[shankly1985]

Crossover frequency and Headphones Do anyone here set this? I using Philips X1 with a Frequency of 10 to 40,000 So by this I should be setting Bass to 10hz in the driver software?

 

[olymind1]

Hi!
 
Are there any sound quality differences between different driver versions? if so, is there any recommended driver for SB Z?
 
Thanks

 

[Fegefeuer]

Use the latest one. Also only use SBX for games and movies and ignore all other options like bass, crossover, crystallizer etc.. Set SBX off for music unless you like what the spatializer does. 

 

[barsh]

Hi, i'm new here. Have a question. I currently have the STX and was wondering if the zrx was better for gaming. Thanks. 

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Hi, I'm new here. Have a question. I currently have the STX and was wondering if the ZxR was better for gaming. Thanks. 

 
Might trying reading up and asking on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added/36345

 

[ProfFalkin]

  Hi, i'm new here. Have a question. I currently have the STX and was wondering if the zrx was better for gaming. Thanks. 

I just got the ZxR myself.   I can't stand how SBX surround / crystalizer / bass enhancement settings change the sound.  I use it for gaming to get that extra processing for headphone surround, but it really changes mids and treble into a gaudy misshapen monstrosity of crappy audio.  Overwatch goes from sounding good into an overly bright highs and muddy mids.  Bass is bloated and overpowering.  
 
Right now the only SBX setting I have enabled is surround, and it's only at 10%.  That's all the changes I can stand without noticing bad audio.
 
I'm thinking I should have gone Essence STX II and their Dolby Headphone settings for any kind of virtual surround via headphones.
 
Edit:  Thought I'd mention which headphones I tried with this.  Tested with Fidelio X2, HD650, DT770, and T20RP Mk3.
 
Edit 2: And more to your point - I found that it did not enhance surround effects dramatically.   I'll keep it a few more days.  If I stumble upon some magic formula to make all this sound good and work, I'll update this post.   

 

[Evshrug]

Hi, i'm new here. Have a question. I currently have the STX and was wondering if the zrx was better for gaming. Thanks. 

They're almost evenly matched technically (the ZxR technically has better numbers but I haven't compared them side by side, they're both targeted for mid-fi performance), just different processing. I like the less processed, drier sound of SBX (which isn't as dry as CMSS-3D, an old processing algorithm) because it sounds more natural and versatile to me than the home-theater-in-a-room, more diffused sound of Dolby Headphone, but both are good and it comes down to personal taste.

Might trying reading up and asking on this thread.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/534479/mad-lust-envys-headphone-gaming-guide-3-18-2016-mrspeakers-ether-c-1-1-added/36345

I wouldn't. That thread is console-based and there are more people used to working with PCs in this thread and NamelessPFG's thread.

 

[mtbfan101]

^agree

 

[herculanum]

hi to all years first time forgiveness for my English. I question the zxr . I have a 32 ohm headphones . I wonder if the card output impedance will not damaged the sound of my helmet. I hesitate hugely with the asus stx2 actuelement .I have a fatality fps. when that exchange output , speaker headphones, keep preset ?

 

[sleepingawake]

I have Creative Xtreme Audio. It doesn't have an x-fi processor but it sounds ok. I use digital output->yamaha htr-6130 amplifier->harman kardon hkts/7 sub speakers+pioneer cs-777 hi-fi speakers.
 
I need better clarity and warmer sound for music. Movies are fine but dolby digital live would be nice. So for this setup, if i buy Z, will it make any difference since i use digital output. They say it doesn't change, but i can clearly say that, motherboard realtek optical output vs. Xtreme audio, there is day and night difference.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I have Creative Xtreme Audio. It doesn't have an x-fi processor but it sounds ok. I use digital output->yamaha htr-6130 amplifier->harman kardon hkts/7 sub speakers+pioneer cs-777 hi-fi speakers.
 
I need better clarity and warmer sound for music. Movies are fine but dolby digital live would be nice. So for this setup, if i buy Z, will it make any difference since i use digital output. They say it doesn't change, but i can clearly say that, motherboard realtek optical output vs. Xtreme audio, there is day and night difference.

Is your speakers a 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 setup.
 
I doubt switching from the Xtreme Audio to the SB-Z, will make an improvement in music audio quality, when using the S/PDIF optical connection.
Both cards will do 2-channels of PCM 24-bit/96Khz digital audio thru S/PDIF optical and most music is only 2-channels of 16-bit/44.1K digital audio.
DDL (Dolby Digital live) or DTS-Connect, will allow you to send up to 6-channels of encoded/compressed 24-bit/48k digital audio thru S/PDIF (optical & coaxial).
Which might help if your playing DVD or Blu-ray movies disks (if your speakers are 5.1 or 7.1), from your PC, thru the Yamaha.
 
If you use Cyberlink PowerDVD for playing movies disk, it might(?) provide DDL or DTS-Connect.
Or the disks might already have encoded Dolby or DTS audio, that can pass thru S/PDIF?
 
Have you tried using Foobar2000 with WASAPI for play music audio?

 

[sleepingawake]

  Is your speakers a 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 setup.
 
I doubt switching from the Xtreme Audio to the SB-Z, will make an improvement in music audio quality, when using the S/PDIF optical connection.
Both cards will do 2-channels of PCM 24-bit/96Khz digital audio thru S/PDIF optical and most music is only 2-channels of 16-bit/44.1K digital audio.
DDL (Dolby Digital live) or DTS-Connect, will allow you to send up to 6-channels of encoded/compressed 24-bit/48k digital audio thru S/PDIF (optical & coaxial).
Which might help if your playing DVD or Blu-ray movies disks (if your speakers are 5.1 or 7.1), from your PC, thru the Yamaha.
 
If you use Cyberlink PowerDVD for playing movies disk, it might(?) provide DDL or DTS-Connect.
Or the disks might already have encoded Dolby or DTS audio, that can pass thru S/PDIF?
 
Have you tried using Foobar2000 with WASAPI for play music audio?

For movies i use 5.1, for music i use 2.1
 
Crystilazer  changes the sound and it sounds good when i use digital output but with speakers option. But x-fi crystilazer makes sound go up and down, maybe processor is bad.If i use digital output, soundcard doesn't change anything. 
 
I use potplayer for movies, mediamonkey for music. I know about those stuff. Only i can't compare my sound with that soundcard.
 
I tried once, but didn't get an improvement.
 
So even if i buy Asus Essence Stx i won't get any improment for digital output, right? What about if i use analog output, will it be better than my amp's processing?

 

[PurpleAngel]

  For movies i use 5.1, for music i use 2.1
 
Crystilazer  changes the sound and it sounds good when i use digital output but with speakers option. But x-fi crystilazer makes sound go up and down, maybe processor is bad.If i use digital output, sound card doesn't change anything. 
 
I use potplayer for movies, mediamonkey for music. I know about those stuff. Only i can't compare my sound with that sound card.
 
I tried once, but didn't get an improvement.
 
So even if i buy Asus Essence Stx i won't get any improvement for digital output, right? What about if i use analog output, will it be better than my amp's processing?

 
Have you tried running HDMI, from the computer, to the Yamaha and then HDMI to the monitor?
 
An older Asus Xonar D2X sound card using a 5.1 analog audio connection, to the Yamaha, might improve audio quality.
The D2X also comes with Dolby, so you could compare the optical digital to the 5.1 analog connection.
 
The Essence STX is only 2.0 channel analog output

 

[Margou]

I recently bought a ZXR and have a few questions. 

 
I have my Fidelio X2 plus V-Moda BoomPro mic combo connected to the ACM and that one connected to the headphone and mic jacks at the moment. I also have my subpar monitor speakers connected to the RCA line out jacks.
Since I won't do any high quality recordings or use the digital connection, I'm wondering whether I actually need to install the DBPro daughter card in my PC as well or if I can just leave that one outside? Will I lose sound quality and are the DTS/DDL options, which will not be available anymore, relevant for my setup in any way or are they only ever used for digital connections?
 
Btw, does the ACM degrade sound quality?
 
Hopefully someone knows the answers, thanks.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  I recently bought a ZXR and have a few questions. 

 
I have my Fidelio X2 plus V-Moda BoomPro mic combo connected to the ACM and that one connected to the headphone and mic jacks at the moment. I also have my subpar monitor speakers connected to the RCA line out jacks.
Since I won't do any high quality recordings or use the digital connection, I'm wondering whether I actually need to install the DBPro daughter card in my PC as well or if I can just leave that one outside? Will I lose sound quality and are the DTS/DDL options, which will not be available anymore, relevant for my setup in any way or are they only ever used for digital connections?
 
Btw, does the ACM degrade sound quality?
 
Hopefully someone knows the answers, thanks.

 
Seems like you have no need for using the DB Pro daughter card.
 
Try using the Philips plugged directly into the main card's headphone jack, then try using the ACM, see if you think the ACM degrades the audio quality.
Guess your own ears are the best judge.