[firecommon]

Hey guys, i'd appreciate any help!
 
Can i connect a schiit lyr amp to the U7 via SPDIF and still get 3d audio?

 

[Sam21]

  Hey guys, i'd appreciate any help!
 
Can i connect a schiit lyr amp to the U7 via SPDIF and still get 3d audio?

SPDIF outputs a digital signal.....so you need a Digital to analog converter, after being turned into an Analog signal, you can amplify it using the Schiit lyr.
 
 
You can also do it another way: use the Analog out port on the U7 and connect it to the lyr, this way you are using the Digital to Analog converter in the U7...which happens to be a good one in this case....
 
most sound cards have SPDIF Out because the D/A converter on the Sound Card isn't good[or maybe to use with another device]...so you use your own D/A converter...but in this case the D/A converter is pretty good.

 

[firecommon]

Thank you Sam.
 
Seems like lyr only has stereo RCA inputs. And according to pietcux, if i connected the lyr, i wouldn't have the dolby effects:
 

The U7 has a line out. With an adapter RCA to 3.5 mm you can connect any amp. But you do not output Dolby effects this way. It is only Stereo.

 
Seems like I may have to purchase a second pair of headphones to use with the U7 if i wanted 3d gaming sound, because i don't think the U7 could power a LCD-2..?

 

[pietcux]

Why not use the headphone out to your Lyr analog in. That is called double amping. The DAC/AMP section of the U7 is quite good already, but they did not have the LCD cans in mind when they decided about the gain of the U7. I bet there are not many gamers using them. I use a AKG K702 or an Ultrasone PRO 550 for gaming and both are powered very well, COD Ghosts or BFBC 2 singleplayers both blow your ears away if you want. Like any other modern game probably, but those are the recent ones I played through. I always use the Dolby gaming preset.

 

[Sam21]

  Thank you Sam.
 
Seems like lyr only has stereo RCA inputs. And according to pietcux, if i connected the lyr, i wouldn't have the dolby effects:
 
 
Seems like I may have to purchase a second pair of headphones to use with the U7 if i wanted 3d gaming sound, because i don't think the U7 could power a LCD-2..?

That might be true, because Dolby works with headphones...but still I am not sure if it is true. You can use the headphone out instead of the RCA out.

 

[Sam21]

"That is called double amping."
 
I think you can disable the amp in U7's software ?

 

[pietcux]

 
Seems like I may have to purchase a second pair of headphones to use with the U7 if i wanted 3d gaming sound, because i don't think the U7 could power a LCD-2..?

The measurements on Inner Fidelity show the the LCD2 needs o.114 Vrms to give you 90db SPL, whereas the AKG Q701 needs 0.318 Vrms. So the LCD2 is much more efficient as the AKG. And my AKG K702 is more than loud enough on the U7 on medium gain. You might just want to give the U7/ LCD2 a try.

 

[firecommon]

Thank you for the double amping suggestion. Also, i suppose i will try the lcd-2 directly to the U7 via a 1/4 to 1/8" converter.
 
I haven't purchased the u7 yet, but I am pretty sure this is the right buy for me: I need a soundcard capable of dolby headphone, to be used solely for gaming, but i have a mini-motherboard with its only pcie spot occupied by the graphics card. It is very fortuitous that ASUS has this external usb sound card available.

 

[pietcux]

Make sure to install the latest driver package from the Asus webste, it is much more stable. And it is also good to disable the onboard sound device, once you have the U7 installed.

 

[pietcux]

I found a Xonar U7 Echelon used for a good on Amazon today. As the Echelon seems to have a totally different basic driver. I want to test if I can get windows to see it as a 7.1 sound device..... And if that makes a difference that I can hear or is more statistic. I will use the Dolby addon on both cards. Should get it by mid next week, so let's see....

 

[pietcux]

Hi I got the U7 Echelon Yesterday. even though it has a different basic user interface, not the XEAR stuff, but the Sonic Studio Pro, you cannot select more than 2 channels when selecting headphones. But the surround channels are very much there either with Sonic Studio or with Dolby activated. And the funny thing is that the sonic radar activated in game shows you exactly from where the sonic clues of your enemies or the environment come from just check the video below for further clarification.
 
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTn3c40ocnM&feature=youtu.be

 

[Sam21]

if the hardware is the same, why cant we use Echelon's driver with ordinary Xonar U7 ?

 

[x7007]

  Hi I got the U7 Echelon Yesterday. even though it has a different basic user interface, not the XEAR stuff, but the Sonic Studio Pro, you cannot select more than 2 channels when selecting headphones. But the surround channels are very much there either with Sonic Studio or with Dolby activated. And the funny thing is that the sonic radar activated in game shows you exactly from where the sonic clues of your enemies or the environment come from just check the video below for further clarification.
 
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTn3c40ocnM&feature=youtu.be

So is it better than Xonar phoebus + Dolby Headphones Virtualizer ?  Should I think about buying U7 Echelon ?  Could I use the xonar phoebus amplifier with the U7 Surround ?
 
Thanks

 

[pietcux]

  if the hardware is the same, why cant we use Echelon's driver with ordinary Xonar U7 ?

I have both, and tried it on the first evening for sure 

 If you just install the Echelon package with the Echelon connected, it works also for the non Echelon version, but only for a short period of time. I think windows recognizes the different hardware and tries to install a driver for new hardware found. But anyways, the Echelon driver does not work with the standard U7. When the echelon first came out I downloaded the Echelon driver and also could not get it working with the standard hardware.

 

[Sam21]

Which DAC do you guys think is better : the U7's (CS4398) DAC or the E17's (WM8740) DAC ? Would I hear a difference if I use U7's Analog outs vs U7's SPDIF's out to E17's optical in ?
 
 
I honestly think that the DAC on U7 is much better....Like to hear your opinions....