to another DAC digitally you will see no real change in sound.
  
 Hope this helps


----------



## Yatsuman

renfield1217 said:


> hi and hope this helps
> 1) upgrading is up to you from your U7
> 2) I would go with the STX !! I have had an STX ( which I really did not like), tried an ST ( which I very much liked) and running now the STX II
> 2A) Yes but by doing that you are bypassing all the STX II's sound is basically a sound passthrough an you will utilizing the Z-5500's DAC
> ...


 
 Thanks a bunch for your sharing your experience and opinion!
 I am mostly going to enjoy the STX II (eventually) on my headphones with all the FLAC and ALAC files from my library and eventually gaming. The Z-5500's own sound is quite OK with me for movies, even thought it's mostly enjoyed by my friends for its loudness and overwhelming bass 
 Maybe I will give the STX II a try and return it, if it doesn't deliver for the 250% of the U7 I have!
  
 Thanks again,
 Yatsu


----------



## Renfield1217

hi lol  and there are many other cards that are better  there is a totally professional recording studio line of cards   but they cost thousands. as far as consumer grade cards this is the best todate.


----------



## Yatsuman

I have just installed the card and the question pops up:
 Is there any way I could set this bloody card to output voic comm through the headphones, while other media streams through the SPDIF?
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## Wamoto

yatsuman said:


> I have just installed the card and the question pops up:
> Is there any way I could set this bloody card to output voic comm through the headphones, while other media streams through the SPDIF?
> 
> Thanks in advance!


 
  
 My guess is to set in windows the standard output device to the spdif and your voic comm (Do you mean voice communication?) to normal stx output while you set the output in the asus software to headphones. I testet it with foobar playing to the headphones while windows media player played through spdif and saw peaks in the windows sound device manager. This should bascially work if you can set your output for that voi comm thing. Hope I could help you out.


----------



## paulguru

What is the output power of hp amp ????


----------



## Solarium

yatsuman said:


> Hey fellas! I've got a few of questions for you. I have read the entire thread and couldn't answer those myself in terms of my case.
> To help you out a bit, let me give you some initial info about the situation I am currently placed in.
> I have the ASUS Xonar U7 to which I have connect my Sennheiser PC350 headset and the Logitech Z-5500 speakers via optical.
> Recently I have ordered Sennheiser HD700 and I would like to experience them in the best possible way, without losing the out "hot swap" with.my speakers.
> ...


 
  
 I'm currently using the STX II with the HD700, and it works like magic. After experiencing with a few choice "upgrades" for my  HD650, including I settled on the HD700. It really sounds heads and shoulders above all the other headphones I've tried. I've heard that the STX II is on par with the Schiit Magni/Modi combo in terms of sound quality, and have been very satisfied with the sound quality, and especially the ease of "hot swapping" my speakers to headphones. I'm almost hesitant to upgrade to an external amp/DAC because it will not be as easy, won't have the 3D imaging from the STX software, and cost extraoridinarily high for the upgrade. The WA7 massdrop deal looks incredibly tempting, but it's $1120 for the WA7 and the WA7TP.


----------



## Yatsuman

Thank you very much for your reply!
 I have already bought the STX II and I agree with you it drives the headphones surprisingly well... However, there is some nasty HISSSSS when any sound is playing and this is freaking me out. Could you please confirm or reject this?
 I have tried all gain modes, with which the hiss scales respectively.
 Also I can't output DDL to my speakers, while Skype is active on the headphones. When I try to switch from PCM (my speakers are playing and the HD700 is also on as well) to DDL, then I lose the sound on my speakers and the headphones are rendering all the sounds.
 Also the STX II is messing up the 98/24 sample rate output to the speakers and it is not playing at all.
 I don't know, if this is common behaviour or just my STX II is f-ed up and makes any lossless audio sound like a re-recorded stuff on an old tape (the hiss noise). It hisses for a couple of seconds and fading to silence, even when I click on the Windows Audio Volume leveller *** ;( 
  
 Looking forward to your replying,
 Yatsu


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Yats,
 I have been running  the STX II for several months now. There is absolutely no hiss with my card. I would try the card in another computer. If you still get the 'hiss' send it back for replacement.You also might try a diff player ( not sure of what you are using) and use WASAPI or ASIO.
 Good Luck


----------



## Yatsuman

I am I play lossless with foobar2000 and iTunes. No difference at all. ASIO is set to 24bit/80ms. I first thought it's most likely a DAC/OpAmp issue. But I can hear it even when playing the Xonar U7 and I am really losing my mind with thisssssss hissssssssssss


----------



## paulguru

paulguru said:


> What is the output power of hp amp ????


 
 help ?


----------



## Yatsuman

Why would you need P, when you have voltage output of 7 Vrms?


----------



## bcschmerker4

paulguru said:


> What is the output power of hp amp ????


 
 According to the official Specification Sheet from Texas Instruments, the TPA6120A2 can put out 1.5 W into a 16Ω load with RMS unity-gain output noise at 0.9µV.


----------



## paulguru

bcschmerker4 said:


> According to the official Specification Sheet from Texas Instruments, the TPA6120A2 can put out 1.5 W into a 16Ω load with RMS unity-gain output noise at 0.9µV.


 
 ok but the specification of the chips is not same to specification to card


----------



## Linkin

yatsuman said:


> I am I play lossless with foobar2000 and iTunes. No difference at all. ASIO is set to 24bit/80ms. I first thought it's most likely a DAC/OpAmp issue. But I can hear it even when playing the Xonar U7 and I am really losing my mind with thisssssss hissssssssssss


 
  
 Ground loop isolator. Get one


----------



## Yatsuman

linkin said:


> Ground loop isolator. Get one


 
 If it is bad grounding isn't that hiss noise going to be persistent or absent on the external sound card?


----------



## figma114

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AARvEYS1zSA/VNoC3S-tzdI/AAAAAAAABH0/6z9ItFLVZhY/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG
  
 its best sound


----------



## lurk

Just wondering if upgrade will benefit me. 

Current setup
Audiotrak prodigy 7.1 LT
Aego M 2.1
Ath M50s
Dt880 600ohm
Alpha Dogs
Aune T1 mk1
Ifi ican nano
Fiio X1

Mp3, lossless, Spotify 

Only thing not quite satisfied is Dt880 not maxed out with current amping options I hv. 
Budget wise max up to stx II price. 


Thoughts? Appreciate all feedbacks. 
Stx or stx II? 
I am a pc gamer too


----------



## figma114

essence stx ii need replace the capacitor and remove V/I feedback capacitor.
 I've tried almost all of the OPA & capacitor.
  
 WAV > foobar2000 (ASIO 16bit,80ms) > Asus Essence STX  II (4x OPA128+ OPA2107ap) > RCA to 3.5mm(DIY Cable) > SE846(blue)
  
 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AARvEYS1zSA/VNoC3S-tzdI/AAAAAAAABH0/6z9ItFLVZhY/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG
 http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SiOITZzHAAI/VLPdlp9O-lI/AAAAAAAABEs/1Qk8DpdcxUA/s1600/DSC_0091%5B1%5D.JPG
 http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5F22MYS0RD0/VLkYG7V5ILI/AAAAAAAABFE/_fvMSNU5eMk/s1600/DSC_0100.JPG
 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9vuNitBa5_g/VLxqSOoivkI/AAAAAAAABG8/PRuS0VtinEs/s1600/11.JPG
 http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CHJjDrGrkmo/VLxqR0M1LmI/AAAAAAAABG4/ms284HO6_XI/s1600/22.JPG
  
 opa DC power supply filter capacitor replace Mouser Part #:   594-2222-150-60471
 Analogy coupling Digi-Key Part Number    604-1068-ND
  
 how can i published pictures!! What!!


----------



## GreenBow

If I am not mistaken the Asus Xonar STX II uses the same PCM1792 that the stunning HRT Microsteamer uses. Brilliant start. Sound quality is down to more than just the DAC though. However the STX II comes with good op-amp, and interchangeable ones for musical preference.


----------



## bcschmerker4

greenbow said:


> If I am not mistaken the Asus Xonar STX II uses the same PCM1792 that the stunning HRT Microsteamer uses. Brilliant start. Sound quality is down to more than just the DAC though. However the STX II comes with good op-amp, and interchangeable ones for musical preference.


 

 Indeed, ASUSTeK has interchangeable dual op amps at the I-V for all XONAR® Essence™ products.  Standard I-V for the Burr-Brown®/Texas Instruments® PCM1792 is the Japan Radio Corporation JRC2114D, except the One Muses Edition and STX II use the MUSES 8821; our fellow Head-Fi'ers have been running a variety of Texas Instruments®, Analog Devices®, and competitive dual op amps (at least one uses the oldie-but-goodie Signetics® NE5534N) as upgrades.


----------



## hifeadme

> I am I play lossless with foobar2000 and iTunes. No difference at all. ASIO is set to 24bit/80ms. I first thought it's most likely a DAC/OpAmp issue. But I can hear it even when playing the Xonar U7 and I am really losing my mind with thisssssss hissssssssssss


 
 It could be your power supply or motherboard. Low quality components of either one can create some nasty electrical feedback. I'd start with looking at the power supply.


----------



## hifeadme

These things are incredibly difficult to find at MSRP right now... I wonder if they're having sourcing problems with some of the components.


----------



## echineko

hifeadme said:


> These things are incredibly difficult to find at MSRP right now... I wonder if they're having sourcing problems with some of the components.



Or you know, lots of manufacturing in China/Taiwan is closed due to the Chinese New Year holidays


----------



## Trojita

solarium said:


> I'm currently using the STX II with the HD700, and it works like magic. After experiencing with a few choice "upgrades" for my  HD650, including I settled on the HD700. It really sounds heads and shoulders above all the other headphones I've tried. I've heard that the STX II is on par with the Schiit Magni/Modi combo in terms of sound quality, and have been very satisfied with the sound quality, and especially the ease of "hot swapping" my speakers to headphones. I'm almost hesitant to upgrade to an external amp/DAC because it will not be as easy, won't have the 3D imaging from the STX software, and cost extraoridinarily high for the upgrade. The WA7 massdrop deal looks incredibly tempting, but it's $1120 for the WA7 and the WA7TP.


 

 You're making me want to get the STX II. I have the HD700 as well. The soundcard I currently have is the Creative Titanium HD, but the fact that it doesn't have an actual dedicated Headphone Amp I think is hurting it. The portable FiiO E17 sounds much better and is what I'm currently using. I'm wondering if this would be even better.


----------



## fabien44

Hello,
 i plan to build an HTPC audiophile but i need SPDIF output to feed my DAC.
 This card seems to be great.
  
 But if i use its SPDIF output, i bypass all the card, so i do lost benefit of TCXO clock & EMI shield? 
 Do you recommand this card for only this usage?
  
 Thanks
 Fabien


----------



## GreenBow

fabien44 said:


> Hello,
> i plan to build an HTPC audiophile but i need SPDIF output to feed my DAC.
> This card seems to be great.
> 
> ...


 

 Check to see if your motherboard has an S/PDIF header. If so you could use one of these and save a fortune. 
 Your DAC will run the clock.


----------



## Renfield1217

I agree if you are running just SPIDF and no analog is a waste to buy this card.


----------



## Renfield1217

Agreed if they are having issues with hiss with both the internal sound card and the USB sound device then it's not the card.
 Just my take


----------



## Renfield1217

Agreed, not sure of the issues of why. I got mine a few months before they released them in North America. I really like the card. I have changed op amps in it though. The Muses opamps were just too laid back for me and not critical enough of the recording. Am currently running two LME49720 in the IV and a LM4562 in the buffer  and I like the sound. Is the same op amp setup the Asus STU uses out of the box and to me is more critical of the source material than the Muses which make all recordings sound the same. I just want to hear what the musicians wanted to sound like and if I have a bad recording :{)


----------



## nos024

Been using this card with Hifiman HE-560 for two weeks now.  I can vouch for it and say it sounds better than my $500 DacMagic Plus (using the headphone out).  The DacMagic Plus headphone out did not provide enough power for the HE-560.  I'm quite suprised it has enough to power the HE-560.
  
 I did previously own the original STX for a year.  I think the STXII is an upgrade, but not by much.  If you own the STX, i wouldn't rush to upgrade unless you want the 7.1 analogue setup.  The original STX has a headphone out SNR rating of 110dB (Manual says 110, but website says 117), while the STXII is rated at 120dB.  Also, for ADC the STXII uses a better chip CS5381 (120db SNR) vs CS CS5361 (114dB SNR).
  
 I think $250 (STX II w/o daughter card) is a little steep for a soundcard, but then again my DacMagic Plus was $500USD..
  
 Overall, I'd recommend this board if you are looking for "audiophile" grade soundcard.


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> For a 2.1 setup use 2 channels for audio and 5.1 for analog out. The whole goal is for the same stereo sound, just with the subwoofer added.


 
 Hi,
  
 I'm also using the STX II and I just ordered the H6 addon card for 2.1 subwoofer support.
 What Xonar unified drivers should i install? Normal, Low DPC latency, C-Media Audio Panel?
  
 Br,
 Toby


----------



## BigTerminator

Low DPC is what I used. If you want the equalizer and other DSP's use normal. If you are going to use it in HIFI mode then use Low DPC. The main thing is to disable stereo up mix.


----------



## dtect

Have Purchased stx ii after owning stx 1 for about 2 years running through Htpc With Jriver and foobar,Arcam A32 Amp and PMC speakers with Silver plated Connectors.When i first conncted stx ii up i was not pleased the sound coming out was harsh but at the same time back ground music was muffled ?.So out come the chips and put the second set in Still the same.Now peed off was expecting so much from this card.Took the old amp's out the stx 1 put them in the stx ii ,Great sound and with the better clock tighter music.They should have kept the old op amps.How can they release a high price product like this without comparing it with the old one..


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> Low DPC is what I used. If you want the equalizer and other DSP's use normal. If you are going to use it in HIFI mode then use Low DPC. The main thing is to disable stereo up mix.


 
 Hi BT,
  
 thanks for your reply.
 Ok I will have to try that low DPC setup. Question:
 The subwoofer I'm getting is a REL T5 model, it has the following inputs:
 LFE, Low level and High Level. http://www.avland.co.uk/aasp/rel/1020/t5/rearlrg.jpg
 What would be the recommended usage combined with STX ii? Obviously I can't use the High level input. Should I use LFE or Low level?
 I'll be playing music more than gaming, when gaming I probably use headphones.


----------



## BigTerminator

The truth is you probably want the normal setup as you will be using the crossover built into the software. The main thing with low DPC vs. normal is that the normal one has the Xonar control center running all the time and that uses more computer resources and adds the smallest of delays. When I had my sub with the H6 I used normal. When I got my new sub with a built in crossover I did not need the H6 and then used Low DPC. Also since you will be using speakers and headphones you will need the control center to switch back and forth so again use normal. 
  
 As for connecting the sub, make sure the crossover is set to the maximum as you want the Xonar handling the crossover. As for which input to use, I would say it probably does not matter. I looked at your model and REL is kind of advertising it has having dual inputs and dual volume so with one you can use it for music and one can be used with home theater. In the manual it says to use LFE when you are receiving signal from a processor which is the Xonar so use that. You can always try both and see if there is a difference.


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> The truth is you probably want the normal setup as you will be using the crossover built into the software. The main thing with low DPC vs. normal is that the normal one has the Xonar control center running all the time and that uses more computer resources and adds the smallest of delays. When I had my sub with the H6 I used normal. When I got my new sub with a built in crossover I did not need the H6 and then used Low DPC. Also since you will be using speakers and headphones you will need the control center to switch back and forth so again use normal.
> 
> As for connecting the sub, make sure the crossover is set to the maximum as you want the Xonar handling the crossover. As for which input to use, I would say it probably does not matter. I looked at your model and REL is kind of advertising it has having dual inputs and dual volume so with one you can use it for music and one can be used with home theater. In the manual it says to use LFE when you are receiving signal from a processor which is the Xonar so use that. You can always try both and see if there is a difference.


 
 Hi BT,
  
 thanks for your reply.
 Ok I will install the normal unidriver software. What do you mean by when you said that you do not need the H6 cards sub out no more? You did get a new subwoofer Presonus T10? Does the T10 have more input and outputs than the REL T5?
 How are you hooking up your new sub with the STX II or are you using a separate DAC for speaker / sub connection?


----------



## BigTerminator

My old Yamaha sub had nothing but an rca input, not even a low pass filter. So I needed the H6 to handle the crossover. 
  
 My new Presonus T10 has inputs and crossovers galore. I go from the DAC to the subwoofer and then out to the speakers. The subwoofer has a variable low pass filter and an optional high pass filter at 80hz. I persoanlly run my speakers full range. 
  
 Compared to the REL, I have a lot more input/outputs and flexibility. Studio subwoofers always have bass management built in. No matter what DAC, Xonar or what I am using now, 2.1 will work. 
  
 Sometimes, you can get away with running the speakers full range and simply splitting one channels audio and run that through the sub with a low pass filter set. H6 though will be perfect for you. 
  
 If you have not bought the REL yet I would consider getting the Presonus T10 or something like the SVS SB1000. Both have bass management so no need for the H6. 
  
 What speakers are you using?


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> Compared to the REL, I have a lot more input/outputs and flexibility. Studio subwoofers always have bass management built in. No matter what DAC, Xonar or what I am using now, 2.1 will work.
> 
> Sometimes, you can get away with running the speakers full range and simply splitting one channels audio and run that through the sub with a low pass filter set. H6 though will be perfect for you.
> 
> ...


 
 Well unfortunately I have already purchased the REL T5. But all in all it should be good sub with tight low end responses especially when listening to music. They told me at store from where I purchased it that if I use the Low Level input instead of the LFE input that then the subs own crossover filter would be in use. Well we'll  just have to see what happens and try both of them out. I have the sub and now I'm waiting for the H6 to arrive.. I'm guessing it will arrive on Friday or on next Monday.
  
 I'm using KEF x300a as speakers connected with mini stereo -> rca out on the STX 2.
 The KEFs frequency response 49 Hz–45 kHz (–6dB), so I should set the xonars crossover pretty low I guess?


----------



## figma114

paulguru said:


> What is the output power of hp amp ????


 
  
 AMP=SMSL SA-98E 
 SPEAKER=YAMAHA NS-BP200
  
 STX II RCA > SMSL SA-98E > YAMAHA NS-BP200


----------



## BigTerminator

toube said:


> Well unfortunately I have already purchased the REL T5. But all in all it should be good sub with tight low end responses especially when listening to music. They told me at store from where I purchased it that if I use the Low Level input instead of the LFE input that then the subs own crossover filter would be in use. Well we'll  just have to see what happens and try both of them out. I have the sub and now I'm waiting for the H6 to arrive.. I'm guessing it will arrive on Friday or on next Monday.
> 
> I'm using KEF x300a as speakers connected with mini stereo -> rca out on the STX 2.
> The KEFs frequency response 49 Hz–45 kHz (–6dB), so I should set the xonars crossover pretty low I guess?


 
 It really won't matter as the crossover will be handled by the Xonar. LFE again is used when a pre amp/processor is handling the crossover duties so that is preferred. 
  
 As for crossover frequency I prefer 70hz with 50hz speakers. 70-80hz would be the range you want to play with. Any lower and you lose mid bass, any higher you start getting bass that is localized and muddy.


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> It really won't matter as the crossover will be handled by the Xonar. LFE again is used when a pre amp/processor is handling the crossover duties so that is preferred.
> 
> As for crossover frequency I prefer 70hz with 50hz speakers. 70-80hz would be the range you want to play with. Any lower and you lose mid bass, any higher you start getting bass that is localized and muddy.


 
 Cool thanks for your help, I will let you know how I got it working later on when the H6 arrives.
 Ps. Any advice if I wanted to purchase an mini preamp that would come between speakers, sub and STX 2 for controlling all the volume from one place. Now the volume is controlled from windows which is not so handy even if I can use the keyboard F1, F2, F3 etc. ?


----------



## BigTerminator

I use windows volume, sound quality will not be different. If you would like a physical knob to turn then get a Schiit Sys or Emotiva Control Freak.


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> I use windows volume, sound quality will not be different. If you would like a physical knob to turn then get a Schiit Sys or Emotiva Control Freak.


 
 Thanks, I think I'll manage with the keyboard.
 I hooked up the H6 addon card and I have played some music and testing out the REL T5 and it has a good punch so I'm satisfied with the purchase.
  
 Asus original drivers works when setting speakers to 5.1 and channels to 2 and setting Flexbass to on and then using the subs Low level input to set the crossover frequency. I'm not sure if I'll will be installing the UNi Xonar Drivers, are there any big improvements using them versus asus own drivers?


----------



## BigTerminator

toube said:


> Thanks, I think I'll manage with the keyboard.
> I hooked up the H6 addon card and I have played some music and testing out the REL T5 and it has a good punch so I'm satisfied with the purchase.
> 
> Asus original drivers works when setting speakers to 5.1 and channels to 2 and setting Flexbass to on and then using the subs Low level input to set the crossover frequency. I'm not sure if I'll will be installing the UNi Xonar Drivers, are there any big improvements using them versus asus own drivers?


 
 The unofficial drivers are better and you should get them. Yes it works, but a problem I had was stuff like video games and movies being up mixed to 5.1. This meant I was missing dialogue and many of the sound effects. Uni drivers allow you to disable stereo up mixing. In general I had less issues with those drivers.


----------



## Toube

bigterminator said:


> The unofficial drivers are better and you should get them. Yes it works, but a problem I had was stuff like video games and movies being up mixed to 5.1. This meant I was missing dialogue and many of the sound effects. Uni drivers allow you to disable stereo up mixing. In general I had less issues with those drivers.


 
 Ok I will use them and test some gaming. thanks.


----------



## richbass

bigterminator said:


> The unofficial drivers are better and you should get them. Yes it works, but a problem I had was stuff like video games and movies being up mixed to 5.1. This meant I was missing dialogue and many of the sound effects. Uni drivers allow you to disable stereo up mixing. In general I had less issues with those drivers.


 

 so is it better to uninstall official drivers and use unified ? for windows 8.1 pro..


----------



## Toube

richbass said:


> so is it better to uninstall official drivers and use unified ? for windows 8.1 pro..


 
 I'd give the uni drivers a try. I'm using them now without any problems. The fact is that Asus updates STX drivers in a very slow pace. The original STX driver for Windows 8 and 8.1 is still in beta mode.


----------



## echineko

So I'm thinking of moving my gaming rig with the Asus Essence STX II into the den, since I hardly watch anything on TV anymore. How do I hookup the output from the PC to my AVR (a Pioneer VSX 1124K), since it will be the source for both audio and video? The plan is to watch stuff with the audio going to the AVR and on to my speakers, and video/gaming on the TV. If I just run the HDMI output from the graphic card, I'm thinking the sound quality will be degraded. Any suggestions guys?


----------



## Toube

echineko said:


> So I'm thinking of moving my gaming rig with the Asus Essence STX II into the den, since I hardly watch anything on TV anymore. How do I hookup the output from the PC to my AVR (a Pioneer VSX 1124K), since it will be the source for both audio and video? The plan is to watch stuff with the audio going to the AVR and on to my speakers, and video/gaming on the TV. If I just run the HDMI output from the graphic card, I'm thinking the sound quality will be degraded. Any suggestions guys?


 
 Yes you should be good with graphics cards HDMI out, depending on card make and model it will probably output DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD lossless audio in your movies. What graphics card are you using?


----------



## echineko

toube said:


> Yes you should be good with graphics cards HDMI out, depending on card make and model it will probably output DTS-MA and Dolby TrueHD lossless audio in your movies. What graphics card are you using?



I've got two of these guys: www.asus.com/my/Graphics_Cards/R9290XDC2OC4GD5/ , the Asus R9290x. I'll give it a try later this week, once I get the place cleaned up a bit.


----------



## BigTerminator

The STX II has a digitial output either through coax or optical. That would be better suited. Only problem is that you will not be using the STX II's DAC and instead the AVR's. If you have stereo then just use the RCA outs. If you are using surround then you can get the H6 add on card or use digital out.


----------



## richbass

toube said:


> I'd give the uni drivers a try. I'm using them now without any problems. The fact is that Asus updates STX drivers in a very slow pace. The original STX driver for Windows 8 and 8.1 is still in beta mode.



 


the official drivers which im usnig with win 8.1 pro lags a lot (asio mode) while seeking in foobar. and also there is crackling when u use foobar knob for volume up/down. i changed to 32 bit asio mode which resulted in a little less lag while seeking a track but the volume knob crackling still persists !


----------



## Toube

richbass said:


> toube said:
> 
> 
> > I'd give the uni drivers a try. I'm using them now without any problems. The fact is that Asus updates STX drivers in a very slow pace. The original STX driver for Windows 8 and 8.1 is still in beta mode.
> ...


 
 Try the uni drivers I think they will work better with Foobar.


----------



## richbass

toube said:


> Try the uni drivers I think they will work better with Foobar.


 

 I will do that and report back. Thanks Toube!


----------



## echineko

bigterminator said:


> The STX II has a digitial output either through coax or optical. That would be better suited. Only problem is that you will not be using the STX II's DAC and instead the AVR's. If you have stereo then just use the RCA outs. If you are using surround then you can get the H6 add on card or use digital out.


 
  
 The H6 add-on won't really possible, I don't think, what with the 2x graphic cards eating up a lot of space. I'll have look if I can rearrange some of my cards, but right now its probably STX II > front-panel headphones and graphic card (HDMI) > AVR > surround speakers. Will be messing about with this over the weekend, will update how it goes. I'm gonna be using the Pioneer VSX 1124K receiver, btw.


----------



## EliteA1

So, this card  alone retails for $259.99 from competitive businesses such as Amazon or Newegg. Amazon has notified me that restocking this card will be between March 9th all the way to June.
  
 I have a simple question about this card and it isn't going to be the traditional integrated audio VS card. Besides the output quality of this card I would like to know one thing please. Would the line input be noticeably better than a Realtek 1150 chip? I have a higher end microphone which I feel distorts easily on my Realtek while not even being that loud. It would be great if someone could test the line input on this card VS integrated side by side with voice recordings. Also, wasn't there a weird problem going around with Asus microphone inputs while playing games? It created a very strange sound that can be found on multiple sites with a quick google on the matter.
  
 My question stands about the Asus card only. No need to explain microphone volumes to me on this thread as I don't want to get off topic.


----------



## PeanutsJr

Hi

I love the card's sound improvement over my Asus Rampage V integrated sound card. I am hoping to improve on this further. 

I read recommendations on swapping out stock op-amp with Muses01 and Muses02. So far, the only legit re-seller I found is Mouser. But they would charge me over 200 USD for three pieces. With that money, I could also buy Schiit's Asgard 2 or even Valhalla with a bit more.

I am using HD 700 so I am guessing there's still room for improvement on the sound from just the stock card.

Is it better on getting those Muses Op-amp or buy a Schiit Asgard 2/Valhalla?

Thanks for any suggestions.


----------



## bcschmerker4

elitea1 said:


> So, this card  alone retails for $259.99 from competitive businesses such as Amazon or Newegg. Amazon has notified me that restocking this card will be between March 9th all the way to June.
> 
> I have a simple question about this card and it isn't going to be the traditional integrated audio VS card. Besides the output quality of this card I would like to know one thing please. Would the line input be noticeably better than a Realtek 1150 chip? I have a higher end microphone which I feel distorts easily on my Realtek while not even being that loud. It would be great if someone could test the line input on this card VS integrated side by side with voice recordings. Also, wasn't there a weird problem going around with Asus microphone inputs while playing games? It created a very strange sound that can be found on multiple sites with a quick google on the matter.
> 
> My question stands about the Asus card only. No need to explain microphone volumes to me on this thread as I don't want to get off topic.


 

 From my experience with the original XONAR® STX as installed in an Asus® CM1630-06, the STX II uses the same 6.3mm TRS input jack for Mic In/Line In, but it also has a four-pin plug-in at the top of the RFI shield for an Auxiliary In (which, on my CM1630, I tapped as a line in from a modified card-slot block-off plate).  The Mic Boost gives 20 dB gain at the Mic In/Line In jack; as with any audio card or chip (with the possible exception of the E-MU®/Creative Laboratories® Professional™ 0404/e and 1010/e, which used Balanced-Mono signals in and out, and NOS Auzentech® cards with their dual-mode microphone preamplifiers for stereo single-ended or balanced mono), do take care with the microphone shielding, as the STX II's mic pre is somewhat more noise-sensitive at boosted gain than other audio chip's mic pre's.


----------



## echineko

[COLOR=FF00AA][/COLOR]





peanutsjr said:


> Hi
> 
> I read recommendations on swapping out stock op-amp with Muses01 and Muses02.




Hi, where are you located? And I did the same, got the MUSES opamp upgrades, and did notice an improvement. Whether it's worthwhile would be a subjective opinion, but it definitely improves the SQ.


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> Hi, where are you located? And I did the same, got the MUSES opamp upgrades, and did notice an improvement. Whether it's worthwhile would be a subjective opinion, but it definitely improves the SQ.


 
  I am in the US.
  
 Did you get the 01 or 02? Do you know how they differ?


----------



## theShaz

Gentlemen. I own the old trusty STX with the H6 board. I love the 6 channel analog out. It's why I bought it. Also love the replaceable OpAmps.
  
 I am currently building an X99 rig and I have an STX II 7.1 on the way. I have heard multiple reports about the factory OpAmps being subpar in quality. What are some of the recommended OpAmps out there that I can get my hands on. And if you'd kindly share where I might be able to purchase them. Kindly appreciated as always.


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> I am in the US.
> Did you get the 01 or 02? Do you know how they differ?



I got both the 01 and the 02, and had to research based on other posts in this forum and elsewhere on the net. Being located in Asia, I was able to get them shipped from Japan, much cheaper than buying them from Mouser. And I also contacted NJR directly to ask their advice on opamp compatibility, since I was going to swap out their lower-end models. Went with 1x02 and 2x01 in the end.


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> I got both the 01 and the 02, and had to research based on other posts in this forum and elsewhere on the net. Being located in Asia, I was able to get them shipped from Japan, much cheaper than buying them from Mouser. And I also contacted NJR directly to ask their advice on opamp compatibility, since I was going to swap out their lower-end models. Went with 1x02 and 2x01 in the end.


 
  
 So you have one 02 for the buffer and two 01s for I/V? Did NJR recommend this config? What did they say?


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> So you have one 02 for the buffer and two 01s for I/V? Did NJR recommend this config? What did they say?




Well, they recommended the MUSES02 to replace the 8820, and 2x MUSES01 to replace the 8920. Apparently those are the direct replacement in the higher end line of opamps. So I just went with it, and was happy with the result. Not really cost-effective, though. Here's mine:


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> Well, they recommended the MUSES02 to replace the 8820, and 2x MUSES01 to replace the 8920. Apparently those are the direct replacement in the higher end line of opamps. So I just went with it, and was happy with the result. Not really cost-effective, though


 
 Thanks for the info. At least, now I know which muses to get.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 The only two legit re-sellers, that I know do orders to US address, are Digikey and Mouser. Digikey won't sell any batch smaller than 100 units and Mouser charges a fortune per piece. 
  
 If I buy them from Mouser, I might as well buy a Schiit Asgard 2/Valhalla or some other external amp.
  
 Anyone know whether it's better off to get those Muses or external amp like Schiit Asgard/Valhalla?


----------



## BigTerminator

peanutsjr said:


> Thanks for the info. At least, now I know which muses to get.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Please do not spend more on op amps than you do on the card itself. I would not spend more than $10 per op amp. From my experience with op amp rolling, its about finding op amps with your sound signature. $50 for the MUSE is not worth it. There are a lot of good cheap chips out there. 
  
 If you are using headphones, than it is even more useless because the headphone output only uses 2 op amps, it does not use the buffer. Save that money and get a great headphone amp. The Xonar's have decent amps but are not known to be the best. 
  
 How good is your computer's PSU? When I went from my old PSU to an EVGA Supernova G2, the sound quality was more improved than any op amps I had tried. I got that PSU partially because it had the lowest ripple. Bass was the most noticeable improvement. 
  
 I personally used 3 x LME49860's. This op amp is all about clarity and detail. Lacks some bass, but I had a subwoofer to take care of that. I have since gotten a Musical Fidelity V90 and the difference is negligible. This shows how good the Xonar's DAC is. Spend the money on a headphone amp if you want to hear an actual difference.


----------



## theShaz

Just desperately want someone to respond to me regarding where to buy these OpAmps..


----------



## Natslx

Texas Instruments.


----------



## PeanutsJr

bigterminator said:


> Please do not spend more on op amps than you do on the card itself. I would not spend more than $10 per op amp. From my experience with op amp rolling, its about finding op amps with your sound signature. $50 for the MUSE is not worth it. There are a lot of good cheap chips out there.
> 
> If you are using headphones, than it is even more useless because the headphone output only uses 2 op amps, it does not use the buffer. Save that money and get a great headphone amp. The Xonar's have decent amps but are not known to be the best.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I am also using  EVGA Supernova; mine's the 1300W Plat 80+ version.
  
 How does LME49860 compare to those stock Muses on the card?
  
 Do you think something like Schiit Asgard 2 would bring significant difference?
  
 edit: So the headphone's sound quality is only influenced by the I/V op-amps? What's the buffer op-amp used for?


----------



## BigTerminator

peanutsjr said:


> I am also using  EVGA Supernova; mine's the 1300W Plat 80+ version.
> 
> How does LME49860 compare to those stock Muses on the card?
> 
> ...


 
 All 3 Op Amps are in use when using the RCA out, 2 when using the headphone amp. The LME49860 is a cherry picked LME49720 which is included with STX II's. I had the Xonar Essence ST so I do not know what the Muses sound like. If you like a bright, open, detailed, sound signature then they are for you. I got 3 of them for $10 total. You can have some fun rolling $5 op amps but going all out for $100+ is nuts and will not do enough. You have a great power supply so the card should be running at its full potential.
  
 A separate headphone amp would do way more, amps in general make more sonic difference than DAC's. That being said I compared my Musical Fidelity V90 with a Yulong A800 headphone amp against the Xonar with DT990's and the Xonar was very close, and when I say very close it means that placebo might have played a role. As much as I love my DAC and amp, it makes me appreciate the Xonar more. As for amps, I am a headphone noob as I love speakers. The Yulong A800 which I am using is VERY powerful and has very clean sound. There are not many comparisons or reviews on it though. Schiit Magni 2 is probably all you really need. Spend the money on better headphones, that is what makes the difference, amps and dacs start sounding the same after $100. 
  
 Is there anything in the sound that you do not like?


----------



## PeanutsJr

bigterminator said:


> All 3 Op Amps are in use when using the RCA out, 2 when using the headphone amp. The LME49860 is a cherry picked LME49720 which is included with STX II's. I had the Xonar Essence ST so I do not know what the Muses sound like. If you like a bright, open, detailed, sound signature then they are for you. I got 3 of them for $10 total. You can have some fun rolling $5 op amps but going all out for $100+ is nuts and will not do enough. You have a great power supply so the card should be running at its full potential.
> 
> A separate headphone amp would do way more, amps in general make more sonic difference than DAC's. That being said I compared my Musical Fidelity V90 with a Yulong A800 headphone amp against the Xonar with DT990's and the Xonar was very close, and when I say very close it means that placebo might have played a role. As much as I love my DAC and amp, it makes me appreciate the Xonar more. As for amps, I am a headphone noob as I love speakers. The Yulong A800 which I am using is VERY powerful and has very clean sound. There are not many comparisons or reviews on it though. Schiit Magni 2 is probably all you really need. Spend the money on better headphones, that is what makes the difference, amps and dacs start sounding the same after $100.
> 
> Is there anything in the sound that you do not like?


 
 I use to have ZXR but its driver kept crashing so I ended up returning it. Compared to the ZXR, STX II sounds really dull and empty. It feels as if sound doesn't feel as flowing continuously and lively. I want to improve its dynamic feel.
  
 I am using Senn HD700 and, if I want to upgrade then it will have to be HD 800. But that will cost me a fortune. So I am not looking to upgrade my headphone anytime soon. I am trying to find alternative means to improve on the sound quality. I read Magni has no impedance gain switch. My HD700 is 150 Ohms. Will that work?


----------



## BigTerminator

peanutsjr said:


> I use to have ZXR but its driver kept crashing so I ended up returning it. Compared to the ZXR, STX II sounds really dull and empty. It feels as if sound doesn't feel as flowing continuously and lively. I want to improve its dynamic feel.
> 
> I am using Senn HD700 and, if I want to upgrade then it will have to be HD 800. But that will cost me a fortune. So I am not looking to upgrade my headphone anytime soon. I am trying to find alternative means to improve on the sound quality. I read Magni has no impedance gain switch. My HD700 is 150 Ohms. Will that work?


 
 With my Xonar I got a very airy, bright, detailed, sound signature. Is that what you want?
  
 Your STX II should have an extra pair of op amps that are 49720's. Have you tried dabbling with the settings of your Xonar? Changing the gain in the software? Make sure you are in hifi mode.


----------



## PeanutsJr

bigterminator said:


> With my Xonar I got a very airy, bright, detailed, sound signature. Is that what you want?
> 
> Your STX II should have an extra pair of op amps that are 49720's. Have you tried dabbling with the settings of your Xonar? Changing the gain in the software? Make sure you are in hifi mode.


 
  
 I tried Hifi mode. It feels a bit too muted/distanced. 
  
 I tried the other op amps which came with the box. They made the bass feel a bit muddy.


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> I tried Hifi mode. It feels a bit too muted/distanced.
> 
> I tried the other op amps which came with the box. They made the bass feel a bit muddy.




Actually, I'm using my HD700 with the STX II as well, and while its decent, I am planning to get a separate amp as well, since I think it would do better with a decent dedicated amp. BT is right about diminishing returns though, the MUSES did make a tangible difference to me, but they're not exactly a cost-effective upgrade. If you want to upgrade the STX II no matter what, I recommend it, if you're thinking of an external component, maybe you want to try that first. 

Me, I knew I wanted to try for myself if these MUSES are really as good as everyone says


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> Actually, I'm using my HD700 with the STX II as well, and while its decent, I am planning to get a separate amp as well, since I think it would do better with a decent dedicated amp. BT is right about diminishing returns though, the MUSES did make a tangible difference to me, but they're not exactly a cost-effective upgrade. If you want to upgrade the STX II no matter what, I recommend it, if you're thinking of an external component, maybe you want to try that first.
> 
> Me, I knew I wanted to try for myself if these MUSES are really as good as everyone says


 
 After some thought, I am going to skip Muses which cost 71 USD per piece from Mouser. With that money, I might as well jump to an external amp instead.
  
 What amp are you planning to get?


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> After some thought, I am going to skip Muses which cost 71 USD per piece from Mouser. With that money, I might as well jump to an external amp instead.
> 
> What amp are you planning to get?



Looking at the Schiit Lyr 2 right now, because I want something that will play well with the current dynamic 'phones, as well as the planar magnetics I want to try (in a few months or so). But haven't pulled the trigger yet, still looking for stuff in that sub $500 range


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> Looking at the Schiit Lyr 2 right now, because I want something that will play well with the current dynamic 'phones, as well as the planar magnetics I want to try (in a few months or so). But haven't pulled the trigger yet, still looking for stuff in that sub $500 range


 
  
 That Lyr 2 is a tube amp, right?
  
 Do you think a tube amp better complements HD 700 over a solid state one?
  
 I read tube amps may distort clarity - probably I am wrong. I would hate to lose HD700's clarity.


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> That Lyr 2 is a tube amp, right?
> 
> Do you think a tube amp better complements HD 700 over a solid state one?
> 
> I read tube amps may distort clarity - probably I am wrong. I would hate to lose HD700's clarity.



Well for one thing, all the reviews I've read say it's more of a hybrid sound than a full tube amp signature (not as warm or "syrupy" as dedicated tube amps), but enough to experiment with the tube sound, tube rolling etc . The main point for me is being able to drive different types of 'phones, especially since I'm keen on exploring planar magnetics in the near future. I'm going to audition it first before deciding, but for my use cases it seems pretty intriguing. Was also looking at some stuff from Woo Audio, but this is leading on my shortlist. Check out some impressions from the HD700 threads as well, generally people seem to think the Lyr 2 goes well with it.


----------



## Renfield1217

peanutsjr said:


> I use to have ZXR but its driver kept crashing so I ended up returning it. Compared to the ZXR, STX II sounds really dull and empty. It feels as if sound doesn't feel as flowing continuously and lively. I want to improve its dynamic feel.
> 
> I am using Senn HD700 and, if I want to upgrade then it will have to be HD 800. But that will cost me a fortune. So I am not looking to upgrade my headphone anytime soon. I am trying to find alternative means to improve on the sound quality. I read Magni has no impedance gain switch. My HD700 is 150 Ohms. Will that work?


 

 Before you do anything pickup an LM4562 and use it as a buffer in the STX II and install the 2-LME49720 that you got with the op amp kit in the IV sockets. I also found the stock Muses opamps too laid back for my ears.
 BTW, that is the op amp setup that Asus recommends for the ST and the STX and is also the stock opamp setup for their STU USB device.
  
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20110131154355949&board_id=21&model=Xonar+Xense&page=1&SLanguage=en-us
  
 Lots cheaper than a new unit or the more expensive Muses.


----------



## Toube

renfield1217 said:


> Before you do anything pickup an LM4562 and use it as a buffer in the STX II and install the 2-LME49720 that you got with the op amp kit in the IV sockets. I also found the stock Muses opamps too laid back for my ears.
> BTW, that is the op amp setup that Asus recommends for the ST and the STX and is also the stock opamp setup for their STU USB device.
> 
> http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20110131154355949&board_id=21&model=Xonar+Xense&page=1&SLanguage=en-us
> ...


 
 Hi,
 I just ordered the LME49720NA as suggested at Asus forums for the STX II.
 I ordered from ebay uk.. hopefully it will be an authentic one.. any thoughts?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171118880649


----------



## Toube

I swapped out the original Muses with these LM4562 and 2 x LME49720 and now the sound is in my opinion much more softer but still crisp and mids are good and bass is there also. The original Muses setup was a bit too crisp and the highs were almost too high.. now it's much easier to listen to the music 
 I'm still going to try the LME49720NA when it arrives in the mail.


----------



## ko853

i'm using asus HDAV deluxe 7.1 feed analog to Pioneer AX10 AVR for music and film bluray. Should I upgrade to STX II for better sound?


----------



## paulguru

What is the best combination if i'm looking for a tinyest bass possible and controlled ?


----------



## Toube

ko853 said:


> i'm using asus HDAV deluxe 7.1 feed analog to Pioneer AX10 AVR for music and film bluray. Should I upgrade to STX II for better sound?


 
 Hi, I wouldn't spend money on the STX II if you already own the HDAV Deluxe 7.1, I own both. I use the HDAV on my HTPC and the STX II 7.1 on my gaming rig.. I don't see or hear any difference when watching movies. The one thing that the HDAV doesn't have is the headphone amp, but then if you use the HDAV to watch movies using the rca outs then it's all good.


----------



## ko853

thanks for your share. And how about stereo music? with new design and components such as clock, opamps... STX II would be better HDAV deluxe? as I use HDAV for movie and stereo music with same AVR and speakers system.


----------



## Toube

ko853 said:


> thanks for your share. And how about stereo music? with new design and components such as clock, opamps... STX II would be better HDAV deluxe? as I use HDAV for movie and stereo music with same AVR and speakers system.


 
 I don't think you'll be able to hear any difference on the stereo side either because you are routing all through your receiver. Even if you would use the output directly to speakers from your soundcards hearing the difference would require a good audiophile ear


----------



## PeanutsJr

Hey all

I finally went ahead and purchased Lyr 2 and use the STX 2 as DAC. But I am disappointed. My right HD700 phone is filled with static noise. There's so many potential variables at play. Now I am wondering if it's STX 2's fault. 

But without any external amp, it performed without much noise. Does anyone else have similar issue with using STX 2 as DAC?


----------



## Renfield1217

toube said:


> I swapped out the original Muses with these LM4562 and 2 x LME49720 and now the sound is in my opinion much more softer but still crisp and mids are good and bass is there also. The original Muses setup was a bit too crisp and the highs were almost too high.. now it's much easier to listen to the music
> I'm still going to try the LME49720NA when it arrives in the mail.


 

 Glad to hear you liked the change. Let us know how it sounds with the 3 LME49720NA's.


----------



## 410107

Here's something interesting; at least once a week when I turn my computer on my mic is sometimes completely dead, as if it isn't even plugged in. A restart fixes it, but there's nothing I can find wrong with the card or the microphone.
  
 Any ideas?


----------



## echineko

peanutsjr said:


> Hey all
> 
> I finally went ahead and purchased Lyr 2 and use the STX 2 as DAC. But I am disappointed. My right HD700 phone is filled with static noise. There's so many potential variables at play. Now I am wondering if it's STX 2's fault.
> 
> But without any external amp, it performed without much noise. Does anyone else have similar issue with using STX 2 as DAC?




How did you hook up the soundcard to the Lyr?


----------



## PeanutsJr

echineko said:


> How did you hook up the soundcard to the Lyr?


 
 I connected it to the speakers' channel.
  
 Also, I tried s/pdif->dac->lyr 2.


----------



## Toube

renfield1217 said:


> Glad to hear you liked the change. Let us know how it sounds with the 3 LME49720NA's.


 
 Hi,
  
 I think I liked the LM4562 more than 3 x LME49720NA. But the difference I hard to hear.. I think the latter has a bit more sharper highs that might make the ears hurt a bit if listened too close or with too much volume.


----------



## 410107

tilaron said:


> Here's something interesting; at least once a week when I turn my computer on my mic is sometimes completely dead, as if it isn't even plugged in. A restart fixes it, but there's nothing I can find wrong with the card or the microphone.
> 
> Any ideas?


 


 Another problem I sometimes get; Volume/gain seems to double, like a "110%" button has been pressed, makes every windows sound, ventrilo sound, music and movies just .. overloud. Turning my volume down doesn't make this effect go away. It only stops after restarting my computer. Same with the dead microphone problem.
  
 If I'm the only person that has experienced either of these I'll stop being lazy and do some googling, but just wondered if anyone here had similar experiences.


----------



## paulguru

rpgwizard said:


> So I picked it up today. After a little testing I definitely like it more than ZxR soundwise from a soundstaging point of view but the funny thing is that I still think the onboard Realtek solution on my ASRock Extreme6 Z87 with a ALC1150 chip and two TI NE5532 onboard amps sounds (which is by far the best sounding onboard chip solution I've tried) at least like 80% of that of STX II and has a very similar sound signature too, only small small differences. The ZxR stood out more clearly in sound having a much more bloated subbass response and the highs slightly bit toned down. The STX II in comparison to the ZxR is less bloated in the subbass and a brighter but the onboard may be like ~5% brighter still leading to the STX II sounding ever so bit smoother/more fullbodied than the onboard. For my equipment the STX II and Realtek is a much better fit making the ZxR sound too warm and too bloated in the subbass.
> 
> So far it's difficult to say with the stock STX II opamps whether or not I prefer the Realtek or STX II, the Realtek have suprisingly tight and punchy bass characteristics which is highly attractive to me personally, in that aspect it may even be slightly bit favorable but the mids may be like slightly bit favorable towards STX II but I'm unsure whether I find the highs TOO smooth or not. Might need to try some other opamps.
> 
> Edit: The other included opamps just plain sucked to my ears, not that much of a different sound signature, just less clear, almost shockingly muffled so avoid those, there's a reason the muse (although cheaper models) are used by default.


 
 Ok but between two who sound much forgiving ? ZXR or STX ?
 STX have bloated bass also bass boost effect disable ?


----------



## Lindentwig

Maybe it's time to finally retire my trusty Xonar DG


----------



## paulguru

is it suitable for gaming ?


----------



## Toube

paulguru said:


> is it suitable for gaming ?


 
 In my own experience yes.
 Here's from Guru 3D review
http://www.guru3d.com/articles_pages/asus_essence_stx_ii_7_1_sound_card_review,9.html


----------



## Gradius

solarium said:


> How is the soundstage?


 

 Is superb, but I can't compare with other (more expensive) solutions as I didn't hear any of them.
  
 However, I can tell you is something amazing, MUCH better than stock.  I tried a lot OPAs, LME, etc, they all SUCKED.
  
 I used bursons and high precision clock.   Didn't changed all the caps, and I could put a better power line on it too, but since my PSU is good quality, I don't think it would expand that much.


----------



## Gradius

My next upgrade will be with no OPAMPs at all.
  
 Too bad it will cost me $2k or more for it.  And no, isn't STX or STX II, it will be an external solution.
  
 Why?  Because I can't imagine nothing better of what I already have here.


----------



## MattyS54

Heya peeps, considering the STX II to go into my new rig and replace the Soundblaster ZX i got for it. I really dislike the Z's sound signature, to my ears it is overly artificial and processed sounding. Coming from using a X-Fi Platinum for many years (I believe the platinum was the music model w/ front panel) it is a giant downgrade in SQ. The X-Fi seemed more neutral, it was certainly a lot brighter and had better all-round sound.

The price of the STX II isn't a big issue as I'll hopefully keep the card for many years. But bearing in mind the above what are the chances I'll like it? I do a lot of music listening and have a rubbish set-up atm, but will be upgrading speakers/headphones in the future. Nonetheless I can hear the difference between the SB X-Fi and Z as absolutely huge. Thanks!


----------



## bcschmerker4

mattys54 said:


> Heya peeps, considering the STX II to go into my new rig and replace the Soundblaster ZX i got for it. I really dislike the Z's sound signature, to my ears it is overly artificial and processed sounding. Coming from using a X-Fi Platinum for many years (I believe the platinum was the music model w/ front panel) it is a giant downgrade in SQ. The X-Fi seemed more neutral, it was certainly a lot brighter and had better all-round sound.
> 
> The price of the STX II isn't a big issue as I'll hopefully keep the card for many years. But bearing in mind the above what are the chances I'll like it? I do a lot of music listening and have a rubbish set-up atm, but will be upgrading speakers/headphones in the future. Nonetheless I can hear the difference between the SB X-Fi and Z as absolutely huge. Thanks!


 

*Cool beans!*  I have an original XONAR® Essence™ STX™ myself, and the STX II uses the same Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2 headphone amp as my STX plus a better master oscillator and provision for 7.1 analog via a XONAR® H6™ daughtercard (included in the STX II 7.1 package, preloaded with MUSES dual amplifiers).  I've tried out Philips® and JVC® sports earsets and a Plantronics® GAMECOM® 380 on _my_ STX; the 'phone amp is accurate enough with a low-Z load, but I'm on the hunt for a medium-Z headset for good enough performance from the cans for monitoring recordings and video uploads (see "Recommendable headphones and/or headsets for  Asus XONAR Essence series?").


----------



## ko853

delete...


----------



## 410107

So ... last night, every 20~ seconds, my right ear kept 'popping', I took the headphones off and discovered it's actually the card doing its power switch click noise (usually heard when switching from headphone to speaker output in the software). Needless to say this scared the crap out of me because I was worried it might kill my headphones, so I uninstalled the drivers and tried the UNi xonar c-panel drivers, but they have no gain/ohm setting, so I tried their normal asus panel drivers... it seemed to work, but after maybe 10 minutes I did hear another pop during a song, said "F this" and went to bed.
  
 I was out all day today so don't know if it's happened at all, currently sat here and all is well, but I was hoping I wasn't alone in ever having this happen?
  
 Hopefully it isn't hardware related, and as the change of software seemed to stop it from happening as frequently I'm hoping that's the cause, but it doesn't explain how it started in the first place.
  
  
 Should I be worried for the health of my headphones if it keeps doing this?
  
  
 Edit: Was using speakers earlier, now using headphones ... all seems to be well. I've had a few graphics screw-ups and other spooky things happen. I suspect my PSU is starting to lose it.
  
 Edit 2: Immediately after typing the above, had another pop and 2 of my hard drives just powered down. Gonna turn this sucker off and get a new PSU... last time I ever buy a corsair PSU if I can help it.
  
  
 *sigh*
  
 (at least it's not the card or headphones at fault, bullet dodged!)


----------



## Toube

tilaron said:


> So ... last night, every 20~ seconds, my right ear kept 'popping', I took the headphones off and discovered it's actually the card doing its power switch click noise (usually heard when switching from headphone to speaker output in the software). Needless to say this scared the crap out of me because I was worried it might kill my headphones, so I uninstalled the drivers and tried the UNi xonar c-panel drivers, but they have no gain/ohm setting, so I tried their normal asus panel drivers... it seemed to work, but after maybe 10 minutes I did hear another pop during a song, said "F this" and went to bed.
> 
> I was out all day today so don't know if it's happened at all, currently sat here and all is well, but I was hoping I wasn't alone in ever having this happen?
> 
> ...


 
 Hi Tilaron,
  
 what model of Corsairs PSU are you using?
 I'm using the AX1200i series PSU and no problems with no components so far. Corsair PSU are getting overall very good reviews.


----------



## BigTerminator

If it was your power supply that went out than go get an EVGA Supernova G2. It is amazing, made my Xonar sound a little bit better coming from an old Corsair TX750. Corsair do make good PSU's as mine lasted 5 years and I sold it off. Love my new PSU so much though, lowest ripple out there, fan has never has turned on once, great cabling and no coil whine. Only paid $90 for 850 watts. 10 year warranty on that sucker.


----------



## bcschmerker4

tilaron said:


> So ... last night, every 20~ seconds, my right ear kept 'popping', I took the headphones off and discovered it's actually the card doing its power switch click noise (usually heard when switching from headphone to speaker output in the software). Needless to say this scared the crap out of me because I was worried it might kill my headphones, so I uninstalled the drivers and tried the UNi xonar c-panel drivers, but they have no gain/ohm setting, so I tried their normal asus panel drivers... it seemed to work, but after maybe 10 minutes I did hear another pop during a song, said "F this" and went to bed.
> 
> I was out all day today so don't know if it's happened at all, currently sat here and all is well, but I was hoping I wasn't alone in ever having this happen?
> 
> ...


 

 I'm an Antec®-all-the-way guy myself; loaded a TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™ into each of my two 'puters, and, notwithstanding a driver installation issue for the XONAR® Essence™ STX™ in the CM1630-06 (running Microsoft® Windows® 7.0.8001 (Kernel 6.1.7601) as of April 2015; the C-Media® CMI-8788 and Asus® AV-100 have a hardware bug that tends to force Safe Mode for installation of the Maxed Tech® UNi XONAR® Audio Software™ and/or the Asus® XONAR® Audio Center™), neither system has any power issues, and the noise issues are limited to the audio cards' microphone preamplifiers with boost engaged.  The High Current Pro™ 750 and 1000 Platinum™ should both be clean as a whistle, in terms of output on all rails; the 750 packs one +12VDC rail for video, the 1000 two (both have a dedicated +12VDC rail for CPU power and one common to secondary storage, the balance of the motherboard circuits, and accessories).


----------



## 410107

It was a CX500, currently using my old no-label dodgy thing with my graphics cards unplugged. I've had bad experiences with corsair PSUs in the past, which explains why they've been so cheap. I think I'll avoid them from now on.


bigterminator said:


> If it was your power supply that went out than go get an EVGA Supernova G2.


 
  
 Funny, I was looking at that after a friend recommended it, it's on its way now


----------



## ko853

solarium said:


> How does the STX II's HP amp and its own DAC compare to the Schiit Magni/Modi stack?


 
 same question but I intend to buy Magni 2 Uber amp to replace STX II amp. Should I?


----------



## ko853

I replaced my HDAV 1.3 deluxe by STX II 7.1. It has better sound for music and movie. Now, I am curious about stock & spare opamps. There are some cases as below:
  

              buffer + I/V        
  
                            Result                            muses 8820 + 2x muses 8920
  
  muses 8820 + 2x LME 49720
  
  LME 49720 + 2x muses 8820
  
  LME 49720 + 2x muses 8920
  
  muses 8920 + 2X muses 8820
  
  muses 8920 + 2X LME 49720
  
 
  
 Anyone has tried and got result of those cases could share experience? As  I'm a newbie. Your share will be highly appreciate.


----------



## Renfield1217

lol that is a thread killer. As I posted before I didn't like the Muses they made everything sound good but did not have the definition or exactness to know the quality of the sound files played. Running the two LME 49720 in the I/V and two Opa 637's stacked in the buffer  and sounds great. Much better than the Muses at least to me. The Muses are great for crappy sound files but quality files loose their reason for being. Best other setup I had was the two LME 49720's in the I/V and a LM 4562 in the buffer.
 Hope this helps.


----------



## RIFF85

Hello, guys! Any problem STX II with Z97 chipset? After upgrade my Juli@ PCI sound with cracks because of unsupported PCI slot by chipset.


----------



## Eye-fi

Well, done a lot of reading, my socket 775 motherboard has died & I had the Essence PCI ST fitted in this board. Unfortunately I now need to buy a new one. I was looking at the Z97 boards of which few have PCI sockets & those that do, do not overly appeal to me, so with PCIe in mind is it a good idea to switch to the STXII  or should I somehow stick to my PCI essence ST? Will the STXII sound as good?


----------



## bcschmerker4

I don't see why either card would not sound properly, given appropriate sequencing of the PCI/e cards your new system and use of the correct update of Maxed Tech® UNi XONAR® Audio Software™.  I have an Asus® CM1630-06 (Advanced Micro Devices® Athlon II® X2 220, 760G/SB700 chipset; upgraded to Antec® TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™ PSU) that is a typical worst case common to Micro-ATX systems:
  
 On the stock M4A78LT-M(CM1630) system board (1 PCIe x1, 1 PCIe x16, and 2 PCI 2.2 expansion slots), the PCIe x1 and PCIe x16 are immediately adjacent, and I needed an EAH6850 DirectCU® for sufficient performance for UStream® Television.  I couldn't use the XONAR® Essence™ ST™, as it would cut off the EAH6850's cooling air (due to placement of the fan on the EAH6850's DirectCU® fansink w/r/t the length of the XONAR® ST's circuit board).  That meant the XONAR® Essence™ STX™ is adjacent the video card.  In practice, that worked fine, as the STX' analog section is fully shielded against the RFI that the EAH6850 throws off; the rise in noise floor proved negligible in my case.  The STX II™ is similarly shielded to its predecessors against RFI.


----------



## Luckbad

I've always wondered: Does this thing do 3d positioning using headphones in FPSes? It's market as a music device mostly, but it seems like it might also be for gaming. I can't quite tell.


----------



## genclaymore

It has the same Dolby Headphone support that the original Asus Xonar STX had judging from reviews. You would just need to config windows audio to 5.1 as well as games and the Asus input in the panel to 5.1 and change the output to headphones to enable Dolby Headphone after you pick from the 3 modes it has. I usually use DH1 my self and some times DH2 depending on the headphones at the time.


----------



## mindbomb

genclaymore said:


> It has the same Dolby Headphone support that the original Asus Xonar STX had judging from reviews. You would just need to config windows audio to 5.1 as well as games and the Asus input in the panel to 5.1 and change the output to headphones to enable Dolby Headphone after you pick from the 3 modes it has. I usually use DH1 my self and some times DH2 depending on the headphones at the time.


 
 Yea, my current headphones, the sennheiser 558, seems to work best with dh2. But I previously had an audio technica ad700 and that worked best with dh1. Might get an akg k702, I'm curious as to which setting would work best with that.


----------



## genclaymore

I think i may had used DH3 when I had the AKG K702 I don't recall it be a long time since I had them, it may have been DH2. But I know I enjoyed Left 4 Dead 2 alot with one of those settings as it worked really well.


----------



## jamessmith

Sorry, wrong thread.


----------



## Luckbad

Anyone get crackling/popping sounds in foobar2000 when changing songs with this card? Any solutions?


----------



## paulguru

*Excuse me guys but for Win10 i saw this card have available only a beta driver.*
  
 Anyone can give some feedback about ? 
 - run well ? 
 - some bugs ?
 - any kind of issues ?
  
 and another important question ...... *Creative Acoustic Engine run greatly with this card or give some problems ?*
 Creative surround feature run ?


----------



## genclaymore

If this Creative Acoustic engine program is a standalone surround software like razer surround software then it should work but how so no one knows. But if it part of a driver software package for creative gaming headset line then of course it wont. There isn't much info that I can find about it, so I doubt it will. If you need Virtual surround you can just use Dolby headphone on the STX II and config windows and games correctly.


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> If this Creative Acoustic engine program is a standalone surround software like razer surround software then it should work but how so no one knows. But if it part of a driver software package for creative gaming headset line then of course it wont. There isn't much info that I can find about it, so I doubt it will. If you need Virtual surround you can just use Dolby headphone on the STX II and config windows and games correctly.


 
 dolby headphone is crap as surround feature


----------



## genclaymore

paulguru said:


> dolby headphone is crap as surround feature


 

 Did you have it config correctly as in setting games windows and Asus's input to 5.1 with output set to headphones. Because if you do not Dolby headphone wont work correctly just like CMSS3D and SBX surround wont work correctly if you don't do the same thing. I have used Dolby headphone my self when I had the original STX and i found it did a good job as long it was set up like I mention, The DH modes I used depending on the headphone I had at the time with the card as the different modes worked differently based on the different headphones I had at the different time during the owning the card, Tho I found my self preferring SBX surround over dolby headphone, With CMSS3D headphone after SBX. But It's very important to have it set up correctly as if you had every thing set to stereo in windows  and in Asus control panel input speakers setting and output. Then of course Dolby headphone wont sound so good. Unless you did do all of that and still didn't like it then I guess it wasn't for you.  Because it is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to the different surround features as it wont please every one.


----------



## paulguru

dolby headphone create big amount of echo effects


----------



## genclaymore

paulguru said:


> dolby headphone create big amount of echo effects


 
 There are 3 Different Dolby Headphone modes which you can select on the STX/2, DH1 is Ref and has nearly nil amount of echo, DH2 has Moderate Echo, while DH3 has Massive amount of echo, I used DH1 mode during my time with it for that reason.


----------



## panda187

Just got the Essence STX II 7.1 yesterday and the  Razer Tiamats 7.1 ( looking past the negative reviews because people have said that its awesome with a good sound card. 
  
 Now I just unboxed it, noticing that it has many more sockets than the headphones needed for the mobo connection. Big problem now, hopefully no splitters required!
  
  
 The headphones are 7.1 but they have jacks for only one per channel ( one for front, side, etc ). The Essence STX II 7.1 ask for L/R inputs ( Left Front, Right Front, Left Rear, Right Rear, etc).
  
  
  
 I was hoping to find an answer on youtube as to how someone would connect their 5.1 or 7.1 sound system to the Essence but alas none I could find.


----------



## Luckbad

panda187 said:


> Just got the Essence STX II 7.1 yesterday and the  Razer Tiamats 7.1 ( looking past the negative reviews because people have said that its awesome with a good sound card.
> 
> Now I just unboxed it, noticing that it has many more sockets than the headphones needed for the mobo connection. Big problem now, hopefully no splitters required!
> 
> ...




Download the manual from their website. I'm pretty sure it shows you how in there.


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> There are 3 Different Dolby Headphone modes which you can select on the STX/2, DH1 is Ref and has nearly nil amount of echo, DH2 has Moderate Echo, while DH3 has Massive amount of echo, I used DH1 mode during my time with it for that reason.


 
 DH1 ?
 Ok but the surround effect is good like other mode ?
  
 and you are using headphone or speakers for echo comparison  ?


----------



## genclaymore

paulguru said:


> DH1 ?
> Ok but the surround effect is good like other mode ?
> 
> and you are using headphone or speakers for echo comparison  ?


 
 I used headphones when I made the comparison between the modes, I didn't have all of the headphones at once, But I had them during the time that I had a wide range of Asus Xonar cards that had Dolby headphone either using them directly or sending dolby headphone thru optical to a external dac. But clearly I remembered which DH modes I used with which headphones do to the result I had. Which I enjoyed with them.
  
 I found Dolby Headphone mode setting depends on which headphones you have and then your ears of course, I can't tell you if your gonna enjoy Dolby Headphone mode 1 because you still might not like it and DH just might not be for you. you just wont know til you try it.
  
 In my opinion i found it to work just as good as the other modes just without the echo on a pair of Audio-Technica A900X's which what I have used with the option. While I used Dolby headphone mode 2 with a pair of DT880 premium 600's which it worked nicely for me on those. While I enjoyed the AKG K702 with Dolby headphone DH2 but the most with DH3. So it really depends as each mode work differently with difference pairs of headphones.


----------



## R-You Kidding

Hey everyone, I'm new here, so hello. I'm having a problem with my current setup. I just went out and bought a Asus Essence STX II, have it installed and everything. My computer is hooked up to my main home stereo (5.1) via optical. I have all the drivers and software installed, and have tried most of the different wiring configurations I can think of. My problem is that when I plug my headphones into either the front (the front panel PC case plugs, which are wired into the sound card) or the back of the sound card my main speakers aren't muting. Does anyone have a suggestion? Has anyone experienced this sort of problem? I'm really at a loss, and am getting pretty frustrated. I'll try anything. Thanks!.


----------



## bcschmerker4

The no-mute behavior is normal for the Asus® XONAR® Series; all internal sound card models use relays to select the outputs.  Under Microsoft® Windows® 6-up, both the Asus® XONAR® Audio Center™ for Essence™ STX II™ and the MaxedTech® UNi™ XONAR® Audio Software™ have an Output Select function to switch between "2 Speakers" (white and red RCA jacks on the ST/STX/STX II) and "Headphone" (6.3mm output jack on the ST/STX/STX II).  In most LinUX distributions, Advanced LinUX Sound Architecture 1.0.24-up has the same function in the Driver snd-virtuoso, accessible via the ALSA Mixer curses app (/usr/bin/alsamixer).


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> I used headphones when I made the comparison between the modes, I didn't have all of the headphones at once, But I had them during the time that I had a wide range of Asus Xonar cards that had Dolby headphone either using them directly or sending dolby headphone thru optical to a external dac. But clearly I remembered which DH modes I used with which headphones do to the result I had. Which I enjoyed with them.
> 
> I found Dolby Headphone mode setting depends on which headphones you have and then your ears of course, I can't tell you if your gonna enjoy Dolby Headphone mode 1 because you still might not like it and DH just might not be for you. you just wont know til you try it.
> 
> In my opinion i found it to work just as good as the other modes just without the echo on a pair of Audio-Technica A900X's which what I have used with the option. While I used Dolby headphone mode 2 with a pair of DT880 premium 600's which it worked nicely for me on those. While I enjoyed the AKG K702 with Dolby headphone DH2 but the most with DH3. So it really depends as each mode work differently with difference pairs of headphones.


 
 Ok but the surround effect is there ?
 run greatly or is crap ?


----------



## genclaymore

Yea it worked very well for me and the surround effect is only there when you config the windows audio panel to 5.1,Asus speaker input settings to 5.1 as well as games if they have the setting if not they will detect what windows audio panel is using and use that. Of course set the asus output setting to headphones which you already know. If you do not do these steps then Dolby Headphone wont work correctly and down-mixing the 5.1 signals to headphones so it work correctly.
  
 A lot of people skip this step and don't realize how important role it plays for Dolby Headphone or any other VSS Tech. As long you have it set like I mention the surround effect will be there and for me it worked wonderful for me. It only work crappy if you leave every thing to Stereo as it wont be down-mixing any thing and won't do a good job at all when set on stereo.


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> Yea it worked very well for me and the surround effect is only there when you config the windows audio panel to 5.1,Asus speaker input settings to 5.1 as well as games if they have the setting if not they will detect what windows audio panel is using and use that. Of course set the asus output setting to headphones which you already know. If you do not do these steps then Dolby Headphone wont work correctly and down-mixing the 5.1 signals to headphones so it work correctly.
> 
> A lot of people skip this step and don't realize how important role it plays for Dolby Headphone or any other VSS Tech. As long you have it set like I mention the surround effect will be there and for me it worked wonderful for me. It only work crappy if you leave every thing to Stereo as it wont be down-mixing any thing and won't do a good job at all when set on stereo.


 
 5.1 ? Asus is not 7.1 ?
  
 I want use Essence for gaming ( also for music but major part for gaming )


----------



## genclaymore

I should had said 5.1 or 7.1 but the card is 7.1. When it comes to music I would just use basic stereo with the effects off, Unless you happen to have 5.1 or 7.1 recorded music, other wise stereo for music and the settings i mentioned for games and movies.


----------



## mindbomb

You also can't use crossfeed with dolby headphone (since crossfeed is a subset of what dolby headphone already does). So, that's important for CSGO since the headphone mode is crossfeed. Or else you would get horrible echoes I imagine. The game has to be set up for 5.1 anyway for dolby headphone to work well.


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> I should had said 5.1 or 7.1 but the card is 7.1. When it comes to music I would just use basic stereo with the effects off, Unless you happen to have 5.1 or 7.1 recorded music, other wise stereo for music and the settings i mentioned for games and movies.


 
 STX II for you is great for gaming ? Or you have to endure some compromise ?


----------



## Luckbad

The STX II is quite good for gaming. My only problem with the card is that the drivers are horrible. It's tragic how bad they are, honestly. Incredible hardware and quite excellent sound that can be completely destroyed by bad drivers. Clicking, popping, and dropouts, all because of bad drivers.
  
 I've tried half a dozen Asus sound cards and it's always the same story. Awesome hardware, terrible software. Even the Uni Xonar Drivers don't fix the STX II completely in Windows 10 right now (nor in Windows 8 or 8.1, which I also tried).
  
 I got the STX II a week ago to try to be a better budget option for music and gaming combined at home, and I returned it yesterday. The Sound Blaster ZxR doesn't sound as good for music as the Essence STX II, but it has no clicking, popping, or dropout issues with its drivers.


----------



## paulguru

luckbad said:


> The STX II is quite good for gaming. My only problem with the card is that the drivers are horrible. It's tragic how bad they are, honestly. Incredible hardware and quite excellent sound that can be completely destroyed by bad drivers. Clicking, popping, and dropouts, all because of bad drivers.
> 
> I've tried half a dozen Asus sound cards and it's always the same story. Awesome hardware, terrible software. Even the Uni Xonar Drivers don't fix the STX II completely in Windows 10 right now (nor in Windows 8 or 8.1, which I also tried).
> 
> I got the STX II a week ago to try to be a better budget option for music and gaming combined at home, and I returned it yesterday. The Sound Blaster ZxR doesn't sound as good for music as the Essence STX II, *but it has no clicking, popping, or dropout issues with its drivers.*


 
 when the card do clicking, popping or dropout ?
  
 You are speaking about the last version of driver ?
 i dont understand ..... with Windows 10 you have problems but with Windows 8/8.1 ???


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> I should had said 5.1 or 7.1 but the card is 7.1. When it comes to music I would just use basic stereo with the effects off, Unless you happen to have 5.1 or 7.1 recorded music, other wise stereo for music and the settings i mentioned for games and movies.


 
 have you clicking, popping, or dropout issues ?


----------



## Luckbad

paulguru said:


> when the card do clicking, popping or dropout ?
> 
> You are speaking about the last version of driver ?
> i dont understand ..... with Windows 10 you have problems but with Windows 8/8.1 ???


 
  
 I get clicking/popping/etc. while playing high resolution music in any audio player.


----------



## paulguru

are u use a specific sample rate setting ?


----------



## paulguru

i just bought this card and with DH enable i have echo effect with all DH settings ( dh1, dh2 and dh3 ) and setting 5.1 mode from windows audio property.


----------



## paulguru

*Someone can explain me better how can i set the sound card and games to have no echo ?*
  
 I set for example Battlefield 4 in surround mode from internal menù, in Windows i set the Asus in 5.1 mode with Dolby Headphone enable, i tryed all DH modes but all give me amount of echo.
  
 What can i do ?


----------



## genclaymore

Sadly there isn't any thing you can do about the echo, Other then using the mode which has the least amount of it such as Dolby Headphone Mode 1.Other wise you may have to accept the echo or switch besides to something like a SB-Z or ZXR, Then use SBX surround headphone which has no echo.


----------



## mindbomb

It might come down to headphones. Try to use open back headphones with dolby headphone. In my experience, the akg and audio technicas specifically are usually better. Also, maybe restarting the computer after changing room settings may help.


----------



## paulguru

i just have ZXR and Audio technica AD700x


----------



## paulguru

i also notice the surround effect is crap.
 sbx run, dolby headphone is totally bad, stereo is maybe better as positioning


----------



## genclaymore

Did you config it correctly in windows by setting windows to 5.1 and then the Creative panel to headphone. Then config the SBX surround % between 40-67% to your liking.  Because I been using SBX my self with it config like that as i run Sb-Z into my dac/amp setup thru optical and it works great for me. When I playing FPS games I use SBX surround 67% and when i playing 3rd person I use 40% and all the other settings are turned off with SBX surround option only being used.


----------



## icsi

A want to build a HTPC with a dedicated GPU, but most cases cant fit the XONAR STX II and a GPU.

 Do you think this solution could work out?
 http://www.bplustech.com/Adapter/PE4F.html


----------



## paulguru

genclaymore said:


> Did you config it correctly in windows by setting windows to 5.1 and then the Creative panel to headphone. Then config the SBX surround % between 40-67% to your liking.  Because I been using SBX my self with it config like that as i run Sb-Z into my dac/amp setup thru optical and it works great for me. When I playing FPS games I use SBX surround 67% and when i playing 3rd person I use 40% and all the other settings are turned off with SBX surround option only being used.


 
 sbx run well
  
 i saying about DH


----------



## audiorrorist

STX is an amazing an card.  I don't have this one, but I had the original one and it's an amazing sound card.


----------



## paulguru

amazing as dac but as sound card ........


----------



## audiorrorist

No matter how many expensive DACs I've bought none of them were better more like just different "flavors," but better no.
  
 STX is legendary!
  
 This is just as good as anything out there. It proves you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to get great sound. In fact if you are, you are buying snake oil.  I know it from experience .


----------



## paulguru

audiorrorist said:


> No matter how many expensive DACs I've bought none of them were better more like just different "flavors," but better no.
> 
> STX is legendary!
> 
> This is just as good as anything out there. It proves you don't need to spend thousands of dollars to get great sound. In fact if you are, you are buying snake oil.  I know it from experience .


 
 Good for musics.
 Not over.
  
 The virtual surround feature is crap, totally useless.
 EAX effects is not supported by almost nothing.
 The effects you can add are obsolete and old like the first onboard realtek.
 the only feature you can use well is the EQ.


----------



## saddleup

Music is* the *reason you'd own a STX.


----------



## audiorrorist

saddleup said:


> Music is* the *reason you'd own a STX.


 

 Exactly .


----------



## paulguru

i bought stx 2 to have a sound card with audio quality, but is how not be a sound card.


----------



## spidermad

I tried the Burson Supreme Sound Op Amps, they've been great so far.


----------



## spidermad

Have browsed through the thread, I haven't really seen anyone discuss what headphones they use\recommend with the STX II. I'm thinking of getting a new set, only using Bose QuietComfort at the moment just because that's the best I have. Using Tannoy 402 speakers most of the time, which is great. Just don't want to over spend on headphones. Sennheiser HD 650 or something? My sources are lossless and I mainly listen to music on the metal/prog spectrum.
  
 Any comment appreciated!


----------



## cuongvt

Im using onkyo se-200 pci ltd. How STX II can compared with onkyo se-200 pci ltd in term of sound quality in RCA coaxial connection? I meaned RCA coaxial connection, not headphone connection.
Does it worth upgrade from onkyo se-200 pci ltd to STX II?
Thanks.

Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk


----------



## paulguru

is it the best interal audio solution ?


----------



## verde57

I have the old ST with modded oscillator, is the second edition better than what I already have?


----------



## Renfield1217

verde57 said:


> I have the old ST with modded oscillator, is the second edition better than what I already have?


 

 hi verde57,
 Hard to say not sure of the mod you have done. I have ran an Auzentech Prelude, the STX, the ST and the STX II.
 The STX I did not like ( might have been a bad card). The ST with the original clock correction I really liked, but read they were coming out with the STX II so went with that.
 I really like the STX II.
 Probably the best thing you could do is order one and if you don't like it, send it back.
  
 .


----------



## bcschmerker4

Thanks for the observation.  The Hot Rod gPC™ really wants a legacy PCI card for audio on the GA-MA78GM-S2HP given the design-optimization of ALSA snd-emu10k1 for the CA0102 and CA0108 rather than the CA10200 and CA10300, so, given emu10k1's tendency to lock up the system whenever hot-plugging the Creative Laboratories® SB1550, I've decided to either revert to a Creative SB0350 in good condition (I still have the SB0250 I/O Drive), or replace the SB1550 with an original XONAR® Essence™ ST.  (I have the STX II under consideration for a re-equip of the Asus® CM1630, as it has all the capabilities of the original ST plus better clock stability and PCIe hookup.)


----------



## Bojamijams

When the hell are they going to figure out how to design a soundcard with 4ohms or less output impedance?  This 10ohm output impedance is bull.


----------



## alfa42

I am planning to get (in the future) an STX II and later on change the op-amps for better perfomance, but I'm having trouble to decide what op-amp change should I do:
  
 * 2x MUSES01 (I/V) and 1 MUSES02 (buffer)
 * 3x MUSES01
 * 3x Burson Supreme Audio V5
  
  
 Has anyone swapped between these op-amps? Do you get an "wow" effect buy changing the stock ones to one of those configs?


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

I am using 3x V5 coupled with 3 SLIMIC II together with the MKP mod and can tell you that they sound AWESOME.
  
 In my point of view there is a noticeable improvement in every possible aspect, but what I like best about them is the incredible clarity. I can hear every little micro detail in the song.
  
 Currently I am using my STX 2 with the AKG 712 Pro, which couple quiet nicely.
 I will upgrade to some end game headphones soon though.


----------



## vourt

"I am using 3x V5 coupled with 3 SLIMIC II together with the MKP mod and can tell you that they sound AWESOME."
  
 Is there any place i can ready about how to upgrade this card into these specifics?
 ​Looking for improvement for my stereo machine and Denon D7000 headphones 
  
 Thanks!


----------



## HOT6BOY

anyone know where  too buy   oamps from hdvd 800 ?   http://www.pic-upload.de/view-24488401/20140904_071520.jpg.html
  
  
  
 i found this  but looks not 100% same :-/   http://www.ebay.de/itm/361232390240?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


----------



## paulguru

Excuse me 
 Anyone ever tryed this card with the HiFiman HE400*S* ?
 Can this card drive 400S greatly ?
 The volume is not too high ( al so with minimum gain ) ?


----------



## HOT6BOY

yes  man also  h6  ...all headphones
  
  
  
  
 i need answer  from last post :-/


----------



## paulguru

hot6boy said:


> yes  man also  h6  ...all headphones
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 No, i dont speak about only audio volume level.


----------



## HOT6BOY

standard  oamps  not  soo good (for me) when you that mean 
  
  


> anyone know where  too buy   oamps from hdvd 800 ?   http://www.pic-upload.de/view-24488401/20140904_071520.jpg.html
> 
> 
> 
> i found this  but looks not 100% same :-/   http://www.ebay.de/itm/361232390240?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


----------



## Renfield1217

saddleup said:


> Music is* the *reason you'd own a STX.


 
 Bingo!
  
 btw, I just upgraded my buffer opamps from OPA637's to the Sparkos SS3602. I use my STX II mostly for the stereo line out to feed my main stereo and for some streaming.
 The Sparkos are excellent and highly recommended.


----------



## bcschmerker4

> Originally Posted by *Renfield1217* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> ....I just upgraded my buffer opamps from OPA637's to the Sparkos SS3602. I use my STX II mostly for the stereo line out to feed my main stereo and for some streaming.
> The Sparkos are excellent and highly recommended.


 
*Thanks for the confirmation* on the Sparkos® SS3602, the best-performing upgrade candidate for _my_ STX' I-V.  Incidentally, I've looked over the Signetics® NE5532 flavors (a dozen-plus from the OEM!), which seem to have all sort of second-source competition from Philips®, Texas Instruments®, Japan Radio Corporation, &c., as candidates for the line-level buffer.  Anybody done chip-rolling with 5532's on an Essence; and if so, which one sounded best of the candidates used?


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi bcschmerker4,
  
 Just a question for you... why would you not want to use an SS3602 in the line out buffer?


----------



## bcschmerker4

Cost mitigation, as the SS3602 is high bid for op-amp improvements and I've a tight upgrade budget; the NE5532 is reported as smoother than the stock National Semiconductor/Texas Instruments LM45672AN for the line-level buffer in specific while reasonably low in cost.


----------



## paulguru

paulguru said:


> Excuse me
> Anyone ever tryed this card with the HiFiman HE400*S* ?
> Can this card drive 400S greatly ?
> The volume is not too high ( al so with minimum gain ) ?


 
 help


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

The Burson V5 do wonders, I recommend them wholeheartedly.


----------



## estranged

Hello,
  
 I previously owned a Xonar D2/PM and was very happy with it. Didn't use headphones before. But later I decided to buy a Sennheiser HD650. As the D2 would not be enough to feed the HD650, I decided to upgrade my soundcard and bought a STX II
  
 However, I am not happy with it. The sound is muddy, not clean and warm enough. It is the same with headphones and speakers.
  
 When I connect HD650 to my Note5 smartphone I am getting the clean and warm sound I am looking for. It sounds as it should be. I read lots of positive reviews before buying the STX II so I believe it should not sound so bad. 
  
 I have not changed anything except the soundcard, hardware or software wise. Using Jriver with asio as I used to.
  
 Do you have any ideas what might be wrong?
  
 Thanks.


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

estranged said:


> Hello,
> 
> I previously owned a Xonar D2/PM and was very happy with it. Didn't use headphones before. But later I decided to buy a Sennheiser HD650. As the D2 would not be enough to feed the HD650, I decided to upgrade my soundcard and bought a STX II
> 
> ...


 
 Could be a driver problem, what operating system do you use?
  
 I highly recommend using UNi Xonar Drivers.


----------



## estranged

Already using xonar drivers. Was also using uni xonar with d2. Asus drivers and uni xonar drivers sound same to me. OS: win 10 64 bit.


----------



## Gradius

The standard OPAs just sucks.  That's the problem.


----------



## estranged

But how can it be worse than xonar d2?
  
 Which opamps do you recommend?  Muses 01 and/or 02? Burson V5? sparkos SS3602? or something else?


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

IMHO Burson V5 all the way.


----------



## estranged

godsinhisheaven said:


> IMHO Burson V5 all the way.


 
 Thanks. Do we need to buy something else in order to install burson v5 on the STX II? While I was researching the opamps thread I remember reading something like that. I may be mistaken though.


----------



## Voxata

I'm just going to chime in on this.. I went from the STX (Original) OPA2134's to SMSL Sanskrit 6th + FiiO E09K (which also uses OPA2134's) and saw a slight across the board improvement when it came to SQ especially on treble resolution with a pair of DT770 250Ohm and also the Ultrasone Pro 900's. This is using onboard fiber to the DAC. I've since changed my amp to the Schiit Asgard. What an amazing difference, I listen to Radiohead - Bodysnatchers for a quick test as it is such a rough song that opens up nicely at 2:00. On both the STX and FiiO this song was just straight up sloppy and harsh on my ears until 2, however, with the Asgard the entire thing is palatable, yep.... palatable. On Metallica's S&M FLAC both the FiiO and STX setups blurred the soundstage compared to just adding the Asgard amp. Bass tightened right up where it should be, with depth, color, and power added to all frequencies.
  
 The STX/2 is a great card. It had its place in time, it treated me well for 4 long years. Now that my ears have heard the Schiit, there is no going back. My Bifrost 4490 arrives today, and I hope to god my ears do not ever thirst for more (ya know, because my wife will kill me if I spend any more money on audio).
  
 That being said, I consider the STX's direct competition to be the Sanskrit 6th/FiiO E09K (This is now a rebranded Monoprice amp too). In this comparison, the STX is bested on every facet for music, the only saving grace being great multichannel emulation for gaming. I've learned however that this is a worth while tradeoff for the improved SQ of external setups. 
  
 Also, in response to estranged, you simply need to remove the metal shroud of the STX for the Burson V5. You'll also need a large amount of room below the soundcard as the Burson V5 will stick out quite a bit. I'm curious as to what performance this will yield, as I still have an STX in one of my home theatre PCs that functions only as L/R/Preamp out to a Carver M200T. Anyways, back to it gentleman!


----------



## estranged

voxata said:


> Also, in response to estranged, you simply need to remove the metal shroud of the STX for the Burson V5. You'll also need a large amount of room below the soundcard as the Burson V5 will stick out quite a bit. I'm curious as to what performance this will yield, as I still have an STX in one of my home theatre PCs that functions only as L/R/Preamp out to a Carver M200T. Anyways, back to it gentleman!


 
  
 Thank you for the reply. 
  
 I have already ordered the burson v5s and waiting for them to arrive.
  
 However I think my problem with the audio quality may not be solved by the opamps.  Because I have noticed that when I first power on my computer and start listening music, for a short time, the sound quality is really good. But after a short while the sound begins to get muddy and details are lost. As I have said before, I have not changed anything except the STX II hardware or software wise. So I am not sure what is causing this.


----------



## ZombieSNIPER666

Hello! I'm looking for instructions on swapping out the caps on the Essence STX 2 and instructions on the Burson MKP cap mod. Any help would be appreciated. I dont need instructions on HOW to solder just where & what to solder for the cap upgrades. Below is a pic of the caps I received from Burson Audio. BTW I have their V5 Op Amps & they are spectacular! Thanks!


----------



## Voxata

Caps is a guaranteed solder job.


----------



## CVLover

So im about to Recap my card this week/weekend. im going to use the Elna Silmic II caps 220uf 100v caps and Mundorf EVO Silver Gold Oil 0,1uF 650V as "MKP" cap parallel to the silmic II on the back side of the sound card. i was wondering if this would work ok together and what improvements i should/will experience. i talking about the output stage of the card. i have the Burson Audio Supreme Sound V5 OP-Amps installed and made i big difference in sound quality!


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Voxata,
  Just a heads up the STX II is much better than the STX I tried, as is the ST. In all fairness the STX I had might have been defective. I only kept it for a week before sending it back for the ST which was a much better sound card.
  
 If you are running your old STX using just the RCA outs to preamp your amp, you might want to get a Sparko's SS3602 to plant in your buffer/analog out socket to try out.


----------



## Renfield1217

cvlover said:


> So im about to Recap my card this week/weekend. im going to use the Elna Silmic II caps 220uf 100v caps and Mundorf EVO Silver Gold Oil 0,1uF 650V as "MKP" cap parallel to the silmic II on the back side of the sound card. i was wondering if this would work ok together and what improvements i should/will experience. i talking about the output stage of the card. i have the Burson Audio Supreme Sound V5 OP-Amps installed and made i big difference in sound quality!


 
  
 Good luck on the recap, and let us know how it goes.
 The Burson's are great opamps.


----------



## ZombieSNIPER666

I dont have time for a detailed reply. I successfully did the Silma & MKP cap replacement on my STX2 last weekend. I also have the Burson V5 Opamps. There was a noticeable improvement after changing the caps.  Solder away!!! There was a post I found RIGHT AFTER I changed the caps where the guy laid them on there side instead of standing them up. I think you would be able to put the shield back on(if you didn’t have the Bursons or were using op amp extension). If I can find the post I’ll re-post it. Good luck on your modding!


----------



## CVLover

i dont use the extensions so i will not use the shield anymore. i hope the mods goes well hehe


----------



## ZombieSNIPER666

I dont know your soldering experience but the 1st gun i used wasnt good but this one worked great 
  
 http://www.lowes.com/pd_357336-273-WPS18MP___?productId=3402986&pl=1&Ntt=solder+gun


----------



## Voxata

estranged said:


> Thank you for the reply.
> 
> I have already ordered the burson v5s and waiting for them to arrive.
> 
> However I think my problem with the audio quality may not be solved by the opamps.  Because I have noticed that when I first power on my computer and start listening music, for a short time, the sound quality is really good. But after a short while the sound begins to get muddy and details are lost. As I have said before, I have not changed anything except the STX II hardware or software wise. So I am not sure what is causing this.


 
 Where is your soundcard installed in your PC? This is strange behavior indeed. I ended up keeping my STX in my gaming PC for the multichannel/game support for more competitive play. Wife loves the E09K though. Sounds like some bad cap internals possibly? I'm no electrical expert sadly. I've had my soundcard above hot videocards, sandwiched in liquid cooled GPUs, all kinds of places.. still sounds great (listening right now!)


----------



## Doomjoon

edit: nevermind


----------



## Voxata

So I've gone ahead and upgraded my STX using the Burson V5 Dual Opamps (x3), I've seen quite a few in this thread ask if upgrading opamps in general is really worth it so here are my impressions, YMMV of course.
  
      Before I start it should be known that I've owned my Essence STX since 2009.. yeah, I had to look up how long. I only know this because I purchased it at the same time Windows 7 was released. This card has lasted through MANY computers and headphones, I don't think it'll ever stop working. It has sat above hot running GPUs (fermi) and been in poor airflow situations. I've rolled about half a dozen opamps before settling on signatures I liked. I have two different sets of opamps I prefer. One set which sounds best for headphone use, and another that is great for my speaker setup when using the card as a DAC. In short, I'm very familiar with what the STX brings to the table. 
  
      My headphones are currently Hifiman's HE-400i and DT770 Pro 250's from Beyer. My speaker setup consists of a Carver M200t amp, and Event 20/20 speakers. I also have a Bifrost/Asgard2 stack that I use for music listening which I purchased six months ago.
  
     The following songs well known to me, I'll be sharing general impressions on my various setups. 
  
      First though, I'd like to note that the packaging for these opamps is top notch. They include risers (which I did not use, to help ease fitting in my case) and have quite the quality feel with solid non flexing gold pins. If you've rolled opamps before, you know how nice it is to have a quality rounded pin setup because those cheap ones bend like no tomorrow. 
  

  

  
  
*Songs: Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick, Atmosphere - Camera Thief, Metallica S&M - The Call of Ktulu*
  
*STX* : Coming off of listening to the Schiit stack for a while these tracks sounded flat on the STX w/my 'upgraded opamps'. A black background with strong presence, clear soundstage and natural presentation is extremely important especially during the large drum solo, and this setup didn't have it. Breaking the Moby Dick track out early quickly showed me how much of a gap is between the STX and the Schiit Stack. Piano keys are not convincing, the worst culprit being the 400i's with obvious tonality issues on the upper end. 
  
*STX w/Burson V5's *: Woah,,. wait a minute. I'm pretty sure I must mixed something up between my bench and computer desk. This doesn't sound like the same card I've owned for ages. Musicality has greatly improved, tones (especially bass/mid bass) are now presented clearly and with authority. I have been known to boost the lows on my STX since they've always lacked the impact and body. This is no longer the case. The thin and brittle sound is gone and in its place a very solid linear presentation. The tonality of the highs are vastly improved on the 400i, they are now enveloping and simply engaging. Where the heck were these things 9 years ago? I'm really into these, after jamming out I'm thinking I really need to test this vs my $650 dollar stack.. 
  
*Schiit Bifrost 4490/Asgard2 *: This is the part where I settle back into being spoiled and don't look back right? Well.. Yes, presentation, staging and authority are improved however there is some seemingly obvious diminishing returns. Especially as both setups do seem to be limited to the quality of audio you're feeding it. Before the V5 upgrade this was not the case. Honestly, both setups are quite engaging now. I couldn't vouch for engagement before the V5 upgrade and I've spent some dead serious ear time on the STX.. Honestly, if I was in my return period for the schiit setup I would be returning it simply for the fact that it is many, many times the cost of the V5 opamp upgrade. 
  
  
         Will I sell the schiit setup? No.. it's definitely on solid bedside duty, however, my plans to upgrade my gaming PC from the STX are definitely scrapped. Looks like it'll keep going for quite a few more years. How awesome for Asus to make this soundcard upgradable, and major cheers to Burson for pulling this V5 opamp off. I've learned that the STXs amp section is the weak link, and this opamp has really overcome the problem. 
  
*Carver m200T + Event 20/20 -- Bifrost 4490/Essence STX Burson V5 DAC *: This is where things got real interesting, when comparing the DAC sections. The STX is well known to have a great DAC, and it also utilized the V5's in the link. When comparing these two DACs on this setup I was able to discern a difference between the two DACs, however, I was unable to decide on one that I hands down preferred over the other. I felt the STX was more engaging or musical, while the Bifrost was more detailed and clean. Each had its strength, this was not the case when I originally compared the 4490 to the STX with lower quality opamps.
  

  
  
  
        When you consider the cost gap between these two setups, the V5's have enabled the ol' STX to punch well above its weight class. This is a very worthwhile upgrade, especially if you're considering anything mid-fi to replace it.   Happy hunting all!


----------



## meimeiriver

I saw ASUS only offers 8.1.11.5 beta (!) drivers for the Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 (Win 10 64-bit). Earlier today, someone pointed me to the UNi Xonar Drivers. They look like a viable option.
  
 I'd just like to know, before I buy this card, whether someone actually uses this card, in Windows 10, 64-bit, and is willing to tell me whether the card can be made to work (sans plopping sounds, crackling, etc).
  
 Thanks.


----------



## bcschmerker4

meimeiriver said:


> I saw ASUS only offers 8.1.11.5 beta (!) drivers for the Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 (Win 10 64-bit). Earlier today, someone pointed me to the UNi Xonar Drivers. They look like a viable option.
> 
> I'd just like to know, before I buy this card, whether someone actually uses this card, in Windows 10, 64-bit, and is willing to tell me whether the card can be made to work (sans plopping sounds, crackling, etc).
> 
> Thanks.


 

 Unfortunately, it appears that Microsoft® Windows® 10.0._n_ has a regression in the audio stack that could potentially divert the entire Asus® XONAR® lineup to LinUX, unless support for the AV-100 becomes available in Apple® Mac OS® X™ (see also "Xonar Essense stx Random LOUD high pitched Ringing Noise?").  The problem of the 6 kHz howl turned on and off by OS audio events - WASAPI is at least a contributing factor, if not the primary cause - has plagued the AV-100 since Win 6.0.6000; the standard C-Media® CMI-8788 is also affected to a lesser degree.  I'll have to investigate whether the C-Media® CMI-8888DHT, a PCI-Express-native DSP, is adversely affected by changes in the Windows audio stack; the ROG® XONAR® Phoebus™, an audio card developed specifically for gamers, may be the safest available option for an Asus rig as of 10 May 2016.


----------



## Unclewall

I have been running a STX in win 10 64 for quite some time using  UNi Xonar Drivers using AISO and have had zero problems with no back ground noise and have just got a STX II which sounds even better.


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

unclewall said:


> I have been running a STX in win 10 64 for quite some time using  UNi Xonar Drivers using AISO and have had zero problems with no back ground noise and have just got a STX II which sounds even better.


 
  
 I have also been using my modded STX 2 with Win 10 64 Bit since 7 month without a problem.
 I am also using the Uni Xonar Drivers.
  
 You may have to disable "Driver Signature Enforcement in Windows 10".
  
 Disabling Driver Signature Enforcement In Windows 10 Permanently
 Step 1.  Open the Windows command promt as “Run as Administrator”.
 Step 2.  Run “bcdedit -set loadoptions DISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS” (without the “”).
 Step 3.  To finalize the process run “bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON” (without the “”).
 Step 4.  Reboot and you’re done.
 To disable it do step 1 and run these commands on step 2 and 3:
 Step 2. “bcdedit -set loadoptions ENABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS” (without the “”)
 Step 3. “bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF” (without the “”)
 Then do step 4 and you’re done.


----------



## meimeiriver

^^ Thx, guys! Very useful information here!


----------



## audiojun

If I was to use the line out from the STX II, the op amps are by passed right?


----------



## CVLover

Headphone out and Line out uses the OP-Amps


----------



## Unclewall

audiojun said:


> If I was to use the line out from the STX II, the op amps are by passed right?


 
 line out uses  I and V and buffer 3 op amps
 Headphone uses I and V 2 op amps


----------



## Voxata

meimei, I use the stock driver on Windows 10 64 without any issues at all


----------



## Renfield1217

meimeiriver said:


> I saw ASUS only offers 8.1.11.5 beta (!) drivers for the Asus Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 (Win 10 64-bit). Earlier today, someone pointed me to the UNi Xonar Drivers. They look like a viable option.
> 
> I'd just like to know, before I buy this card, whether someone actually uses this card, in Windows 10, 64-bit, and is willing to tell me whether the card can be made to work (sans plopping sounds, crackling, etc).
> 
> ...


----------



## ZombieSNIPER666

Hello! I have this cards in a windows 10 64 bit system with excellent results. Using it with a pair of Beyerdynamics DT1770 pros, Burson V5 opamps & burson mkp & silmic cap mod. I realize this isnt a super hi end setup but it far surpassed my expectations. I cant give you one of those long winded vocabulary rich description but I can say... it sounds really good! BTW I did each mod separately & they each made a noticeable improvement. I'm not sure what driver version I'm using & asus stx2 driver page seems to be down right now! I dont believe they were beta drivers. They did have gain adjustment that wasnt in the boxed driver version. I hope this helps!


----------



## seoman

Hi

 I was wondering how the Gain setting for the HP out is handled by the card
 I don't hear relays switching, so were is the extra gain coming from?

 Regards


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

zombiesniper666 said:


> Hello! I have this cards in a windows 10 64 bit system with excellent results. Using it with a pair of Beyerdynamics DT1770 pros, Burson V5 opamps & burson mkp & silmic cap mod. I realize this isnt a super hi end setup but it far surpassed my expectations. I cant give you one of those long winded vocabulary rich description but I can say... it sounds really good! BTW I did each mod separately & they each made a noticeable improvement. I'm not sure what driver version I'm using & asus stx2 driver page seems to be down right now! I dont believe they were beta drivers. They did have gain adjustment that wasnt in the boxed driver version. I hope this helps!


 

 I am using the exact same setup for my HD 800 and HE 560 and both are just lovely with it.
 Strangely enough the HD 800 has a humongous soundstage and great bass (better than the HE 560 imho) on that little card.
 Having heard the HD 800 on 1-2k Euro SD-setups I am suprised to tell you that I like the HD 800 on this little card best.


----------



## Voxata

Where did you guys get the Burson MKP deals at? I don't see a direct link for them.


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

voxata said:


> Where did you guys get the Burson MKP deals at? I don't see a direct link for them.


 
  
 Just use any decent 0.1uf MKP.


----------



## Renfield1217

Just an update... new opamp setup is 2-Sparkos SS3602s in the I/V and 2-OPA-637s in the buffer.


----------



## damienPOWER

Are you guys generally using the STX/STXII with an upgrade opamp and that's it? No need for external amp/dac?


----------



## seoman

damienpower said:


> Are you guys generally using the STX/STXII with an upgrade opamp and that's it? No need for external amp/dac?


 

 I have an ST (7.1) and a STX II (7.1)
 My not so cheap Rotel RSP1066 is outperformed by the STX II. (ok it is an old processor)
 I leave all the decoding to the card (The rotel is only used as 5.1 channel volume)

 Both cards perform beyond expectations and are still unmodified.

 With all the issues there are with the First STX, naming it as if they were comparable with the STX II, is just a sick joke.

 I wonder if there are issues with the STX II !
 I would prefer this topic would split up in a STX and a STX II section.


----------



## techboy

STX and STX II both have the same issues. There is no difference. And not everybody is affected.


----------



## seoman

techboy said:


> STX and STX II both have the same issues. There is no difference. And not everybody is affected.


 

 So  a different clock and a different supply is still not good enough?
 Ok
 but then were are all those pictures of modded stx II's?

 I'm very interested in modding my STXII card.


----------



## techboy

Those things were never the issue. The issue was bad drivers. They persist in all third party internal sound cards from Asus.


----------



## seoman

techboy said:


> Those things were never the issue. The issue was bad drivers. They persist in all third party internal sound cards from Asus.


 
 After XP sound became a big problem, i agree! But that has been a problem for a lot of manufacturers. Not just asus
 But asio prevented me from dealing with the windows sound handling.
 Asio on W8 was tough to get running but it can be done. (forcing the asio driver to run realtime did the trick)


----------



## Unclewall

I use asio with win 10 and have had 0 problems


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

Would it make sense to couple the STX with an Tube amp to warm up the sound for my HD 800?
  
 Would you use the headphone output of the stx and connect it with a tube amp? (sorry tube amp noob here)


----------



## Unclewall

godsinhisheaven said:


> Would it make sense to couple the STX with an Tube amp to warm up the sound for my HD 800?
> 
> Would you use the headphone output of the stx and connect it with a tube amp? (sorry tube amp noob here)


 
 You could use a tube amp but you could also change the 2 op amps to something that has a warmer and more detailed sound sound check the op amp thread or the first stx version thread also


----------



## Renfield1217

godsinhisheaven said:


> Would it make sense to couple the STX with an Tube amp to warm up the sound for my HD 800?
> 
> Would you use the headphone output of the stx and connect it with a tube amp? (sorry tube amp noob here)


 
 No, You would use the Line Out to your amp (RCA connectors) otherwise you can overdrive the amp you are connecting.
 Hope this helps...


----------



## Cruxiaer

Hi guys,
  
 I've been reading about the STX II for a night. What I gather is that it is a great soundcard stock with the Muses 8xxx opamp and can be further upgraded with other opamp such as the Burson V5s.
  
 I have no experience in purchasing DAC/Amp whatsoever. Currently I own a pair of Sennheiser HD25-1 II and Audio Technica ATH-R70x. The HD25-1 II plays fine with my PC onboard but I can feel the R70x being bottlenecked. Sound and volume are sort of masked and cannot go louder.
  
 So my question is, will the STX II be a significant change to both my headphones with the stock opamps? To go Burson V5s on the spot will be out of my budget.


----------



## damienPOWER

Depends on your onboard audio. Years ago I would definitely say a sound card/DAC would be a significantly noticeable upgrade, but I hear modern integrated audio is not too bad. I don't know for myself whether it is comparable, but I would expect you would notice a difference between onboard and an STX II (with the stock opamps or any).


----------



## Unclewall

My mother board a Asrock 970M Pro3  has a Realtek ALC892 which has Elna caps although not the best on board sound still very good on board. Comparing that to my STX II its not even in the same league, The STX II even with the stock Op amps is much better in all aspects


----------



## darruest

Hi, everyone!
  
 I own a STX II, which I'll upgrade their OpAmps with the new ones Burson V5i, they are on the way. I already notice that are other components to upgrade, like the MKPs, I have bought 6 of them (WIMA 0,1 uF MKP). But I have doubts where they have to be soldered.
 Do you know exactly where I have to solder the pins of those new MKPs? There are any guide, how to or tutorial?
  
 Thanks!!!


----------



## Cruxiaer

Thanks guys, already got the STXII and got it running with MPC + MultiAsioRenderer + Asio4All. So far so good except very occassional pop/crackle when I use kernel buffer = 2 / Asio buffer size = 448. Using kernel buffer = 3 will eliminate all pop/crackle.
  
 Quote:


damienpower said:


> Depends on your onboard audio. Years ago I would definitely say a sound card/DAC would be a significantly noticeable upgrade, but I hear modern integrated audio is not too bad. I don't know for myself whether it is comparable, but I would expect you would notice a difference between onboard and an STX II (with the stock opamps or any).


 
  


unclewall said:


> My mother board a Asrock 970M Pro3  has a Realtek ALC892 which has Elna caps although not the best on board sound still very good on board. Comparing that to my STX II its not even in the same league, The STX II even with the stock Op amps is much better in all aspects


 
  


darruest said:


> Hi, everyone!
> 
> I own a STX II, which I'll upgrade their OpAmps with the new ones Burson V5i, they are on the way. I already notice that are other components to upgrade, like the MKPs, I have bought 6 of them (WIMA 0,1 uF MKP). But I have doubts where they have to be soldered.
> Do you know exactly where I have to solder the pins of those new MKPs? There are any guide, how to or tutorial?
> ...


 
 You can check http://www.bursonaudio.com/asus-xonar-essence-stx-upgraded-with-supreme-sound-v5-op-amps/
 The photos kinda small but in the 1st photo they circled out which capacitors you need to solders those MKPs to.


----------



## darruest

cruxiaer said:


> You can check http://www.bursonaudio.com/asus-xonar-essence-stx-upgraded-with-supreme-sound-v5-op-amps/
> The photos kinda small but in the 1st photo they circled out which capacitors you need to solders those MKPs to.


 
  
 Thanks!!! I guess that the originals capacitors musn't be removed. We only add the new WIMAs on the back of the card, I'm right?. And... there is any polartity? I don't know to much about electronics.
 Thanks!


----------



## angelus1969

Being rather fed up with flaky USB connection to my Meridian Director DAC, I was wondering how the STX II would perform as 'just' a digital out to the Director? I will be using Linux as my OS and MPD as my music player.
  
 Also, I still find conflicting report on the 88.2 support?! Does this card support 88.2 (on the digital out).
  
 Would changing the op-amps have any influence on the digital output?
  
 Is there any other 'audiophile' card which could output (coax) digital out?
  
 Regards,
  
 Angelo


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Angelus,
  
 To be honest if you want to just use a digital connection to an external DAC don't buy an STXII use the digital off your onboard,The digital signal is the same, the digital on the STXII is a passthrough circuit so you will get nothing by adding the card. The STXII does 88.2k if the card is ran in 24bit 192k mode, Changing opamps do nothing again to the digital passthrough. If you have a DAC unit you like don't get an STXII you will miss all the goodness the card and the opamps can provide.
  
 Hope this helps


----------



## angelus1969

Hello Renfield1217,
  
 Thank you for the information. My current board doesn't have a SP/DIF out, but I'm thinking of upgrading anyway, so perhaps something to look for in the new board.
  
 'in 24bit, 192k mode', does that mean that the card does upsampling?
  
 How good is the onboard DAC of the STXII actually. I've distilled so far that the headphone out is rather mediocre, but I'm reading quite conflicting opinions on the DAC itself.....
  
 Regards,
  
 Angelo


----------



## paulguru

Excuse me guys
  
 This card as sound quality is comparable to the Audioquest Dragonfly Red ?


----------



## Renfield1217

angelus1969 said:


> Hello Renfield1217,
> 
> Thank you for the information. My current board doesn't have a SP/DIF out, but I'm thinking of upgrading anyway, so perhaps something to look for in the new board.
> 
> ...


----------



## angelus1969

@Renfield1217: yup, this helps a lot.... Thanks!
  
 Regards,
  
 Angelo


----------



## Renfield1217

paulguru said:


> Excuse me guys
> 
> This card as sound quality is comparable to the Audioquest Dragonfly Red ?
> 
> ...


----------



## Renfield1217

I just received 3-Burson 5vi duals to test in the STXII. WIll post a review in the next few weeks.
  
 Ren


----------



## Cruxiaer

Been on the STXII for 2 weeks now. I agree that the stock opamp can sound harsh and tiring after some time. Already ordered 3x SS V5D from Burson. Hopefully it will be a huge step up!


----------



## SierraKen

3 Sparkos SS3602's Discrete Opamp Review
  
 After a few days of being "burned in", they change from a thick sound
 to a dimensional sound that are incredible quality. Nothing blurs together
 and every instrument is played as though you were there listening to the
 band play. Pitch quality is also incredible and balanced. You feel the
 whole spectrum of sounds in all of the forms of music out there. The
 dynamics of drums sound realistic and just like they wanted them recorded,
 not too sharp, not too flat.  
 Apon using my Sony MDR-P1 Headphones connected directly into my Sound
 Blaster SBX, I am flooded with some wonderful music coming from my
 friend's opamps. Very dynamic in all aspects making it seem I'm right there
 listening to the band play live.
 I stream from my friend's opamps on his ASUS Xonar Essence STXII
 to my USB Sound Blaster SBX. My speakers are Logitech Z333 80 watts.


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Ken,
  
 Ken is a friend of mine that has helped me for years setting up my music stream.
 Nice review Ken, I will put up my Sparkos review in a week here. The Burson V5is are still breaking in so that will be around the same time.
 BTW, so far both are much better than typical opamps.
 Lol and yes you can hear the diff on opamps on a musical stream. If it's set up correctly.
  
 Ren


----------



## Cruxiaer

Still waiting on my Burson SS V5 opamp. Been two weeks already, haven't got a tracking number from them. Also it takes them a few days to reply my email :\


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Cruxiar,
  
 They are supposed be exellent. I personally have not heard them.
  
 Hope ya like them
  
 Ren


----------



## perryleros

ko853 said:


> I replaced my HDAV 1.3 deluxe by STX II 7.1. It has better sound for music and movie. Now, I am curious about stock & spare opamps. There are some cases as below:
> 
> 
> buffer + I/V
> ...


 
  
 I tried some of those combinations, here is my opinion:
 Current setup: Xonar Essence STX II, speakers: Swans m50

*muses 8820 + 2x muses 8920:* Sounds balanced, bass is there and tight. mids are really good. Highs seem a bit underpowered. Overall sounds "musical" and balanced. Nothing is more or less than it should, except maybe highs if you re used to super clear and bright highs. I like this setup. 
  
*muses 8820 + 2x LME 49720:* switching to 49720 for I/V slots sound became a lot clearer and brighter, bass is definately stronger and feels like it goes lower. Good bass. Highs are really annoyingly bright and loud. Some might like that, but I find it too exhausting to listen to music like that for too long. Overall I would say sound is super clear and bright. You can tell though that the mid range is underwhelmed by super bright highs and good strong bass.
  
*LME 49720 + 2x muses 8920: *Tried changing the buffer to the LME but leaving the muses as I/V out of curiosity. Sounded the same as 8820+2x8920 but with less bass for some reason. Didnt like it.
  
 My current preference is the first setup (8820+2x8920)
  
 Only bad thing I noticed is when I tried a movie(inception) where it has a lot of explosions and glass breaking in a scene but I was dissapointed. Bass was good but highs were lacking... With the LME49720 the glass breaking was really loud and real. 

 I have other opamps coming my way and will try more combinations in a couple of days. 
 2x Muses01
 1x Muses02 for buffer
 2x LME49720HA (metal can)


----------



## perryleros

perryleros said:


> I tried some of those combinations, here is my opinion:
> Current setup: Xonar Essence STX II, speakers: Swans m50
> 
> *muses 8820 + 2x muses 8920:* Sounds balanced, bass is there and tight. mids are really good. Highs seem a bit underpowered. Overall sounds "musical" and balanced. Nothing is more or less than it should, except maybe highs if you re used to super clear and bright highs. I like this setup.
> ...


 
  
 THe rest of the opamps are finally here and I did some tests.
  
*2x LME49720HA + 1x muses8820 for buffer:* sounds too bright for my taste.
*2xMuses01 + 1xMuse8820:* Sounds like the muses8920 but muddier, highs are brighter and bass is reduced significantly.
*2xMuses01 + 1xMuses02 for buffer:* Everything is more clear and there is bass again. Sounds good
  
 I would say that 2xMuses01 for I/V and Muses02 for bufffer sounds really good and with time it will sound better
 But the* best combination for my setup is definately 2xMuses8920 and muses02 for buffer*. That sound the most balanced and musical. Not lacking anything. The muses01 were not worth the price over 8920 in my case. Maybe better speakers with larger woofer drivers would benefit from the bright highs of the muses01, but in my case its not comfortable to listen to at high volumes, its kinda like the 49720 when it comes to highs.


----------



## Unclewall

I tried all the stock op amps and a lot more and was not happy. Im using just I/V for headphone and found opa1662 to sound the best to date but they are soic and need to be soldered to a dip8 adaptor


----------



## Voxata

Crux, you'll love the V5's. They are the only reason I still own an STX.


----------



## Cruxiaer

Just received my SSV5OPAD this afternoon. So far they sound awesome. I believe some burning in is required, so I will amend the post when I know more.
  
 I only have the stock opamps with me, I will try my best to describe the transition from stock to SSV5. I also assume you are familiar with the stock opamps. English is not my first language so my description may suck so bear with it 
  
*Setup:*
 Asus Xonar STX II
 Audio Technica R70x - neutral sounding, relatively narrow sound stage.
  
*Audio track:*
 Mountains (Interstellar OST)
 Ghost Town (Adam Lambert)
 A Stutter (Ólafur Arnalds)
 好久不見 (楊永聰)
 Lighthouse (Patrick Watson)
 Heroes (Peter Gabriel)
 01;41 (Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm)
  
*Original setup #1*:
 LPF Muses 8820
 I/V 2x Muses 8920
  
 Great low and mid. However I still find the mid and high a little lacking for tracks like Mountains and Ghost Town. The clarity is not there. There's no punch. So I decided to switch the I/V stage to 2x TI LME49720 to see how it goes.
  
*Setup #2:*
 LPF Muses 8820
 I/V 2x TI LME49720
  
 Extremely loud volume. Tight and heavy bass. Lacking when it comes to details. After prolonged use I realised the mid and high from this combination is very harsh and tiring. Definitely not suitable for usage for more than an hour. Actually I wouldn't recommend this setup for anyone, it's probably bad for the ears 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
*Setup #3:*
 LPF Muses 8920
 I/V 2x Muses 8820
  
 Everything sounds great and sound as it is. Smooth mid and high, great bass. No real complaints here. This is very similar to the #1 setup but less amped high.
  
*Setup #4:*
 LPF SS V5 OPA-D
 I/V 2x SS V5 OPA-D
  
 The first thing I noticed about the change is cleanliness of the audio output and volume. Much cleaner and balanced volume. I tried a few more tracks, noticed a slightly wider sound stage on my R70x (almost non-existent before) and very detailed bass which I have never noticed before. Definitely noticed instruments I have never noticed before far in the background. Bass is less pronounce as compared to all setups above, less punchy but more detailed. Mid and high are well controlled as well, sounds a little warmer/mellower than before. Separation is a not a night and day difference than before but noticeably better. This setup is something you can listen to the whole day without feeling fatigued.
  
*Conclusion:*
 It costs $250AUD(180USD), so is it worth the money? Yes and no. My have a sorta mixed feelings with the upgrade(definitely an upgrade, no question about that). My R70x is about 350USD on Amazon and STXII is 250USD. As of now my dac/amp setup costs more than headphones and I believe that's where the problem lies. If you are a user whose aim to get a soundcard or amp is to make your high impedance cans to work as it should, there is no need to upgrade to the SSV5s. It makes a difference. yes but not worth the 180USD difference. However if you were to use some higher end headphones regardless of impedance, the SSV5s should make a huge difference to you without getting a new setup.


----------



## Voxata

I had big results with just DT770's using the V5's. Worth every penny.


----------



## perryleros

FInally got to a combination I really like and don't feel can get any better.
  
 Muses 2x8920 in the I/V and Muses02 in the buffer. So simple upgrade.. just needed a muses02 in the buffer, that's all!! really impressive. Highs are there again, bass is tighter and cleaner too.


----------



## Gradius

If you are using V5 and STX, do a favor and CHANGE that crappy clock too!


----------



## Cruxiaer

gradius said:


> If you are using V5 and STX, do a favor and CHANGE that crappy clock too!



Hi I just did some Google and result said the Stx have a crappy clock on it but how about the STXII?


----------



## perryleros

perryleros said:


> THe rest of the opamps are finally here and I did some tests.
> 
> *2x LME49720HA + 1x muses8820 for buffer:* sounds too bright for my taste.
> *2xMuses01 + 1xMuse8820:* Sounds like the muses8920 but muddier, highs are brighter and bass is reduced significantly.
> ...


 
 After a while testing the Sparkos Labs SS3602 these are my thoughts:
  
*I/V: 2 x SS3602 , Buffer: 1 x Muses02: *Better than anything else I tried. Good job Sparkos. Sounds really musical with lots of detail cross the whole range. Bass really punchy without being loose, highs never get harsh no matter how loud you play, Brought a lot of detail in the mid range too! it really brought the card to life! This combo is hard to beat.
  
*I/V: 2 x SS3602 , Buffer: 1 x SS3602: * Even though I was really satisfied with the previous combo, I couldn't rest without trying one in the buffer too. I can say changing the buffer does make a noticeable difference. Positive? Depends on your liking. Bass level is significantly lower but it's there and controlled. Even more detail came in the lows and highs, I swear I m noticing things sounds I couldn't notice before, hmm... Overall sounds more musical, like you are in front of the artist playing. You just don't get the punch muses02 offers in the buffer but instead you get a higher level of detail and clarity throughout the whole range. So it's down to personal preference and music style.
  
 For now I will stick with 3 x SS3602 , I feel its the most balanced and musical combination I have tried to date. For the first time I really feel satisfied with the sound output of my system. Will test again with different speakers in a few days.


----------



## stinkytofus

where can i purchase the asus stx ii 7.1 w/ daughterboard?
  
 which should i get? asus stx ii 7.1 w/ daughterboard vs creative zxr, strictly for fps gaming


----------



## stinkytofus

Where can i buy the asus essence stx ii 7.1 with daughterboard for under $300 usd ?

Or should i just get an stx, dgx or dsx?


----------



## Cruxiaer

stinkytofus said:


> Where can i buy the asus essence stx ii 7.1 with daughterboard for under $300 usd ?
> 
> Or should i just get an stx, dgx or dsx?


 
 Are you gaming with headphones? You probably only need the normal stereo card.


----------



## stinkytofus

cruxiaer said:


> Are you gaming with headphones? You probably only need the normal stereo card.


 
 yea with headphones
  
 contemplating on getting
  
 a. objective 2 amp + dac + soundcard for the dsp features
  
 b. just the soundcard 
  
 c. just the amp + dac + razer surround
  
 any recommendations?


----------



## Renfield1217

Burson V5i Hybrid Opamps
  
 This is a short review of listening tests for the V5i opamps in an Asus STXII card. The card is stock with no mods other than the 3-V5is. My setup is old school and not expensive (Craigslist Specials), consisting of the following...
 Foobar using WASAPI event and ASIO
 NAD 3020 (used as a preamp)
 Adcom 545 poweramp
 Bose 901 VI speakers that have recently had the drivers replaced by Bose, with their new 901 drivers
 Grado SR125 headphones
  
 I also do some streaming (using MS Expression Encoder 4) so, for fun so I will include some of their thoughts (yes they can hear the difference in opamps on their gear on my stream).
  
 The Bursons arrived and their presentation was very nice they are enclosed in plastic containers and well protected from damage in shipment. I like the metal covers on them providing isolation from PC electronics (Burson should do the same with their flagship V5s).
 I will state this right up front, these op amps need a long burn in period. Burson recommends 100 hours but I think it's longer. So, if you listen to them for a few days you will not really hear what they are all about, lol and they do sound terrible out of the case. Especially if you are replacing a full descrete opamp setup.
 Patience patience patience...
  
 I/we listened to a wide variety of music including some very good internet radio streams and some not so good  :{)
 My thoughts are that the Vi's are a very good opamp, they are like a bridge between the monolithic IC opamps and the fully discrete more costly opamps.
 The sound was very nice on the Grados. Absolutely no noise in the background and the Burson V5is seem to tame the Grados. They did fine with 901 setup with a little gain applied. Acoustic Jazz was very good, details on the brushwork and cymbals were very clean. Vocals were very nice.
  
 Some comments from my stream testers went from the first day of burn in 'Well, they are not awful.' and 'Put back in the old opamps.' to some saying that they could not tell the diff between the old and the Bursons after burn in. The testers were located in CA and Georgia.
  
 So if you are on a limited budget try these out, with these caveats...
 The V5i's to me have that "removed from the music" type of sound stage ( which some people prefer). They sound a bit metallic and digital. Their soundstage is not as wide or as tall as some opamps.
 The only sound file I tested with the Bursons that they had an issue with was Made In Japan by Deep Purple which could have been a file issue, but it sounds fine on other opamps.
  
 All in all, I think Burson has a hit with these opamps, good work Burson and thanks to Charles with SSAudio for providing the opamps for testing and for his patience.
 Any questions, let me know....
  
 Ren


----------



## Gradius

cruxiaer said:


> Hi I just did some Google and result said the Stx have a crappy clock on it but how about the STXII?


 
  
 On STX II the clock is better, but still looks like a toy to me.
  
 I couldn't find any higher resolution photo to check out the specs of that tiny TCXO.
  
 On Asus pages all it says is "Ultra-low jitter with premium TCXO clock source".  Pure marketing garbage.
  
 I want the specs!
  
 The only good photos I managed to found was from here:
 http://soundnews.ro/2014/06/28/asus-essence-stx-ii-review-english-version/

 They are still too small to see.


----------



## Gradius

About the clock on STX II again.
  
 All I could see was "S24.5 CT 3J".
  
 Unfortunately that won't help.
  
 At best I think is a 1.5ppm (hard to believe).  I think is a 2.5 or 3ppm.
  
 I use this one on my STX:
 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1pcs-Vanguard-TCXO-0-1ppm-24-576MHz-Ultra-precision-Golden-Oscillator-/161795013568
  
 As you can see is a 0.1ppm.
  
 The best TCXO SMD I could find on mouser was a 0.28ppm (not bad):
 http://www.mouser.cl/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=0virtualkey0virtualkeyKT7050A24576KAW33TAD
  
 I wouldn't use anything above 1ppm.
  
 Update:
  
 I still have the JZ-1 unused (brand new):
 http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/diy/JZ1/JZEN.htm
  
 I'm still deciding if I do the upgrade to STX II or not.   Somes says the Creative ZxR (modded) isn't bad either, plus is way cheaper than STX II.


----------



## perryleros

I ve been a happy Sparkos labs SS3602 user using 2 of them in the I/V slots and 1xMuses02 in the buffer to give em the bass I like. Sparkos lacked that punch. That was by far my favorite combination so far.
 The past few days I got a chance to review the Burson V5 discrete opamps and the new V5i. Here is my honest opinion.
  
My setup
 Asus Xonar Essence STX II
 Speakers: Swans M50w, Klipsch RP-160M
 Headphones: Sennheiser HD598
 Amplifier: Crown XLS 1002

  
Note:
The Klipsch Rp-160m are bookshelf speakers and need an external amp to drive them.
 The Swans M50w are pc speakers and have the amp in the subwoofer so just the soundcard is enough.
Headphones dont need the amp either.
I only used the amp for the Klipsch.
  
  
Lets start with the V5
 First of all they came in really good packaging

 First impression was that these things are HUGE!.
  
 How they look on the card: (I/V: 2xBurson V5 - Buffer: muses02)

  
 How they look on the card: (I/V: 2xBurson V5 - Buffer: Burson V5)

  
  
 First I tried replacing the 2 sparkos with the V5 in the I/V stage keeping the muses02 in the buffer. Results?
 +More laid back
 +Wider soundstage for sure
 +Slightly more detail, especially in the lower frequencies.
 +High frequencies are more open compared to the sparkos, without being harsh though. That is interesting in a good way.
  
 In general it was not a day/night difference and soundstage comes down to personal preference. Currently I prefer it wider, more laid back than right in my face, but that's just me. It's a tough call.
  
 Then I decided to try the third Burson V5 in the buffer, having low expectations.
 All I have to say is WOW! For anyone that has second thoughts, the buffer really makes a big difference and is as important as the other stages. 
  
 So using 3 x Burson V5 the sound changed significantly:
 +Tighter bass. Definately better than the muses02 which I thought was the best so far.
 +Cleaner low and high end of the sound spectrum. I still can't believe the extra detail that started appearing in the lows.
  
 The observations above apply to both speakers, more to the swans since they are harder to handle, harder to produce good midrange having only 3" drivers. Took me a great amount of time and testing to find the perfect opamps to make these speakers shine. 
 As for the Klipsch RP-160m, even though these speakers come with a horn-loaded tweeter, the Burson opamps sounded mellow and never harsh no matter how loud I was playing music. I really liked how the highs are handled by these opamps.
  
 Testing with the HD598 headphones all I have to say is two things: Clear and punchy. I thought I could never get any bass out of these headphones. They are really flat sounding. With the V5 there is a punch now which makes them more enjoyable while still remaining crystal clear. (Muses8920 in comparison tend to make the mid range muddy and muffled.)
  
 Overall it's a clear winner for me. Even though I loved the sparkos labs SS3602 in combination with the muses02, I will go with 3xV5 hands down. Again, this test is based on my personal setup and is subjective as more than just the opamps determine the final sound. For your setup things might be different.
  
  
  
Next I tried the new V5i integrated OPAMPS
 Package was similar to their bigger brother 

  
 They are really small and should be able to fit under the EMI shield of the soundcard just fine, unlike the V5 or the sparkos.
 In comparison here is a picture demonstrating the size of these opamps:
 Left to right: Muses02 - V5i - LME49720HA - Sparkos SS3602 - V5


  
 Here is how the card looks like with them installed. And the EMI shield fits nice over them.

  
  
 Moving on to how they sound
 Turning on my test songs after having played them for the V5 to have a recent impression of how they sound I noticed the following:
 +Level of detail is still good, not as good as the V5 but not a big difference. It sounds pretty similar but like there is a light veil in front of them. Again small difference. I m guessing this will improve as they break in.
 +Bass is still tight and punchy. Better than the Muses02. That was a nice surprise.
 + Soundstage seems just a tiny bit narrower and the singer sounded closer to you. More like the sparkos SS3602 rather than the V5. This is a personal preference so I will not comment on if its a good or bad thing.
 +Highs remain clear and never get harsh. maintains this characteristic from the bigger V5 and is really good.
 + Compared to the sparkos, I would say its a tough call, sparkos seemed clearer and way closer to you but lacked bass when used alone and needed the muses02 or another bassy buffer.
 +Not a huge difference compared to the bigger V5 and I can say that If I havent already purchased the V5 I might have stayed with the V5i and be equaly satisfied.
  
 What was the most noteworthy observation is that these Opamps seem to be more forgiving than the V5. Meaning that if the mp3 you are playing is not top quality you can really tell with the V5. Sounds bad, you can hear all the muffled mids, crackling noise in the recording, etc. With the V5i the same mp3 seems fine. doesnt reveal that much bad info from a bad recording.
  
 In general I feel that these V5i are a better contender than Muses01/Muses02/Muses8920/Muses8820. Overall they sound similar to the bigger V5 being just slightly less detailed (more forgiving) and more upfront. Though, they keep the good characteristics of V5 like the clear and mellow highs, tight and detailed bass, clear mid range. Having both, I will stick with the V5 but If I had to buy again I would go straight for the V5i since I feel the extra cost does not justify the sound difference between the two, at least for my PC speaker system. Unless of course you want the best possible sound quality regardless of the cost.
  
 Feel free to ask any questions.


----------



## stinkytofus

perryleros said:


> I ve been a happy Sparkos labs SS3602 user using 2 of them in the I/V slots and 1xMuses02 in the buffer to give em the bass I like. Sparkos lacked that punch. That was by far my favorite combination so far.
> The past few days I got a chance to review the Burson V5 discrete opamps and the new V5i. Here is my honest opinion.
> 
> My setup
> ...


 
 the soundcard has an amp/dac already, is there any point of using an external amp/dac?


----------



## perryleros

stinkytofus said:


> the soundcard has an amp/dac already, is there any point of using an external amp/dac?


 
 The Klipsch Rp-160m are bookshelf speakers and need an external amp to drive them.
 The Swans M50w are pc speakers and have the amp in the subwoofer so just the soundcard is enough.
 Headphones dont need the amp either.
 I only used the amp for the Klipsch.


----------



## bcschmerker4

perryleros said:


> I ve been a happy Sparkos labs SS3602 user using 2 of them in the I/V slots and 1xMuses02 in the buffer to give em the bass I like. Sparkos lacked that punch. That was by far my favorite combination so far.
> The past few days I got a chance to review the Burson V5 discrete opamps and the new V5i. Here is my honest opinion.
> 
> My setup
> ...


 
*Congrats on a successful test run for the triple-V5i set-up.*  A triple-V5i-armed STX should make a suitable reference for proofing new components for a home audio installation, with the stereo RCA outs ("2 Speakers") and the digital RCA out providing hookup points for A/B-ing external headphone amplifiers and complete DAC/amp sets against the STX' built-in hardware.


----------



## Gradius

Why replying with those HUGE quotes?
  
 Btw, if you still want to improve, change the Clock!


----------



## alota

The buffer's op-amp is for the headphone out too or just for line out?
Thank you


----------



## perryleros

alota said:


> The buffer's op-amp is for the headphone out too or just for line out?
> Thank you


 
 For STX I m pretty sure it's not used when you use headphones.


----------



## perryleros

gradius said:


> Why replying with those HUGE quotes?
> 
> Btw, if you still want to improve, change the Clock!


 
 Change clock even on the STX ii?


----------



## alota

perryleros said:


> For STX I m pretty sure it's not used when you use headphones.


 
 thank you. i´m not an expert but i think this: the two op-amps in I/V stage go directly to the op-amp headphone amplifier(LME.....),right?


----------



## Cruxiaer

According to the manual, the buffer stage only affects RCA out.


----------



## estranged

estranged said:


> Hello,
> 
> I previously owned a Xonar D2/PM and was very happy with it. Didn't use headphones before. But later I decided to buy a Sennheiser HD650. As the D2 would not be enough to feed the HD650, I decided to upgrade my soundcard and bought a STX II
> 
> ...


 
  
 I wanted to quote myself and post an update about what happened since I posted this. Finally I have been able to fix the sound quality issues on my system.
  
 After replacing my old setup (xonar d2/pm + edifier da5000pro) with audioengine a5+ / xonar stx II / senheiser hd650 I was expecting a huge difference in a positive way. However this was not the case as you can see in my post. I was not satisfied with the audio quality, it was muddy and lacked detail. I was dissapointed.
  
 First I changed the default opamps that comes with STX II with the extra opamps that comes with the card. Those made a positive difference. A little too warm may be but much better than the default ones anyway. I think default opamps are trash. I can't believe how people can enjoy music with those opamps. May be I was unlucky and mine was defective.
  
 Seeing how opamps can improve the sound quality, I decided to go for burson v5 opamps and those brought the sound to whole another level. Aftter the bursons sound was clean and netural. There was no artifical warmness like I had before with the extra opamps of STX II. 
  
 I was finally satisfied with the audio quality, especially with HD650 headphones but I was not %100 satisfied with audioengine a5+ speakers. After some research I decided to buy quality rca cables and ordered audioquest goldengate. To those who think cables don't matter, believe me they do! I am sure this is not placebo. I have very sensitive hearing. I am now %100 satisfied with my setup, I finally feel like I am listening to a expensive hi-fi system. Altough I am satisfied now, I ordered audioquest sydney rca cables just to see how they are going to improve things 
  
 So if you have this card, please buy some quality rca cables and quality opamps (go for the burson v5!) They make very huge difference.


----------



## Cruxiaer

estranged said:


> So if you have this card, please buy some quality rca cables and quality opamps (go for the burson v5!) They make very huge difference.


 
 May I know if the V5 opamp you bought had yellow or black glue?


----------



## estranged

cruxiaer said:


> May I know if the V5 opamp you bought had yellow or black glue?


 
  
 It is yellow. Why?


----------



## Cruxiaer

estranged said:


> It is yellow. Why?


 
 There's another review somewhere that said the older batch with yellow glue sounded better than the newer batch with black glue (which is what I got).


----------



## JazzJackRabbit

A question. I currently own first generation STX. I'm using RCA outputs to connect it to a standalone headphone amp that's driving HD650's. At the same time SPDIF output is connected to receiver that's driving my floor speakers. I am not using headphone out on STX. Is there any point in getting STX II? Or would that be pointless?


----------



## Unclewall

The headphone amp will sound better on rca output, The SPDIF will sound the same. I own both the STX and STX II and th Stx II does sound better. Are you using the stock op amps if so you might want to try changing them


----------



## JazzJackRabbit

My STX is all stock. I still wonder how much better would STX II be, if at all? Stock vs stock or upgraded opamps vs upgraded opamps. I've been reading head-fi forums for the last day about it, and saw no definitive answer.


----------



## Unclewall

jazzjackrabbit said:


> My STX is all stock. I still wonder how much better would STX II be, if at all? Stock vs stock or upgraded opamps vs upgraded opamps. I've been reading head-fi forums for the last day about it, and saw no definitive answer.




The Stx came with crappie op amps changing them made a large improvement in my opinion larger than STX to STX II


----------



## Renfield1217

jazzjackrabbit said:


> My STX is all stock. I still wonder how much better would STX II be, if at all? Stock vs stock or upgraded opamps vs upgraded opamps. I've been reading head-fi forums for the last day about it, and saw no definitive answer.


 

 ​Hi JazzJackRabbit,
 I have an STXII and it's an upgrade to the STX. That being said as some others have stared here I would try some diff opamps first, before upgrading the entire card. I highly recommend the Sparkos. Am running three in the STXII here and the sound is unbelievably good.
 And if you ever decide to upgrade to the STXII you can move the opamps along to the new card.
 Hope this helps..
 Ren


----------



## Jay Callen

Hi all,
  
 Anyone here installed ASUS Essence STX II into Windows10/Dell XPS 8900 desktop PC?
  
 As a wary novice (experience inside PC limited to adding RAM), I question two things that I read in the ASUS online installation instructions:
  
 1. “_STX requires a 4-pin Molex connection to power the card.”_
  
Is factory-stock Dell XPS 8900 desktop PC not supplied with 4-pin Molex? Would I need to replace XPS 8900 power supply cord, or buy some type of adapter to go between the STX II and XPS 8900 power connectors?
  
2. “_Front panel audio header: Connect to the chassis-mounted audio module.”_
  
What are “_front_ _panel audio header”_ and _“chassis-mounted audio module,”_ and where are they located on Dell XPS 8900?
  
Can anyone answer these questions before I buy ASUS Essence STX II (2-channel version)? 
  
Thanks, much appreciated.


----------



## seoman

1: The molex connector is the one that is used for powering non-sata HDD/DVD devices.
 There must be one available. But i cannot find the actual listing of available power connectors.
 Take a look on what unused power connectors you have!
 If it is a 4pins flat type 
 then you are good to go

  
  

 2:
 See: ps-8900-desktop_service manual (http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_xps_desktop/xps-8900-desktop_service%20manual_en-us.pdf)
 page 16 connector 21 or page 75

 You don't wanna use the the frontpanel audio! You buy this card for the rear panel connections!


----------



## Jay Callen

seoman,
  
 Thanks for your helpful reply and the link. 
  
 I hoped to minimize downtime by preparing for all contingencies (mailorder parts, if needed) before disconnecting and opening the computer, but I'll just have to dive in and see what power connection is there.


----------



## seoman

Downtime is not necessary, but when in doubt, shutdown the PC first.
 If you have a modular Supply, there might be spare cables in de transport box.
 But if you find a spare sata-power connector there or something else with 1 yellow 1 red and 2 blacks.
 There are plenty adapters available


----------



## Jay Callen

Thanks again, seoman.
  
 Well, I opened my Dell XPS 8900 desktop PC and found two 6-pin PCI-E female power connectors available, and ASUS tech support tells me that their sound cards typically have a 4-pin Molex male connector.
  
 QUESTION: Before I start searching for a rare, if it even exists, power adapter cable (6-pin PCI-E male to 4-pin Molex female), can anyone with firsthand knowledge please confirm that the STX II onboard connector is indeed a 4-pin Molex male?


----------



## seoman

Dont search for a 6 to 4 adapter!!!! It will not work
 The dell site states is supplies with 3 power cables for sata.
 Locate those cables and get a sata power to 4pole molex!

 Or get a sata power splitter and a sata power to 4pole molex.

 Yes the molex 4pole on the stx is male.

 Instead of asking asus you should question DELL how to get a normal non-sata HDD powered.
 Asus uses a standard connection for a device that needs a 5V and 12V supply, dell should have supplied your PC with those cables


----------



## Jay Callen

seoman, your input has been most helpful.
  
 I’ve learned a few things and finally got it sorted out. I did find an unused SATA, and I’ve ordered an adapter cable (<$5 delivered) to power the STX II which will arrive in a week or so ($232.95 w/ free S&H USA; less $30 mail-in rebate expiring 10/31/2016 from Amazon.com or less $30 instant cash discount expiring 11/15/2016 for placing a first order from Jet.com, so I chose the latter).
  
 Looks like the upgrade from RealTek to ASUS Essence STX II is gonna be less expensive and easier than I first imagined. Still a novice; but, hey, at this rate I might be tempted to start switching out op amps next week 
  
 thanks.


----------



## bcschmerker4

jay callen said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Anyone here installed ASUS Essence STX II into Windows10/Dell XPS 8900 desktop PC?
> 
> ...


 
  
  


seoman said:


> 1: The molex connector is the one that is used for powering non-sata HDD/DVD devices.
> There must be one available. But i cannot find the actual listing of available power connectors.
> Take a look on what unused power connectors you have!
> If it is a 4pins flat type
> ...


 
*One of the frustrations I find in the latest PC's* is a constant violation of specifications for some connectors.  The 4-pin Molex used on older disquette, hard, and optical drives and some front panel accessories, in addition to the ASUS® XONAR® range, requires four wires:  One +5VDC, one +12VDC, and two grounds.  All manufacturers know that.  Too many systems that are supposed to power SATA devices, much to my anger, fail to provide +3.3VDC to those devices - that forced me to change the power supply in my CM1630-06 to an Antec® TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™ to bring the rig up to Code (which demands one +3.3VDC, one +5VDC, one +12VDC, and two grounds for SATA).
  
 At least ASUSTeK is consistent with power requirements for the XONAR range; the full-height cards use a 4-pin Molex, the half-height a four-pin AMP consistent with 3.5" disquette drives.  Only the ROG® XONAR® Phoebus™ requires an outlier:  A six-pin PCIe auxiliary connector similar to those used with video cards.


----------



## noclevername

This is just a start to the review. I will continue to add more as more testing is done with this product.

My set up:

Asus Essence STX

Schiit Asgard

Schiit Modi 2 Uber

Burson Cable+

HiFiMan HE400I

Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro 250ohm

Sennheiser HD555



I had the opportunity to test Burson's Cable+ in my current set up. While I am using mid to high end HiFi audio equipment, it was a pleasure getting to use the Cable+ in this set up. I first tested the cable with my Essence STX connected to my Asgard. This little cable made quite the impression on me. Compared to running a plane RCA cable from my sound card to my amplifier, it definately shows the cables strengths. I tested this with not just music, but games as well. I will cover both separately. 



In music settings I tested using a wide set of genres. I chose the artists based off bands and people I have listened to for years.Some of the artists chosen were: Tech N9ne, Metallica, System of A Down, Andre Bocelli, Garth Brooks, Nighwish, Van Halen, and much more. I listened to songs with just and RCA cable first, then switched to the Cable+ to get an immediate comparison. When first testing the cable I wasn't to sure it would make to much of a difference, but was I wrong. From rap to classical, from opera to hard rock, and from country to techno I saw a clear defined difference just by swapping to the Cable+. The mids and highs came in much clearer, the lows became more defined and not just mixed together, and the sound stage itself increased. At time while sitting here I closed my eyes and could envision myself at a concert. 



In games the cable made great improvement upon directional sound. I play CSGO and COD Black Ops III. Both of these games rely heavily on directional sound to be able to get a precise location of and enemy coming up on you in game and also to tell where shots were coming from. While my HE400i's and my HD555's are very directional to begin with, I noticed a great difference between an RCA cable and the Cable+. With just an RCA cable the sound stage was a little bit congested and muddled together. Locations were generally accurate, but not as precise and I would like. When I switched over to the cable plus in my set up it became very precise and clear as to what direction an enemy was headed from. The sounds of jumping, running, falling, shots, grenades, guns dropping to the ground, and objects hitting other object became very precise and clear. Not only did the Cable+ help in defining directional sounds, it improved clarity and the overall sound in game.



While only having the cable to be able to test in just one set up I was thoroughly impressed with it. I would easily recommend this cable to the average user all the way up to HiFi users. The price on the cable is reasonable considering the positive gains you will get from switching from a generic RCA cable. I look forward to being able to test this in other applications as well.


----------



## CVLover

has anyone had the soundcard pop and only play treble or very low sound on the right channel after using burson audio v5? i bought a used stx ii, installed the burson op amps and even that got popping on the right channel and suddenly a loud pop and now i almost got no sound on the right channel. these op amps has destroyed 2 soundcards now... kind of sad ;S anybody know what the issue might be?


----------



## seoman

So your old stxII and new do not work anymore with normal opamps?

 are you gonna fry (or misjudge) a 3rd board? Or are you gonna conclude that the V5 is fried and should be returned .
 I hope the boards are still fine


----------



## CVLover

one of the cards has its capacitors removed. i want to upgrade those and see if i can get some life in it. i will try and send in my other soundcard to see if they can fix it. and it also broke my headset. blew my right side  so gotta send that in too.


----------



## seoman

That is some serious damage. Damn
 I hope some of it can be fixed.

 Good luck

 Can you give a reason why it might went wrong?
 i.e.: Did one of the V5's fell out of the socket due by gravity? or................


----------



## CVLover

maybe it but abit of strain on the capacitors near the copper plate on the soundcard. that is the only thing i can think of. this happend after 5 minutes after i changed to the v5 and they was in there good  so sad because i love the sound .. probably faulty op amps. (i hope)


----------



## Renfield1217

cvlover said:


> maybe it but abit of strain on the capacitors near the copper plate on the soundcard. that is the only thing i can think of. this happend after 5 minutes after i changed to the v5 and they was in there good  so sad because i love the sound .. probably faulty op amps. (i hope)


 

 Hi CVLover,
 Sorry to hear about the V5 issue, have seen pictures of them melting in certain setups. I might suggest trying the Sparkos. They are without a doubt my fav opamps. I am running 3 of their 3602's in my STXII and they are  pristine ( at least to my ears and some friends I stream music to). They are simply the best sounding opamps I have ever ran. They are not for people that want all recordings to sound good, but being an ex musician they are the closest thing I have heard to the studio.
 Wish you luck with the soundcards.
 Ren


----------



## Jay Callen

Hi Renfield1217 and others,
  
 As a STX II and Sparkos SS3602 owner, could you comment on the combo’s bass performance and soundstage?
  
 I ask because I’ve read comparisons of Burson V5 versus Sparkos SS3602 wherein the latter was described as 1.) relatively light in the bass, and 2.) upfront in-your-face with relatively shallow soundstage - or words to that effect(s).
  
 Thanks.


----------



## Renfield1217

jay callen said:


> Hi Renfield1217 and others,
> 
> As a STX II and Sparkos SS3602 owner, could you comment on the combo’s bass performance and soundstage?
> 
> ...


 

 ​Hi Jay,
 And sorry for the delay in the reply.
  
 Some say that the Burson's sound veiled and way back from the stage...is all in the gear you have and the way
 you hear things. Personally I like definition and detail I want as close to studio recordings as possible not easing over recordings to make everything sound good.
 There is no lack of bass on the Sparkos and to me the soundstage
 is great. To me the Sparkos is totally neutral on sound across the frequency range.
 Being a professional drummer that has done many concerts, I like the detail the Sparkos give me, I can tell the diff between a drummer using plastic tips and wood on their sticks Some folks just want to boogie on a song and that is great as is wanting their MP3 files to all sound the same no matter how badly recorded.
 Is kinda like the Senn HD600 vs the HD 650 argument. Gets down to taste do you want neutral actual recording sound or an augmented sound that sounds good across the board of the recordings you have?
 To be honest  to me with my equipment the Sparkos is with out a doubt the  most honest sounding opamp I have heard.
 BTW how many Sparkos are you running in your card?
 Sorry I just love the detail of the Sparkos
 Ren


----------



## Jay Callen

Hi Ren,
  
 Thanks for sharing your experience and input. My STX II with stock opamps is a disappointment vs. my PC’s onboard RealTek audio, particularly in the areas of bass and soundstaging.  I read virtually all Head-Fi reviews and comparisons of DIP8 swappable op amps, and two weeks ago I ordered Burson V5 and V5i (still awaiting delivery to USA via HongKongPost/USPS). If Bursons don’t float my boat, then I’ll definitely try the Sparkos next.
  
 Yeah, with different gear and personal preferences, I'm learning that firsthand trial-and-error is the only way to know for sure.


----------



## Renfield1217

jay callen said:


> Hi Ren,
> 
> Thanks for sharing your experience and input. My STX II with stock opamps is a disappointment vs. my PC’s onboard RealTek audio, particularly in the areas of bass and soundstaging.  I read virtually all Head-Fi reviews and comparisons of DIP8 swappable op amps, and two weeks ago I ordered Burson V5 and V5i (still awaiting delivery to USA via HongKongPost/USPS). If Bursons don’t float my boat, then I’ll definitely try the Sparkos next.
> 
> Yeah, with different gear and personal preferences, I'm learning that firsthand trial-and-error is the only way to know for sure.


 
 Hey is just my take, and honest opinion. Agreed on the Muse opamps that came with the STX II, they were terribly laid back. But hey to some that is great they did make even bad recordings sound decent.
 You will like the Bursons, they make a good product. they are a step up from the stock Muses that come installed in the STXII. Make sure you let them burn in for at least 100 hours before you post any thoughts. I have reviewed the Burson SS5i's they are decent opamps. Again it all comes down to taste and how you want to hear your music and the gear you have to make the opamps sing.
 BTW, please post your thoughts on the Bursons and let us know what you think.
  
 Ren


----------



## raymond555

Hey guys,to all stx owners,I found great combo,no need to go burson,just make sure youll get a genuine opamps
Nec uPC4570c x2 for the I/V,and jrc2114D for buffers,forget marketing crap,these combo sound sweet,the only one that didnt gave me ear fatigue.


----------



## illusiveart

Asus Essence STX II skin for audio center!
 stxiiskinmod.blogspot.com


----------



## evo6889

thanks for sharing, this look much better than stock skin.


----------



## Cruxiaer

illusiveart said:


> Asus Essence STX II skin for audio center!
> stxiiskinmod.blogspot.com


 
 Having trouble making it work with my STX driver. I'm using the Unified Xonar drivers.


----------



## illusiveart

cruxiaer said:


> Having trouble making it work with my STX driver. I'm using the Unified Xonar drivers.


 

 On the "Uni. Xonar" no tested, only for the original asus driver (ver. 8.1.11.5 , Audio Center version: 0.3.1.11). I use the original driver.
 Sorry for my bad English.


----------



## Cruxiaer

illusiveart said:


> On the "Uni. Xonar" no tested, only for the original asus driver (ver. 8.1.11.5 , Audio Center version: 0.3.1.11). I use the original driver.
> Sorry for my bad English.


 
 That's alright! Thanks for replying 
  
  
 BTW I just want to know if this is possible or the way it should be done. Say I wanna do a frequency response chart for the STXII when using different opamps to demonstrate actual difference, can I just connect the headphones jack out to mic line in on the sound card?


----------



## konstantinosch

Hello people, I am looking everywhere on the net to buy the 7.1 extension of this card (mine was damaged - don't ask how)
  
 any ideas?


----------



## bcschmerker4

The card ye need is the ASUS® XONAR® H6, first offered as an extension to the Essence™ ST and compatible with the STX II.  Packs triple Burr-Brown®/Texas Instruments® PCM1796 DACs; comes stock with six JRC2114D I-V dual op amps and three National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM4562N line-level buffers.  (The STX II comes stock with two NSC/TI LME49720NA I-V dual op amps and one MUSES 8820 line-level buffer; the STX II 7.1 packed eight LME49720NA's and four MUSES 8820's.)


----------



## germanium

ultracer said:


> I believe PC audio card reached the end point in term of sound quality/cost. With this sort of price, you may just well go buy dedicated components, like Schiit DAC and Amp, or even those ASUS external DAC Amp.
> 
> People say external power circuitry is much better for sound quality, so going away from sound card seems to be the better choice. IDK?
> 
> ...


 

 A good computer sound system can in fact be equivalent in sound quality as discrete audio component. I know this is sacrilege but it is in fact true. Less money is needed to make it look beautiful so more money can go into the actual sound producing components. Concerning the "noisy computer" environment, it is not a problem if you eliminate ground loops from forming outside the computer. Virtually all computer based noise was tracked down to ground loops & eliminated in my system. My computer based sound system is extremely quiet.
  
 Note it is much easier to filter out switch mode power supply noise than it is to properly filter out 60 cycle power line & rectification noise which occur within the audio band as opposed to noise that is way above the audio band already. Filters can be simpler & cheaper & have lower power loss. Switch mode ripple is an order of magnitude less than the ripple present on a conventional power supply before regulation or other filtering (.2-.3 mV) compared to up to & even more than (15-20 volts) for a conventional power supply for a stereo power amp. Switch mode power supplies can have very tight regulation even before any added filtering or regulation even under heavy load. Conventional power supplies on the other hand mostly have quite poor regulation requiring massive regulation after the fact or circuits that have excellent power supply rejection in order to remain truly quiet. This regulation wastes quite a bit of power, sometimes as much as the circuits that it is supplying due to the continuous current times the voltage drop across the regulator. One most have in many cases several volts in excess to what's needed so it can be regulated down cleanly. Not so with the computer power supply as the ripple is already quite low & easily removed.


----------



## bcschmerker4

*Equivalent to discrete components?*  That is true, in spades, of the ASUS® XONAR® Essence™ series, given a satisfactory PSU in the host rig; only the Front Audio fails, as it is without the card's shielding. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 The entire analog section is within a radio-grade EMI/RFI shield, which, combined with the ground grids within the card's multilayer printed-circuit construction, holds digital hash noise to a minimum.  With the STX, I can use the card's internal Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2 for monitoring, via medium-impedance (viz., ≥ 120 Ω) headphones, a real-time stereo send; the internal S/P-DIF encoder and coax/optical RCA jack will transmit in any analog-send mode, and TOSlink makes ground loops a non-issue for the external receiver.


----------



## saddleup

renfield1217 said:


> Hi CVLover,
> Sorry to hear about the V5 issue, have seen pictures of them melting in certain setups. I might suggest trying the Sparkos. They are without a doubt my fav opamps. I am running 3 of their 3602's in my STXII and they are  pristine ( at least to my ears and some friends I stream music to). They are simply the best sounding opamps I have ever ran. They are not for people that want all recordings to sound good, but being an ex musician they are the closest thing I have heard to the studio.
> Wish you luck with the soundcards.
> Ren


 

 Are you able to reinstall the shield with the Sparkos on the card?


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi Saddleup,
  
 I have never tried putting the cover back on ( I have never had issues with PC noise with any of the internal sound cards I have ran).
 But if you would like, I will try it later this week for you.
  
 Ren


----------



## saddleup

That would be awesome thanks.


----------



## perryleros

I was not able to install the shield back on when I was using the Sparkos Opamps. Barely though.
 Although I nevr had issues. Works perfectly fine without it.


----------



## perryleros

jay callen said:


> Hi Renfield1217 and others,
> 
> As a STX II and Sparkos SS3602 owner, could you comment on the combo’s bass performance and soundstage?
> 
> ...


 
 Because the Sparkos is great, it doesn't mean it's the best option to use it in all 3 sockets.
 I loved the Sparkos opamps but felt the lack of bass compared to Burson or Muses.
 A piece of advice for Sparkos and Bass lovers: use *2xSparkos in the I/V sockets but use the Muses02 in the buffer!!* Bass really comes to life without really affecting the rest.
 Not the muses01, the 02! If you can't afford it or not sure if it's worth the money for a buffer, try the 8820 that came with the card, they have similar sound signature. 8820 also increase the bass level and tightness. This was my favorite combo before moving on to the Bursons.


----------



## saddleup

perryleros said:


> I was not able to install the shield back on when I was using the Sparkos Opamps. Barely though.
> Although I nevr had issues. Works perfectly fine without it.


 

 Thanks.


----------



## alota

the op-amps in I/V stage are single or dual?thank you


----------



## CVLover

Dual


----------



## Renfield1217

cvlover said:


> Dual


 

 Hi CVLover,
  
 And yes all opamp sockets on the STXII are duals.
  
 Oh and for everyone UniDrivers just posted driver updates for the STXII and other cmedia 8788 cards.
  
  
 Ren


----------



## bcschmerker4

Maxed Tech® did a rapid update for UNi™ XONAR® Audio Software™ 1.81a.  Initial release 25 January; revision 2 release 27 January.  Both use C-Media® CMI8788 Driver 10.0.8.1825.  Update now supports the Essence™ STX II, both sans and with XONAR® H6 R2.0 daughtercard.


----------



## Renfield1217

saddleup said:


> That would be awesome thanks.


 

 ​Sorry for being late back to answering, but sems you got your answer. It is very close, but there is a way to get around that with as few small washers and having your local hardware store cut you a few machined screws to length after you have the clearance you need. Just make sure the washers do not touch any circuitry if they are metal.
  
  
 Hope this helps
 Ren


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

Today, I got new Xonar STX II with* silver only RCA connectors *!!! I am very disappointed. 
  

  
 Your new "manufacturing standard", ASUS? Or any other reason?


----------



## Renfield1217

​Hi, and I just checked mine. They are gold, and the pictures on the Asus site show them as gold.
 You might want to call the vendor and ask.
 Or call Asus and see if it was a production change.
  
 Ren


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

I`ve contacted ASUS Tech. support and have an answer:
  
*"Pictures are illustrative only.  The color of the connector does not affect the function of the product.*
*  With regards,  ASUS"*
  
 So, my first guess about the manufacturing standard was probably correct...


----------



## saddleup

Really? No kidding Asus!  The photos should be an accurate illustration of the product.  Are you able to return it? I would be tempted to return it and try another vendor.  It's the small details like gold plated connectors that are supposed to set this card apart as a premium product.


----------



## Rayz

Can anybody PLEASE give attention to my post about STXII\ZXR?
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/840731/zxr-beating-the-hell-out-of-stx-ii


----------



## Renfield1217

I read something interesting the otherday on a diff site about the STXII. The STXII already has opamp decoupling caps where the original STX does not.
  
 Ren


----------



## Sigmaaa

I've received mine with silver RCAs too. Also disappointed. How can they botch it like this? It's almost nothing in cost but very disappointing for clients. Even the old STX had gold ones. It's a shame.
  
 I guess the wima caps, new opamps and oscillator are more important though.


----------



## RustyEar

Hello everybody 
  
 I have a technical question:
  
 Does the ASUS Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 also work without the duaghtercard ?
  
 I am well aware that there is the version without daughtercard.
  
 I want to by the ASUS Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 for a new PC i am going to build, where i will need the and use the daughtercard.
  
 But for a few monts i want to use in in an older computer, where i have room for only one card. The headphone functionality would be enough for me there.
  
 Because i do not want to buy two cards, i would like to use the ASUS Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 alone without daughtercard in the old PC. Would this work ?


----------



## bcschmerker4

*The ASUS® XONAR® STX II™ restores the analog expansion capacities of the original ST™,* which used PCI 2.2 rather than PCIe 3.0 x1.  The XONAR® H6™ will connect to either the ST or the STX II via ribbon cable and requires no direct motherboard power or signal; the H6 included in the STX II 7.1 package is preloaded with the same dual amplifiers as the STX II (vs. the Japan Radio Corp. JRC2114D I/V op amps and National Semiconductor/Texas Instruments LM4562N line-level buffers used in the ST).  The digital multichannel output will function through the STX II's optical/coax RCA jack with or sans H6; and in all cases the stock Texas Instruments TPA6120A2 has its dedicated 6.3mm TRS jack.


----------



## RustyEar

Thank you for the clear and concise aswer 
  
 Now i know i can use the main card STX II 7.1 at first alone without the H6 and connect the H6 later to it in the new PC.


----------



## Sigmaaa

I've sit on the situation a little and now I'm enraged. Even the cheapest devices have gold plated connectors, even some of the on-board audio, even Xboxes, even the daughterboard of some of the STXIIs.
 This is true charlatany, how could they do it? A high end sound card that looks worse than the cheapest 30-40$ sound cards.
 I've missed my chance to return it (more than 15 days have passed), but I'll never buy any Asus product anymore. They are petty swindlers, happy to gain 1-2$ per card, not worrying that the product has a part worse than in the lousiest of models from other brands and the product doesn't look like in the pictures that were used to fool people.
 I hope some Asus staff comes here and explains how are the silver connectors better than the gold plated ones, how the nickel plating is thicker than the gold one and better, I don't know, just an explanation, otherwise I did a downgrade by changing my old STX.
  
 PS: You could have kept those pliers and spare opamps (the card has already got opams, I don't need the tuning nonsense) and put at least as good connectors as in the old card.
  
 I've got gold plated USBs in my pc, cable connectors, external amp, hdmi, DP, literally everything, so the Asus card looks like a turd among all the electronics in my room. Hope it functions al least the same as gold plated, but for this I need an explanation, what are the connectors made of, plated with and why would it be al least the same.
  
 If you, as a manufacturer, make an upgraded device, you can't take even one little thing away from one generation to the other, people are very sensitive to this, even though you put a lot of new better stuff on it, you can't take any of the old advantages, no matter how little, especially by not showing it in the presentation (swindler style).


----------



## Cruxiaer

sigmaaa said:


> I've sit on the situation a little and now I'm enraged. Even the cheapest devices have gold plated connectors, even some of the on-board audio, even Xboxes, even the daughterboard of some of the STXIIs.
> This is true charlatany, how could they do it? A high end sound card that looks worse than the cheapest 30-40$ sound cards.
> I've missed my chance to return it (more than 15 days have passed), but I'll never buy any Asus product anymore. They are petty swindlers, happy to gain 1-2$ per card, not worrying that the product has a part worse than in the lousiest of models from other brands and the product doesn't look like in the pictures that were used to fool people.
> I hope some Asus staff comes here and explains how are the silver connectors better than the gold plated ones, how the nickel plating is thicker than the gold one and better, I don't know, just an explanation, otherwise I did a downgrade by changing my old STX.
> ...




So the reason why you are so enraged because it's not as aesthetically pleasing compared to your other connectors?


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

cruxiaer said:


> So the reason why you are so enraged because it's not as aesthetically pleasing compared to your other connectors?


 
 Yes, for this and other reasons mentioned by Sigmaaa, WE ARE ANGRY AT ASUS!


----------



## Sigmaaa

Well, I don't really know. Some say that tin connectors oxidate and lose quality, unlike the gold ones. Maybe it's true, maybe not, maybe to some degree, but the main idea is that I don't want to take any chances, because I paid a lot of money for a sound card that doesn't have a feature and I was mislead by Asus' images. There must be a reason 99.9% of mid and high-end (and even some of the very low-end) products have this feature. There aren't any manufacturers that say "ok, we'll leave this feature out, it's not important", so it's worrying.
  
 When all products over 50-100$ have this feature, why would you leave it out for a 250$ product?


----------



## Cruxiaer

sigmaaa said:


> Well, I don't really know. Some say that tin connectors oxidate and lose quality, unlike the gold ones. Maybe it's true, maybe not, maybe to some degree, but the main idea is that I don't want to take any chances, because I paid a lot of money for a sound card that doesn't have a feature and I was mislead by Asus' images. There must be a reason 99.9% of mid and high-end (and even some of the very low-end) products have this feature. There aren't any manufacturers that say "ok, we'll leave this feature out, it's not important", so it's worrying.
> 
> When all products over 50-100$ have this feature, why would you leave it out for a 250$ product?


 
 To be fair, your complaint about Asus changing the aesthetic and/or quality of the connector is valid. However silver and copper are actually much better conductor compared to gold (but they corrode rather quickly thus are made into alloy with nickel and other metals). A microscopic (so microscopic that the cost is negligible) layer of gold/brass is usually used to coat that silver/copper/nickel jack to prevent corrosion and give it a longer life time.
  
 In the case where Asus changed the colour of jacks, I believe they simply changed supplier and did not bother to update the photos on their website. This of course doesn't resolve your issue but I hope it helps elevate your worry about possible worse quality product.
  
 Conductivity chart: http://www.tibtech.com/conductivity.php


----------



## Sigmaaa

The problem is not conductivity but the possible oxidation layer.


----------



## Cruxiaer

sigmaaa said:


> The problem is not conductivity but the possible oxidation layer.


 
 Try reading this article about plugs and their coating: http://www.effectrode.com/jack-plugs-gold-brass-cheap/


----------



## Renfield1217

sigmaaa said:


> The problem is not conductivity but the possible oxidation layer.


 

 Hi Sigmaaa,
  
 Again sorry to hear about the change in the STXII you received. Just a heads up, us a little shot of Deoxit on all your connectors. I do this to all my audio connections, never had an issue.
  
 Ren


----------



## Sigmaaa

Well, the gold plating on my old STX is stil intact after 4 years, so...
  
 And the "clean by re-connecting" thing doesn't make me feel batter, I've kept the old STX connected for 4 years to the same device and I was planning of doing so with the new one, not to clean it every 6 months and things like that.
  
 Somebody I know bought the 7.1 version and it had the gold plated ones. Even on the daughtercard. It seems to be done deliberately, to cheapen the features of the 2.0 one, to be different. Ok, but it's only the 15-20$ sound cards that don't have this feature, haven't they cheapen it too much?
 I'll try to return it or sell it if they won't take it back, because I'm too poor to set it on fire on youtube no matter how much I would like to do it.


----------



## FrameBit

Hi, I own the sound card and have some question regarding DOLBY.
  
 Anyone familiar with the dolby sound effect like what we exactly hear in a home theater or theaters? Its like a soft filter to make the sound all balanced. I have a friend that have this very old GIGABYTE motherboard with "Dolby home theater" technology in it. Like this one on this page: http://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-880GM-UD2H-rev-13#ov
  
 I heard the sound when he plays games or music, and it sounds really awesome. mp3 files sounds like a live performance in front of your pc. It only have realtek sound chip in it and he does not even tinker things like dolby virtual speaker and everything sounds good, powerful, sound seems floating and its like when you play you are totally immersed in the game. Even on movies, engines really roar. :/ STX II is just balanced and clean and i feel like its missing the effect I mentioned. And why does he have this [Dolby] tab on his playback devices and speaker properties, when I have none even when the card have this Dolby thing in it.


----------



## dr1ver (Apr 28, 2017)

I want to try new op amps, but *I only use the RCA outputs*.  Can I just switch op amp *C*, or do I need to to change *A*, *B*, and *C*?

Can someone clarify this for me, cause the manual is a little confusing.


----------



## bcschmerker4

dr1ver said:


> I want to try new op amps, but *I only use the RCA outputs*.  Can I just switch op amp *C*, or do I need to to change *A*, *B*, and *C*?
> 
> Can someone clarify this for me, cause the manual is a little confusing.


*The attachment is inaccurate on some details.*  The I-V dual operational amplifiers *A* and *B* affect _all_ outputs except the TOSlink, as they feed the points of all three relays and will drive one of the Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2 power-output (Headphones), the dual RCA output jacks (2 Speakers), and the Intel® High Definition Audio™ header on the card edge (Front Headphone or Front Speaker).  Dual audio amplifier *C* affects specifically the white- and red-insulated RCA jacks at the rear (2 Speakers), as it is the line-level buffer for two 600Ω single-ended loads, e.g., an external stereo amplifier or receiver auxiliary input.


----------



## Renfield1217

dr1ver said:


> I want to try new op amps, but *I only use the RCA outputs*.  Can I just switch op amp *C*, or do I need to to change *A*, *B*, and *C*?
> 
> Can someone clarify this for me, cause the manual is a little confusing.



Hi and the short answer is  AB and C for the RCA outputs, AB only affect the headphones out.
bcschmerker4 was entirely correct.

Hope this helps,

Ren


----------



## dr1ver

Renfield1217 said:


> Hi and the short answer is  AB and C for the RCA outputs, AB only affect the headphones out.
> bcschmerker4 was entirely correct.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> ...



yes, that clarifies things.  thanks


----------



## Renfield1217

dr1ver said:


> yes, that clarifies things.  thanks



Dr 1ver,

Am currently running 3 Sparko's in all sockets on my STXII and am totally happy...:{)

Ren


----------



## dr1ver

Renfield1217 said:


> Dr 1ver,
> 
> Am currently running 3 Sparko's in all sockets on my STXII and am totally happy...:{)
> 
> Ren



I was thinking about Sparkos or Burson V5s when I thought I only had to replace 1 op amp.  Now that I know I need to replace all 3, I'm not so sure. 

Perhaps I'll settle for the Burson V5i


----------



## Kynuren

Greetings. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600 (300 Ohm apparently). I have two headphone amps (Asus GDX and an onboard one, Gigabyte Gaming 3 AB350). Both headphone amps are no where near powerful enough it feels like, I constantly fiddle with the EQ and have the volume at 100%.

My question is, the STX II specifies a headphone amp up to 600 Ohm, is that by default? Or do you need to change OAmps? What are the OAmps, and what are they for?


----------



## Jason Spangler

Does anyone know of a source for the Xonar H6 daughtercard to use with the Essence STX II to add 7.1 output?   I'm having difficulty finding one for sale.   Thanks!


----------



## bcschmerker4

In terms of the stock Texas Instruments® TPA6120A2 in the STX II™, which medium-Z headphones favor the Sparkos® SS3602 in the I-V?  the Burson® V5i?  This will be a factor in my much-delayed audition of headphones for my LinUX box with an STX that ideally can be done at the San Francisco (CA, USA) Bay Area meet in August.  (I don't expect to be able to run the original Burson® V5 due to physical conflict with the ASUS® EAH6850DC/2DIS/1GD5 that I'll be transferring from the CM1630, once I have a new RX 400 based video card; both the LinUX box's Gigabyte® GA-MA78GM-S2HP and the CM1630's stock M4A78LT-M have the PCIe x1 and x16 slots adjacent. Microsoft® Windows® 10.0.14393.693 and later use some 4 GiB total RAM for video, whereas LinUX 4.4-up can make do with so little as 1 GiB for most X11 installations.)


----------



## Sugetsu

Hello, I recently bought this card. It is currently connected to a Yamaha rx-v373 receiver, which is driving a 5.1 surround sound speaker system: Energy Take 5.1. 

Is there any way to connect  the sound card to an amp capable of driving these passive speakers? So far all the amps that I have found only drive up to 2.1 channels. I would love to take advantage of the sound card's DAC.

Thank you.


----------



## Jason Spangler

Sugetsu said:


> Hello, I recently bought this card. It is currently connected to a Yamaha rx-v373 receiver, which is driving a 5.1 surround sound speaker system: Energy Take 5.1.
> 
> Is there any way to connect  the sound card to an amp capable of driving these passive speakers? So far all the amps that I have found only drive up to 2.1 channels. I would love to take advantage of the sound card's DAC.
> 
> Thank you.



I use my STX II (and earlier Xonar HDAV 1.3 Deluxe) connected to an Outlaw Audio 770 7 channel amplifier and it works well.   Outlaw makes several audio "separates" amplifiers that are just amplifiers (no extras like an A/V receiver).

See https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/index.html under the Amplifiers section


----------



## Sugetsu (May 8, 2017)

Jason Spangler said:


> I use my STX II (and earlier Xonar HDAV 1.3 Deluxe) connected to an Outlaw Audio 770 7 channel amplifier and it works well.   Outlaw makes several audio "separates" amplifiers that are just amplifiers (no extras like an A/V receiver).
> 
> See https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/index.html under the Amplifiers section



The model 5000 Seems to be exactly what I need. However, I do not like that price. Are there any cheaper options? By the way, are there any receivers that can just function as amps without processing the source signal?

Edit: If I were to buy the model 5000 would I see a noticeable upgrade in audio quality over my current receiver?

My receiver:
http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-receivers-amps/rx/rx-v373_black_u/

My speakers:
https://www.amazon.com/Energy-Classic-Theater-System-Black/dp/B001202C44

Edit 2: Perhaps I a made a mistake and I would need to look for a 6 channel amp system? How am I supposed to drive the Sub?


----------



## Sugetsu (May 10, 2017)

Hello??? Can anyone help me? Is there an amp that supports home theater speakers without having to spend at least a thousand dollars, that works to this sound card?

More importantly, will it be a worthwhile upgrade in audio fidelity over my current sound/receiver set up?


----------



## Jason Spangler

Sugetsu said:


> The model 5000 Seems to be exactly what I need. However, I do not like that price. Are there any cheaper options? By the way, are there any receivers that can just function as amps without processing the source signal?
> 
> Edit: If I were to buy the model 5000 would I see a noticeable upgrade in audio quality over my current receiver?



I don't know (to both questions), sorry.  Many A/V Receivers have analog inputs, and some have 5.1 analog inputs.  And built-in amplifiers.



> Edit 2: Perhaps I a made a mistake and I would need to look for a 6 channel amp system? How am I supposed to drive the Sub?



In my (limited) experience, most home theater subwoofers have their own amplifier built-in and just take a line level input straight from the source (aka the sound card).


----------



## Sugetsu

Jason Spangler said:


> I don't know (to both questions), sorry.  Many A/V Receivers have analog inputs, and some have 5.1 analog inputs.  And built-in amplifiers.
> 
> 
> 
> In my (limited) experience, most home theater subwoofers have their own amplifier built-in and just take a line level input straight from the source (aka the sound card).



So a receiver with analog inputs like this one: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779CX...n&awnw=g&awcr=74029585705&awdv=c&awug=1027027 will get the job done you think? I would need to find something cheaper though, but it seems that receivers with multichannel analog inputs are becoming very scarce .

How does your sound card sound with the amp that you are using? Have you compared its fidelity to some receivers? it also looks like the you need to control the volume at the software level unless I am missing something.


----------



## Jason Spangler

Sugetsu said:


> So a receiver with analog inputs like this one: https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779CX...n&awnw=g&awcr=74029585705&awdv=c&awug=1027027 will get the job done you think? I would need to find something cheaper though, but it seems that receivers with multichannel analog inputs are becoming very scarce .



I think so, but I am not certain.  Those specs list "7.1-channel analog audio preamp input" and "60 watts per channel into 8 ohms (1k Hz) at 0.006% THD, with 7 channels driven" which sound appropriate.   Make sure your speakers can handle that.



> How does your sound card sound with the amp that you are using? Have you compared its fidelity to some receivers? it also looks like the you need to control the volume at the software level unless I am missing something.



I think it sounds great, but I don't have a wide experience with different amplifiers and receivers.   Yes, with a dedicated "separates" amplifier without a volume control you have to use the sound card's volume control.  I don't know if that is the case with an A/V receiver though - the last one I used (decades ago) the volume control worked fine for analog inputs.


----------



## Sugetsu (May 12, 2017)

Jason Spangler said:


> I think so, but I am not certain.  Those specs list "7.1-channel analog audio preamp input" and "60 watts per channel into 8 ohms (1k Hz) at 0.006% THD, with 7 channels driven" which sound appropriate.   Make sure your speakers can handle that.



Yeah it looks my 5.1 system is built for 100 watts per channel, id would have to inform myself well as I do not wish to blow up my speakers.



> I think it sounds great, but I don't have a wide experience with different amplifiers and receivers.   Yes, with a dedicated "separates" amplifier without a volume control you have to use the sound card's volume control.  I don't know if that is the case with an A/V receiver though - the last one I used (decades ago) the volume control worked fine for analog inputs.



My system sound great too, but I have not really tested the capabilities of my sound card's DAC until I connect an amp or receiver with analog inputs. It would be great if someone has made the actual comparison.
I do still get the ability to control the volume from the receiver if I wish and I get all the EQ and DSP perks that the sound card brings though (it definitely sounds way better than onboard or HDMI to the receiver thats for sure) However, people in this thread keep mentioning the DAC on this sound is phenomenal and it is comparable the most expensive audio equipment you could find, if this turns out to be true then buying this sound card is a huge bargain.


----------



## Renfield1217

Hi all, I promised Burson some pics of the 5Vi's in an STXII so here goes... very nice packaging and presentation.

And them finally planted in the STXII.

Sorry for the delay Charles,

Ren


----------



## coolkwc

Sigmaaa said:


> I've sit on the situation a little and now I'm enraged. Even the cheapest devices have gold plated connectors, even some of the on-board audio, even Xboxes, even the daughterboard of some of the STXIIs.
> This is true charlatany, how could they do it? A high end sound card that looks worse than the cheapest 30-40$ sound cards.
> I've missed my chance to return it (more than 15 days have passed), but I'll never buy any Asus product anymore. They are petty swindlers, happy to gain 1-2$ per card, not worrying that the product has a part worse than in the lousiest of models from other brands and the product doesn't look like in the pictures that were used to fool people.
> I hope some Asus staff comes here and explains how are the silver connectors better than the gold plated ones, how the nickel plating is thicker than the gold one and better, I don't know, just an explanation, otherwise I did a downgrade by changing my old STX.
> ...



I don't have evident , however i believe gold plated connector is one of the selling feature on their website banner when they launch. The latest banner seems missing that feature.


----------



## Renfield1217

Sugetsu said:


> Hello??? Can anyone help me? Is there an amp that supports home theater speakers without having to spend at least a thousand dollars, that works to this sound card?
> 
> More importantly, will it be a worthwhile upgrade in audio fidelity over my current sound/receiver set up?



Hi Sugetsu,

You might check out the Emotiva amps, their A-500 sounds like it should fit your application and goes for $500.

emotiva.com

Hope this helps and good luck,

Ren


----------



## SilverDesert (Jun 1, 2017)

Hi guys,

I am not an audiophile but enjoy music once in a while.
After reading posts on this forum, I went for the Asus Essence STX II card. Initially I went for the Muses02 in the buffer and Muses 8920 in the IV. I was happy with the setup and the sound.
But after reading more and more of the posts, I started to have a strong itch and went for the Bursons. I got 3 V5Ds and things were good. To be honest I didn't feel much of a difference in the sound compared to the previous setup of Muses02.
After about 2 weeks or so, my speakers started to crackle and hiss. Then the volume went down and the right speakers stopped working. I checked the speakers and the wires and all were good. I removed the V5Ds and replaced them back with the stock Opamps and all went back to normal.
I contacted Dennis from the Burson and he was very supportive and helpful.
Now should I go again for the V5 or should I go for the V5i?
If I go for the V5 should I try the Extra MKP Mod? Will it make a difference?
Does the Extra MKP Mod work with the V5i?

Please advice.

Thanks


----------



## SilverDesert

Any help will be highly appreciated.


----------



## Renfield1217

SilverDesert said:


> Any help will be highly appreciated.



Hi SilverDesert,

I just received 3-V5-D's for review, so give me some time to break them in and will let ya know.
These are supposed to be new versions (better insulation and more stable).

Hope this helps,

Ren


----------



## SilverDesert

Renfield1217 said:


> Hi SilverDesert,
> 
> I just received 3-V5-D's for review, so give me some time to break them in and will let ya know.
> These are supposed to be new versions (better insulation and more stable).
> ...



Thanks Ren. I look forward to your review.


----------



## Ampeezy

I bought my STX II from a local microcenter yesterday. It was a nightmare getting it to work but in the end I would suggest that anyone having issues has to take note of the following:

1) Disable driver signature enforcement before you install drivers. Instructions online...and you may have to repeat the process twice before the drivers will install lol.
2) If you are going to be using headphones you should know that the driver setup (from ASUSTEK) also includes the Asus Audio Center, which you will have no idea was also installed if you didnt pay attention to the download notes. search for this program in your start menu and switch the output to the headphone jack. Voila! sound

TL DR: Pain  to setup, but really really great sound for the price!


----------



## blakflag

Just something I discovered today, after having some trouble with crackling on my STX II 7.1.  Apparently sometimes "bigger is not better", because my card fails the 96khz intramodulation distortion test in a serious way!  At 96khz I can hear all sorts of unwanted artifacts. Keeping it to 48khz across the board gave me dead silence, as expected. So Be Warned, resist the temptation to go to 96 "just because"... 

Link to article:
http://productionadvice.co.uk/high-sample-rates-make-your-music-sound-worse/
Link where I got the test files from:
https://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html#toc_1ch

I'd be curious to hear how other people's cards do.


----------



## Renfield1217

SilverDesert said:


> Thanks Ren. I look forward to your review.


 Hi SilverDesert,

Am still breaking in the Burson V5-D's, but can tell you this much so far. The V5i's are no way close to the fully descrete V5D's. 
So, I would definately stick with the V5D's if you like the Burson sound. So far I have not experienced any clicking, distortion, nor heat issues.

On the decoupling cap mod you mentioned...

It is my understanding that the STXII already has decoupling caps on the card out of the box.
So you might ask Asus what adding more may or may not do or check with users here that have done the mod.

Hope this helps,

Ren


----------



## SilverDesert

Renfield1217 said:


> Hi SilverDesert,
> 
> Am still breaking in the Burson V5-D's, but can tell you this much so far. The V5i's are no way close to the fully descrete V5D's.
> So, I would definately stick with the V5D's if you like the Burson sound. So far I have not experienced any clicking, distortion, nor heat issues.
> ...



Thanks for your kind reply Ren.

I went for the V5s and they are on the way.

As for the decoupling caps, Burson advices on the decoupling caps for the V5s to have the ultimate experience but after they had time to break in. 

I hope someone can enlighten us with this if they did this.


----------



## compubomb

Kynuren said:


> Greetings. I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600 (300 Ohm apparently). I have two headphone amps (Asus GDX and an onboard one, Gigabyte Gaming 3 AB350). Both headphone amps are no where near powerful enough it feels like, I constantly fiddle with the EQ and have the volume at 100%.
> 
> My question is, the STX II specifies a headphone amp up to 600 Ohm, is that by default? Or do you need to change OAmps? What are the OAmps, and what are they for?



It's a configuration setting that you enable in the software suite.


----------



## Ricard

GodsInHisHeaven said:


> I am using 3x V5 coupled with 3 SLIMIC II together with the MKP mod and can tell you that they sound AWESOME.
> 
> In my point of view there is a noticeable improvement in every possible aspect, but what I like best about them is the incredible clarity. I can hear every little micro detail in the song.
> 
> ...



Hi, I would like to know where the 3 SLIMIC II are placed on the sound card? Asus
Please answer me, thank you


----------



## SilverDesert

The new Bursons V6 are going to be released soon and they look promising!


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

Looking forward to the V6. Trying to three V6 Vivid.


----------



## GodsInHisHeaven

Ricard said:


> Hi, I would like to know where the 3 SLIMIC II are placed on the sound card? Asus
> Please answer me, thank you



You take a new socket, solder the capacitor unto the right +/- pin and put the op amp on top.





*this picture is not from me*

You should know how to solder and have some basic electronic understanding before doing something like this.
Make sure, that the contacts of the capacitor does not touch other pins.
- Just my 2 Cents


----------



## banco-sg

SilverDesert said:


> The new Bursons V6 are going to be released soon and they look promising!


They released the v6, 2 weeks after i received my v5... glad that i didn't need to buy them anymore to try after i went to full usb dac instead.

It is more cluttered, but on the positive side they sound better and my vga card is now 4-5 degrees cooler


----------



## Ricard (Jul 13, 2017)

GodsInHisHeaven said:


> You take a new socket, solder the capacitor unto the right +/- pin and put the op amp on top.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Could you show a photo of the modifications made on your Asus card?

I have to buy an "extra dip8 sokets" and put it together as shown in the photo on the sockets of the Asus card?


----------



## Renfield1217

blakflag said:


> Just something I discovered today, after having some trouble with crackling on my STX II 7.1.  Apparently sometimes "bigger is not better", because my card fails the 96khz intramodulation distortion test in a serious way!  At 96khz I can hear all sorts of unwanted artifacts. Keeping it to 48khz across the board gave me dead silence, as expected. So Be Warned, resist the temptation to go to 96 "just because"...
> 
> Link to article:
> http://productionadvice.co.uk/high-sample-rates-make-your-music-sound-worse/
> ...



Hi blakflag,

Sorry to hear you are having issues. I run an STXII constantly set to 24 bit 192khz with no issues what so ever. That is with many diff file formats, bit depths, internet radio stations, and streaming over the internet. The only thing I have modded on my STXII is replacing the original Muses op amps.

Hope this helps,

Ren


----------



## Mihaidmg

Hello, i have a dilema, not sure if i need to buy the H6 or not with the stx 2. I want to use 2 monitor spearks which will be connected to the rca ouput, but also i will need an ouput for my heapdphones amp. Should i go with a splitter, or i can configure on h6 to give me the same ouput as comes from the 2.0 rcas? I will not use a sub, the speakers are tannoy reveal 802, they have 8inch LF driver. But i would like to have the same sound quallity on both speakers and head amp. If i will go for burson v6 vivid do i need the double ones to replace the stock op amps that comes with stx 2? Should i buy 3 or 2 if i dont want to use the board headphones amplifier or output?  Thank you!


----------



## bcschmerker4 (Jul 29, 2017)

Mihaidmg said:


> Hello, i have a dilema, not sure if i need to buy the H6 or not with the stx 2. I want to use 2 monitor spearks which will be connected to the rca ouput, but also i will need an ouput for my heapdphones amp. Should i go with a splitter, or i can configure on h6 to give me the same ouput as comes from the 2.0 rcas? I will not use a sub, the speakers are tannoy reveal 802, they have 8inch LF driver. But i would like to have the same sound quallity on both speakers and head amp. If i will go for burson v6 vivid do i need the double ones to replace the stock op amps that comes with stx 2? Should i buy 3 or 2 if i dont want to use the board headphones amplifier or output?  Thank you!


The ASUS® XONAR® STX II is equipped to handle 2.0 from the outset, via the buffered dual-RCA analog output ("2 Speakers") and/or the Texas Instruments® power-output amplifier ("Headphone").  The H6 would be needed for line-level feeds for side, rear, and front-center speakers plus subwoofer for an up to 7.1 installation.  Can't yet recommend for or against the Burson® V6 VIVID - the product itself is too new, and all of the discrete V's run into installation issues on the ST/X/II, as the RFI shield forces extension wiring or precision hole punching.  (I've already taken the discrete V's under advisement for stereo components external to both my 'puters; the XONAR® One™ and STU™ may be able to fit the discrete V's with no further modification, as they don't have the severe packaging problems of the ST/X/II.)


----------



## Mihaidmg

Thank you for your answer! Are there any other op.amps that will not have issues with installation and they are similar as performance with burson? Someone around here was very happy with muses 01 and 02 over burson, but is hard to belive it. Maybe something that can fit inside and also use the rfi shielding from the board.  In the future i will go with dual gpus so the extraspace will be nice. Thank you again.


----------



## bcschmerker4

In the case of a set that will fit under the RFI shield of the ST/X/II, the best dual amplifier available as of July 2017 is the Burson® V5i, which uses a monolithic transistor array in lieu of the discrete transistors on the original V5; it too uses surface-mounted resistors, capacitors, and chokes to complete the circuitry.  All other options are monolithic IC's.  (The Sparkos® SS3602 is too tall to work with an unmodified RFI shield.)


----------



## EternalChampion

Do yourselves a favor and install Uni Xonar drivers instead of the non-optimized default STX II driver.

http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/#downloads

Drums will sound cleaner with more rounded timbre, free of charge    I use normal installation because the low-latency option adds extra strength to the signal which I do not like that much.

v1.80b-r3


----------



## Mihaidmg

Thanks Bcshchmerker4. I will go for vi5 instead. I will have a look how to proper install them.


----------



## FrameBit

EternalChampion said:


> Do yourselves a favor and install Uni Xonar drivers instead of the non-optimized default STX II driver.
> 
> http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/#downloads
> 
> ...



Hi there EternalChampion, I installed unixonar driver 1.80b-r3 for my STX II and downloaded the official windows 10 xonar DX driver on asus website(they use the same chip Asus AV100 and control panel). Opened device manger and have chosen update driver -> have disk -> pointed out to the xonar DX driver .ini and it works!, audio has clarity and especially DEPTH in it compared to the STX and STX II drivers. Movies come alive and objects fly/float in front of you  If anyone tried this I want to know what's their impression


----------



## banco-sg

FrameBit said:


> Hi there EternalChampion, I installed unixonar driver 1.80b-r3 for my STX II and downloaded the official windows 10 xonar DX driver on asus website(they use the same chip Asus AV100 and control panel). Opened device manger and have chosen update driver -> have disk -> pointed out to the xonar DX driver .ini and it works!, audio has clarity and especially DEPTH in it compared to the STX and STX II drivers. Movies come alive and objects fly/float in front of you  If anyone tried this I want to know what's their impression


Just be careful though, the unixonar has a bug that can cause random BSOD when you are watching youtube, twitch, etc. This bug only occur in Win10 Creators Update, so if you are not using it, then you should be good.


----------



## FrameBit

banco-sg said:


> Just be careful though, the unixonar has a bug that can cause random BSOD when you are watching youtube, twitch, etc. This bug only occur in Win10 Creators Update, so if you are not using it, then you should be good.



Hi banco-sg, I have Windows 10 Creators Update and I don't have any problem with random BSOD while watching youtube or anything, only that problem stated with the UniXonar website when using WASAPI(event) I get random stop/resume issue on music playback with Foobar2000 I have no problem using ASIO though. The Asus stx II stock driver its very stable, no playback issue on WASAPI or ASIO but lacks some depth that I was looking for


----------



## EternalChampion

Btw I haven't checked the newest version I went straight to the "STX II" specific v1.80b-r3 which runs flawlessly on Windows 7 x64 platform I can confirm.

All I'm asking from this card from now on is to properly send quality digital info including EQ setting through either Toslink or Coax to the Burson dac that I'm about to place onto the desk when it arrives.


----------



## hangman2123

Always wanted to try the STX II, had the old D2X.. Don't even own a desktop now.


----------



## EternalChampion

FrameBit said:


> Hi there EternalChampion, I installed unixonar driver 1.80b-r3 for my STX II and downloaded the official windows 10 xonar DX driver on asus website(they use the same chip Asus AV100 and control panel). Opened device manger and have chosen update driver -> have disk -> pointed out to the xonar DX driver .ini and it works!, audio has clarity and especially DEPTH in it compared to the STX and STX II drivers. Movies come alive and objects fly/float in front of you  If anyone tried this I want to know what's their impression





Normal or low-latency installation? I noticed a significant change in drums/bass strength with the latter.  Maybe it plays better/softer on Win 10?  Asus cards always sounded more aggressive/fatiguing to me than the ones by Creative.


----------



## FrameBit (Aug 2, 2017)

EternalChampion said:


> Normal or low-latency installation? I noticed a significant change in drums/bass strength with the latter.  Maybe it plays better/softer on Win 10?  Asus cards always sounded more aggressive/fatiguing to me than the ones by Creative.



I use the normal installation using UniXonar, rebooted pc again and disabled driver signing. Went to device manager and clicked update driver to use the DX ini. Everything sounded powerful but maintains its balance for my ears.. like everything is fixed like the way dolby would sound like even on higher volumes, it maintains its softness and power. Hi-Fi mode, it truly sounded like what the mode means. Compared to stock... I think asus removed the depth to it and Hi-Fi sounded flat and lifeless. I even love watching movies with it because objects coming in front or on the sides tend to float even using 8-channels it would have the feeling of having a true 7.1 setup but having only 2.1 speakers because of the DVS. However the soundstage feels like its compressed compared to stock driver which is more wider but I'm like 1 meter away on my screen which is okay for me too. And also, about asus being aggressive/fatiguing compared to Creative, I came from creative cards too, I have the Titanium HD and SBZ and it gave me fatigue when listening to music and would stop after 2 hours of playback. I listen to rock and other no-lyric music like dubstep and other similar music. I find the asus being soft but having its punch but not fatiguing.

I also swapped the op amps with the same muses, 2x muses 8820 on the I/V and muses 8920 on the buffer. some say it enhances bass when using speakers, I might switch it back to its original position when I have the time to do so and find out how it would sound like


----------



## Ricard

*To this day I do not know if I buy "Sparkos Labs SS3602" or "Burson V5 / V6" Op Amp.*
Please someone who has tested the two brands who can tell me which one to buy to improve my op amp stock.
I want an original and faithful sound, I do not want an artificial or metallic sound.

In return I will tell you to those who are looking to listen to the highest quality music on speakers I am using: Asus STX II 7.1 + Creative T6300 + Unixonar Driver + Foobar2000. I listen to songs to mp3 320kbps / Flac in 5.1 thanks to channel mixer DSP of Foobar2000.
It is an excellent combination


----------



## Strangelove424

Ricard said:


> In return I will tell you to those who are looking to listen to the highest quality music on speakers I am using: Asus STX II 7.1 + Creative T6300 + Unixonar Driver + Foobar2000. I listen to songs to mp3 320kbps / *Flac in 5.1 thanks to channel mixer DSP of Foobar2000*.
> It is an excellent combination



Great tip on the channel mixer plugin for Foobar,  thanks! I gave this a shot and it was a wonderful experience, and surely more customizable than Dolby virtual surround algorithms. I know how to transcode to FLAC and play discrete 5.1 music through Foobar, but discrete 5.1 is a slim portion of the market, and this plugin expands 5.1 to the rest (99%) of my stereo collection in Foobar. The complete adaptability of the plugin, including individual channel mix control, redirection of bass to/from LFE channel, and timing adjustment make this a *complete* solution. Loving it. Additionally, because it allows complete control of bass response (bass can either be redirected or mirrored from satellite to sub) this can be integrated into room correction systems like Audyssey very easily.  To put it simply, it sounds friggin' awesome.


----------



## Francisco Javier

FrameBit said:


> Hi there EternalChampion, I installed unixonar driver 1.80b-r3 for my STX II and downloaded the official windows 10 xonar DX driver on asus website(they use the same chip Asus AV100 and control panel). Opened device manger and have chosen update driver -> have disk -> pointed out to the xonar DX driver .ini and it works!, audio has clarity and especially DEPTH in it compared to the STX and STX II drivers. Movies come alive and objects fly/float in front of you  If anyone tried this I want to know what's their impression



Hello, last night I had to reinstall my STX II and I did exactly what you said, but using latest xonar unified drivers (W.10 creators  update).

STX II + o2 + fidelio x2 -> 8 channel virtual sorround - Now sound is more powerful end enjoyable (for me) in games. 2 channel-  More clear while listening some music. I haven't experienced any problem like BSOD, 

Thanks for your advice...


----------



## FrameBit

Francisco Javier said:


> Hello, last night I had to reinstall my STX II and I did exactly what you said, but using latest xonar unified drivers (W.10 creators  update).
> 
> STX II + o2 + fidelio x2 -> 8 channel virtual sorround - Now sound is more powerful end enjoyable (for me) in games. 2 channel-  More clear while listening some music. I haven't experienced any problem like BSOD,
> 
> Thanks for your advice...



Wow good to hear that!  I'm not alone anymore  what OP amp combo you are using with that driver?


----------



## Francisco Javier

FrameBit said:


> Wow good to hear that!  I'm not alone anymore  what OP amp combo you are using with that driver?



Stx ii - > rca - > jds o2 - > fidelio x2. Stock op amp.


----------



## FrameBit

Francisco Javier said:


> Stx ii - > rca - > jds o2 - > fidelio x2. Stock op amp.



I see  thank you!


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

I use the STX 2 with the three Burson V5-D's I did originally have problems because the OP AMPs wouldn't stay seated. From what I have seen the V6's look like they have had a pretty solid overhaul to them. I would highly recommend them if you are thinking of upgrading to better quality amps.


----------



## sha007

Hi I am using a STX 2 and I've noticed when I change the gain tuning setting for the headphone to the lowest one (IEM or for 16~32 ohms headsets), I hear a "click" sound. But it does not happen while selecting other gain settings. I think that click noise coming from a relay switch but what it actually does?

Also, I'm using a HD 700 so which op amps should I get?

Thanks.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

sha007 said:


> Hi I am using a STX 2 and I've noticed when I change the gain tuning setting for the headphone to the lowest one (IEM or for 16~32 ohms headsets), I hear a "click" sound. But it does not happen while selecting other gain settings. I think that click noise coming from a relay switch but what it actually does?
> Thanks.



I think its normal. I hear click, when I change gain to any option. Also when changing "Sample rate" or "Analog Out" (there is relatively loud click in original HP's left channel)


----------



## FrameBit

sha007 said:


> Hi I am using a STX 2 and I've noticed when I change the gain tuning setting for the headphone to the lowest one (IEM or for 16~32 ohms headsets), I hear a "click" sound. But it does not happen while selecting other gain settings. I think that click noise coming from a relay switch but what it actually does?
> 
> Also, I'm using a HD 700 so which op amps should I get?
> 
> Thanks.



totally normal


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

sha007 said:


> Hi I am using a STX 2 and I've noticed when I change the gain tuning setting for the headphone to the lowest one (IEM or for 16~32 ohms headsets), I hear a "click" sound. But it does not happen while selecting other gain settings. I think that click noise coming from a relay switch but what it actually does?
> 
> Also, I'm using a HD 700 so which op amps should I get?
> 
> Thanks.



I would recommend the Burson amp's that I used in my STX 2 they literally destroyed everything else I've used besides the conductor air I have. Fun facts I use the HD 700 as my primary headset also. That or the V6's. I can say for certain the V5-D's are amazing in the STX 2 they literally make it sing. However, when installing them it's important to make sure they are secured into the card with either zip ties or something to hold them to the sockets.


----------



## sha007 (Oct 7, 2017)

Jonathan Crouch said:


> I would recommend the Burson amp's that I used in my STX 2 they literally destroyed everything else I've used besides the conductor air I have. Fun facts I use the HD 700 as my primary headset also. That or the V6's. I can say for certain the V5-D's are amazing in the STX 2 they literally make it sing. However, when installing them it's important to make sure they are secured into the card with either zip ties or something to hold them to the sockets.



Thanks for the suggestion. So which Burson op amps you are using?

Edit : Oh got this you are using the v5D's. So if i get the v6 which should I get vivid or classic?


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

sha007 said:


> Thanks for the suggestion. So which Burson op amps you are using?
> 
> Edit : Oh got this you are using the v5D's. So if i get the v6 which should I get vivid or classic?


It’s difficult to say do you prefer absolute clarity or heavy warmth? The Vivid will provide the clearest audio experience, the classic while they are still fairly clear focus more on the warmth of instruments or so I’ve heard. I’ll have a Burson play with 5 V6 vivid coming in a few weeks. After that I can tell you first hand experience with them.


----------



## sha007

Jonathan Crouch said:


> It’s difficult to say do you prefer absolute clarity or heavy warmth? The Vivid will provide the clearest audio experience, the classic while they are still fairly clear focus more on the warmth of instruments or so I’ve heard. I’ll have a Burson play with 5 V6 vivid coming in a few weeks. After that I can tell you first hand experience with them.



By clarity did you mean bright? I'm sorry I'm very new to the audio terms. And please don't forget to share you experience with the v6 vivid. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

sha007 said:


> By clarity did you mean bright? I'm sorry I'm very new to the audio terms. And please don't forget to share you experience with the v6 vivid. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.



Vivid should produce more detail and what I mean by clarity is the transparency of the sound and the separation of it. For an example, when paired with my HD 700 and those op-amp's the sound is so clear when I play FPS games that I can not only tell the general area a shot comes from but what gun it is from a considerable distance. Everything from every little detail is pronounced with the V5D (which is similar to the V6 Vivid) you can pick apart details in music as well. It's really incredible. Asking for the V6 classic I can't say I'd probably love them too because in orchestra pieces I imagine they shine really well.


----------



## sha007

Jonathan Crouch said:


> Vivid should produce more detail and what I mean by clarity is the transparency of the sound and the separation of it. For an example, when paired with my HD 700 and those op-amp's the sound is so clear when I play FPS games that I can not only tell the general area a shot comes from but what gun it is from a considerable distance. Everything from every little detail is pronounced with the V5D (which is similar to the V6 Vivid) you can pick apart details in music as well. It's really incredible. Asking for the V6 classic I can't say I'd probably love them too because in orchestra pieces I imagine they shine really well.



Thanks for explanation. Yes now I'm sure I want clarity with good instrumental separation. So I better go with V6-D's. Now the question is if I only get 2 V6-D in I/V for the headphone out and left the buffer op amp to default with is Muses 8820 is there going to be any problem like I/V buffer voltage imbalance or some kind of overload while using the line out port?


----------



## EternalChampion

sha007 said:


> Thanks for explanation. Yes now I'm sure I want clarity with good instrumental separation. So I better go with V6-D's. Now the question is if I only get 2 V6-D in I/V for the headphone out and left the buffer op amp to default with is Muses 8820 is there going to be any problem like I/V buffer voltage imbalance or some kind of overload while using the line out port?



I haven't seen anyone yet complaining for voltage instabilities related to the Burson op amps and the Asus STX II regardless the configuration.  Btw the V5 (I assume V6 also) makes the biggest impact when used on the buffer socket.  I have 3 modules and If I had to, I would prefer to use just one in the buffer instead of using two of them in the I/V.


----------



## sha007

EternalChampion said:


> Btw the V5 (I assume V6 also) makes the biggest impact when used on the buffer socket.



You meant the buffer affect only the line out port's (speaker output) audio quality right? Because as far as I know the STX II's headphone output only uses the two I/V slots.


----------



## EternalChampion

sha007 said:


> You meant the buffer affect only the line out port's (speaker output) audio quality right? Because as far as I know the STX II's headphone output only uses the two I/V slots.



By saying "impact" what I meant was performance.   Placing the Burson op amp on the buffer will give you more for your money than using it on either of the I/V.

Like you said the headphone out utilizes just the two I/V sockets whereas line out takes advantage of all three.


----------



## Mihaidmg

I just received my v5i and install them. I will say now the sound it's a bit more detailed but comparing with my JDS Labs Element they are slighty under as detail , but just install them , i will give it some time to burn in. The sound is less warm  but not focused on mids either, gain a bit more in the low mids, but not as warmth, just as presence, i like the sound , but the highs are not clear enough and the lows a bit muffled. Now i am using the line out through the Element and using it as head amp only. I tried also the head amp from the soundcard, is more punchy, not bad, but a bit too much on mids around 300-600 hz area, not bad also. But it doesn;t have the power from The Element. I put 3 of double v5i and as headphones i am using AKG K712.Like i said, sound is not bad, some improvement on soundstage area for sure, but still a bit muffled, i will give it some time to burn in. They fit perfect in STX II with shield on. The drivers are the one from the asus website, maybe if i will use the other ones wil get better.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

Mihaidmg said:


> I just received my v5i and install them. I will say now the sound it's a bit more detailed but comparing with my JDS Labs Element they are slighty under as detail , but just install them , i will give it some time to burn in. The sound is less warm  but not focused on mids either, gain a bit more in the low mids, but not as warmth, just as presence, i like the sound , but the highs are not clear enough and the lows a bit muffled. Now i am using the line out through the Element and using it as head amp only. I tried also the head amp from the soundcard, is more punchy, not bad, but a bit too much on mids around 300-600 hz area, not bad also. But it doesn;t have the power from The Element. I put 3 of double v5i and as headphones i am using AKG K712.Like i said, sound is not bad, some improvement on soundstage area for sure, but still a bit muffled, i will give it some time to burn in. They fit perfect in STX II with shield on. The drivers are the one from the asus website, maybe if i will use the other ones wil get better.


I had K712 (now have K701) and I am very satisfied with 2x MUSES01 and 1x MUSES02 opamps. They had very clear sound from beginning, no muddiness in bass and not peircing treble. They do not add any warmth or brightness in my oppinion - HPs sound as they should be.


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

I personally prefer the V5's to the V5i. Although, I used 3 V5-D for a good while on my STX which have a sound signature and separation than the V5i has. I'm temporarily using a Conductor Air with a V5i until my upgrade gets here with the V6 vivid. The V5i was generally made for smaller devices that a V5 can't fit in.


----------



## Mihaidmg

After listening around 48h, they started to gain a bit more detail and separation, not so much muddiness in low area, mids a bit more clear but the  highs will need more pressence, also around 3khz , but i like the low mid area, is getting punchy, but overall still is softer than my Jds Element and the dac on it is not so great. But it did gained more soundstage and separation between instruments, especially on cielo and accoustic bass you can hear it nice, on accoustic guitar you hear better the low mids. At first i wanted to go with V6 vivid but because they are too big, i wanted to use the RF shield, at this moment i have only  1 gpu but i will install shortly the 2nd one and is no space in the case. But if the sound doesn't gets better after 100hr+ then i will think about v6s.


----------



## Jonathan Crouch

Still waiting on the Play unit to come in. I’ll be sure to keep you all posted when I finally get some time with mine.


----------



## AltCtrl (Oct 31, 2017)

I'm also wanting to upgrade from my STX. I'm trying to decide if the STX II upgrade is worth it or if a opamp upgrade is enough.

Ultimately my setup will be: STX II w/ 3x Sparkos SS3602 or Burson V5 or V6 --> RCA(Cable+ Pro?) --> Matrix m-stage amp --> Balanced Senn HD6XX/Hifi 4XX/Beyer 1990 Pro. What do you guys think of this setup? I'm trying to figure out what has the most bang for the buck, obviously the setup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain but we all know audio equipment has diminishing returns up to a point.

Another options is to get the Burson Play as a dac/amp or pre-amp. Thoughts?


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Nov 1, 2017)

AltCtrl said:


> I'm also wanting to upgrade from my STX. I'm trying to decide if the STX II upgrade is worth it or if a opamp upgrade is enough.
> 
> Ultimately my setup will be: STX II w/ 3x Sparkos SS3602 or Burson V5 or V6 --> RCA(Cable+ Pro?) --> Matrix m-stage amp --> Balanced Senn HD6XX/Hifi 4XX/Beyer 1990 Pro. What do you guys think of this setup? I'm trying to figure out what has the most bang for the buck, obviously the setup is only as good as the weakest link in the chain but we all know audio equipment has diminishing returns up to a point.
> 
> Another options is to get the Burson Play as a dac/amp or pre-amp. Thoughts?


In my opinion, try to remove Matrix m-stage amp, because it has only cheap OPA2134 Op-Amps. And there is no sense to have more than one op-amp in row - the basic guideline for best sound is: "less components, better sound".
Option for better sound is to add Full Tube amp behind the STX II. But they are very expensive.


----------



## Mihaidmg (Nov 3, 2017)

After listening 100+ hours on my v5i they burn in pretty well, all that lack of mids and highs camed out good, not too harsh, nice soft, the low end is not muffled anymore, it's a good sound, good separation, not great but good, now the low mids are not that much upfront, comes better with the high mids, plenty pressence (it was lacking before), but still i feel it can do better on lows, from the dac that i have in The Element, they are much better lows, now i can hear better the lows that this headphones can bring (AKG K712), but still i feel they are a bit muffled, i will say a bit extra around 80-90HZ, and 1 octave up around 160-180, maybe will get down after more burn in. But other than that i really like them more than my dac inside The Element. I want to mention that i have the 1st Jds Labs The Element that camed on market, it was preorder, it camed without the function to switch between input for amp and ouput for dac, only input and the only way to switch to dac output it was to solder some pines on the board. I will give 50 more hours and i will try the soundcard headphone amp, but so far i am good with element amp and v5i & stx II. If you have no problem with space in your case go with v6 or v5 , Burson doing a great job.
Update: after switching between stx and element , i am still thinking the element dac is better, and i getting hiz  sound from stx II, even i am using a good psu like corsair axi860 and an UPS. I have the shield as well, this is not nice, with element i am dead silent full volume, with this one 9'oclock on the volume knob i can hear the hiz. Not good, before changing the opamps didnt got this .


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

Hello everyone,
I have question about Xonar sample rate setting. I can set proper sample rate on Audio Center Main tab. Equally, I can set proper sample rate in Audio Player (AIMP) preferences. Do I have to set it in both applications? Or one setting is real and other only virtual?
I don`t want to let sound card or player to resample my music. But changing rate twice is boring...


----------



## FrameBit

Hello   anyone want to Use Dolby Home Theater v4 with their STX/STX II? I found a working addon with Unixonar driver 1.75 to 1.80 on this link from cracrayol http://maxedtech.com/xonar-enhancements-mods/comment-page-13/#comments
I am using it and the sound is more forward and with can work alongside with virtual speaker


----------



## deafmutelame (Apr 22, 2018)

I have found this valuable information.

According to Skyward @ gamezone24:
http://www.gamezone24.net/forums/showthread.php?28773-Audio-The-OP-Amps-thread!-(for-advanced-users)

"As I am using an Asus Xonar Essence sound card, i'm gonna take it as example: old Asus Essence devices used crappy OP amps, so in order to improve the sound you will have to replace all of these.
Their latest product brings two *Muses 8920* and one *Muses 8820*. In the package they include 3 exchangable op amps: x2 *LME 49720* and x1 *Muses 8820*. All you have to do is to take off the *Muses 8820* from the Buffer and place a *LME 49720* instead.

*Muses 8820*: The dark beast! Commercially speaking it sounds great because there's the name Muses on it, and they're well known for their Muses 01 which are certainly the most renowned op amps actually on the market. However, they are very crappy and you must take these off and use better ones!

*Muses 8920*: The best one, why? because it's specs are very close from the Muses 01 and it costs only 17€ instead of 75! It's pratically the same as the LME 49720 but the sound rendering is more like what tube amplifiers provides (J-FET technology) so that makes it a bit better than the LME 49720.

*LME 49720:* Well as I explained above, it's more like the same as the Muses 8920, slightly less good since it uses bi-polar technology. But it remains a sure value.

*Muses 02*: Don't get fooled! Its name would make you believe it's right behind the Muses 01, but that's not the case! That thing is not worth better than the crappy Muses 8820. And it's 50€ one!

*Muses 01*: The reference, the legend. Renowned by every audiophile, those amps belongs to the best actually comercialized on the market. It's 75+€ one.

Beware! Yes, some Chinese manufacturers are selling false copies! So watch out if you see, on ebay especially, resellers selling those for 15 bucks only.

There are a lot more models but I don't know them all. Those I listed above belongs to the biggest references and are probably the most used on all "audiophile" devices and materials. There are also some that costs a lot more money, but remember that in the audiophile world, the price doesn't always justify the quality!"

"For anyone using that kind of sound card with 3 double OP amps, i'd recommand to use:


x3 Muses 8920
x2 Muses 8920 (I/V) and x1 LME49720 (Buffer)
x3 LME49720
x2 LME49720 (I/V) and x1 Muses 8920 (Buffer)
x3 Muses 01 (if you got the money)
Any other OP Amps you think would be better than those listed above"



What do you think?


----------



## bcschmerker4

Anyone A/B the MUSES® 01 against the Burson® V5i?  Financial restrictions slowed _my_ STX I-V upgrade plan, but I've a Signetics® NE5534 preplanned for the line-level buffer on cost-effectiveness.  Neither my ViewSonic® display nor my PYLE® PCA02 quibbles with sources.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Apr 23, 2018)

deafmutelame said:


> *Muses 02*: Don't get fooled! Its name would make you believe it's right behind the Muses 01, but that's not the case! That thing is not worth better than the crappy Muses 8820. And it's 50€ one!


Have to agree. I have one for Buffer and output from RCA doesn't sound so good.


----------



## deafmutelame (May 7, 2018)

Forget about Op/Amps, they make no sense, it's all *placebo* or _artificial coloring_ at its best. Pure and simple.

You are invited to read this:

*Beware: Red Pill ahead! - ABX test: Asus Essence STX II soundcard ( $220 new) vs. Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Xtreme (from $5 second hand): they sound *EXACTLY THE SAME*.*
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/bew...cond-hand-they-sound-exactly-the-same.879171/

Yes.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Jul 23, 2018)

Differences in sound and soundstage are there, no doubt about that. But some headphones are less sensitive to amps.
I can recommend x2 LME49720 or Muses 8920 for I/V. Headphones have live v-shaped sound. (And x1 Muses 02 or 01 for Buffer.)
Different sound is with 2x Muses 01 for I/V (hp's). They have less bass and very flat frequency resp. and soundstage.

EDIT: Muses02 in Buffer has more laidback sound, with treble placed far from head. Not as defined sound, but great for music sessions, with legs on the table


----------



## mikerrr

*Essence STX II 7.1  is  very  good  card  but i dont  know if windows 10  supports  the  drivers*


----------



## MightyMany

xxAMAROKxx said:


> Differences in sound and soundstage are there, no doubt about that. But some headphones are less sensitive to amps.
> I can recommend x2 LME49720 or Muses 8920 for I/V. Headphones have live v-shaped sound. And x1 Muses 01 (Buffer)
> Different sound is with 2x Muses 01 for I/V (hp's). They have less bass and very flat frequency resp. and soundstage.



Thanks a lot for that hint. I've just received my new MUSES01 OpAmp and placed it in the buffer of my STX ii. I left the 2 8920 in the I/V. First impression is that the sound is wider, more calm and clearer. I also have the feeling that I hear more hiss out of the speakers. Is that normal or could that eventually come from the fact that the MUSES01 are J-FET OpAmps?


----------



## MightyMany

mikerrr said:


> *Essence STX II 7.1  is  very  good  card  but i dont  know if windows 10  supports  the  drivers*



It does. I have it installed on my Windows 10 64bit system.


----------



## MightyMany (Jun 22, 2018)

@Amarok and the rest of the community,

Now that I have replaced my first OpAmp I'm really getting curious about different options  I guess that's how a lot of you feel as well. I'm thinking about 3 potential options and I would be really interested in your opinion/experience:

2x 8920 I/V & 1x MUSES01 Buffer (current setup - rather bright and clear)
2x MUSES01 I/V & MUSES02 Buffer (I read that this setup would rather sound warmer overall - closer to a tube setup)
2x 8920 I/V & 1x MUSES02 Buffer (Amarok you mentioned that the MUSES01 might be too calm in the I/Vs, therefore I see this option as well)

Looking forward to hearing your opinion!

Thanks!

My current setup:
Soundcard: Asus Essence STX 2 (2x 8920 I/V & 1x MUSES01 Buffer)
Speaker: 2x Focal Alpha 50
Headphone: AGK K712 Pro


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Oct 2, 2018)

Muses01 in Buffer section is very detailed, with extended treble. Great for vocal or instrumental music. Really Hi-Res stuff. For rock, edm, etc. is maybe better Muses02, which is not as detailed and has smooth treble (yes, sort of tube-ish sound). Both are darkish in sound.


----------



## Jay Callen

It’s been said before on this and other threads, and worth repeating: ASUS Essence STX II owners swapping Muses and other lesser op amps (been there, done that) are simply wasting time and money. To achieve full potential of STX II soundcard, get Burson V6 or V5 discrete op amps (V5i is a distant second choice).

Unlike many on this forum, I’ve never received free samples or other compensation from Burson Audio for my endorsement. Just a hard-earned-cash-paying customer, completely satisfied and thankful.

Jay


----------



## ZappaMan

Can anyone help me with this, i have stx II and i'm using Roon, and trying to get roon (or i suppose any other music app), to take exclusive control of the audio, as the output on the toslink is picking up windows sounds.  And whenever a window pops up, its halting the sound.  I am on windows 7, maybe i need to come to windows 10 in order to get a better experience as the custom drivers seem more kitted towards windows 10?


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Feb 7, 2019)

...


----------



## avo7007

For the life of me, I don't understand why STX ii headphone out sound better on Xonar Unified Drivers than on Asus official driver. Anybody got an answer?


----------



## EternalChampion

avo7007 said:


> For the life of me, I don't understand why STX ii headphone out sound better on Xonar Unified Drivers than on Asus official driver. Anybody got an answer?



Because it takes time, effort and extra expense for the last bit of "unnecessary" driver tweaking.  Unless we are talking about some really devoted people with true love for what they're doing, driver optimization isn't the main priority for most companies...

What UNi Xonar drivers do is simply to finish the job.  Nothing more, nothing less!


----------



## PurpleAngel

avo7007 said:


> For the life of me, I don't understand why STX ii headphone out sound better on Xonar Unified Drivers than on Asus official driver. Anybody got an answer?


If Asus is smart, it would not release a driver update unless they had tested it to be stable.
And to Asus their current driver might be good enough (sound quality wise)
Where as the people over at Unified Xonar Drivers have more freedom to experiment with the drivers and really have no requirement to do a lot of stability testing before releasing a driver update.
Asus has to pay someone to do driver updates, where as the people over at Unified Xonar Drivers might work for less compensation.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

avo7007 said:


> For the life of me, I don't understand why STX ii headphone out sound better on Xonar Unified Drivers than on Asus official driver. Anybody got an answer?


Hi, can you describe, how Unified driver sounds compared with Original driver?
It's not 100% safe to install it and I would like to know some observation before. Thank you.


----------



## avo7007

I get intermittent distortions when playing high rez music thru foobar.  Problem solved after installing the unified driver. Strange.


----------



## Webber1 (Sep 22, 2018)

I've been using STX II and 3x Buson V6 Vivid on JBL LSR305 for a year now...for me it's a match made in heaven....latest UniXonar divers are working great on Win 10...I noticed that V6 need quite some time to burn-in, some 500-600 hours on STX II to settle. Burson transforms this card, you get the magic of holographic 3d sound. Headphones also benefit from this upgrade, HD660s & True-Fi sound great. Cheers.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

I've just install latest UniXonar driver and found out, there is no option for "16 - 32 ohm IEMs or Headsets" in Audio Center. That is bad, because my Meze 99 Neo or Sony xb950 or many IEMs are whistling at higher option.


----------



## dB Cooper

xxAMAROKxx said:


> I've just install latest UniXonar driver and found out, there is no option for "16 - 32 ohm IEMs or Headsets" in Audio Center. That is bad, because my Meze 99 Neo or Sony xb950 or many IEMs are whistling at higher option.


You can go into the Xonar Audio Center and change it there, <64 64-300 and 300-600 are the options.


----------



## dB Cooper

Hey guys, been through this entire thread, I've had the card for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying the upgrade having given up my RealTek on board audio. Things are working well, I've switched to the UniXonar drivers (yes donated ten bucks because it was a very worth while upgrade).  I also did get the Burson V5-I but haven't installed them yet. Waiting to become really familiar with things so I can better judge the changeover once I do it.  I'm 50/50 speakers and headphone The speakers are Kef Q100 and the headphones are the Massdrop Sennheiser HD58x. 

So; basic intro out of the way, here's the question.

I really dislike the "process" of switching from 2 Speakers Out  to Headphone Out, especially when it's just a quickie thing I want to try or listen to, and then the same process of switching back.  If I get an inexpensive DAC/Headphone amp can I simply run the S/PDIF out from the card (COAX) into another DAC and use that simultaneously along with the speakers?


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

dB Cooper said:


> Hey guys, been through this entire thread, I've had the card for a few weeks now and I'm enjoying the upgrade having given up my RealTek on board audio. Things are working well, I've switched to the UniXonar drivers (yes donated ten bucks because it was a very worth while upgrade).  I also did get the Burson V5-I but haven't installed them yet. Waiting to become really familiar with things so I can better judge the changeover once I do it.  I'm 50/50 speakers and headphone The speakers are Kef Q100 and the headphones are the Massdrop Sennheiser HD58x.
> 
> So; basic intro out of the way, here's the question.
> 
> I really dislike the "process" of switching from 2 Speakers Out  to Headphone Out, especially when it's just a quickie thing I want to try or listen to, and then the same process of switching back.  If I get an inexpensive DAC/Headphone amp can I simply run the S/PDIF out from the card (COAX) into another DAC and use that simultaneously along with the speakers?



Or you can buy Cinch splitter for RCA output: http://viablue.de/cn/y_adapter.shtml
... and buy some headphone amp.


----------



## dB Cooper

After a lot of reading, that's the route I went since it keeps a lot of the benefits of the card.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Feb 8, 2019)

Yeah, STX II works well as a pre-amp. Especially with a good filter op-amp.
Headphone amplification on STX II is not as good for hungry headphones.


----------



## Zinfin

The info on the STX II at the following site is interesting: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...surements-of-asus-stx-ii-pci-sound-card.4915/


----------



## dB Cooper

Would question what PU is being used, nothing about the specs of the system and in a PC environent, garbage in garbage out also applies to poor power supplies being used.


----------



## bcschmerker4

@dB Cooper *I've had no issues with the Antec® TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™* on either of my two rigs - four +12VDC rails and a +5/+3.3VDC joint capacity of 170W.  Have yet to utilize any of the six-rail LEPA® supplies in a build; but if they can run as clean as the Antec® TruePower® Quattro™ 1200, they're winners.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

Has anybody measured, how much mA and mW/ohms can STX II provide?


----------



## dB Cooper (Oct 31, 2018)

bcschmerker4 said:


> @dB Cooper *I've had no issues with the Antec® TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™* on either of my two rigs - four +12VDC rails and a +5/+3.3VDC joint capacity of 170W.  Have yet to utilize any of the six-rail LEPA® supplies in a build; but if they can run as clean as the Antec® TruePower® Quattro™ 1200, they're winners.



Likewise, I've had no issues, then again I'm using a Corsair HX850 Gold.  It's a little long in the tooth since I bought it in 2011 but it sat unused for four years since I never got around to building the build I was intending it for. The HX series is a fantastically clean line.


----------



## gabecubano14

hi, all.  i've had a titanium hd since 2013.  i am looking to buy the stx 2.  back then i had looked at the original stx but was a soundblaster fan at the time.  had a few cards from them before getting the titanium hd.  i decided to upgrade the soundcard or see if there was anything better.  i don't game at all really which seems to be the thing for creative cards.  at the time i was a heavy gamer on pc but was also becoming a music lover.  So i am looking to get it mainly for music playback.  i also don't know and have not read much into upgrading the components on the card.  my titanium hd is just the stock card.  It seems spec wise the stx 2 is definitely better than the titanium hd and if the stx original was considered better for music i'm thinking the stx 2 would be a good investment.  i may look into upgrading parts on the stx 2 if i buy it but would read into it a bunch before ever trying it out.  Please let me know what your guys thoughts are for a titanium hd to stx 2 upgrade specifically for music playing.  i've recently gone to windows 10 and the titanium hd works just as good as it did on windows 7.  

Thanks all


----------



## Webber1

gabecubano14 said:


> hi, all.  i've had a titanium hd since 2013.  i am looking to buy the stx 2....



Go for STX2 + burson V6 x3, bursons are easy to install just plug them in...the difference vs stock is night and day.....if you can afford, go for the Burson Play+V6 its even better than stx 2.


----------



## EternalChampion

gabecubano14 said:


> hi, all.  i've had a titanium hd since 2013.  i am looking to buy the stx 2.  back then i had looked at the original stx but was a soundblaster fan at the time.  had a few cards from them before getting the titanium hd.  i decided to upgrade the soundcard or see if there was anything better.  i don't game at all really which seems to be the thing for creative cards.  at the time i was a heavy gamer on pc but was also becoming a music lover.  So i am looking to get it mainly for music playback.  i also don't know and have not read much into upgrading the components on the card.  my titanium hd is just the stock card.  It seems spec wise the stx 2 is definitely better than the titanium hd and if the stx original was considered better for music i'm thinking the stx 2 would be a good investment.  i may look into upgrading parts on the stx 2 if i buy it but would read into it a bunch before ever trying it out.  Please let me know what your guys thoughts are for a titanium hd to stx 2 upgrade specifically for music playing.  i've recently gone to windows 10 and the titanium hd works just as good as it did on windows 7.
> 
> Thanks all



I was a heavy game myself until around 2012 when started losing interest in gaming and eventually stopped playing completely early 2015 when became devoted to music listening and bought the STX II.  Before that I was using the SB XtremeGamer for both gaming and music which was much better than the onboard audio.  With the stock STX II, I was stunned by the performance improvement.  If you ever have the chance to try some very expensive external DAC/amps (up to 2000 Euros I can comment) you'll realize that the STX II sets the stage for the "audiophile" experience.   From there on, by spending more and more for external high-end stuff you'll get better sound quality but the same music concept.  It is the same as Playstation 1.  It was a massive improvement back then and a new "picture" in gaming over the previous consoles.  With the PS2 and until this moment we have the same 3D concept but with better graphics, sound, realism etc...So, consider the STX II as the PS2 (Not the PS1!), and you get the picture.

And like Webber1 said above,  the Burson op amps is the luxury upgrade for this card which almost doubles the cost but....Once you put on that card 3 dual channel towers you'll say goodbye to the Titanium HD without remorse and possibly with a smile on your face.

From my experience, I'll tell you that the weak point of this card compared to external stuff is the amplifier.  You should expect to hear some resonances/sibilance with heavy/crowded vocals and instruments at higher volumes occasionally but this is normal for a 200 Euro DAC/amp sound card.  With a decent desktop amp these small problems go away.

Despite I own the Burson Conductor V2+ which produces much cleaner audio across the board I sometimes find myself switching to the STX II DAC-out for its slightly different sound signature and I enjoy it too, this says a lot for the DAC performance of this card.

Lastly, don't forget that migrating from Creative to Asus means new DNA of audio.  Different dac chips, codecs etc.   You may like the change, you may not!  But from a performance stand point, switching from the TiHD to the upgraded STX II will be a big jump ahead.

Hope that helps


----------



## gabecubano14

thank you both for the information.  some cool stuff out there.  for now i'll stick with the stx 2 and perhaps get the burson amps soon after.  but i'm definitely looking forward to it.  and those burson boxes look awesome.


----------



## PurpleAngel

gabecubano14 said:


> hi, all.  i've had a titanium hd since 2013. I am looking to buy the STX 2.  back then i had looked at the original stx but was a soundblaster fan at the time. had a few cards from them before getting the Titanium HD. I decided to upgrade the soundcard or see if there was anything better. I don't game at all really which seems to be the thing for creative cards. at the time I was a heavy gamer on pc but was also becoming a music lover.  So i am looking to get it mainly for music playback. I also don't know and have not read much into upgrading the components on the card. my Titanium HD is just the stock card.  It seems spec wise the stx 2 is definitely better than the Titanium HD and if the STX original was considered better for music i'm thinking the stx 2 would be a good investment.  i may look into upgrading parts on the stx 2 if i buy it but would read into it a bunch before ever trying it out.  Please let me know what your guys thoughts are for a Titanium HD to stx 2 upgrade specifically for music playing. I've recently gone to windows 10 and the Titanium HD works just as good as it did on Windows 7.  Thanks all


I myself prefer Asus sound cards over Creative sound cards.
I used the original STX card (with AD797BR op-amps) for years, before replacing it with a $400 (unit + shipping) external DAC/amp (Audio-GD).
But if I was you.
I would disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS (if not done already).
And get a headphone amplifer and connect it to the line-output (RCA) jacks on the Ti-HD (Titanium-HD) sound card.
As long as the Ti-HD functions on your Win 10 PC, I do not see a good enough reason to replace it with a newer sound card (unless you just want to, for whatever your reason would be).
In the future, if music is still your biggest audio need on your PC, replace the Ti-HD with an external DAC/amp (Audio-GD NFB-11.28?)


----------



## PurpleAngel

gabecubano14 said:


> thank you both for the information.  some cool stuff out there.  for now i'll stick with the stx 2 and perhaps get the burson amps soon after.  but i'm definitely looking forward to it. and those burson boxes look awesome.


Technically, the line-output (RCA), on the Ti-HD is better then it's headphone jack (audio quality wise), as the line-output takes advantage of all the op-amps on the Ti-HD, while the headphone jack only uses two of the TI-HD's opamps.
And I would prefer a $100 external headphone amplifer (Magni, O2, Atom, etc), over the headphone amplifer built into the STX & STX II cards.
What headphones do you use?


----------



## gabecubano14

i have sennheiser momentums, the original models.  purchased them back in september 2014.  i rarely used the headset through the soundcard.  i always have used it for playing music through the foobar app on my phone and tv episodes i put on the phone as well.  i did plug it directly into the titanium hd last night and it did sound awesome.  I'd say it's definitely an upgrade if the general idea is that asus' are better for music and this is a much more recent card than the HD is as well.  I've looked into the DAC stuff and am interested but i think it'll be some time before i really want to look into that stuff.


----------



## Sugetsu (Dec 26, 2018)

Well I have good news and bad news for any new users of this card.

First the good news: If you wish to fully exploit the full features of this card as a home theater user with a proper audio set up look no further than to the
Emotiva Audio A-500 BasX 5-Channel Power Amplifier. This is a true bare-bones power amplifier that will grand excellent excellent sound quality and less than 0.07 THD on the "cheap". At only $400 to $500. If you pair this sound card to this amplifier and some decent passive 5.1 speakers, then you will have amazing sound quality for the price. You would have to pay thousands of dollars in order to beat this set up with the regular receiver + speakers combo.

Now for the bad news: *MAKE SURE to buy this sound card with its daughter board! *Don't be a sucker like me who just bought the sound card by itself and now can't find the
*ASUS Xonar H6 7.1 Channel Output anywhere in the internet. =( *

Can someone please help me find this sound add on card? I am out of ideas. It seems Asus is not manufacturing this add on card at all. In fact, if you search the web for "Asus xonar Essense STX II" you will only find the stand alone sound card without its daughter board; you actually have to look really hard for a handful of sellers that offer the complete package at an inflated cost.

If worse comes to worse I might have to sell this card and replace it with something else, although at this point I am not even seeing new sounds cards coming out, the only other worthy replacement to this card are the HT Omega cards.

Edit: It seems that the only other worthy replacement for users who want a home theater system would be the HT Claro Halo XT, https://www.htomega.com/store/p8/CLARO_HALO_XT.html Not a bad price, but the BIG problem is that it only comes in an aging PCI interface... and it doesn't have any shielding... =(


----------



## ZappaMan

Sugetsu said:


> Well I have good news and bad news for any new users of this card.
> 
> First the good news: If you wish to fully exploit the full features of this card as a home theater user with a proper audio set up look no further than to the
> Emotiva Audio A-500 BasX 5-Channel Power Amplifier. This is a true bare-bones power amplifier that will grand excellent excellent sound quality and less than 0.07 THD on the "cheap". At only $400 to $500. If you pair this sound card to this amplifier and some decent passive 5.1 speakers, then you will have amazing sound quality for the price. You would have to pay thousands of dollars in order to beat this set up with the regular receiver + speakers combo.
> ...


Maybe someone on the thread could sell you theirs - they may not have a need for it anymore.


----------



## Sugetsu

ZappaMan said:


> Maybe someone on the thread could sell you theirs - they may not have a need for it anymore.



 Well, I hope that is someone in this thread would be willing to do just that XD


----------



## FrameBit

I have the stx 2 7.1 version, I don't use the daughter board as I only have 2.1 analog speaker, though I tested it to see if all channels are working by connecting the RCA from the 2.1 speaker to each port from the H6 xD


----------



## Sugetsu

FrameBit said:


> I have the stx 2 7.1 version, I don't use the daughter board as I only have 2.1 analog speaker, though I tested it to see if all channels are working by connecting the RCA from the 2.1 speaker to each port from the H6 xD



Would you be willing to sell it?  Are you in the US?


----------



## FrameBit

I am from Philippines  and yes I am thinking of selling it since I don't have 7.1 setup. But I don't have any experience shipping stuff from here to the US, however I bought stuff from newegg and its being shipped here.


----------



## FrameBit

Hello, anyone have the OPA2111KP OP-AMP? Been running on stock op-amps for some years already and thought the muses are loud, so I decided to switch them to 2x LME49720NA in the I/V and OPA2111kp in the buffer since the LME's with muses8820 gives ear fatigue. The sound came out clean, the bass is controlled and the highs are sparkly. Using the latest Uni-Xonar driver and the most recent windows 10 build. If anyone tried these combo, let me know what's your impression


----------



## bcschmerker4

@FrameBit *Thanks for the heads up on an alternate buffer.*  I've already shortlisted the Signetics® NE5534 for line-level buffer, but the Brown-Burr®/Texas Instruments® OPA2111KP should also work.  I'm awaiting the report from A/B-ing the MUSES® 01 against the Burson® V5i in the I-V - both are a few steps above the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LME49720NA.


----------



## FrameBit (Dec 30, 2018)

I've read the burson v5i's causes trouble with the stx 2, and i don't have budget for the 2x muses01, I ordered the LME49860, nec upc4570c and philips on e-bay, I hope its not fake. Trying to pair it with my existing OPA111KP. Are there any voltage requirement when wanting to put OP-amps in each sockets? Sorry I am a noob and I just try put in any op-amp that I have.


----------



## FrameBit

Just received my 3x Philips NE5532AN today and all I can say is that everything feels light, all balanced, I hear everything, the highs are not piercing, mids are present and the bass is very good!. everything sounds flat but not boring with a wide soundstage


----------



## TJ Max (Jan 10, 2019)

I guys. I'm currently about to buy a new PC, and I would like this sound card installed.
However this card is old. The last driver update was in 2015. I'm wondering how the card holds up today in a PC built in 2018, with the latest version of Windows 10 64bit.
Are there any faults or glitches or incompatibilities I should know about?
I plan on putting it into a HP Envy 795-020 Desktop PC


----------



## PurpleAngel

TJ Max said:


> I guys. I'm currently about to buy a new PC, and I would like this sound card installed.
> However this card is old. The last driver update was in 2015. I'm wondering how the card holds up today in a PC built in 2018, with the latest version of Windows 10 64bit.
> Are there any faults or glitches or incompatibilities I should know about?
> I plan on putting it into a HP Envy 795-020 Desktop PC


These are the drivers I use with Asus Xonar sound cards.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

PurpleAngel said:


> These are the drivers I use with Asus Xonar sound cards.
> http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/



Everybody can try the Uni Drivers. I personally was not happy with them. They create problems instead of solving them. (I lost the ability to connect 16- 32 ohms IEM properly, for example.)

_Known issues:
_

_1825 audio drivers have an issue when the audio card is uninstalled, disabled or the drivers are overwritten, resulting in a system crash. In order to avoid the uninstall system crash I’ve come up with a workaround  that’s presented below_
_Asus Audio Center: GX button is no longer showing. It has to do with 1825 audio drivers and there may be a reason why C-Media removed it. I’m not sure if it’s worth it to bring the GX on/off control back._
_STX II:  Asus Audio Center is missing the gain 16/32 ohms for headset._


----------



## Webber1

UNi Xonar W10 1825 v1.81a r2 drivers work great on Win 10 latest version 1809 (also known as Windows 10 October 2018 Update).


----------



## ZappaMan

I also lost the ability to switch between sensitive ohms and big can ohms.
The original drivers did not allow 192/24 but optical playback.
Be good to get the ohms switch ability back.


----------



## FrameBit

Webber1 said:


> UNi Xonar W10 1825 v1.81a r2 drivers work great on Win 10 latest version 1809 (also known as Windows 10 October 2018 Update).


Yes, I've been using that driver version as well.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

I don't notice any problems with original STX II drivers. Plus, I have the latest Audio Centre GUI, latest ASIO and GX drivers. And, of course, I can connect IEMs without a buzz. 






As I said, try it, you will see. I was disappointed.


----------



## gf113

I'm looking into getting a STX with daughter board for my next computer build. The only ones I can find are on ebay and are from Japan. Will there be any issue with getting one of those? I plan to feed the 8 channels into a Marantz 6013 going to polk monitor 70s, 50s, and 40 speakers for movies and games. Any suggestions on opamp upgrades?


----------



## bcschmerker4

@gf113 *Suggest populating the STX II maincard and accompanying H6 daughtercard* with National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LME49990NA dual amplifiers (8 total) in the I-V and Signetics® NE5534P dual amplifiers (4 total) in the line-level buffers.  The 49990 is an affordable step up from the stock Japan Radio JRC2114D's for accuracy across the frequency range in the I-V position.


----------



## Rayz

Guys, I have that card for 2 years by now and i'm very happy with it  
Tho, I think it's time to upgrade my OPAMPs (the ones of amped headphones connection)

I'm looking for an even more detail, bigger soundstage and transparency. suggestions please?


----------



## gf113

Will the card being from Japan and me/all my parts and os being us be an issue?


----------



## Dricks

Hi,
i've upgraded my STX2 with 3 burson V6 Vivid opamp, and the sound is outstanding, both in terms of details and audio separation. It's really a huge improvement over my (already not that bad) z390 Aorus Master audio output (wich uses an ESS 9118 and ALC1220) 

The only drawback on the burson V6 is that they are tall, and you need to check if you have enough space for them


----------



## Varmintbaby

I have recently installed the Unified Driver for the STX II and I can confirm it definitely makes my HD6xx headphones sound better. A definite noticeable difference. My next thing to do will be to get Burson V5 or V6 op amps to put in this thing. I probably won't do that until some time in the summer though. I just bought the HD6xx headphones off Massdrop and my wallet needs a break.  This card is amazing. I noticed on NewEgg, that EVGA has released a similar "audiophile grade" sound card. Does anyone have any experience with that card? It looks like a lot of the components are from a company called "Audio Note" or something to that effect. Are they well known in the biz? I'd like to hear from people who have tried the STX II and that EVGA card also.


----------



## FrameBit

anyone getting low volume on their microphones using the stock driver or the unified driver + mic boost? I'm having trouble with it when talking to friends on discord, they say that my voice is too low


----------



## Varmintbaby (Mar 6, 2019)

FrameBit said:


> anyone getting low volume on their microphones using the stock driver or the unified driver + mic boost? I'm having trouble with it when talking to friends on discord, they say that my voice is too low



No I don't. I use Discord as well and people can hear me just fine. Did you go into the Discord settings and turn up your mic volume?


----------



## ZappaMan

FrameBit said:


> anyone getting low volume on their microphones using the stock driver or the unified driver + mic boost? I'm having trouble with it when talking to friends on discord, they say that my voice is too low


I’d had this problem with the original drivers and I had to go into the settings to set High gain on the mic.
I can’t find the setting In the newer drivers


----------



## bcschmerker4

Dricks said:


> Hi,
> i've upgraded my STX2 with 3 burson V6 Vivid opamp, and the sound is outstanding, both in terms of details and audio separation. It's really a huge improvement over my (already not that bad) z390 Aorus Master audio output (wich uses an ESS 9118 and ALC1220)
> 
> The only drawback on the burson V6 is that they are tall, and you need to check if you have enough space for them


*In fact I did, and I've no such space,* as both my systems have the PCIe x1 and x16 slots immediately adjacent; both put the video display adapter on the component side of the XONAR Essence.  I'm currently waiting on Burson Audio to build a V6i dual amplifier using a monolithic transistor array consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, that in the V5i.  The ASUS® CM1630-06 where I had my STX prior to 2016 also runs an EAH6850DC video card alongside the Creative Laboratories® SB1550 (installed 2016) that Microsoft® Windows® 10.0.17763.320 better tolerates; the EAH will go into my Gigabyte® GA-MA78GM-S2HP-based ubuntu® rig, once I've an RX-series DirectCUII® VDA (currently supported in Win 10) to replace it.  The STX runs happier than a hog in slop under ubuntu 16.04.5-LTS, as ALSA snd-virtuoso has access to more controls than the C-Media® CMI-8788 drivers MaxedTech® packages in the UNi XONAR Audio Software.


----------



## Dricks

bcschmerker4 said:


> *In fact I did, and I've no such space,* as both my systems have the PCIe x1 and x16 slots immediately adjacent; both put the video display adapter on the component side of the XONAR Essence.  I'm currently waiting on Burson Audio to build a V6i dual amplifier using a monolithic transistor array consistent with, but not necessarily identical to, that in the V5i.  The ASUS® CM1630-06 where I had my STX prior to 2016 also runs an EAH6850DC video card alongside the Creative Laboratories® SB1550 (installed 2016) that Microsoft® Windows® 10.0.17763.320 better tolerates; the EAH will go into my Gigabyte® GA-MA78GM-S2HP-based ubuntu® rig, once I've an RX-series DirectCUII® VDA (currently supported in Win 10) to replace it.  The STX runs happier than a hog in slop under ubuntu 16.04.5-LTS, as ALSA snd-virtuoso has access to more controls than the C-Media® CMI-8788 drivers MaxedTech® packages in the UNi XONAR Audio Software.



Don't forget that the Xonar uses a PCIEx1, and as such, you can put it in ANY PCIEx port, wether it is a x1, x4, x8 or x16
It won't fill the full length of the port x4 and up, but it doesn't matter, it'll still works flawlessly.

You can't put it in a x1 port ? Put it in a x8 or x16.
Doesn't even require any adaptor or anything.


----------



## bcschmerker4

Dricks said:


> Don't forget that the Xonar uses a PCIEx1, and as such, you can put it in ANY PCIEx port, wether it is a x1, x4, x8 or x16
> It won't fill the full length of the port x4 and up, but it doesn't matter, it'll still works flawlessly.
> 
> You can't put it in a x1 port ? Put it in a x8 or x16.
> Doesn't even require any adaptor or anything.


*The problem is, both my systems have only one PCIe x1 and one PCIe x16,* with two legacy 32-bit PCI slots.  Had I an ST rather than the STX, I could run up to three Sparkos® SS3602's, Burson® V5i's, or competitive, as the closest slot to case bottom is PCI for both rigs; there's not quite enough room for the full-size Burson V's.


----------



## Varmintbaby

bcschmerker4 said:


> *The problem is, both my systems have only one PCIe x1 and one PCIe x16,* with two legacy 32-bit PCI slots.  Had I an ST rather than the STX, I could run up to three Sparkos® SS3602's, Burson® V5i's, or competitive, as the closest slot to case bottom is PCI for both rigs; there's not quite enough room for the full-size Burson V's.



Couldn't you run the Burson V5i's in the STX II as well? Or did I miss something? I think the STX II will even let you put the shield back on with V5i's. At least a guy that posted a video of doing that upgrade to those amps said so.


----------



## bcschmerker4

I've an original STX; the STX II, being also PCIe x1, would have the same space limitations, viz., no deeper dual amplifiers than the V5i's.  If I wanted to run SS3602's, I'd need an original ST (which is 32-bit PCI) first, to get it out from behind the video card.


----------



## FrameBit

Varmintbaby said:


> No I don't. I use Discord as well and people can hear me just fine. Did you go into the Discord settings and turn up your mic volume?



Are you using a mic separately from a gaming headphone/headphone? I also cant see any mic boost feature, just in the setting with a check or uncheck. no +10 to +30db


----------



## Varmintbaby (Mar 9, 2019)

FrameBit said:


> Are you using a mic separately from a gaming headphone/headphone? I also cant see any mic boost feature, just in the setting with a check or uncheck. no +10 to +30db



Yes I'm using a XLR AT 2020 mic plugged into a Focusrite Solo USB interface that has RCA outs. I have the RCA out cable that is RCA male to 1/4 male cable. I plug it into the mic/line in on the STX II. 

I'm looking at Discord right now. When you click the gear icon at the bottom left near your name, a little mic symbol, and a little headphone symbol, it takes you into settings. You select "Voice & Video" from the list and under Voice settings you have "Input Device" and under that it says "Input Volume". That input volume should allow you to turn up the mic. Is that feature not working for you? That's what I was asking.


----------



## Varmintbaby (Mar 9, 2019)

Can the STX II decode DSD files? How do you play DSD files on your computer?  Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Edit: Nevermind, I figured out how to play dff files on foobar2000. I also got TASCAM to re-code .DSF, etc files to the .DFF format. They sound absolutely amazing! Like being in the studio when it was recorded! I need a portable HI Res player that can offer sound this good!


----------



## Varmintbaby

Would there be any benefit to getting the Massdrop O2 amp for use with the STX II? So basically I would run standard RCA cables out of the STX II into the O2 amp and plug my HD6xx headphones into the O2 amp. What would be the benefit of buying that if any? Here is the amp: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-o2-amplifier

Let me know what you think. Thanks!


----------



## gf113

Varmintbaby said:


> Would there be any benefit to getting the Massdrop O2 amp for use with the STX II? So basically I would run standard RCA cables out of the STX II into the O2 amp and plug my HD6xx headphones into the O2 amp. What would be the benefit of buying that if any? Here is the amp: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-o2-amplifier
> 
> Let me know what you think. Thanks!



You going from the line out or the headphone rca output? 

I prefer an external knob to adjust volume as opposed to adjusting the volume in the os. So I'd set the os volume to 100 and leave it, then adjust with the knob.


----------



## Varmintbaby

gf113 said:


> You going from the line out or the headphone rca output?
> 
> I prefer an external knob to adjust volume as opposed to adjusting the volume in the os. So I'd set the os volume to 100 and leave it, then adjust with the knob.



I would be going from the red/white RCA outputs on the STX II to the input on the back of the O2. What do you think? Will I see any improvement in audio quality or is there any benefit of buying that amp? I could just use it with my laptop which uses onboard audio, but I'd like to use it on my desktop too.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Varmintbaby said:


> I would be going from the red/white RCA outputs on the STX II to the input on the back of the O2. What do you think? Will I see any improvement in audio quality or is there any benefit of buying that amp? I could just use it with my laptop which uses onboard audio, but I'd like to use it on my desktop too.


So you would connect the line-output (RCA) jacks on the STX II to the line-input on a headphone amplifier.
I'm not sure what the output impedance is on the STX II's headphone jack (original STX, 10-Ohms).
but low Ohm IEMs (8-Ohm to 40-Ohm) might benefit from the O2's (Objective 2) less then <1-Ohm output impedance.
Also the STX II line-output benefits from using the one (dual channel DIP-8) buffer op-amp, as well as the two I/V (DIP-8) op-amps.
While the headphone jack only uses the two I/V op-amps.

Headphones in the 80-Ohm to 300-Ohm range, I do not think, would benefit using the O2 amp, over the STX II headphone amp.


----------



## Varmintbaby (Mar 31, 2019)

PurpleAngel said:


> So you would connect the line-output (RCA) jacks on the STX II to the line-input on a headphone amplifier.
> I'm not sure what the output impedance is on the STX II's headphone jack (original STX, 10-Ohms).
> but low Ohm IEMs (8-Ohm to 40-Ohm) might benefit from the O2's (Objective 2) less then <1-Ohm output impedance.
> Also the STX II line-output benefits from using the one (dual channel DIP-8) buffer op-amp, as well as the two I/V (DIP-8) op-amps.
> ...



Thanks for the input. So I had a question. I'm using Foobar2000 to listen to the DSD files I download off HDTracks of NativeDSD. How am I listening to those files if the STX II apparently doesn't natively support them? In Foobar, there is a DSD output section in settings I fiddle with then the Output is to ASIO ASUS STX II or whatever it says. There's a DSD: ASIO ASUS STX II, but I get no sound when I choose that option. Can someone please briefly explain to me how I'm listening to a DSD file if the card doesn't support it? And am I getting the full quality of the file format? I use a FiiO M3K which supports DSD files and the sound is the same as on my PC. Thanks.

P.S. Since listening to Hi-Res audio files, I cannot go back to Spotify. I got another 30 day trial of the service and the sound quality is just terrible. 320kbps audio files sound bad compared to a hi-res FLAC or DSD file. Anyway, just wanted to share that.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Varmintbaby said:


> Thanks for the input. So I had a question. I'm using Foobar2000 to listen to the DSD files I download off HDTracks of NativeDSD. How am I listening to those files if the STX II apparently doesn't natively support them? In Foobar, there is a DSD output section in settings I fiddle with then the Output is to ASIO ASUS STX II or whatever it says. There's a DSD: ASIO ASUS STX II, but I get no sound when I choose that option. Can someone please briefly explain to me how I'm listening to a DSD file if the card doesn't support it? And am I getting the full quality of the file format? I use a FiiO M3K which supports DSD files and the sound is the same as on my PC. Thanks.
> 
> P.S. Since listening to Hi-Res audio files, I cannot go back to Spotify. I got another 30 day trial of the service and the sound quality is just terrible. 320kbps audio files sound bad compared to a hi-res FLAC or DSD file. Anyway, just wanted to share that.


I really know very little about DSD, so I can only make a somewhat guess.
I'm fairly sure the STX II's audio processor Asus AV100 (C-Media CMI8878) 
and the STX II DAC chip PCM1792A was designed (in 2003) way before DSD was around 
So my guess(?) is the PCM1792A DAC chip can not convert the DSD digital audio signal to analog audio signal (guessing).
Your FiiO M3K's AK4376A DAC chip is only 5 years old in design.


----------



## Varmintbaby

PurpleAngel said:


> I really know very little about DSD, so I can only make a somewhat guess.
> I'm fairly sure the STX II's audio processor Asus AV100 (C-Media CMI8878)
> and the STX II DAC chip PCM1792A was designed (in 2003) way before DSD was around
> So my guess(?) is the PCM1792A DAC chip can not convert the DSD digital audio signal to analog audio signal (guessing).
> Your FiiO M3K's AK4376A DAC chip is only 5 years old in design.




I appreciate your response. But it didn't really answer my question. I was asking, how was I listening to the file format in Foobar if the card doesn't support it? Also, why doesn't it sound different from the Fiio M3K which does support DSD. I guess it doesn't matter really. I was just curious as to how it works. Does Foobar do some type of software decoding? I wasn't sure.


----------



## Dricks

Varmintbaby said:


> I appreciate your response. But it didn't really answer my question. I was asking, how was I listening to the file format in Foobar if the card doesn't support it? Also, why doesn't it sound different from the Fiio M3K which does support DSD. I guess it doesn't matter really. I was just curious as to how it works. Does Foobar do some type of software decoding? I wasn't sure.



You are right, Foobar is transcoding DSD to PCM by default.
You can change the transcoding parameters in "Options->Tools->SACD"
You should actually be in "Output mode ->PCM"
For the best conversion, you should choose :
PCM Samplerate ->176400
PCM Volume -> 0db      LFE as-is
DSD2PCM=Direct (64fp 30khz lowpass)

If you are using a DSD-compatible device (soudcard or usb) you can choose Output-> DSD


----------



## Varmintbaby

Dricks said:


> You are right, Foobar is transcoding DSD to PCM by default.
> You can change the transcoding parameters in "Options->Tools->SACD"
> You should actually be in "Output mode ->PCM"
> For the best conversion, you should choose :
> ...



Hey thanks for your input! I made the changes you said. Sounds great! Thanks again for your help!


----------



## PurpleAngel

Varmintbaby said:


> I appreciate your response. But it didn't really answer my question. I was asking, how was I listening to the file format in Foobar if the card doesn't support it? Also, why doesn't it sound different from the Fiio M3K which does support DSD. I guess it doesn't matter really. I was just curious as to how it works. Does Foobar do some type of software decoding? I wasn't sure.


I do not really understand DSD very much, but i guess the STX II does work with DSD.
I guess my brain did not really pick up on your question when I first tried answering it, guess it happens when you suffer from ADHD.
My default thinking is your looking at fixing a problem, where your looking for more clarification or understanding.
So you get DSD audio using both the STX II and M3K, cool.
The STX II and M3K having matching audio quality (with DSD) would not seem like an issue with me.
The STX II DAC chip design is 12 years (or more) older then the M3K's DAC chip, so can't see why someone would expect the STX II's DAC chip (DAC function) to be better (audio quality wise) then the M3K's.
Upgrading the STX II's 3 op-amps might help audio quality.


----------



## bcschmerker4

@PurpleAngel  Direct Stream Digital is rooted in the recording process for the Super Audio CD, an optical disc format that Koninklijke Philips N.V. originally intended as a successor to Compact Disc® Digital Audio™.  DSD uses pulse density modulation and a delta-sigma endec at a 2.8224 MHz bit clock.


----------



## Varmintbaby

Guys check out this.  I don't think it's reachable from their main pages. https://www.bursonaudio.com/asus-xonar-essence-stx-upgraded-with-supreme-sound-v5-op-amps/

Pretty good deal for STX users!


----------



## bcschmerker4

@Varmintbaby *After reviewing the STX-modification infosheet from Burson®,* the triple-V5i package _will_ fit heavily-populated tower systems.  Ideally, Burson Audio will offer similar packages for the original ST (PCI 2.2) for systems with "video card" space available at a legacy PCI slot.


----------



## Varmintbaby

So I finally got my third and final V5 for the buffer in the STX II. I have some Samson powered monitors that I use on my desk and they never sounded better. The headphones sound amazing as well. I pretty much sit at my computer when I'm home either gaming or watching Twitch or Youtube. I'm pretty sure they are all burned in by now and the sound is incredible. My songs using Foobar really shine especially vocals. I'm also hearing little hidden tidbits in certain sound frequencies that I wasn't before. I can't recommend getting V5s enough. If you want you can try V6's also. I hear the V5s are pretty close to the V6 Vivids. A few comments ago, I posted a link to a Burson page that has a special package deal for 3 op amps for the STX sound cards. Go get it now!


----------



## jBEVIA

Hi, please, I wanted to ask you some questions, the stx II stock configuration is 8820 x1 and 8920 x2. If you change only the 8820 for an 8920 (8920 X 3) can I have better RCA output and Optical for Kef lsx speakers? someone who has tried it can say if it improves the sound in general. Or it's better for bass or treble. Is that after the investment in the card and speakers do not want to spend more money. And if changing this operational amplifier I can improve the sound (which is already very good) because I would exchange it for a few dollars. Thank you very much.

PD: I apologize but English is not my language


----------



## jBEVIA

Varmintbaby said:


> So I finally got my third and final V5 for the buffer in the STX II. I have some Samson powered monitors that I use on my desk and they never sounded better. The headphones sound amazing as well. I pretty much sit at my computer when I'm home either gaming or watching Twitch or Youtube. I'm pretty sure they are all burned in by now and the sound is incredible. My songs using Foobar really shine especially vocals. I'm also hearing little hidden tidbits in certain sound frequencies that I wasn't before. I can't recommend getting V5s enough. If you want you can try V6's also. I hear the V5s are pretty close to the V6 Vivids. A few comments ago, I posted a link to a Burson page that has a special package deal for 3 op amps for the STX sound cards. Go get it now!


Hi, I do not use headphones, I use rca or optical output for speakers. To improve loudspeaker sound is it necessary to change the three op amps? or can you change only one, because I understand that the two twins are for headphones? Thank you.


----------



## PurpleAngel

jBEVIA said:


> Hi, I do not use headphones, I use RCA or optical output for speakers. To improve loudspeaker sound is it necessary to change the three op amps? or can you change only one, because I understand that the two twins are for headphones? Thank you.


The two (op-amp) I/V slot are for the headphones.
The one buffer (op-amp) and the two I/V slot (op-amp) are used for the line-output (RCA).
Technically I guess you could just change the one buffer op-amp, but I would try and steer you towards replacing all three op-amps.
What is your budget?

Assume you understand that the optical (digital) output signal bypasses both the STX II's DAC(s) and the op-amps?


----------



## jBEVIA

PurpleAngel said:


> The two (op-amp) I/V slot are for the headphones.
> The one buffer (op-amp) and the two I/V slot (op-amp) are used for the line-output (RCA).
> Technically I guess you could just change the one buffer op-amp, but I would try and steer you towards replacing all three op-amps.
> What is your budget?
> ...




Hello, thank you for your interest, given the large outlay of money that I have made recently in the STXII 7.1 and a pair of Kef LSX speakers, the budget for this is very little.
But I already bought this. 2x UPC4570C NEC and 1x muses 01. I look great opamp but with low price. What do you think?

PD: if I use the rca output I do not use hearphone


----------



## xxAMAROKxx (Apr 1, 2021)

jBEVIA said:


> Hello, thank you for your interest, given the large outlay of money that I have made recently in the STXII 7.1 and a pair of Kef LSX speakers, the budget for this is very little.
> But I already bought this. 2x UPC4570C NEC and 1x muses 01. I look great opamp but with low price. What do you think?
> 
> PD: if I use the rca output I do not use hearphone



....


----------



## jBEVIA

[QUOTE = "xxAMAROKxx, post: 15020540, miembro: 456560"] Hola, no puedes usar muses 01 con STX II - STX II funciona a 4,5 voltios y muses 01 entre 9V y 16V. [/ QUOTE]


Hi, you are right. But I read in many places that people put mouses 01 on this card. How is it possible. I have even read it in this forum


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

I also thought it was possible and I tried muses 01 myself. But there were a number of problems. For example, audio outages.


----------



## jBEVIA

xxAMAROKxx said:


> I also thought it was possible and I tried muses 01 myself. But there were a number of problems. For example, audio outages.




OK thank you very much


----------



## nadtom (Sep 30, 2019)

Hi guys,

I would like to share my experience about the STX II sound card.
I have used a much more expensive chain to listen music but I have tested the STX II soundcard...

My previous chain was the following: Dedicated Audio Pc (changed both clock on the motherboard, torroid transformator, 7pcs low noise linear power supply, so separate for all parts, special USB card with clock) + Audiobyte Hydra with Audiobyte ZPM power supply USB Bridge + Hegel HD12 dac + Hegel P20 preamp + NAD M25 power amp + Elac 249.3 front speakers, all cables HiDiamond. My listening room is measured and handled acoustically.

I have tested 2 weeks long the Asus STX II in my Audio PC and I couldn’t belive in my ears...The STX II sounded better then my (almost 20x) more expensive equipments. (My wife had a same opinion, and I always trust in her opinion, because she is more objective then me many times ).
So I have sold my Audiobyte USB bridge and my Hegel dac and my Hegel preamp so I have saved lots of money.

The sound of STX II is more opened, clear, natural and warm and the sound stage is huge, so the music absolute real (I love it). High range is rounded but crystal clear, very detailed but not sharp, mid range lifey and real and bass is punchy but precise.

I have bought 3x Burson Audio V6 dual opamp as a potential upgrade to my STX II but I have sold it quick, because these not improved the sound quality (contrariwise).

I have bought an EVGA NU Audio sound card few days ago, because I would like to compare it to my STX II. So I will back soon if you are interested.


----------



## Webber1

nadtom said:


> I have bought 3x Burson Audio V6 dual opamp as a potential upgrade to my STX II but I have sold it quick, because these not improved the sound quality (contrariwise).
> .



Burson V6 out of the box sound like downgrade and waste of money....so you need to be really patient with them... they need a month of 24/7 playback to burn-in and settle the sound inside asus stx (burned in 2 sets so I know)...after that the improvement is massive....also V6 Vivid is not for everyone, they are revealing and transparent and will show every little flaw in the system, cables etc ....maybe the better way is 2x classic and 1x vivid, just to calm things down a little and give a little warmth in the mid range....


----------



## nadtom

Webber1 said:


> Burson V6 out of the box sound like downgrade and waste of money....so you need to be really patient with them... they need a month of 24/7 playback to burn-in and settle the sound inside asus stx (burned in 2 sets so I know)...after that the improvement is massive....also V6 Vivid is not for everyone, they are revealing and transparent and will show every little flaw in the system, cables etc ....maybe the better way is 2x classic and 1x vivid, just to calm things down a little and give a little warmth in the mid range....



I have bought 3x V6 Classic first time and after that 3x V6 Vivid (I didn’t test it mixed). The Vivid version was the better, but I left to burn-in only for 24 hours before I have tested. As you mentioned it was a downgrade. Maybe I have made a misstake but the sound of Vivid Burson was very far from original opamp, so I didn’t beleive that it can be the same or better once.


----------



## Webber1

nadtom said:


> I have bought 3x V6 Classic first time and after that 3x V6 Vivid (I didn’t test it mixed). The Vivid version was the better, but I left to burn-in only for 24 hours before I have tested. As you mentioned it was a downgrade. Maybe I have made a misstake but the sound of Vivid Burson was very far from original opamp, so I didn’t beleive that it can be the same or better once.



That's it than....It is horrible in the first 24h and I found bearly listenable after 48h....try them again put them in the pc you dont use (if you can) and leave the playlist on loop for days....they get better each day, reveal more and more...finaly they get warmth and good bass at the end and after a month they do not change anymore...massive improvement on stx


----------



## San Man

nadtom said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I would like to share my experience about the STX II sound card.
> I have used a much more expensive chain to listen music but I have tested the STX II soundcard...
> ...



Any impressions so far between the two?


----------



## Jonathan Crouch (Oct 11, 2019)

The V6 Classic are not the same kind of upgrade the V5, or V6 Vivid are. I’ve owned 3 different Essence STX cards. (STX I and 2 STX II’s.) and I can assure you both the V5’s and V6’s make a *world* of difference.

I will also say I bought a Burson Play and after hearing that with 5 V6 Vivids I will not go back to another STX again period.
There isn’t even a comparison.

If you were playing a sandbox atmospheric like Skyrim you go from the Whoosh Whoosh (breeze sounds) to sounding like your standing inside a blizzard that’s threatening to swallow you whole. Assuming you’ve got a decent pair of headphones for it. I personally use the HD700

I haven’t had a chance to try the Burson Foreplay which is a improved Play unit.


----------



## nadtom

San Man said:


> Any impressions so far between the two?



The NU audio card is arrived, but I need to get built a Sata power connector for that. I have only Molex power connector free in my audio pc, but there is no 3,3V. (I have tested and the NU audio card doesn't work without 3,3V.) 
If I have any news I will write to here.


----------



## nadtom (Oct 12, 2019)

Jonathan Crouch said:


> The V6 Classic are not the same kind of upgrade the V5, or V6 Vivid are. I’ve owned 3 different Essence STX cards. (STX I and 2 STX II’s.) and I can assure you both the V5’s and V6’s make a *world* of difference.
> 
> I will also say I bought a Burson Play and after hearing that with 5 V6 Vivids I will not go back to another STX again period.
> There isn’t even a comparison.
> ...



I didn't realize huge benefit with Burson opamp's (not with Classic V6 & Vivid V6). Can be, I have made a misstake - as Webber1 said - and I didn't leave it burn in. The downgrade was so big with Burson opamp (also with Vivid) at the beginning, that I couldn't see any chance.

I discussed with a guy who meassured the STX II card and he said, the STX let the singal through without any changes, so not color/modify the sound. He said, that the sound will be not better with Burson opamp just different/colored, before I have bought the Burson opamp's. But I didn't believe him...now I see he was right. But it is my opinion maybe in an other sound system Burson opamp can improve the sound (or change it in the right direction)... 

I have ordered HD700 and AR H1 headphone same time to compare them and keep one of them. But for me the AR H1 was significantly better...taste are different.


----------



## bcschmerker4 (Oct 12, 2019)

nadtom said:


> The NU audio card is arrived, but I need to get built a Sata power connector for that. I have only Molex power connector free in my audio pc, but there is no 3,3V. (I have tested and the NU audio card doesn't work without 3,3V.)
> If I have any news I will write to here.


I reviewed the Webpage on the eVGA® NU AUDIO Card, 712-P1-AN01-KR, Lifelike Audio PCIe, RGB LED, Designed with Audio Note (UK) - nVIDIA Corporation had no involvement here, unlike the eVGA® video display adapters (all built on the geForce® family of graphics processing units).  The 712-P1-AN01-KR uses an AKM AK4493 DAC rated for 123 dB S/N, up to 384 kHz 32-bit PCM, and up to 11.29 MHz DSD.  ADI plug-in dual amplifiers (JEDEC 8-pin DPI) are used: one AD8056 at the line-level buffer, and one OP275 through a Maxim DS1822 attenuator at the headphone output.  This audio card may force a power-supply upgrade, as all too many systems nowadays have no +3.3VDC to the secondary storage harness - a violation of the Serial ATA specification.

I retrofitted Antec® power supply units to several of my house's rigs, as these products meet all relevant standards.  Both my ASUS® CM1630 and a LinUX rig in a highly-altered everex® TC2502 case use the TruePower® New™ 750 Blue™, a unit with permanently-attached harness for the motherboard (24-pin), CPU regulator (4+4-pin), and PCIe power to video (6+2-pin) that can be fitted with 3 x 4-pin Molex plus 1 x AMP mini-4-pin (+5, +12VDC) and/or 4 x SATA (+3.3, +5, +12VDC) harnesses at need.  In anticipation of projector duty at OMS Japanese Christian Church (Walnut Creek, CA, USA), I've rigged a Gateway®/Acer® DX4822-01 with the more-powerful-yet TruePower® Quattro™ 850, which is similarly flexible to the 750 Blue.


----------



## nadtom

San Man said:


> Any impressions so far between the two?



The sound of the Asus STX II soundcard definitely better than EVGA NU Audio card sound. STX II sound very detailed, open, airy, the sound stage huge, vocal vivid, the sound real and musical. No question for me the Asus far better.


----------



## San Man

nadtom said:


> The sound of the Asus STX II soundcard definitely better than EVGA NU Audio card sound. STX II sound very detailed, open, airy, the sound stage huge, vocal vivid, the sound real and musical. No question for me the Asus far better.



Thanks for the help.   Do you experience any audio delay or lag when watching audio (if you do so) ?


----------



## nadtom

San Man said:


> Thanks for the help.   Do you experience any audio delay or lag when watching audio (if you do so) ?



No delay and lag, but what do you mean “watching audio”?


----------



## San Man

nadtom said:


> No delay and lag, but what do you mean “watching audio”?


Lol typo.   Should be video, as in movies


----------



## nadtom

San Man said:


> Lol typo.   Should be video, as in movies



Ok got it. If I watch concerts or other music videos my Yamaha CX-A5100 processor will be used. I use the STX II only for hifi (I do not have 7ch movi card to STXII).


----------



## San Man

nadtom said:


> Ok got it. If I watch concerts or other music videos my Yamaha CX-A5100 processor will be used. I use the STX II only for hifi (I do not have 7ch movi card to STXII).


Thank you

When i tried my WM1a as a DAP and watched a video on my desktop, there was a slight delay in audio playback in regards to synching to the video.

Just curious if the STX does that too.


----------



## goodsguys (Nov 14, 2019)

HI. How would you describe the sound signature of the muse 01 versus 02.
The 02 is the more recent chip but seems to have rolled off highs.

The 02 seems to have better highs but not so lively and energetic.

Would i  be better off using the 02 and applying a little eq to bring out the highs more, to give better sq versus 01.

What would sound the better out of the two on an stxII card, 02 throught out (including daughterboard)

or 01. Do you have an opinion. How would it affect the sonic signature.

Also do you have a source for the muses, where is the best price. I've seen a guy on ebay selling them for £10 with 100% positive feedback.    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100-ORIG...240489&hash=item1c4586c0bc:g:clUAAOSwqu9VNGo5

Any and all ideas, speculaton, experience most welcome

Many thanks!


----------



## goodsguys

Like most here i found the stock of 8920 x 2, and 8820 x 1 a little deficent in the treble. 
Using 8820 x 2 and 8920 x1 seems to bring the treble back, 
does that mean the 8820 is a sharper sounding opamp and 8920 may be a little more bassy.

Thanks!


----------



## Webber1 (Nov 26, 2019)

I used STX II and V6 vivid for 2 years. It's i a great combo as others noted, wide stage, separated instruments with more instrument mass and definition, live performance feel, great dynamics and transparency....however my long term impression is that vivid can be tiring and not so comfortable for longer listening sessions. I always found those highs to be a bit sharp and dynamics to be a bit too intense....i just switched to Burson V6 Classics x2 in I/V stage and V6 Vivid in Low pass filter.....I must say this is great combo !!! it is more enjoyable and musical from the first listening, I got rid from edgy highs, mid range became warmer and fuller, vocals are much better, bigger, closer to the listener and more seductive....more intimate...i noticed instruments got better positioning in 3d than before, maybe just a bit narrower stage....dynamics are a tad more relaxed.....my main impression is that the classic is more easy on the ears, more seductive....at least for my ears on JBL lsr305....although the classic was burned in on friend's Oppo, it took a week to burn it to Stx II i.e. relax and stretch the sound stage and reach refined sound....in this way you also retain certain qualities of V6 vivid compared to all classic combo.......

So Classic x2 + Vivid x1 is definitely recommended combo on Stx II. Cheers.


----------



## Webber1

nadtom said:


> . Can be, I have made a misstake - as Webber1 said - and I didn't leave it burn in.



Burn in time from the practice seems to depend on the voltage of the device (Burson works in the range 3.5V-16.5V) so it can take shorter or longer. On my Asus STX II it took whole month (600 hours) due to 5v voltage, and on Hegel HD12 it took about 200 hours as it works on higher voltage.


----------



## bcschmerker4 (Nov 26, 2019)

@Webber1 *Glad it worked out for you.*  To use any of the BURSON® V5, V6 Classic, or V6 Vivid, I'd need an original ASUS® XONAR® Essence™ ST™ due to the planar layouts on both my rigs; the PCIe x1 and x16 on the GIGABYTE® GA-MA78GM-S2HP v2.0 and ASUS® M4A78LT-M/CM1630/DP_MB are such that I can only use the V5i with the current STX when a PCIe x16 video card is installed; but the legacy PCI 2.2 slots have nothing on the case-bottom side thereof, so are free and clear for outsize JEDEC 8-pin DIP modules.


----------



## Webber1 (Nov 27, 2019)

bcschmerker4 said:


> @Webber1 *Glad it worked out for you.*  To use any of the BURSON® V5, V6 Classic, or V6 Vivid, I'd need an original ASUS® XONAR® Essence™ ST™ due to the planar layouts on both my rigs; the PCIe x1 and x16 on the GIGABYTE® GA-MA78GM-S2HP v2.0 and ASUS® M4A78LT-M/CM1630/DP_MB are such that I can only use the V5i with the current STX when a PCIe x16 video card is installed; but the legacy PCI 2.2 slots have nothing on the case-bottom side thereof, so are free and clear for outsize JEDEC 8-pin DIP modules.



https://www.bursonaudio.com/product/35mm-extension-lead-x-2/

There is this burson option also for those who have little space....


----------



## gordec

I just bought this card. I'm trying to use RCA out to Monoprice Liquid Platinum, but I can't get any sound to output. The Toslink output works. Anyone else using the RCA outs?


----------



## nadtom

gordec said:


> I just bought this card. I'm trying to use RCA out to Monoprice Liquid Platinum, but I can't get any sound to output. The Toslink output works. Anyone else using the RCA outs?


I use the RCA outs, it is the way to get the best sound quality. Check the setup of the sound card and the music player.


----------



## gordec

nadtom said:


> I use the RCA outs, it is the way to get the best sound quality. Check the setup of the sound card and the music player.



So I can't get my RCA, headphone outputs to work. Only Toslink/SPDIF output works with this card. I don't have a 4-pin molex cable from my PC (Alienware R7), so what I did is using a 4-pin molex from Paul Pang USB card connected to an ifi iPower (5V). I think 5V is not enough to power the analogue output section of the STX II. I ordered some Sata to Molex adapters from Amazon, so I can connect the STX II directly to the power supply of the Alienware. 

I'm not sure how much power STX II needs to work fully.


----------



## nadtom

gordec said:


> I'm not sure how much power STX II needs to work fully.


STX needs 5V and 12V also, so I think this is your problem.


----------



## gordec

nadtom said:


> STX needs 5V and 12V also, so I think this is your problem.



Thanks. So the Molex 4 pin can draw both 5v and 12v from the power supply? It's very interesting choice to place an obsolete connector on the STX II. I bought a male Sata to female Molex cable hopefully that will do the trick.


----------



## nadtom

gordec said:


> Thanks. So the Molex 4 pin can draw both 5v and 12v from the power supply?


Yes, if it is a standard version.


----------



## ancientz

Hello to all the PC audiophiles in the forum. 

Having been a happy owner of the Essence ST for many years, decided this past XMas that it's time for an upgrade (to my system as a whole). 

Naturally, I went for the STX II 7.1 and I see lots of people praise this Burson op-amp upgrade I see here and elsewhere.

My question is though: would I need to upgrade the op-amps in the 7.1 daughter board for the ultimate experience also or I'd be good with just the main board "Bursoned"? XD

Cheers


----------



## Voxata

Hmm, is the daughterboard powered?


----------



## Voxata

Looks like it is. Are you just using headphones? If so, just skip the daughterboard and use the main card. It's a little expensive to replace opamps with Bursons on the daughter for surround use.


----------



## ancientz

There's a cable connecting the two boards, so I'm assuming the power requirement is taken care of.

I'll be using both the Audio Technica ATH-M70x (which replaced my old and brilliant ATH-M50 headphones) and also the Edifier S760D 5.1 system.

Not certain if such a replacement in the daughter board is needed or is it an over-the-top scenario - hence, the ask.

Cheers


----------



## Voxata

The daughterboard is for surround use, for just headout swap opamps on the card itself.


----------



## ancientz

ok, thanks for your feedback.


----------



## Weaves

is there still a loud screech on these with some set ups?


----------



## ancientz

Hello again

as far as the Burson op-amp replacement... haven't actually opened the card, however I see in the pic in the 1st page of the thread that it houses 2 x Muses 8920 & 1 x Muses 8820 op-amps and in fact, these are both compatible with v5i.

https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v5i/

As far as the daughter board, I do have it right next to me and there are 2 sets of op-amps in it.

3 x LM 4562NA & 6 x JRC 2114D

Now, the former is also compatible it seems, however there's a variation in the latter.

_NJM 2114 is supported, but not JRC_. Is this the same company under a new name or sth?

If it is indeed, what's the Hi-Fi experts opinion here? Should I go for a 6 or a 12 op-amp replacement?

Cheers


----------



## bcschmerker4 (Mar 21, 2020)

@ancientz  New Japan Radio Company, Limited, manufactures the NJM2114 High Performance Low Noise Dual Operational Amplifier in three case formats; the NJM2114D (JEDEC 8-pin Dual Inline Package) may very well have some technical improvements on the JRC2114D that preceded it.  For initial trials of the BURSON® V5i, I advise installing eight across all I-V positions and leaving the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments LM4562N's in place in the line-level buffer positions; "rolling" the V5i's will expose their characteristics across all output positions and give you data for final placement.


----------



## ancientz (Mar 23, 2020)

Thanks for chiming in also.

By installing eight, I assume you mean replacing (6 x JRC 2114D) + (2 x Muses 8920) or I'm getting it totally wrong here?

A plain computer user here, not a Hi-Fi guru lol.


----------



## bcschmerker4

@ancientz *On the STX II as shipped, the MUSES® 8920 is in the I-V position, the 8820 in the line-level buffer.*  The V5i's would replace the 8920's on the STX II and the JRC- or NJM2114D's on the X6 daughtercard (as on the original ST and STX), so the "I-V amp roll" set-up should have eight V5i's (two on the STX II and six on the X6), three LM4562's (on the X6), and one 8820 (on the STX II).


----------



## ancientz

Crystal clear. XD

Thanks a ton, m8.


----------



## EternalChampion

Can anyone here tell me the code which is printed onto the preinstalled Muses 8820 of the buffer socket? Its legs came off I threw it away years ago but I can't remember the code.


----------



## kefs

Hello there, newbie on this thread. Just got a secondhand stx11, is it possible to use rca's on the daughterboard to provide output to an analogue headphone amp, keeping the main card set to my power amp ? Thankyou in advance.


----------



## PurpleAngel

kefs said:


> Hello there, newbie on this thread. Just got a secondhand stx11, is it possible to use rca's on the daughterboard to provide output to an analogue headphone amp, keeping the main card set to my power amp ? Thankyou in advance.


Yep, you can connect the STX2's line-output (RCAs) to just about anything with a line-input, like really any external amplifier (headphone or otherwise).
But the STX2 can not send it Dolby Headphone thru the line-outputs. 
Any software that can pre-process headphone surround sound, can then feed that signal thru the STX2 and it's line-output. (which my PowerDVD software can do)
The STX2's RCA output should offer slightly better audio quality, then the signal that runs thru the STX2's headphone jack.
You might consider upgrading the STX2's three op-amps (operational amplifiers).


----------



## ko853

Hi. I saw Asus issued driver for STXII end of 2019. Anyone try it and compare with Uni xonar driver?


----------



## floricanto

Hi everybody. I've just bought this card. I tried to find a previous answer here on the forum, but I didn't find it. So, my BIG problem is the awful latency using the line in/microphone port. Does anybody use this card to record? How did you fix the problem? I tried with Unixonar drivers, even with low latency but nothing happens.


----------



## Schildbrecher

Hello, 
I have an STX ii and got three Burson V5i... After installing all three I have a constant crackling / hizzing noise. 
So the Burson support asked me to remove the LP Stage and use only two in Stage I/V.

Now the crackling noise is gone, what does this mean?


----------



## nadtom

Schildbrecher said:


> Hello,
> I have an STX ii and got three Burson V5i... After installing all three I have a constant crackling / hizzing noise.
> So the Burson support asked me to remove the LP Stage and use only two in Stage I/V.
> 
> Now the crackling noise is gone, what does this mean?


I have tested the dual V6 Burson opamp’s (Classic, Vivid) but sold these because the original was better.
I haven’t got any noise problem with opamp’s.


----------



## Schildbrecher

nadtom said:


> I have tested the dual V6 Burson opamp’s (Classic, Vivid) but sold these because the original was better.
> I haven’t got any noise problem with opamp’s.


 
just curious, which OpAmps do you use now??


----------



## nadtom

Schildbrecher said:


> just curious, which OpAmps do you use now??


The original, Muses 8820, 8920.


----------



## Dartin Bout

nadtom said:


> The original, Muses 8820, 8920.


Out of curiosity, what were you connecting the card to and through what connection. I've had the Muses 8820\8920 in my Auzentech connecting to my pre\pre and amplifier. The difference between those and the Burson V6 Vivids was like the difference between talcum powder and untouched Peruvian flake.


----------



## nadtom

Dartin Bout said:


> Out of curiosity, what were you connecting the card to and through what connection. I've had the Muses 8820\8920 in my Auzentech connecting to my pre\pre and amplifier. The difference between those and the Burson V6 Vivids was like the difference between talcum powder and untouched Peruvian flake.


My STXII is in a Audio PC, so 7pcs linear low noise power supply, clock generators on the main boards, etc...
I use the RCA output of the STXII (I think it is the best option), so the signal goes to my power amp (NAD M25), front speakers Elac 249.3.
The Burson color the sound, and will be not so natural the sound, and you lose the huge soundstage, lose the details, etc.


----------



## Dartin Bout

The Burson Vivid V6 (more so then the Classic) do color the sound. On my Auzentech, running R\C\L , RS, RL and sub woofer. I noticed no loss of soundstage. I was running 3.5mm to dual RCA, into my Emotiva XMC-1 and dual Sunfire Cinema 5-200W for bi-amping all channels. I haven't got the Stix II rear channels working but the front 4 sound (RCA's) better then the Auzentech. I could be responding to the over whelming warmth rather them the missed details. I play local hi-res 5.1 flac, wav, DSF and DFF out a matched set of Paradigm Studio V2, 40, 20, center and the 15 subwoofer.


----------



## Schildbrecher

nadtom said:


> I have tested the dual V6 Burson opamp’s (Classic, Vivid) but sold these because the original was better.
> I haven’t got any noise problem with opamp’s.



break-in time?
My v5i (at least two of them) sounds great after 150 - 200 hour. At first I was not satisfied.


----------



## nadtom

I think every sound system is different. 
I always invite my wife to test of the new devices, cables, opamps, etc. to avoid the subjective opinion/feeling (if it was expensive -->  has to be good ).
We had a same opinion in case of Burson (Classic and Vivid). The Vivid was a little bit better than Classic, but boths are worst then original opamps.


----------



## Dartin Bout

The great thing about opamp swapping is that it's a relatively cost effective way to revamp a huge slice of the audible experience. I've been playing with them since 2005 with my first Auzentech. I just ordered a set of Sparkos duals for my Topping DX7 Pro to run balanced DSD to my XMC-1. I've got 5 different sets of opamps and i plan to sit and giggle in my listening chair.


----------



## 18000rpm

I'm considering getting 3 X Burson V6 Vivids for the front channels of my Essence STX II. I'm also using 2 of the rear channels and LFE on the daughter board. Can I take the 8820/8920 I remove from the fronts and put them in my surrounds and LFE? Would that improve the sound of my two surround channels compared to the stock opamps? My rears are also large full range speakers (Martin Logan Summits).


----------



## JazzJackRabbit

ko853 said:


> Hi. I saw Asus issued driver for STXII end of 2019. Anyone try it and compare with Uni xonar driver?


I started having "screeching" problem with my STX II all of a sudden so I started researching ways to solve it. I came across new "official" drivers from ASUS and decided to try them out. I put "official" in quotes because they're still not signed - you still need to put your system into driver test signing mode to install them which is absolutely ridiculous. Running setup.exe from the root folder resulted into system restart. Running setup.exe from Win10 folder did not do anything until I rebooted system into test signing mode.

So the way to install them is to run setup.exe from Win10 folder with your system in driver test signing mode. So far they're working, I hope the "screeching" issue does not come back.

P.S. I am ****ing pissed at Asus. This is a $200 premium sound card and they can't even digitally sign the drivers? Really? What asus? Why do I need to put my system into test signing mode to install them? And that's on top of BIOS incompatibility issues where certain BIOS versions on certain AMD motherboards would cause system not to boot at all. Like seriously? Asus motherboard not working with Asus soundcard. I guess they feel we should be grateful for finally giving us official driver at the end of 2019.


----------



## Varmintbaby

JazzJackRabbit said:


> I started having "screeching" problem with my STX II all of a sudden so I started researching ways to solve it. I came across new "official" drivers from ASUS and decided to try them out. I put "official" in quotes because they're still not signed - you still need to put your system into driver test signing mode to install them which is absolutely ridiculous. Running setup.exe from the root folder resulted into system restart. Running setup.exe from Win10 folder did not do anything until I rebooted system into test signing mode.
> 
> So the way to install them is to run setup.exe from Win10 folder with your system in driver test signing mode. So far they're working, I hope the "screeching" issue does not come back.
> 
> P.S. I am ****ing pissed at Asus. This is a $200 premium sound card and they can't even digitally sign the drivers? Really? What asus? Why do I need to put my system into test signing mode to install them? And that's on top of BIOS incompatibility issues where certain BIOS versions on certain AMD motherboards would cause system not to boot at all. Like seriously? Asus motherboard not working with Asus soundcard. I guess they feel we should be grateful for finally giving us official driver at the end of 2019.




That's odd I did not have that issue. I was able to install the drivers with no issue. I'm using Windows 10 Professional... are you using Home ediition? Home edition is crap and I would stay away from it. There are sites where you can download Win 10 Pro license keys for reasonable prices. It's legit too. Anyway. Sorry you had such problems. Peace.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

JazzJackRabbit said:


> I started having "screeching" problem with my STX II all of a sudden so I started researching ways to solve it. ...



Hi, What does the screeching problem do? Does it start suddenly during listening? 
I had it, my problem was in incopatible op-amps. And I also change power supply for a more powerfull, for sure.


----------



## 18000rpm

Regarding the Asus official 


ko853 said:


> Hi. I saw Asus issued driver for STXII end of 2019. Anyone try it and compare with Uni xonar driver?



According to the UNi Xonar developer they are the same drivers from 2015, just had the "beta" tag removed. See http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/comment-page-219/#comment-261502


----------



## 18000rpm (Sep 8, 2020)

Varmintbaby said:


> That's odd I did not have that issue. I was able to install the drivers with no issue. I'm using Windows 10 Professional... are you using Home ediition? Home edition is crap and I would stay away from it. There are sites where you can download Win 10 Pro license keys for reasonable prices. It's legit too. Anyway. Sorry you had such problems. Peace.



Yes that's odd. Varmintbaby is right, I don't think you need to put system in test mode to install any of the official Asus drivers. I wouldn't bother with them though, UNi Xonar is the way to go.


----------



## 18000rpm

JazzJackRabbit said:


> I started having "screeching" problem with my STX II all of a sudden so I started researching ways to solve it. I came across new "official" drivers from ASUS and decided to try them out. I put "official" in quotes because they're still not signed - you still need to put your system into driver test signing mode to install them which is absolutely ridiculous. Running setup.exe from the root folder resulted into system restart. Running setup.exe from Win10 folder did not do anything until I rebooted system into test signing mode.



See if this is your issue http://maxedtech.com/xonar-cards-and-loud-white-noise-issue/


----------



## bcschmerker4

JazzJackRabbit said:


> I started having "screeching" problem with my STX II all of a sudden so I started researching ways to solve it. I came across new "official" drivers from ASUS and decided to try them out. I put "official" in quotes because they're still not signed - you still need to put your system into driver test signing mode to install them which is absolutely ridiculous. Running setup.exe from the root folder resulted into system restart. Running setup.exe from Win10 folder did not do anything until I rebooted system into test signing mode.
> 
> So the way to install them is to run setup.exe from Win10 folder with your system in driver test signing mode. So far they're working, I hope the "screeching" issue does not come back.
> 
> P.S. I am ****ing pissed at Asus. This is a $200 premium sound card and they can't even digitally sign the drivers? Really? What asus? Why do I need to put my system into test signing mode to install them? And that's on top of BIOS incompatibility issues where certain BIOS versions on certain AMD motherboards would cause system not to boot at all. Like seriously? Asus motherboard not working with Asus soundcard. I guess they feel we should be grateful for finally giving us official driver at the end of 2019.


*I ran into these problems under Microsoft® Windows® 6.1.7601 and pulled my STX from the CM1630 prior to the dist-upgrade to Win 10.*  Even the C-Media® drivers included in the MaxedTech® UNi™ XONAR® Software -- which I more often than not had to install in Safe Mode with Network Support in Win 6.1 -- are no guarantee this won't happen in the future with a DSP originally designed for Windows 5._n_ and its simpler audio stack.  OtOH, the STX is happier than a hog in slop under ubuntu® 18.04.4-LTS (LinUX Kernel Series 5.4) with the latest version of Advanced LinUX Sound Architecture Project snd-virtuoso.  No problems at all.


----------



## ko853

xxAMAROKxx said:


> Hello, you can't use muses 01 with STX II - STX II works at 4,5 Volts and muses 01 between 9V and 16V.


Could you share how to measure volt of STX II or any document mentioned it 4.5 V? I just replace Muses 01, SQ is good but feel week because of lower volt of STX I think.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

ko853 said:


> Could you share how to measure volt of STX II or any document mentioned it 4.5 V? I just replace Muses 01, SQ is good but feel week because of lower volt of STX I think.


Hi, 4.5 V is written on some components on the STX II board. It was also unstable with muses 01.


----------



## ko853

xxAMAROKxx said:


> Hi, 4.5 V is written on some components on the STX II board. It was also unstable with muses 01.


I just ordered 2 muses 02 for replacement 01 although I heard they are not good as 01.
EVGA nu audio card opamp run at 5V, so STX 4.5 V is make sence. However, if we can measure it by oursevles for sure is good.


----------



## xxAMAROKxx

ko853 said:


> I just ordered 2 muses 02 for replacement 01 although I heard they are not good as 01.
> EVGA nu audio card opamp run at 5V, so STX 4.5 V is make sence. However, if we can measure it by oursevles for sure is good.


Muses 02 is a bit darker/warmer sounding (also against muses 01), which I like. It's pleasant.


----------



## ko853

I measured by myseft. Its +13V, not 4.5V
I read STX 1 document (cannot find STX 2 docs for op amp), it said 12 V. So, I install Muses 01 again. They are stable but need burn in 100h to show its best quality.


----------



## Mista Lova Lova (Oct 26, 2020)

Hello guys,

I am using my STX II to power my Focal Clear headphones and the recently bought Hifiman Arya. Having invested into these wonderful headphones I am not going to try an external amp (Topping A90) for the following reasons:

1. I can hear sound colouration added by the card's op-amps.
2. I have never experienced either of these headphones on a balanced cable and I'm dying to find out what difference it will make.

I am a little confused as to how I can make the STX II act purely as a DAC (I may go for an external one at some point in the future but wanted to first test if the card's DAC is perhaps good enough). My initial thought was that the RCA output should give me direct access to the DAC, bypassing the card's op-amps, so to test my theory I connected my headphones to via those two ports (2RCA --> 3.5mm). To my surprise, the sound was even louder than using the "Normal gain" setting via the headphone output (let alone the "IEM" setting!) and there is A LOT more bass, especially on the Focal Clears (to the point that it was giving me a headache within a few minutes). I thought that using the "2 speakers" analog line out would bypass all the amplification and get me the sound directly from the card's DAC which I could hook up to an external amplifier, but surely if the signal seems to be louder and (much) more coloured than the "Normal" headphone setting, then I take it that the RCA out outputs do not fully bypass the card's amplifiers (or I'm doing something wrong).

The sound is the quietest and the cleanest when I use the headphone output and go for the "IEM" setting. I am wondering if that setting is the only way to access the DAC directly (or is the sound here processed as well - the signal being purposefully weakened to accommodate for IEMs' sensitivity?).

I know very little about DACs and amps and I would appreciate it if you could please give me some advice on how I can achieve what I'm after, and ideally also enlighten me on why I'm hearing what I'm hearing through the RCA output. 

Thanks!


----------



## kefs

Mista Lova Lova said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I am using my STX II to power my Focal Clear headphones and the recently bought Hifiman Arya. Having invested into these wonderful headphones I am not going to try an external amp (Topping A90) for the following reasons:
> 
> ...


I have found the rca out is far superior to the headphone out. I connect to a Sugden Headmaster with rca in, WOW


----------



## Mista Lova Lova (Oct 26, 2020)

kefs said:


> I have found the rca out is far superior to the headphone out. I connect to a Sugden Headmaster with rca in, WOW


That was my first impression too, but there is so much bass (and I normally ike bass!) on the Clears that it's hard to listen for longer than a few songs. I would say that using the RCA output makes the sound punchier, but at the same time there is less detail and texture (it just gets lost in the sheer quantity of the bass, e.g. in Lost Yourself to Dance by Daft Punk, whereas it's detailed and open-sounding on the IEM setting). It makes me wonder why that is the case, and since the volume is higher than on the Normal Gain headphone setting there must be some amplification (and colouring) going on here.


----------



## kefs

I would say that is the onboard amp, i was none to impressed hence external amp


----------



## Mista Lova Lova

But I guess that to achieve the best result it wouldn't make sense to send a signal that's already amplified (and coloured) to the external amp, therefore I am trying to figure out if there is a way to bypass all this processing done by the card and get the sound straight from the card's DAC (sound that is true to its source). When I go to the "IEM" setting I can hear a click which doesn't happen when I switch between different levels of amplification (Normal, High, Extra High). It makes me think that perhaps the IEM setting is the only one that provides unprocessed sound (the click seems to engage/disengage the op-amps, or so it would appear). Then I guess I would need to use the headphone output to send the sound out to the amp (6.35mm --> 2x RCA).


----------



## EternalChampion

Mista Lova Lova said:


> I am a little confused as to how I can make the STX II act purely as a DAC (I may go for an external one at some point in the future but wanted to first test if the card's DAC is perhaps good enough). My initial thought was that the RCA output should give me direct access to the DAC, bypassing the card's op-amps, so to test my theory I connected my headphones to via those two ports (2RCA --> 3.5mm). To my surprise, the sound was even louder than using the "Normal gain" setting via the headphone output (let alone the "IEM" setting!) and there is A LOT more bass, especially on the Focal Clears (to the point that it was giving me a headache within a few minutes). I thought that using the "2 speakers" analog line out would bypass all the amplification and get me the sound directly from the card's DAC which I could hook up to an external amplifier, but surely if the signal seems to be louder and (much) more coloured than the "Normal" headphone setting, then I take it that the RCA out outputs do not fully bypass the card's amplifiers (or I'm doing something wrong).



I prefer DAC-out from the digital port instead of the analogue RCAs for multiple reasons such as noise, simplicity etc.  Make sure to tick SPDIF out PCM and then you can use a coaxial or an optical cable (adapter is provided) to connect the card to the external DAC.  I'm getting cleaner signal compared to the RCA but I'm not 100% sure what the card has to say about this because the digital cable that I'm using is far superior to the standard analogue RCA.


----------



## bcschmerker4

Mista Lova Lova said:


> Hello guys,
> 
> I am using my STX II to power my Focal Clear headphones and the recently bought Hifiman Arya. Having invested into these wonderful headphones I am not going to try an external amp (Topping A90) for the following reasons:
> 
> ...


*One convenience in the ASUS® XONAR® Essence™ ST/X/II series is the set of connections to A/B external DAC-amps with the internal hardware.*  The STX, which packs a Burr-Brown/Texas Instruments PCM1792A DAC, ships with two Japan Radio Corporation 2114D's in the I-V and one National Semiconductor/Texas Instruments LM4652N in the line-level buffer (the STX II substitutes two MUSES 8920's and one MUSES 8820 respectively); the Digital Out (S/P-DIF, coax or TOSLINK) by-passes the internal DAC and amplifiers.


----------



## Mista Lova Lova (Oct 27, 2020)

bcschmerker4 said:


> *One convenience in the ASUS® XONAR® Essence™ ST/X/II series is the set of connections to A/B external DAC-amps with the internal hardware.*  The STX, which packs a Burr-Brown/Texas Instruments PCM1792A DAC, ships with two Japan Radio Corporation 2114D's in the I-V and one National Semiconductor/Texas Instruments LM4652N in the line-level buffer (the STX II substitutes two MUSES 8920's and one MUSES 8820 respectively); the Digital Out (S/P-DIF, coax or TOSLINK) by-passes the internal DAC and amplifiers.


Thanks for that. I take it that if that solution bypasses both the DAC and op-amps then it simply sends the digital signal straight to an external DAC? So I would need both a DAC and an amp, what I'm trying to achieve is to use the card in DAC-only mode (only bypassing the card's op-amps) hooked up to an external amplifier.


----------



## PurpleAngel

Mista Lova Lova said:


> Hello guys,
> I am using my STX II to power my Focal Clear headphones and the recently bought Hifiman Arya. Having invested into these wonderful headphones I am not going to try an external amp (Topping A90) for the following reasons:
> 1. I can hear sound colouration added by the card's op-amps.
> 2. I have never experienced either of these headphones on a balanced cable and I'm dying to find out what difference it will make.
> ...


The STX II's headphone jack uses the two op-amps (operational amplifiers) in the I/V slots.
The line-output (RCA) jack uses all three op-amps (two in the I/V slots and the one in the buffer slot).
The RCA jacks bypass the STX II headphone amplifier.
The RCA jacks can directly drive headphones, but because of impedance issues, low Ohm headphones (or IEMs) will get a bloated (louder, less detailed) bass.
The STX II headphone jack has a 10-Ohm output impedance, which might cause a slightly bloated bass with some lower Ohm headphones, where as the RCA jacks would have a much higher output impedance, causing an even more bloated bass.
Suggest connecting a solid state headphone amplifier to the RCA jacks, as modern solid state amplifiers can have an output impedance of less then 1-Ohm, which would help bring out the detail in the audio and no bloated bass.


----------



## Mista Lova Lova

PurpleAngel said:


> The STX II's headphone jack uses the two op-amps (operational amplifiers) in the I/V slots.
> The line-output (RCA) jack uses all three op-amps (two in the I/V slots and the one in the buffer slot).
> The RCA jacks bypass the STX II headphone amplifier.
> The RCA jacks can directly drive headphones, but because of impedance issues, low Ohm headphones (or IEMs) will get a bloated (louder, less detailed) bass.
> ...


Thank you so much for the detailed description! I have two questions, though:

1. I understand that when you say "line-output (RCA)" and "the RCA jacks" you mean to same output - "2 speakers" line out, left + right. You first mention that they use all three op-amps, then that they bypass the headphone amplifier. The latter would mean that the RCA connection only engages the op-amp in the buffer slot, whereas the headphone jack uses 2 headphone op-amps. What are you referring to then when you mention the RCA line-out using all three op-amps?

2. None of the options you've described involves all three op-amps being disengaged. Does it mean that even when I'm using the IEM setting through the headphone jack, at least one of the card's op-amps is still engaged? It is the only setting where the sound signature seems quite flat (meaning balanced and detailed) so I was inclined to think that this setting bypasses all of the card's op-amps (delivering the sound straight from the card's DAC).

Thanks!


----------



## kefs

PurpleAngel said:


> The STX II's headphone jack uses the two op-amps (operational amplifiers) in the I/V slots.
> The line-output (RCA) jack uses all three op-amps (two in the I/V slots and the one in the buffer slot).
> The RCA jacks bypass the STX II headphone amplifier.
> The RCA jacks can directly drive headphones, but because of impedance issues, low Ohm headphones (or IEMs) will get a bloated (louder, less detailed) bass.
> ...


What he said.............. This is how I enjoy listening. I have worked through may scenarios and this works best for me


----------



## PurpleAngel

Mista Lova Lova said:


> Thank you so much for the detailed description! I have two questions, though:
> 1. I understand that when you say "line-output (RCA)" and "the RCA jacks" you mean to same output - "2 speakers" line out, left + right. You first mention that they use all three op-amps, then that they bypass the headphone amplifier. The latter would mean that the RCA connection only engages the op-amp in the buffer slot, whereas the headphone jack uses 2 headphone op-amps. What are you referring to then when you mention the RCA line-out using all three op-amps?
> 2. None of the options you've described involves all three op-amps being disengaged. Does it mean that even when I'm using the IEM setting through the headphone jack, at least one of the card's op-amps is still engaged? It is the only setting where the sound signature seems quite flat (meaning balanced and detailed) so I was inclined to think that this setting bypasses all of the card's op-amps (delivering the sound straight from the card's DAC). Thanks!


The line-output (RCA) jacks can also be referred to as the Speaker output.
Analog Out setting in control panel, Speaker Out send the signal to the RCA jacks, Headphone setting sends the signal to the headphone jack.
So when the STX II is set to "Speaker", the analog line signal that comes out of the DAC, that signal goes thru the two I/V op-amps, then runs thru the buffer (low pass filter) op-amp, then goes to the RCA jacks.
When the STX II is set to "Headphone", the analog line signal that comes out the DAC, that signal goes thru the two I/V op-amps, then the signal goes straight to the headphone jack.


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## Mista Lova Lova

I have emailed Asus asking if there is a way to use the card in a DAC-only mode, here's the reply I got:

" No it is not possible to be used as DAC, no settings to bypass op-amps "

So it seems that even in the "IEM" setting one of the op-amps is still engaged (although to my ears this settings produces by far the cleanest and most detailed sound). I'll probably end up using the card to power up my monitors and subwoofer and will get an external DAC and amp for my headphones. 

Thanks for your help!


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## ray555

creative has stereo direct which is kinda neat


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## reddeath

Hi, I have few questions regarding this STX II card, which I have been using for some years now by the way. In stock configuration.

1. For driving a 50 ohm headphones (HD599), which output is expected to be better:
- RCA out to logitech speakers (with THX logo), which have a headphone plug on the control unit (amplification done in the speakers, but no technical data on the amp there)
- Headphone out on the card

2. Is there any way to make a keyboard shortcut to switch between RCA and headphone outputs, instead of going to the control app and using a dropdown there? It is mostly the reason why I have been using the plug on the speakers controller which has a volume knob.

3. Do you think it is worth to buy an external DAC to upgrade over STX II and improve sound quality? Something like SMSL M500, connected to the PC with USB. Would I hear distinct improvement?


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## PurpleAngel

The STX II comes with some nice DAC chips, might be better to upgrade the op-amps (operational amplifiers) on the STX II
I would rather plug the HD599 into the STX II headphone jack, then the Logitech's, but it's your ears that decide which sounds better to you.


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## reddeath

PurpleAngel said:


> The STX II comes with some nice DAC chips, might be better to upgrade the op-amps (operational amplifiers) on the STX II
> I would rather plug the HD599 into the STX II headphone jack, then the Logitech's, but it's your ears that decide which sounds better to you.



How do I upgrade op-amps (operational amplifiers)?


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## 18000rpm (Jan 21, 2021)

reddeath said:


> 1. For driving a 50 ohm headphones (HD599), which output is expected to be better:
> - RCA out to logitech speakers (with THX logo), which have a headphone plug on the control unit (amplification done in the speakers, but no technical data on the amp there)
> - Headphone out on the card



If your headphone is plugged into your Logitech speakers then I'm pretty sure the output voltage is handled by the Logitech and likely not as good as the Xonar. The Xonar has a very high quality dedicated headphone amp which is especially helpful for headphones that are difficult to drive.



> 3. Do you think it is worth to buy an external DAC to upgrade over STX II and improve sound quality? Something like SMSL M500, connected to the PC with USB. Would I hear distinct improvement?



I have been using the Essence STX II for many years and have been extremely pleased with its performance but I recently added an SMSL M400 DAC. Holy crap the improvement in sound quality is astounding. I don't use headphones but rather connect the output of the Xonar/SMSL directly to an amplifier (beefy Bryston 4B SST) so your mileage may vary. Before I bought the M400 I auditioned the M500 (which is one step below the M400) and that sounds very good too. Both also support MQA so TIDAL sounds great.

Now I use the Xonar for 5.1 and SMSL for stereo. The SMSL is connected via USB and when I turn it on, audio automatically switches to it so it's pretty convenient.


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## Telin (Jan 21, 2021)

reddeath said:


> Hi, I have few questions regarding this STX II card, which I have been using for some years now by the way. In stock configuration.
> 
> 1. For driving a 50 ohm headphones (HD599), which output is expected to be better:
> - RCA out to logitech speakers (with THX logo), which have a headphone plug on the control unit (amplification done in the speakers, but no technical data on the amp there)
> ...


1. I would say Headphone jack from the Essence. Logitech is not exactly known to put audiophile orientated products on the market. But just try and hear what you like best.

2. Yes it's called XonarSwitch works best with the Unified drivers which you should be using anyway. Seems to be in a permanent beta state but it worked fine for me on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016.

3. Depends.. Will the sound quality improve, yes. Will improve enough to justify the couple hundred dollar/euro.. only you can answer that.


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## reddeath

18000rpm said:


> If your headphone is plugged into your Logitech speakers then I'm pretty sure the output voltage is handled by the Logitech and likely not as good as the Xonar. The Xonar has a very high quality dedicated headphone amp which is especially helpful for headphones that are difficult to drive.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



How do you use xonar for 5.1 exactly? Do you use the addon 7.1 card? Are you on Windows, to be able to switch the audio cards automatically?


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## PurpleAngel

Mista Lova Lova said:


> I have emailed Asus asking if there is a way to use the card in a DAC-only mode, here's the reply I got:
> 
> " No it is not possible to be used as DAC, no settings to bypass op-amps "
> 
> ...


Just hook up the STX II's line-output (RCA) jack to any external headphone amplifier, then connect the headphone amplifier's line-output to the input's on your monitors.


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## kefs

PurpleAngel said:


> Just hook up the STX II's line-output (RCA) jack to any external headphone amplifier, then connect the headphone amplifier's line-output to the input's on your monitors.


Exactly how i use it with great results


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## 18000rpm

reddeath said:


> How do you use xonar for 5.1 exactly? Do you use the addon 7.1 card? Are you on Windows, to be able to switch the audio cards automatically?



Yes I have the 7.1 add-on card.


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## reddeath

Telin said:


> 1. I would say Headphone jack from the Essence. Logitech is not exactly known to put audiophile orientated products on the market. But just try and hear what you like best.
> 
> 2. Yes it's called XonarSwitch works best with the Unified drivers which you should be using anyway. Seems to be in a permanent beta state but it worked fine for me on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016.
> 
> 3. Depends.. Will the sound quality improve, yes. Will improve enough to justify the couple hundred dollar/euro.. only you can answer that.



I am not using the Unified drivers, just the stock version, which always works. Looking at the list of issues that the modded driver has, I just don't bother using it.
But I am interested in the XonarSwitch. Does it work at all with the standard drivers? Will it cause BSODs?


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## BallisticGT3 (Jan 23, 2021)

reddeath said:


> Do you think it is worth to buy an external DAC to upgrade over STX II and improve sound quality?



I've been an STXII user for a while, thinking that I was getting the best possible sound quality out of my Pc, but then I started to question this.
I'm not knocking the STXII, it's a great sound card and I found it better than the Creative ones.
I was feeding the analogue o/p into a decent external amp and speakers, but listening to music sounded nothing like my main hifi system in the lounge.

I searched the Internet for information on how to get the best possible sound quality from a Pc and discussed the matter with my goto hifi dealer, who made some suggestions and very kindly loaned me some kit to experiment with.

Here's what I found;
1) Changing the op-amps on the STXII does make a difference and will alter the sound characteristics, depending on your preferences, but this isn't where the biggest gains are to be made.
2) Taking the digital o/p from the STXII, instead of analogue, and feeding it into an external DAC, in this case a Chord QuTest, makes the biggest difference IMO.
3) Removing the STXII from my Pc altogether and connecting from usb to the Qutest sounded better still.
4) I tried an M-Scaler with the QuTest, which made a marginal improvement, but didn't sound as good as replacing the M-Scaler/QuTest with a HugoTT2.
5) I now have usb from the Pc into HugoTT2, into Bryston 2.5b3 and Dali Opticon 6 (soon to be replaced with Opticon 8 mk2) and the difference in sound quality from where I first started (STXII analogue o/p into Roksan Caspian mk2 and Opticon 6) is night and day.

I hope this information is of help to anyone looking to improve the sound quality from their Pc.


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## Telin

BallisticGT3 said:


> 2) Taking the digital o/p from the STXII, instead of analogue, and feeding it into an external DAC, in this case a Chord QuTest, makes the biggest difference IMO.


In that setup you just bypass the entire card and the Essence basically becomes a very expensive optical out add-on card. The same optical out you already get for free on most reasonable recent motherboards.


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## BallisticGT3

Telin said:


> In that setup you just bypass the entire card and the Essence basically becomes a very expensive optical out add-on card. The same optical out you already get for free on most reasonable recent motherboards.



Yes, I fully appreciate that and tried it to see if the DAC on the STXII was holding things back, which as it turned out it was.


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## 18000rpm

Telin said:


> In that setup you just bypass the entire card and the Essence basically becomes a very expensive optical out add-on card. The same optical out you already get for free on most reasonable recent motherboards.



Which is why he ended up not using the STX II and connecting the DAC via USB.

Also what I'm doing, although I still use the STX II for 5.1, and SMSL M400 via USB for stereo.


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## 18000rpm

BallisticGT3 said:


> 5) I now have usb from the Pc into HugoTT2, into Bryston 2.5b3 and Dali Opticon 6 (soon to be replaced with Opticon 8 mk2) and the difference in sound quality from where I first started (STXII analogue o/p into Roksan Caspian mk2 and Opticon 6) is night and day.
> 
> I hope this information is of help to anyone looking to improve the sound quality from their Pc.



We have quite a similar setup, mine is SMSL M400 DAC via USB to Bryston 4B SST amp with MartinLogan Prodigy electrostatic speakers. And the same experience - night and day difference compared to using the STX II. With the DAC I also get the benefit of being able to use balanced connection to my amp, plus being able to play MQA on TIDAL, and DSD music files (playing DSD with the STX requires the PC to convert it to PCM).

I've been a big fan of Xonar cards for a long time (first with a Xonar D2X in 2010, replaced with the STX II 7.1 a few years ago) but the new generation of DACs at reasonable prices have changed the game to be honest. For anyone using stereo only it really makes much more sense to get an external DAC these days. I still use the STX II for 5.1.


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## Telin

reddeath said:


> I am not using the Unified drivers, just the stock version, which always works. Looking at the list of issues that the modded driver has, I just don't bother using it.
> But I am interested in the XonarSwitch. Does it work at all with the standard drivers? Will it cause BSODs?


Unified drivers are modded original drivers.
In other words; all issues that are listed are also present in the original drivers minus the issues that are solvable by modding the drivers. Difference is that Asus gives hardly any information about their driver releases while Unified project is very open and transparent about the issues which makes it look like the Unified drivers have (more) issues.

I don't have any experience with XonarSwitch in combination with the original driver, I only used the Unified driver releases. I helped Carved to solve some Essence STXII specific bugs in his release.

Only issue that I ever encountered with XonarSwitch is that you might get a memory exception error when shutting down or restarting Windows. I always just clicked that message away and never noticed anything wrong or missing when Windows was restarted. I never had any BSODs due Unified drivers or XonarSwitch on Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016.


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## Smeklinis

Hello to all,

I bought for testing used STX II with original configuration 1xMUSES8820 + 2xMUSES8920. Compared to the new expensive and many older sound cards from Creative - ASUS playback is truly HIGH-END. After a lot of sound cards tested, for the first time I can say - WOW. 

Some questions for STX II owners: 
1. Will MUSES01 sound better than MUSES8920 through headphones (Burson V6 will not fit in my PC case)? 
2. If you are using Uni Xonar drivers, which version is best and most stable for WIN 10? 
3. If i turn off all inputs, i still can hear a quiet hiss - is there a solution? 

Thanks.


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## 18000rpm

Smeklinis said:


> Hello to all,
> 
> I bought for testing used STX II with original configuration 1xMUSES8820 + 2xMUSES8920. Compared to the new expensive and many older sound cards from Creative - ASUS playback is truly HIGH-END. After a lot of sound cards tested, for the first time I can say - WOW.
> 
> ...


1. Don't know.
2. Use the latest.
3. Mine has no hiss at all (I'm using speakers, not headphones).


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## nadtom

Smeklinis said:


> Hello to all,
> 
> I bought for testing used STX II with original configuration 1xMUSES8820 + 2xMUSES8920. Compared to the new expensive and many older sound cards from Creative - ASUS playback is truly HIGH-END. After a lot of sound cards tested, for the first time I can say - WOW.
> 
> ...


The best opamp is the original one. I tried Burson vivid, classic but the original is the best for me.


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## bcschmerker4

@Smeklinis *  Unfortunately, I cannot answer any of the above at this time* - the Hot Rod gPC went down in mid-January, does not complete power-on self-test. No longer recognizes i8042 keyboards. I'm assessing what planars from Gigabyte Technology Ltd. can replace the GA-MA78GM-S2HP v2.00 with minimal hardware changeout, as I've no fewer than four SATA HDD's in addition to the E-IDE optical drive.  When the Hot Rod was last up, I actually ran, not the MaxedTech software and packaged C-Media® CMI8788 driver, but the Advanced LinUX Sound Architecture Project driver snd-virtuoso - ALSA under LinUX 5.x doesn't have anywhere near the driver issues all audio manufacturers encounter in Microsoft® Windows® 6-up (including 10.0.19042._nnn_). The one big question: Whether my replacement planar needs the original XONAR ST (PCI 2.2) or can handle the STX and II (PCI-Express 2.0 x1).


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## jBEVIA

Hello, ASUS Xonar Essence STX II I connect it via rca to KEF LSX powered loudspeakers these have their own dac. It is worth changing the OPs. Or having the speakers your own dac is worthless, Thank you.


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## PurpleAngel

jBEVIA said:


> Hello, ASUS Xonar Essence STX II I connect it via rca to KEF LSX powered loudspeakers these have their own dac. It is worth changing the OPs. Or having the speakers your own DAC is worthless, Thank you.


I would run a 3.5mm(1/8) TRS plug to dual RCA plugs cable, to connect the STX II's front speaker jacks, to the 3.5mm line-input on the KEF.
I spent $60 for 3 op-amps for my STX (original model) card.


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## jBEVIA

PurpleAngel said:


> I would run a 3.5mm(1/8) TRS plug to dual RCA plugs cable, to connect the STX II's front speaker jacks, to the 3.5mm line-input on the KEF.
> I spent $60 for 3 op-amps for my STX (original model) card.


Ok I understand, I have that cable, what op did you buy and how was the sound, thank you very much.


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## PurpleAngel

jBEVIA said:


> Ok I understand, I have that cable, what op did you buy and how was the sound, thank you very much.


AD797BR op-amps, for all three slots.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/220781396592?hash=item336798c270:g:~~4AAMXQupJRFk~I
Sound quality was about 95% as good as my $375 Audio-GD NFB-15.32 DAC/amp.


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## jBEVIA (Apr 27, 2021)

PurpleAngel said:


> Amplificadores operacionales AD797BR, para las tres ranuras.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/220781396592?hash=item336798c270:g:~~4AAMXQupJRFk~I
> La calidad del sonido era aproximadamente un 95% tan buena como mi DAC / amplificador Audio-GD NFB-15.32 de $ 375


Hello, sorry for insisting, the link takes me to an AD797AR and you tell me that they are BR, is there any difference? Are they the ones that come with a dip-8 adapter? Thanks again.


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## PurpleAngel

jBEVIA said:


> Hello, sorry for insisting, the link takes me to an AD797AR and you tell me that they are BR, is there any difference? Are they the ones that come with a dip-8 adapter? Thanks again.


For the STX II op-amp slots, the AD797 chip needs to be mounted in pairs, on to the Dip-8 adapter.
I think my chips were AD797BR, but I did not notice I had linked the AD797AR stuff.
But best you double check, my Jedi mind likes to play tricks on itself.


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## Ufasas (Jun 30, 2021)

Hello, i am looking for last piece for my upgraded PC, i have AKG k702 62ohms headphones, and Sony Ma900, they are probably 12-16ohms, looking to game competitive games, singleplayers, and listen to rock/jazz/metal/electronic music. Using Asus Strix Soar 7.1 PCIe 1x soundcard with 6pin power connector, happy, but was always itchy to try that STX II for years. I am looking to get STX II as used. Will it be an upgrade over Strix Soar, at least for akg k702 ?


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## goodsguys

PurpleAngel said:


> I would run a 3.5mm(1/8) TRS plug to dual RCA plugs cable, to connect the STX II's front speaker jacks, to the 3.5mm line-input on the KEF.
> I spent $60 for 3 op-amps for my STX (original model) card.



Hi. You said earlier that you use 3 x ad797 opamps, can you please tell me how these compared to the stock opamps or any other opamps you have tried.
I am thinking of the ad797's myself and will appreciate some feedback.

Many thanks


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## OpTicaL

Will ASUS come out with a Essence replacement or is the Xonar Essence line discontinued indefinitely?


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## bcschmerker4

*ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated has switched to different C-Media DSP's from the CMI-8788;* the STRIX™ RAID™ gaming audio cards and the XONAR® AE use specific flavors of the CMI-6632, the XONAR SE low-profile the CMI-6620.  No activity on a new Essence™, as far as I can determine.


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## Telin

OpTicaL said:


> Will ASUS come out with a Essence replacement or is the Xonar Essence line discontinued indefinitely?


I think it is pretty much dead.
Onboard audio has come to a point which most gamers and regular users find it "good enough"
Audiophiles have mostly moved on to USB DACs quite some time ago.

Only Asus has the exact numbers of course but to me it seems that the soundcard market is not that big anymore.


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## askeladden

It annoys me that there is no innovation in that space. Asus made excellent products that are still loved and even preferred over newer products, they pumped out all sorts of audiophile products for a short period, even having a 4K UHD bluray dac/amp in the works at one point before shelving it alltogether.
Being a PC-gamer from way back it amazes me just how much innovation there was at one point before i think some windows vista update shelved support for certain hardware features because of bad soundblaster drivers (which btw are still bad judging by the products I've had).
I am mainly using my STX these days.. i quite like this aging product.


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## dsrk (Feb 23, 2022)

Hi All,

Can anyone confirm if the Equalizer and Flexbass work on optical out too? I am thinking of buying this just for the Equalizer and Flexbass. I will be using the optical out to my SMSL DAC.

Because my onboard Realtek equalizer works on optical out too and I find it better than Equalizer APO in terms of impact. 

I had the STX ST long time back and really enjoyed the FlexBass.


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## Varmintbaby

dsrk said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Can anyone confirm if the Equalizer and Flexbass work on optical out too? I am thinking of buying this just for the Equalizer and Flexbass. I will be using the optical out to my SMSL DAC.
> 
> ...



Hi, that works on all outputs of the soundcard. Good luck finding one though. I believe they are pretty hard to find right now..... It's a great headphone. I have 3 of the V5 Burson op amps on mine and it puts out amazing sound quality. I will never need another soundcard until there is some major innovation in that area that requires an upgrade.


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## dsrk

Varmintbaby said:


> Hi, that works on all outputs of the soundcard. Good luck finding one though. I believe they are pretty hard to find right now..... It's a great headphone. I have 3 of the V5 Burson op amps on mine and it puts out amazing sound quality. I will never need another soundcard until there is some major innovation in that area that requires an upgrade.


Thanks, I have person selling me a used one. Yes it's really hard to find a new one.


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