[MrGreen]

so you finally left the STX camp leeperry? Good to know

 

[leeperry]

hehe, I sold my STX more than 6 months ago...it's like the 49720, it's impressive when it's your new toy, then it becomes agressive and unbearable after a little while.

plus the drivers were giving me suicidal tendencies

 

[daws0n]

Agreed Robscix. That's why I asked him

I must admit some of Lee's comments in that thread swayed me into trying to ST out. People who change and contradict their opinions like that ain't worth listening to.

Personal verdict - nothing at all to shout about, swapping back to my PCI-E version I actually prefer it. Yes the PCI version has a distinctly "fuller" sound, but this came fatiguing quick and it seemed to lack the detail and precision of the STX.

Bare in mind though I am listening near-field in a small room. The drivers on my siroccos are only 4 inch, and most of the lower-mids and bass are performed by the sub-woofer. Perhaps people will have different results if using a dedicated 2 channel setup in a larger room?

It was being returned either way, as one of the screws holding on the EMI shield is rounded to buggery - so that isn't coming off any time soon.
No wonder it was cheap

 

[leeperry]

don't forget to put some 49720NA on your STX for the full (ear bleeding) "experience"

my first STX also had a messed up screw hole FWIW...blame Asus, and there's a trick to do on the metal shield to improve its conductivity and efficiency, but I feel there's no need to disclose it at this point.

listening to shills pushing their products is not the smartest thing to do either...anyhow

 

[daws0n]

Thanks for the heads up, did you sent it back to Asus? I'll forward that onto the seller, he's giving me grief saying that I rounded it off myself!

Go on, you know you want to tell us

 

[daws0n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif listening to shills pushing their products is not the smartest thing to do either...anyhow

Quite the contrary actually... Asus Tech Support have proclaimed there should be very little difference at all between the two, the fact that people on here (yourself included) have said differently is what got my attention in the first place.

 

[forciano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif He sure did! He loved both of them!!! Recommended them to everybody he could! Look back thourhg the threads. Consider other posting this guy has made about these cards: Now he has found a new card he wants everybody to disregard all the gushing glowing reports he made about these cards and think his HD2 is much better! Yeah right.

I find one of the things that are the hardest in the realm of head-fi is to find posts from people who are smart and methodical in the way they approach this hobby.

 

[leeperry]

oh, please don't quote shill #1, he's on my ignore list for a reason...luckily, I didn't read his post in full, as they are always full of typos and hatred

anyhow, many friends have bought an HD2 Advance Deluxe on my advice, and they have all sold their STX/ST right away.

much more musical/less spikey and agressive trebles, much more stable non-resampling drivers...everything the STX should have been basically, but failed trying.

I see ppl start pulling off/bypassing many caps these days, maybe w/o all those caps and w/ some proper drivers on Linux, the STX would get my love again...but I'll prolly never find out, as I need to run Windows.

thoppa had to mod his ST like hell to make it almost "comparable" to his Onkyo SE200, from what *he* said.

and games blew on the STX, here's a non-shill review: Two in One: Asus Xonar Essence STX Sound Card Review (page 6) - X-bit labs
Quote:

If Dolby Headphone is not enabled, the Xonar Essence STX gives you no sense of direction towards the sound at all.

for the record, he's talking about Quake4...which is an OpenAL game, and when I tried Q3 it almost felt like mono

reviews like those laughables ones on guru3d that are only boasting about the qualities of a products are meaningless, and are simply used as press releases by the manufacturers(I send you free review samples, you say it's good or else)...it's hard to pass all the faults in their crappy drivers, only cold cash can do that.

but it's working from what I see, shilling is a great business in its own right...the king is dead, long live the king! you're being manipulated by a bunch of dishonest ppl, and you don't even realize it...haha, talk about a business masterplan

no more troll feeding for me, take care fellas w/ your killah EssTeeekS cards

 

[forciano]

Well this wasnt directed directly at you but to certain trends I have seen from me reading these forums for a quite a while now.
If i say your statements are wrong without ever listening to your setup, then you'll understand where I'm coming from.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Just find it hard to take a person opinion that changes on a daily basis.

 

[audionewbieyao]

Quote:

you're being manipulated by a bunch of dishonest ppl

what do u mean by dishonest?
that's a very serious word, u'd better show some evidence for that.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daws0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Agreed Robscix. That's why I asked him I must admit some of Lee's comments in that thread swayed me into trying to ST out. People who change and contradict their opinions like that ain't worth listening to. Personal verdict - nothing at all to shout about, swapping back to my PCI-E version I actually prefer it. Yes the PCI version has a distinctly "fuller" sound, but this came fatiguing quick and it seemed to lack the detail and precision of the STX. Bare in mind though I am listening near-field in a small room. The drivers on my siroccos are only 4 inch, and most of the lower-mids and bass are performed by the sub-woofer. Perhaps people will have different results if using a dedicated 2 channel setup in a larger room? It was being returned either way, as one of the screws holding on the EMI shield is rounded to buggery - so that isn't coming off any time soon. No wonder it was cheap

That is right.
I let people posts do the talking and unfortunatly for him, he has contradicted himself repeatedly.

What your're using for playback gear is always a factor. Some people have warmer headphones then others.
Some like certain sound signatures over others.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif anyhow, many friends have bought an HD2 Advance Deluxe on my advice, and they have all sold their STX/ST right away.

You mean these posted opinions of the HD2?


Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif the problem on the HD2 is that the PCB is very poorly shielded...

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif the 0404USB/Audiophile USB are as good as it gets, the HD2 is lousy as hell....all that harmonic distortion is obviously due to poor design. funny that they boast about "120dB SNR" on their website, these are the DAC specs...not the card's! good thing they EOL this card

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif you could sell it and get an Audiophile USB, it's got bit-perfect ASIO drivers and a much clearer sound than the HD2(the guy I sold mine to confirmed it).

Now suddenly it is the best thing since poptarts?

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by forciano /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find one of the things that are the hardest in the realm of head-fi is to find posts from people who are smart and methodical in the way they approach this hobby.

That is very true.

 

[leeperry]

exactly! I didn't read all the last posts(as their authors are all on my ignore list) but I'm sure we agree, all these shill review websites that never talk about drawbacks whatsoever are just a way to manipulate potential customers...and they're so dumb that they don't even realize it, masterplan I tell you!

tell everyone on the internet that a product is good, don't talk about the bad sides whatsoever...and it will sell like hot cakes!

just like the amp section here on head-fi, they're all the "best"..there can't be that many best

maybe because most of the reviewers got them for free in exchange for a raving review on forums? haha, this is so much what's currently happening on headfi, and yet hardly anyone realizes it