[daws0n]

I've recently bought a Xonar STX soundcard, and found it a improvement over the D2X I had before it...

Reading the "sneak-peak" thread on here for the new ST version, some people have said that the ST card is better again over the STX due to improved jitter clock etc... This however seems to be contradictory to the recently Stereophile review claiming the STX has superior measurements

I am still curious however and I have just been offered a slightly used ST version for a good price (so switching over would cost me very little.) To those that have tested both - is it worth while to change over?

Thanks,
Dawson

 

[OICWUTUDIDTHAR]

ST > STX

that tis all.

 

[daws0n]

Looking into PCI vs PCI-E connectivity, the later seems to be best when it comes to soundcards (lower latency, more power drawn directly from PSU opposed to motherboard.). Looks like it may be worth the punt...

With regards to kit, I rarely use headphones so I most interested in RCA speaker output. I'm using a Videologic Sirocco 2.1 system, it's ten years old and hardly high-end in hi-fi terms, but technically it's still a decent setup (2.1, active crossovers, audax drivers).

Any other opinions on ST > STX?

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daws0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've recently bought a Xonar STX soundcard, and found it a improvement over the D2X I had before it... Reading the "sneak-peak" thread on here for the new ST version, some people have said that the ST card is better again over the STX due to improved jitter clock etc... This however seems to be contradictory to the recently Stereophile review claiming the STX has superior measurements I am still curious however and I have just been offered a slightly used ST version for a good price (so switching over would cost me very little.) To those that have tested both - is it worth while to change over? Thanks, Dawson

I have downloaded & read the Stereophile article & they were using 2 different platforms to test the cards. There can be real differences in noise when testing on different platforms & I noticed this even on my current platform, when I changed the video card from a 8800GT video card to a GTX260 video card I expected worse performance in noise due to claimed increased power usage. The power usage ended up exactly the same & the noise injected into the system & made out the analog outputs of the sound card was much less than with the 8800GT card. So they need to test on a more equal footing in order to really have any meaning to the test results.There is much in the analog sections of the 2 cards that are exactly the same so either it was a problem with the platform or a defective card for the ST.

 

[daws0n]

Ah, good point there - I didn't know that... Bit daft of them using different PCs as you say! At the moment my STX is very close to my GTX260 (literally MMs, using the slot directly above), so at least using a PCI slot will give it some distance away from the other components.

I've decided to give it a go

, the ST was well price so I can sell either one on without much loss. To be honest I think PCI is a bit more practical anyway, as it leaves the PCI-E slots well ventilated if I decide to SLi another GPU or something... It's slowly becoming a legacy slot, but I can't see motherboard manufacturers removing them altogether for a long time yet.

 

[germanium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daws0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, good point there - I didn't know that... Bit daft of them using different PCs as you say! At the moment my STX is very close to my GTX260 (literally MMs, using the slot directly above), so at least using a PCI slot will give it some distance away from the other components. I've decided to give it a go , the ST was well price so I can sell either one on without much loss. To be honest I think PCI is a bit more practical anyway, as it leaves the PCI-E slots well ventilated if I decide to SLi another GPU or something... It's slowly becoming a legacy slot, but I can't see motherboard manufacturers removing them altogether for a long time yet.

Have you got it yet & if so what ae your impressions?

 

[GWorlDofSPACE]

I am using a clock modified stx so I think the ST should be far better then STX alone.

 

[karel vojpich]

I have a similar problem – I’ve got an Asus P6T Deluxe mobo and triple fan 4870x2 (uses almost 3 slots).

http://www.overclock3d.net/gfx/artic...101043580l.jpg

http://www.overclock.net/attachments...d-dsc07731.jpg

For ST I would have to use bottom PCI slot with a space between sound and graphic card approx 1-1,5 cm.

For STX I can use the lowest PCI-E (16x)

The questions is - does the superior sound quality of ST overweight the better airflow/interference of STX?

Decisions decisions…

 

[daws0n]

Received card today - sounds very different from the STX! First impressions are a fuller sound, with less detail/treble... Certainly not as bright.

Whether or not it sounds "better" is pretty subjective IMO. What's got me in a pickle though is that it was purchased used, and when I installed it I noticed one of the screws securing the EMI shield cover has been rounded off. I've emailed the seller to complain about possible tampering but he insists it's been untouched...

So who knows? Maybe it has different op-amps?? But for now I will assume not and consider this stock STX vs stock ST.

So in short: Different? yes. Better? undecided.

 

[leeperry]

anyone could DBT them from one another, that's how different they sound

 

[daws0n]

Well, that's debatable

Which one do you own Lee?

 

[leeperry]

owned both, sold both

 

[daws0n]

Fair enough. Did you have preference between the two?

 

[leeperry]

not really

when you've heard the ST, the STX sounds like a big mushy stereo mess...and the ST sounded WAY too agressive to me, the music was gone...I felt as it was spitting white noise at me.

and the drivers, OMG the drivers....everything that could possibly be done wrong has been fulfilled, impressive work! it wouldn't even play 192kHz on XP, which I happen to need for Reclock.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daws0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Fair enough. Did you have preference between the two?

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:
Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know it hurts to see/hear that Asus beats everyone(especially for $200)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif but w/ some LME49720HA + some lossless remastered audio in KS, the SQ on the STX is simply out of this world

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif ask more ST owners for impressions against the STX, so you'll have more feedback than just mine...but they're prolly too busy having eargasms to bother coming here

Quote:

Originally Posted by leeperry /img/forum/go_quote.gif the 4562 is a very good starting point to unleash the Essence power....if you feel need be

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.