[alienden]

Hi guys, 
 
I'm looking to buy my first real pair of headphones for PC gaming. After reading a famous headphones post by MLE I have decided to buy DT990 600 OHM, unfortunately I have a mini-ITX rig that doesn't have a space to install PCIe soundcard. So I was looking at external solutions and found this new external soundcard announced by ASUS called Xonar Essence STU. On paper specs looks very similar to famous internal Essence STX minus proprietary technologies like Dolby surround and such.
 
Do you think I should buy it for my setup? I really want all the quality of Essence series in the nice USB package, but at the same time I kinda feel bad that at this price it doesn't include any virtual surround software with it like Dolby Surround for example.
 
Thank in advance!

 

[NamelessPFG]

If it doesn't have Dolby Headphone (or CMSS-3D Headphone if you start looking in Creative's direction), you don't want it.
 
The problem is that the press releases don't make its presence or absence on the Essence STU clear enough.

 

[00lunar]

Essence STU doesn't have software which rest of Xonars has. Bottom line: STU is not for gamers.

 

[jonyoo]

the only asus product i might buy is their motherboards. cant trust them in the sound dpt.

 

[AmbientK]

If you can use a case that will allow the ST/X, that would be option one. Personally, the DSP modes (other than "Hi-Fi") were more gimmick then useful.

 

[alienden]

yeah I'm currently using mitx case(node 304) so I physically don't have an extra pcie slot for audio card. For now I have decided I will stick with Xonar U7, it's a usb audio card with dolby home theather v4 support. It's not ideal, but it's leaps ahead of astro mixamp and such.Thank for your suggestions guys!