BTW, the manual finally shows who does what amongst the opamps:
 
I guess this would make a good investment for this DAC: http://www.ebay.com/itm/mod-10x-AD797BR-Dual-Mono-Op-amp-module-up-NE5532-/350485764109
 
A friend of mine placed a preorder on it, and I see that it's available in UK so I should be able to post some impressions anytime soon. He will decide whether ordering those twenty AD797B would be worth the extra expense.

Quote:

leeperry said:

BTW, the manual finally shows who does what amongst the opamps:
 
I guess this would make a good investment for this DAC: http://www.ebay.com/itm/mod-10x-AD797BR-Dual-Mono-Op-amp-module-up-NE5532-/350485764109
 
A friend of mine placed a preorder on it, and I see that it's available in UK so I should be able to post some impressions anytime soon. He will decide whether ordering those twenty AD797B would be worth the extra expense.

Click to expand...

Like I would buy/trust something like this from China........China!
Bet they would also sell me ATH-M50s for $50.
 
But they do have good feedback.
 
 
 

Video review!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR6iv8HO9Pg

I wouldn't stress too much about the head-amp being not fully discrete.  From what I saw, others can confirm, it looks like a DIP 8 per channel, i.e. two BJTs per channel, which should offer excellent performance.

Available since this morning in some French online store. 

If you can get these at this price and is a real genuine this is very good value http://www.advancetec.co.uk/acatalog/Asus-Xonar-Essence-One-Hi-Fi-USB-Digital-to-Analog-Converter-Headphone.html#a31081 .

Quote:

holylucifer said:

If you can get these at this price and is a real genuine this is very good value http://www.advancetec.co.uk/acatalog/Asus-Xonar-Essence-One-Hi-Fi-USB-Digital-to-Analog-Converter-Headphone.html#a31081 .

Click to expand...

There's no way in the world that this is a real price.  Its either some kind of scam or a mistake. 

wat
 
http://www.directdial.com/XONAR%20ESSENCE%20ONE.html
https://www.pcczone.com/asus-xonar-essence-one-hi-fi-audio-sound-card.html

Hello,
 
 
I received my essence one this morning.
First, I want to warn the french customers, my device was set to 125 V.(bought  to www.materiel.net)
So be careful before plugging it.
there is a switch at the back of the essence one.
 
The essence works under linux ubuntu 11.10 but i think there is no ASIO driver
 
With upsampling, the sound is cleaner, but there is less treble.
I use a beyerdynamic DT990 headphone (250 ohms impedance) , the volume is set at 1/4

First, I want to warn the french customers, my device was set to 125 V.(bought  to www.materiel.net)

Click to expand...

 
Yell at them loudly; not every customer will notice this.
 

The essence works under linux ubuntu 11.10

Click to expand...

 
Good to know.
To find out the actual features supported by the hardware, please show the output of "lsusb -v" for this device.
 

but i think there is no ASIO driver

Click to expand...

The standard Linux driver has all the ASIO features.

lsusb -v gives me:
 
 
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 0b05:17a8 ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
Device Descriptor:
  bLength                18
  bDescriptorType         1
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass          239 Miscellaneous Device
  bDeviceSubClass         2 ?
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Interface Association
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  idVendor           0x0b05 ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
  idProduct          0x17a8
  bcdDevice            1.09
  iManufacturer           1 ASUS
  iProduct                2 ASUS Xonar Essence One
  iSerial                 0
  bNumConfigurations      1
  Configuration Descriptor:
    bLength                 9
    bDescriptorType         2
    wTotalLength          245
    bNumInterfaces          3
    bConfigurationValue     1
    iConfiguration          0
    bmAttributes         0xc0
      Self Powered
    MaxPower              100mA
    Interface Association:
      bLength                 8
      bDescriptorType        11
      bFirstInterface         0
      bInterfaceCount         2
      bFunctionClass          1 Audio
      bFunctionSubClass       0
      bFunctionProtocol      32
      iFunction               0
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        0
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         1 Audio
      bInterfaceSubClass      1 Control Device
      bInterfaceProtocol     32
      iInterface              0
      AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                 9
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      1 (HEADER)
        bcdADC               2.00
        bCategory              10
        wTotalLength          256
        bmControl            0x00
      AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                17
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      2 (INPUT_TERMINAL)
        bTerminalID             2
        wTerminalType      0x0101 USB Streaming
        bAssocTerminal          0
        bCSourceID             16
        bNrChannels             0
        bmChannelConfig   0x00000000
        bmControls    0x0040
          Cluster Control (read-only)
        iChannelNames           0
        iTerminal               0
      AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                12
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      3 (OUTPUT_TERMINAL)
        bTerminalID             7
        wTerminalType      0x0605 SPDIF interface
        bAssocTerminal          0
        bSourceID              12
        bCSourceID             16
        bmControls         0x0000
        iTerminal               0
      AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                18
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      6 (FEATURE_UNIT)
        bUnitID                12
        bSourceID               2
        bmaControls( 0)      0x00000003
          Mute Control (read/write)
        bmaControls( 1)      0x00000000
        bmaControls( 2)      0x00000000
        iFeature                0
      AudioControl Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                 8
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype     10 (CLOCK_SOURCE)
        bClockID               16
        bmAttributes         0x03 Internal programmable Clock
        bmControls           0x07
          Clock Frequency Control (read/write)
          Clock Validity Control (read-only)
        bAssocTerminal          0
        iClockSource            0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x8f  EP 15 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0006  1x 6 bytes
        bInterval               4
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           0
      bInterfaceClass         1 Audio
      bInterfaceSubClass      2 Streaming
      bInterfaceProtocol     32
      iInterface              5 SPDIF Output
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       1
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass         1 Audio
      bInterfaceSubClass      2 Streaming
      bInterfaceProtocol     32
      iInterface              0
      AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                16
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      1 (AS_GENERAL)
        bTerminalLink           2
        bmControls           0x05
          Active Alternate Setting Control (read-only)
          Valid Alternate Setting Control (read-only)
        bFormatType             1
        bmFormats               1
          PCM
        bNrChannels             2
        bmChannelConfig   0x00000003
          Front Left (FL)
          Front Right (FR)
        iChannelNames           0
      AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                 6
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
        bFormatType             1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
        bSubslotSize            2
        bBitResolution         16
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x06  EP 6 OUT
        bmAttributes            5
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               Asynchronous
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0068  1x 104 bytes
        bInterval               1
        AudioControl Endpoint Descriptor:
          bLength                 8
          bDescriptorType        37
          bDescriptorSubtype      1 (EP_GENERAL)
          bmAttributes         0x00
          bmControls           0x00
          bLockDelayUnits         0 Undefined
          wLockDelay              0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x86  EP 6 IN
        bmAttributes           17
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Feedback
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0004  1x 4 bytes
        bInterval               4
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        1
      bAlternateSetting       2
      bNumEndpoints           2
      bInterfaceClass         1 Audio
      bInterfaceSubClass      2 Streaming
      bInterfaceProtocol     32
      iInterface              0
      AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                16
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      1 (AS_GENERAL)
        bTerminalLink           2
        bmControls           0x05
          Active Alternate Setting Control (read-only)
          Valid Alternate Setting Control (read-only)
        bFormatType             1
        bmFormats               1
          PCM
        bNrChannels             2
        bmChannelConfig   0x00000003
          Front Left (FL)
          Front Right (FR)
        iChannelNames           0
      AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor:
        bLength                 6
        bDescriptorType        36
        bDescriptorSubtype      2 (FORMAT_TYPE)
        bFormatType             1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I)
        bSubslotSize            4
        bBitResolution         24
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x06  EP 6 OUT
        bmAttributes            5
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               Asynchronous
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x00d0  1x 208 bytes
        bInterval               1
        AudioControl Endpoint Descriptor:
          bLength                 8
          bDescriptorType        37
          bDescriptorSubtype      1 (EP_GENERAL)
          bmAttributes         0x00
          bmControls           0x00
          bLockDelayUnits         0 Undefined
          wLockDelay              0
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x86  EP 6 IN
        bmAttributes           17
          Transfer Type            Isochronous
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Feedback
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0004  1x 4 bytes
        bInterval               4
    Interface Association:
      bLength                 8
      bDescriptorType        11
      bFirstInterface         2
      bInterfaceCount         1
      bFunctionClass          3 Human Interface Device
      bFunctionSubClass       0 No Subclass
      bFunctionProtocol       0 None
      iFunction               0
    Interface Descriptor:
      bLength                 9
      bDescriptorType         4
      bInterfaceNumber        2
      bAlternateSetting       0
      bNumEndpoints           1
      bInterfaceClass         3 Human Interface Device
      bInterfaceSubClass      0 No Subclass
      bInterfaceProtocol      0 None
      iInterface              0
        HID Device Descriptor:
          bLength                 9
          bDescriptorType        33
          bcdHID               1.00
          bCountryCode            0 Not supported
          bNumDescriptors         1
          bDescriptorType        34 Report
          wDescriptorLength      24
         Report Descriptors:
           ** UNAVAILABLE **
      Endpoint Descriptor:
        bLength                 7
        bDescriptorType         5
        bEndpointAddress     0x84  EP 4 IN
        bmAttributes            3
          Transfer Type            Interrupt
          Synch Type               None
          Usage Type               Data
        wMaxPacketSize     0x0010  1x 16 bytes
        bInterval               4
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
  bLength                10
  bDescriptorType         6
  bcdUSB               2.00
  bDeviceClass          239 Miscellaneous Device
  bDeviceSubClass         2 ?
  bDeviceProtocol         1 Interface Association
  bMaxPacketSize0        64
  bNumConfigurations      1
Device Status:     0x0001
  Self Powered

 

Quote:

feax said:

Hello,
 
 
I received my essence one this morning.
First, I want to warn the french customers, my device was set to 125 V.(bought  to www.materiel.net)
So be careful before plugging it.
there is a switch at the back of the essence one.
 
The essence works under linux ubuntu 11.10 but i think there is no ASIO driver
 
With upsampling, the sound is cleaner, but there is less treble.
I use a beyerdynamic DT990 headphone (250 ohms impedance) , the volume is set at 1/4

Click to expand...

A quick question - do you have speakers plugged in it as well? I'd like to know if they are completely silent if the volume on the Essence One speaker output is set to zero. I plan on having both a headphone and my speakers plugged in at all times so that I can easily switch between them by simply turning the respective volume knob to 0.
 

I'll just leave this here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd94WYRkaj4&feature=channel_video_title

NCIX's Asus Xonar Essence One Unboxing

Many German online retailers now list it as "In Stock".

Quote:

gkl said:

A quick question - do you have speakers plugged in it as well? I'd like to know if they are completely silent if the volume on the Essence One speaker output is set to zero. I plan on having both a headphone and my speakers plugged in at all times so that I can easily switch between them by simply turning the respective volume knob to 0.
 

Click to expand...

I can't tell you this, because I only use the headphone.