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Best currently avaialble PCI sound card for stereo music (under $300) - Page 2

post #16 of 23
6/19/09 at 12:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeperry View Post

and I've had a few BSOD's, apparently AC3Filter is known to crash the card ?!
No, maybe yours, but mine works perfectly fine with ac3 filter.
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post #17 of 23
6/19/09 at 3:17am
Thread Starter 
So with the exception of the drivers, sounds like the Xonar series is pretty good. So my next question is:
Is there a noticable difference in sound quality between the D2 and Essence STX? Is there anyone who has had both and can describe the differences? Are they subtle or dramatic? I guess for me, I need to decide if I should wait for and pay more for the upcoming ST, or if I should go with the D2.

Also, I haven't ruled out the Claro Halo. Can anyone here compare the Halo to the STX?
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post #18 of 23
6/19/09 at 4:00am
If you're using an ITX Atom based board you're limited to PCI slots, right? So the STX is out because it's PCIe...plus it needs another power input from the PS...which could be a problem with an ITX PS.

I've had both the D2 and the STX. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the STX was DOA so I never heard it. I'm not a big fan of Asus...I've had numerous mobo issues over the last 10 years and the STX fiasco was the icing on the cake. However, with the last driver update, the D2 has stop making random clicking noises and finally come into it's own. I can turn it all the way up (with no input) and not hear a thing...no hiss, no noise whatsoever. We've come a long way, baby.

If I was building a music server on an Atom or Ion based board I would use the D2 without reservation.
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post #19 of 23
6/19/09 at 4:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CodeToad View Post
If you're using an ITX Atom based board you're limited to PCI slots, right?
Nope! Several have PCI-E 1x slots
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post #20 of 23
6/19/09 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
While I agree that there are Atom based itx motherboards out there with PCIe, my board only has PCI. The reason I asked for a comparison between the D2 and STX is that Asus is about to realease the Essence ST (pretty much the STX with a PCI interface). Also, does anyone know what the differnce is between the AV100 and AV200. Seems like the 100 is in the lower end cards, but also appears in the STX. What gives?

It's nice to hear that the D2 is a quiet card. I would have assumed so with that massive EMI shield. What about musicality, resolution, etc.

So sound like the Asus card is either a love it or hate it kinda card, depending on how the drivers work for you. That's kinda new to me. While my CL Audigy2 doesn't sound great, I've never had to not work, make popping noises, or drop out. Should I stay clear of Asus? Would an HT Omega be any better, or is the issue the CMedia platform?

As for power supply, you bring up some good points. In fact, this may be an opportunity to bring power supplies into the picture. I am considering the power supply in my Case selection. Ruled out anything below 100 watts. Also looking closely at the max current and ripple voltage on the both the 12V and 5V rails (as this varies even between equally rated power supplies). The two cases I'm down to have a 120W and 300W.

I emailed HT omega tech support a while ago to ask about power supply recommendations, and I was told not to consider a PSU rated at under 300W. I thought that was excessive as my whole system (without the sound card) will draw ~60W. The reason I was given is that ground loop noise may be an issue in the lower watt power supply. That got me thinking about avaialble current as well. A large portion of a budget in HiFI gear is often spent on power supplies. I suppose only providing the minimum power requirements to a card could limit dynamic range and accuracy when the audio section requires large dynamic current.

What do you think... does the PSU matter? Can you get a good PSU for audio, or are they too noisy? How much power should you budget for a decent sound card.
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post #21 of 23
6/19/09 at 12:35pm
The whole ITX thing is still uncharted territory as it is still relatively new. The new chip sets are encouraging as far as power consumption goes. Really, the whole idea is to run cool and quiet and be unseen and unheard. A PS can ruin this.

I don't think the power requirements of the ST/STX are that great but I'd still opt for an external amp anyway.

The whole "PC's are noisy" thing seems to be irrelevant if you can't hear it...I know I can't. I'd much rather sit here with F2k or Winamp and a library of FLAC's (each song tagged, categorized, with album art and lyrics if I want....all at my fingertips) instead of getting up to change some noisy ass, clicking, popping, vinyl disk every 10 minutes or a cd changer with 6 disks that requires me to think where the albums are in the rotation.

>>>Would an HT Omega be any better, or is the issue the CMedia platform?

I think it is a Cmedia chip issue. I went through 2 Audiotrak's and had the same clicking, popping noises as the D2. Asus seems to have corrected it. I never had any issues like that with a Creative card.

I'll spare us all the trademark, faggotty audiofool language and just say the D2 is the best sound card I've owned to date. It makes no noise, reproduces music to the point where I hear things I've never heard before and it plays nice with all the other components I feed from it. This setup is better than a $5000 stereo I had in the 90's....by far. We've come a long way.
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post #22 of 23
6/19/09 at 1:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reader View Post
No, maybe yours, but mine works perfectly fine with ac3 filter.
it's well documented through google...something dodgy is bound to happen when you're using AC3Filter w/ an Asus soundcard, maybe AC3Filter is actually at fault even the Xonar PM is aware of the issue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CodeToad View Post
I've had both the D2 and the STX. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) the STX was DOA so I never heard it. I'm not a big fan of Asus
DOA is not quite an excuse, sh*t happens! I've had some Seagate drive failing on me, does that mean that Seagate sucks more than Samsung?
Quote:
Originally Posted by New2TheScene View Post
does anyone know what the differnce is between the AV100 and AV200. Seems like the 100 is in the lower end cards, but also appears in the STX. What gives?

It's nice to hear that the D2 is a quiet card. I would have assumed so with that massive EMI shield. What about musicality, resolution, etc.

How much power should you budget for a decent sound card.
1)AV100 is a rebadged CMI-8788, and the AV200 is the same w/ DTS realtime encoding from what I read.
2)the metal shield is only there for the show, read the review on xbitlabs.com
the PCB is shielded, the metal shield only makes the IC hotter from what they say...measurements are identical in both cases.
3)you need a proper PSU w/ as low a 12V ripple as possible. the STX is said to need up to 20W

all these consumer soundcards use the CMI-8788, prolly coz it does the job nicely and the manufacturer provides them w/ WHQL ready-to-use drivers OOTB.
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post #23 of 23
6/19/09 at 1:15pm
Thread Starter 
Does anyone know the size (dimensions) of the Asus Xonar D2..including the EMI shield. One of cases that I'm considering using has some prettry strict restrictions (max length of 6.9", and max thickness (PCB thickness + copmonent height + emi shield) of 19mm. I'd like to know that it will fit in that case.

I'd also, to lesser extent, like that info on the Essence STX to evaluate whether the Essence ST would be an option in that case.

I can't find the info online, and Asus tech support was useless. Is there anyone who can help?
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