Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Xonar Essence ST bypass built-in amp
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Xonar Essence ST bypass built-in amp

post #1 of 38
7/20/10 at 2:02pm
Thread Starter 

How do I bypass the internal amplification to allow the Darkvoice amp to do its job entirely?

 

Xonar Essence ST -> Darkvoice 3322 -> HD650

I want to use the internal DAC on the Essence ST but not the amp (dont want it to muddy the signal).

Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

ASUS Xonar Essence STX Virtual 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface 124 dB SNR /...
post #2 of 38
7/20/10 at 2:58pm

And what about....(drum roll).........using the line out!

Reply
post #3 of 38
7/20/10 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 

the digital line out?

is there a way to disable the amplification in the Xonar software? or to manually do it on the card itself?

Reply
post #4 of 38
7/20/10 at 3:28pm

Using ST's line out will bypass its internal HP amp.

 

Quote:

the digital line out?

 

That would work too, that is, assuming you have an external DAC...

Reply
post #5 of 38
7/20/10 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 

I see, so there are 2 analog line outs.. one of them is amplified and one is not?

Reply
post #6 of 38
7/21/10 at 5:42am

pretty much, analog line-out bypass the internal HP amp as was said. the buffer op-amp is used instead. there is a relay in the circuit that allows to do this, it's the clicking sound you hear when you swith between 'Analog Out' options.

Reply
post #7 of 38
7/26/10 at 11:48am

what opamp's do you use?

Reply
post #8 of 38
7/26/10 at 3:13pm

lineout.jpg

 

That's what you use.

Reply
post #9 of 38
7/27/10 at 3:30am

i mean op-amp

example op amp

Reply
post #10 of 38
7/27/10 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by KaraSinek View Post

i mean op-amp

example op amp


Stock, I guess. Don't even know what they are or if I should upgrade mine (wouldn't know how)! Enlighten me =)
 

Reply
post #11 of 38
7/27/10 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Reputator View Post

lineout.jpg

 

That's what you use.


I thought only the two black ones were DAC'd.
 

Reply
post #12 of 38
9/4/11 at 1:34am

I know this is somewhat outdated, just posting if someone is curious (I actually stared very hard on my card to find out what those 5 ports do - I only use the headphone jack lol)

 

So this is from top to bottom:

Red - Analog Output Front Right - RCA  - To AMP / Speaker.

White - Analog Output Front Left - RCA  - To AMP / Speaker.

Black 1 - Analog Output 6.30mm jack *1 To Headphone

Black 2 - Analog Input line in 6.30mm jack *1 To Other source

Gray - Digital S/PDIF Output to DAC

 

Or check the manual :D

 

Also there is a new driver 7.12.8.1794 available, in case you are interested.

 

Manual and drivers can be obtained from the following link.

http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_Essence_ST/#dwnload

 

*I have removed the wrong information about TCA jack being amplified*

 


Edited by OneSec - 9/5/11 at 7:40am
Reply
post #13 of 38
9/5/11 at 4:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneSec View Post

By the way the analog output has amplification. So you might want to check with Asus how to turn of the amplification - probably dummy op-amp or something. So if you want to skip amplification for sure is to use the digital out - but you will be missing a very nice DAC function that comes with Xonar - your choice.

 


Are you sure about that? Isn't the HP out the only one that is amplified? I thought the RCA out was merely a line-out. I'm currently using the analog output to feed a Little Dot MKIII. Does this mean that I'm driving my HPs with double amplification? eek.gif
Does double amping jeopardize SQ?
Reply
post #14 of 38
9/5/11 at 7:35am

Long story short:- You are right. There is no amplification. I apologize for the wrong information, and sorry if I have raised unnecessary panic to you :P I was curious as well so I log a case with Asus. Here's the reply:

 

"The RCA outputs are line-level outputs, i.e., they are not amplified and you cannot connect speakers without built-in amplifier directly to them. (Only the headphone output has an amplifier.)

To get surround sound out of the ST, you need to use either a digital output (optical or coaxial) or the H6 daughterboard."

 

Reply
post #15 of 38
9/5/11 at 8:42am

Phew! I was already looking for a dummy opamp :)

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

ASUS Xonar Essence STX Virtual 7.1 Channels PCI Express Interface 124 dB SNR /...
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Xonar Essence ST bypass built-in amp