Rayz
100+ Head-Fier
Hey people, what's the exact differences between the original STX and the new STX II? also in terms of sound of course. is it worth upgrade (I can use 2nd card anyway)?
Op Amps do not do much. I have done various swaps and listening through a speaker system where the differences would be more apparent, the differences were negligible. Op amps solely will give the sound a different color kind of like how an eq would. I chose LM49860's for all 3 slots because they are bright and detailed. I have a sub so bass performance is not that important. It was not night and day and for your headphones I doubt you would have heard much difference. I would rather spend that money on getting a better DAC. But the truth is if you swapped DAC's entirely you will probably not hear much of a difference. I used a TEAC-UDH01 for a couple days and the bass was better but I lost the detailed highs from my Xonar with LME49860's. I preferred my Xonar.
If you have the STX II with muses op amps than you are set. If you have the ST or STX than I would advise on trying some $3-5 op amps but that's is it. You would be better off getting a better DAC than spending $50 on an op amp.
The fact that you did not like the stock op amps shows that this DAC is not for you. I have not heard anyone else hate the sound especially while using the Muses.
Instead of spending $100's of dollars experimenting with op amps I would rather spend it on a better DAC that suites my sound signature. I myself spent maybe $30 in op amps but that is as far as I am willing to go.
If you really want to make the Xonar sound better get the best low ripple power supply you can afford. Going from my old Corsair TX750 to an EVGA Supernova G2 made the Xonar sound clearer with tighter bass. If you have a really crappy PSU than the difference will be greater. But again, you will be better off spending it on a better or different DAC, or just loving the sound you currently have.
hi and hope this helps
1) upgrading is up to you from your U7
2) I would go with the STX !! I have had an STX ( which I really did not like), tried an ST ( which I very much liked) and running now the STX II
2A) Yes but by doing that you are bypassing all the STX II's sound is basically a sound passthrough an you will utilizing the Z-5500's DAC
2B) Yes, but I have heard of issues of loud pops when doing this ( personally I have not tested this)
2C) There is no jitter issue with the STX II it has a better clock than the ST at least to me
3) depends on what you want for my needs the STX II does it fine. I ran an Auzentech Prelude for years and am an ex musician. I use the STX II in stereo only for headphones, the computer set up, my main amp/speaker set up and for some music streaming to friends.
my suggestion to you is order one for a trial from a supplier that gives a 30 day return. That way you can test it yourself on your rig against the U7, but to be honest you have to use the analog out to get all the quality the card can deliver and that you pay for. If you are mostly using passthrough to another DAC digitally you will see no real change in sound.
Hope this helps
I have just installed the card and the question pops up:
Is there any way I could set this bloody card to output voic comm through the headphones, while other media streams through the SPDIF?
Thanks in advance!