[NamelessPFG]

 
Quote:

It seems as though EFX has pretty much replaced EAX, and anything that has OpenAL support can handle that.  It sounds like the bigger problem is that no one wants to use OpenAL.  

Yeah, that's the impression I have too, though games don't have prominent EFX toggles like they do for EAX. Could be because, as you stated, anything with OpenAL support works with EFX. The EAX implementation in OpenAL may solely be for ALchemy and other wrappers that need to restore that functionality after DirectSound3D was removed from Vista onward, but that wouldn't explain why Battlefield 2 and 2142 both have an EAX toggle while using OpenAL to begin with.
 
Gaming audio is quite the confusing subject, isn't it?
 
And yes, the bigger problem is that hardly anyone wants to use OpenAL these days, though I notice that indie developers seem far more willing to use it than major AAA studios for some reason. I'm not asking them to implement higher-level EAX effects or anything, but letting the sound card use the 3D positional information to play where and how it pleases just makes more sense to me, as it is not limited to any specific headphone or speaker layout.

 

[Phos]

EAX wasn't always depriciated within OpenAL, it was still a thing when those games came out.  

 

[oohms]

Looks like the same headphone output stage as the STX (JRC 2114 -> TPA6120) but with a slightly downgraded DAC (PCM1796 vs PCM1792)
 
I would stick with the STX for headphones, at least you can swap the I/V opamps
 
 
http://www.hhportal.com/donanim-haberleri/774896-asus%92un-rog-serisi-ses-uzmanlari-hazir.html
 
http://tech.xinmin.cn/3c/2012/01/17/13362758.html

 

[hamzatm]

looks cool as heck
 
might make the other xonars drop in price?

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

I paid $80 for a new Xonar DX just about four years ago. 
 
Quote:

looks cool as heck
 
might make the other xonars drop in price?

 

 

[pooley]

Quote:

The ROG tag will make it more expensive than it should be 

I concur, Asus will charge a premium for it!

 

[NamelessPFG]

 
Quote:

I paid $80 for a new Xonar DX just about four years ago. 

Urgh, the thought of "four years ago" in the context of sound card prices...paid $190 for my X-Fi Prelude, brand new from Newegg. Nowadays, I could've had that same card for as low as $65 (used, of course).
 
And yes, all gaming-marketed gear gets a ridiculous markup in pricing, usually without the quality increase to match...no wonder we have things like the big Mad Lust Envy thread on what headphones to buy for gaming. (Hint: almost none of them are "gaming" headsets, with the possible exception of the Sennheiser PC360.)

 

[BababooeyHTJ]

I think that you missed my point. I paid what the Xonar DX goes for now almost four years ago. I don't think that this is going to drive down prices on the rest of the line up. You did read the post that I was responding to, right?
Quote:

 

Urgh, the thought of "four years ago" in the context of sound card prices...paid $190 for my X-Fi Prelude, brand new from Newegg. Nowadays, I could've had that same card for as low as $65 (used, of course).
 
And yes, all gaming-marketed gear gets a ridiculous markup in pricing, usually without the quality increase to match...no wonder we have things like the big Mad Lust Envy thread on what headphones to buy for gaming. (Hint: almost none of them are "gaming" headsets, with the possible exception of the Sennheiser PC360.)

 

 

[staytuned]

 

[NamelessPFG]

 
Quote:

I think that you missed my point. I paid what the Xonar DX goes for now almost four years ago. I don't think that this is going to drive down prices on the rest of the line up. You did read the post that I was responding to, right?

I did read it. Just triggered some memories, that's all.
 
Still, there's a lot of variables that go into price changes over history...the MSRP may never change, but as more of the same product enters circulation, there's bound to be more owners willing to resell it at lower used prices, or retailers start having sales on it.
 
Also consider that I've noticed more expensive products dropping in price more quickly. The Xonar DX may not have changed in price, but the Essence STX has dropped by around $20 to $50 as far as I can tell, depending on vendor.

 

[Skwisgaar]

The Phoebus comes with the PCM1792A.  Same as the STX.
http://www.techpowerup.com/158389/ASUS-ROG-Phoebus-Sound-Card-Pictured-Driven-by-New-CMI-Oxygen-Express-Chip.html
 
Quote:

Looks like the same headphone output stage as the STX (JRC 2114 -> TPA6120) but with a slightly downgraded DAC (PCM1796 vs PCM1792)
 
I would stick with the STX for headphones, at least you can swap the I/V opamps
 
 
http://www.hhportal.com/donanim-haberleri/774896-asus%92un-rog-serisi-ses-uzmanlari-hazir.html
 
http://tech.xinmin.cn/3c/2012/01/17/13362758.html

 

 

[our martin]

i am doing a corsair build and waiting for the ivy bridge and the amd 7990 graphics card to come out.. do you think i should get the phoebus over the stx?

 

[Gilly]

Quote:

i am doing a corsair build and waiting for the ivy bridge and the amd 7990 graphics card to come out.. do you think i should get the phoebus over the stx?

 
If you are waiting for IB and the 7990, why not also wait on the Phoebus to be released properly and allow people to compare them?
 
 

 

[our martin]

the pc i am using now has got dolby home theatre 3 and the phoebus has got dolby home theatre 4 and that has sold it for me crysis 3 when it comes out will be glorious because crysis 2 on dolby home theatre 3 is glorious.head fiers this will be the one to get dolby home theatre 4 with 24 bit sound trust me on this one they have got this one bang on! p.s  i am over the moon with this phoebus news dolby home theatre 4 with 24 bit sound the games will sound out of this world! THIS HAS MADE MY DAY I HAVE ALWAYS SAID A DOLBY HOME THEATRE 24 BIT VERSION WOULD BE OUT OF THIS WORLD AND NOW SOMEONE HAS FINALLY DONE ONE IT WILL BE WORTH EVERY PENNY OR DIME IF YOUR AMERICAN  I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS BUILD NOW!

 

[bellsprout]

So hows this better for gaming? Does it still use Dolby Headphone?