ASUS Xonar U7 Sound Problem

[ryanc522]

Hi, I have just bought a Xonar U7 usb sound card and I have downloaded the new driver from the ASUS website.  However, the sound quality is completely underwater and is literally 100 times worse than my onboard real-tek HD audio.  I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the driver already, and on top of that the sound card does not work unless I plug a pair of headphones into it, and yet the sound quality is absolute s**t.  Help would be much appreciated, oh and I dont know if this matters or not but the USB is plugged into a USB 3.0 port, not a 2.0.

 

[GreenBow]

It doesn't completely surprise me. Many Realtek audio chips are well set up these days. I think my PC on-board soundcard, Realtek® ALC887 would outperform the U7.
 
 
Check this thread. http://www.head-fi.org/t/754695/asrock-z97-e-itx-ac-outperforms-my-bifrost-and-crack-hd-600

 

[stalepie]

Have you tried disabling the onboard audio (realtek) in the BIOS? I've had issues with Realtek overriding Sound Blaster (even incorrectly identifying the audio device in Windows). On my system you press delete at boot (press it a few times to be sure). Then look for an option to do that at and make sure to save before exiting.

 

[cadi]

realtek  junk chip outperform

114dB of SNR 0.0006% THD+N 

C-Media 6632A (24bit/192KHz) and Cirrus Logic CS4398 (24bit/192KHz) what exactly did you smoke mister ? I just bought U7 and incredible compared to build in **** chip what i had before after my  sound blaster  xfi audio broke

 

[GreenBow]

  realtek  junk chip outperform

114dB of SNR 0.0006% THD+N 

C-Media 6632A (24bit/192KHz) and Cirrus Logic CS4398 (24bit/192KHz) what exactly did you smoke mister ? I just bought U7 and incredible compared to build in **** chip what i had before after my  sound blaster  xfi audio broke

Well some of us are very surprised that our on-board audio chips are doing such a good job. Link was included to show other high opinions. However it makes sense that Asus are making good on-board audio like on my motherboard, since they make DACs like the U7.
 
However I have edited my post and taken out what I said about on-board audio in comparison to the Meridian Explorer. At the time of posting last I had completely overlooked time for the Meridian Explorer to burn-in. Now it sounds considerably better than my on-board audio.
 
If I had to I could go back to on-board audio, but I wouldn't be happy to. The ME is more solid and weighty sounding. Fuller and richer. Better timing too, even though its timing is not perfect. It's funny when I look back at the on-board audio and its timing. It was an suchexciting sound that I didn't know what was coming next on music I know. It was great for long listening too. The ME is better though, definitely. Anyway I recently bought a Chord Mojo so I think my ME may be being relegated.
 
it's good that you posted because I had forgotten about this thread an my input. Thus it's given me the opportunity to correct my post and impressions.