[Gabrielisc]

 
Quote:

How do you guys have the settings setup for the Essence One so far?  Are you upsampling everything to 192hz/24bit, bit perfect, or just sticking to 44.1hz/16bit?
 
I don't have any high resolution files.  All my music is pretty much 16 bit, 44.1hz.  Do you recommend I upsample or leave it here?

Ok so from what I understand so far.
 
Using foobar - play all lossless (which will be 44.1khz/16bit) leave windows playback settings at 44.1khz/16bit and make sure you use the Asus essence ASIO driver.
only issue is - this only works on USB, cant get it working on SPDIF.
So basically you will see bit perfect and 44.1khz light on... then press the upsample on the asus.. this will use the asus upsampler to get 352.8KHz via hardware n not using software upsamplers.
 
If anyone figures out how to run ASIO via SPDIF using the essence one let me know (im hoping i wont have to use the asio4all stuff, cause asus has its own asio driver)
Also if anyone knows what to set the usb asio driver settings to (16/24/32bit and what latency (10ms-80ms)?
 
The other option is, use WASAPI SPDIF, can someone confirm that using WASAPI and ASIO is the same? cause it sounds different when i test it, I just cant tell if im just bsh*tting myself or not.

 

[DarKu]

Quote:

 
  Essence One is definitely in different category when compared to the STX and well worth the money.  Bass is tight and punchy, STX was kind of lean on the bass department, mids are a lot cleaner, and the highs are great as well.  This DAC is audiophile grade for sure...you hear the instrument separation and vocals. 

 
I told you guys this 2 months ago!
Essence One is in another, much higher league than ST / STX, it actually sounds 80% as a Burson HA-160D, Burson is still better in all areas, but at ~ 500 USD price of the Essence One I don't see something beating it.
 

 

[Gabrielisc]

Cost me $345AUD ($370USD) here in Australia, now its back up to $399AUD (basically $420USD)
 
Totally justifiable at that price.

 

[Mutsu]

I've just placed an order for an Essence One as an upgrade from an STX. I'll of course post my observations after some listening
 
I wanted to ask any current owners how long the USB cable is.
 
My current set up has my PC in the lounge with headphones/amp connected via RCA from my STX. If sound from the USB of the Essence One is superior to both STX > Amp (via RCA) and STX > Essence One (Via Optical out) > Amp, then I will move my PC from my lounge and use my laptop connected to the Essence One via USB. But the cable will need to be long enough

 

[audionewbieyao]

Quote:

How do you guys have the settings setup for the Essence One so far?  Are you upsampling everything to 192hz/24bit, bit perfect, or just sticking to 44.1hz/16bit?
 
I don't have any high resolution files.  All my music is pretty much 16 bit, 44.1hz.  Do you recommend I upsample or leave it here?

Personally I just play the files as is using my Foobar2000 using bit-perfect.
cause nothing can disturb my music listening, no MSN ding-dong, or stupid flash ads  screem out of no where in the background....
I thought bit-perfect is good enough for me at least until now.
 
 
Arrrrr...hummm...... .. d(^_^)b   (enjoying Bach cello Prelude 1 now, I just love that volume feeling of cello from Essence One, best moment of the day.....)
 

 

[Zybane]

 
Well, I got the "One" in today. Some initial thoughts:
 
Beautiful Asus packaging as always. This is one solid piece of equipment. Nice brushed aluminum. One disappointment though is that while the knobs are nice aluminum, the buttons are silver plastic. The power button seems to operate normally when it is in the "off" position, but when in the "on" position it seems to wiggle around and not be secure. Not sure if that is a design error, manufacturing error or assembly error. But it is definitely an error! The power button still functions though so it is more of a quality control issue. 
 
I also noticed the power supply input on the back was on the 230v setting. In the box came two different power plugs. One each of the main type used in Europe and no North American plug. Not really a problem for me as I have a million power cords, but it shows that these North American units where likely diverted from Europe without that consideration. 
 
Some more tests this weekend. 
 
BTW: does anyone else's power button flop around in the "on" position. Pretty big oversight IMO. 

 

[Lloyd84]

Quote:

 
BTW: does anyone else's power button flop around in the "on" position. Pretty big oversight IMO. 

Mine has a small amount of wiggle, no floppiness though.  I did notice the volume knobs have a LOT of play in them.  Have to say they look nicer than they feel. :/

 

[feax]

I listen with bitperfect .If it's a bad quality recording, I can use upsampling.
 
The buttons of my essence one are ok, the volume knob are ok, too.
The two volume knobs are numeric knobs.(you can feel it when you turn the knob)
 
The only problem I  had, is that my essence one was set to 110V , I didn't see it and I blew the two fuses
at the back of the essence.
The french essence one has two  T1AH250VP  fuses.
I replaced them with two T1A250V fuses, it's ok.  (T means temporised, A amperes, V volts)
 
But I dont know what H and P mean, does anybody know ?
 
 

 

[Zybane]

I must be blind. Where is this ASIO driver for the Essence one? It only shows one driver on the web site and I cannot get bit-perfect to work. 
 
If it is on the CD, why the heck is it not on the support page? I don't have an old CD player anymore. Who uses these old disc included in the packaging.
 
Could someone email the ASIO 2.2 driver for the Essence One to: darlo991@hotmail.com?

 

[feax]

the driver on the website of asus is the asio driver.
 
But you must install foobar, then download the asio plugin (for foobar) on the website of foobar, install it, and make some settings in foobar to make it work.
You can also download another media player, JRIVER media player , make some settings in it and it will work.
 
 

 

[Zybane]

Thanks, got it working with Foobar. BTW this Essence One sounds awesome. 
 
 Is there any way to force all of the audio that comes out of your computer to be bit-perfect? Games etc? Is it better to let the Windows 7 do the upsampling or the Essence One?

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

 

Ok so from what I understand so far.
 
Using foobar - play all lossless (which will be 44.1khz/16bit) leave windows playback settings at 44.1khz/16bit and make sure you use the Asus essence ASIO driver.
only issue is - this only works on USB, cant get it working on SPDIF.
So basically you will see bit perfect and 44.1khz light on... then press the upsample on the asus.. this will use the asus upsampler to get 352.8KHz via hardware n not using software upsamplers.
 
If anyone figures out how to run ASIO via SPDIF using the essence one let me know (im hoping i wont have to use the asio4all stuff, cause asus has its own asio driver)
Also if anyone knows what to set the usb asio driver settings to (16/24/32bit and what latency (10ms-80ms)?
 
The other option is, use WASAPI SPDIF, can someone confirm that using WASAPI and ASIO is the same? cause it sounds different when i test it, I just cant tell if im just bsh*tting myself or not.

If you use another device to send S/Pdif to the E1 it would only show the frequency of the audio coming in.
 
 


Quote:

Thanks, got it working with Foobar. BTW this Essence One sounds awesome. 
 
 Is there any way to force all of the audio that comes out of your computer to be bit-perfect? Games etc? Is it better to let the Windows 7 do the upsampling or the Essence One?

No way to make all audio from the system to be bitperfect.
 
As for resampling in the system or the E1, Try both and use the one that sounds best to you.
 
 
For those interested in swapping opamps, I have been testing for quite awhile now and might have some suggestions for you soon.
I will try and stay away from the more pricey opamps ($100+)  for the recommendations but I have been working with both chips and discretes.
 
If you have any opamps you are unsure about buying for your E1 and would like me to test out for you, drop me an PM, if I have the units I will give them a listen and give you an opinion.
 
 

 

[jarula29]

Ill be waiting for suggestions about opamps, so. Let me know when u have any conclusions.
Thanks

 

[aston456]

Good morning team,
 
does anybody know how the EO generates the clock frequency(ies)?
I cannot find any VCXO on the mainboard.
The ADSP-21261 is actually capable of generating it´s own clock frequency without an external VCXO, if I´m not mistaken.
Is that´s the way it´s done?
 
Cheers
Kai

 

[cladisch]

does anybody know how the EO generates the clock frequency(ies)?

The audio sample clock is either generated by the USB interface chip or derived by the S/PDIF receiver chip.