[noclevername]

I am on the fence about whether to hang onto my Asus Essence STX. I was able to listen to a Schiit stack dac and amp and I feel like it far surpasses what I have. I do have the STX and a Schiit Asgard amp, but I am on the fence about getting a Bifrost. What are you guys opinions? Any way to get the most out of the STX without shelling out the $450 for a Bifrost?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Hopefully you disabled the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS.
Have you tried the Unified Xonar Drivers?
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/
 
Assume you plug the Asgard into the STX's RCA line-outputs (for best audio quality) and not the STX's headphone jack?
 
For around $10 to $60, you could replace the STX's stock op-amps.
For just $10 you can get two LME49720NA op-amps, replace the STX's two stock JRC2114 op-amps (in the two I/V slots).
 
Here is a good thread to read up and ask questions about the STX.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/421890/the-xonar-essence-stx-q-a-tweaking-impressions-thread
 
You could sell off the STX and replace it with a low cost Asus Xonar DGX card ($35) and plug the Bifrost into it.
 
What headphones do you have?
Or are planning on buying?

 

[noclevername]

  Hopefully you disabled the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS.
Have you tried the Unified Xonar Drivers?
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/
 
Assume you plug the Asgard into the STX's RCA line-outputs (for best audio quality) and not the STX's headphone jack?
 
For around $10 to $60, you could replace the STX's stock op-amps.
For just $10 you can get two LME49720NA op-amps, replace the STX's two stock JRC2114 op-amps (in the two I/V slots).
 
Here is a good thread to read up and ask questions about the STX.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/421890/the-xonar-essence-stx-q-a-tweaking-impressions-thread
 
You could sell off the STX and replace it with a low cost Asus Xonar DGX card ($35) and plug the Bifrost into it.
 
What headphones do you have?
Or are planning on buying?

 
My onboard is disabled. I am using Asus's drivers as I had better luck with them then the unified drivers. I am running the RCA out to my amp not the jack as I have the Asgard 1 and only has RCA in. I had already replaced the OPamps on the stx with amps that were about $25 each. I wouldn't give up my Asgard to use a different amp because I want a higher quality on the DAC side not amp. I currently am using Sennheiser HD555's and DT990 Pro's. My next set I am getting is going to be the Hifiman HE-400i.

 

[PurpleAngel]

   
My on-board is disabled. I am using Asus's drivers as I had better luck with them then the unified drivers. I am running the RCA out to my amp not the jack as I have the Asgard 1 and only has RCA in. I had already replaced the OPamps on the stx with amps that were about $25 each. I wouldn't give up my Asgard to use a different amp because I want a higher quality on the DAC side not amp. I currently am using Sennheiser HD555's and DT990 Pro's. My next set I am getting is going to be the Hifiman HE-400i.

 
Get the HE-400i and plug into the Asgard, and then sell off the HD555 and DT990 (unless your really big on FPS gaming, then might want to keep the HD555 or DT990)
Afterwords maybe keep an eye out for a good price on a used Bifrost.
 
The STX's line-output (RCA jacks) uses all three op-amps, did you replace all three or just the two in the I/V slots.
(the buffer being the third slot)

 

[noclevername]

Get the HE-400i and plug into the Asgard, and then sell off the HD555 and DT990 (unless your really big on FPS gaming, then might want to keep the HD555 or DT990)
Afterwords maybe keep an eye out for a good price on a used Bifrost.

The STX's line-output (RCA jacks) uses all three op-amps, did you replace all three or just the two in the I/V slots.
(the buffer being the third slot)

All the amps were replaced with ones that are for headphone. I would be hard pressed to sell my hd555 because of csgo and bo3. I know ill be getting the he-400i. But leaning real strongly to the bifrost.