[Darknecron]

Quote:

So you went with the "Lite" edition , was that down to price or other reasons ? , im just so undecided about this card , the more i read this thread to more confused i get !!! , my overall impression from this thread is that peeps arnt really happy with it , so keep changing the opamps with more and more exotic ones , all the time , to try and get it to sound good ?,but seems theres always something lacking even after all that ?? , whereas the Xoner D2 just gets glowing reviews everywhere i read , but ive just missed out on another one , so im getting desparate LOL

 
I got the Advanced Special Edition.  It has slightly upgraded capacitors, but only comes with the lite edition's OP AMP configuration.  It is also $20 cheaper than the Advanced edition.

 

[mrlimbo]

Quote:

 
I got the Advanced Special Edition.  It has slightly upgraded capacitors, but only comes with the lite edition's OP AMP configuration.  It is also $20 cheaper than the Advanced edition.

Oh ok , i thought the "Advanced Special Edition" "Lite" & "B grade" were all the same card DOH!!

 

[moriez]

Quote:

im just so undecided about this card , the more i read this thread to more confused i get !!! ,

 
My take, get the one that you feel best about. Could be the Xonar for you.
 
Grab the Advanced (non special) version so you won't be thinking what the ''better'' version could have been like. The price difference really is next to nothing is it not? On the other hand, I don't think one will be able to discern substantial difference between the versions aside from the opamp configuration.
Opamps are relatively cheap. Darknecron even got the LT's for free.
 
 
Quote:

my overall impression from this thread is that peeps arnt really happy with it , so keep changing the opamps with more and more exotic ones , all the time , to try and get it to sound good ?,but seems theres always something lacking even after all that ??

 
I think the reason behind that is because most just enjoy experimenting and getting the most out of it. Always looking for more and that's definititely not limited to this particular card

 

[razzz42]

Buying opamps is cheaper than buying new headphones as most of the time the listener wishes to make only certain changes to sounds that an equalizer can't do or when permanent soldered opamps can't be changed out easily.
 
Being able to change out 3 opamps positions and an headphone amp is a real plus.
 
Can't say you will hear much difference in sound from cheap headphones or speakers or low quality recordings if they are not responsive enough to react to better opamps but there is always the readiness for hardware upgrades with a decent sound card in place (stand alone, USB, computer, etc.)
 
Then if you are sending a decent opamp signal out to a receiver, you need to be able to bypass the receiver's on board DAC with 'uncontrolled' out jacks (whatever they might be called) or the sound signal is going to be reprocessed with probably unnecessary or unwanted enhancement.

 

[mrlimbo]

Quote:

 
My take, get the one that you feel best about. Could be the Xonar for you.
 
Grab the Advanced (non special) version so you won't be thinking what the ''better'' version could have been like. The price difference really is next to nothing is it not? On the other hand, I don't think one will be able to discern substantial difference between the versions aside from the opamp configuration.
Opamps are relatively cheap. Darknecron even got the LT's for free.
 
I think the reason behind that is because most just enjoy experimenting and getting the most out of it. Always looking for more and that's definititely not limited to this particular card

Hi , yes some very wise words there , your right , ive recently bought a hybrid tube head amp , now i read alot about that before buying , and almost everyone said that it needed upgrade ops & tubes to be any good , now ive got the upgrades waiting to use , but i wanted to know what the signature sound was of the standard model , so im keeping it "as is" for a couple of months , and to me it is outstanding and has improved my phones by 70% if not more !!!
 
Ive made alot of changes lately ie new comp , sound card , phone amp , but still the same phones , i think i will stick with the current card for now , as long as i can , and try and save for a "Asus xonar essence st/x" , but if i cant , i will go for this card , i already have alot of the opamps.
 
Thanks everyone for all the great knowledge and info

 

[Darknecron]

The card arrived today, before the sample op-amps.  Even with the stock LT-version's op-amps, I immediately noticed an improvement in clarity, definition, and soundstage over my onboard Realtek ALC 887...especially so with bass and treble.

 

[mrlimbo]

Quote:

The card arrived today, before the sample op-amps.  Even with the stock LT-version's op-amps, I immediately noticed an improvement in clarity, definition, and soundstage over my onboard Realtek ALC 887...especially so with bass and treble.

Thats great news , which opamps have you ordered ?

 

[Darknecron]

2x LT1364
 
2x LT1361
 
 
Both free samples.  I will grab another LT1361 later to try the 3x LT1361 configuration.

 

[Darknecron]

I just learned what the "S" and the "N" means in the LT op-amp's names.  

  Didn't learn that in electrical fundamentals! 
 
I have re-ordered samples in the proper "N" format.

 

[Darknecron]

Yesterday I received and installed my correct op-amps.  The difference in sound was immediately noticeable.
Treble:  Dramatically improved clarity and definition
Midrange:  Similar improvements almost equal to the treble's in magnitude
Bass:  Hits harder, sub-bass seems more defined
Soundstage:  Much wider and more clearly defined

 

[mynegation]

2x LT1364 + LT1361 - this is good configuration for listening death, black and doom metal on my Grado SR-225 headphones giving a warm and detailed sound. Unfortunately when connected to Triangle Stratos Solis 260 loudspeakers bass is too heavy and overwhelming.

 

[Space2012]

"Leaving the buffer opamp socket empty gave much better sound than with the LT1028 or any other opamp at that position I have tried"  http://www.head-fi.org/t/322497/audiotrak-prodigy-hd2-opamp-configurations-list/450#post_9087369
Indeed!volume seems the same to.
have only (2x2) AD797BR as I/V as opamps.
The LT1028 as a non unified gain Buffer  opamp did crash my win8.1 also(with no resistor gain tweak) .