[Nihl]

If you are referring to am AMP, I think your going to hear some greatness over the use of no AMP.
 

 

[davidsh]

The x1 isn't exactly the headphone that benefits most from amping. What you'll hear is hard to say, but be aware that much is exaggerated here at head-fi because many are very passionate about the hobby.
 
Of course if you need to drive harder to drive headphones, the differences will be more obvious. Try for yourself. Personally, I don't regret my spending in this hobby.
 
Good amp and DAC mostly makes for a more clear and precise sound to say in layman's terms. There are many more things to it than that, but one has to learn to appreciate good sound and then learn to describe it to really know what it's all about. To some point placebo will always be a part of this hobby, though. Big fancy boxes and expensive stuff always sound better.. Or does it?

 

[Trojan Horse]

nah man im talking abotu the stx
 
 
the whole reason i bought it was to improve SQ... or else why would you guys advise me to go ahead and buy it/

 

[Nihl]

The STX will improve your sound quality...it has a built in amplifer also.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Nah man I'm talking about the STX.
The whole reason i bought it was to improve SQ... or else why would you guys advise me to go ahead and buy it/

The Essence STX should provide better sound quality, for driving the 30-ohm Philips, over the SB-Z.
The STX's PCM1792A DAC chip is better then the SB-Z's CS4398 DAC chip.
The STX's headphone output impedance is 10-ohms, the SB-Z's is 22-Ohms.
The STX's TI6120A2 headphone amplifier is the same one used in the higher priced SB-ZxR,
which I believe is better then the one used in the SB-Z & SB-Zx.
 
Hopefully you removed all the Creative software.
Disabled the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS.
Maybe even try the Unified Xonar Drivers.
You can upgrade the three op-amps on the STX.

 

[Trojan Horse]

Hi,
 
Thanks for the post.
 
I would like to ask is sound card installation similar to that of graphics card driver installation, in the sense that you use software (e.g guru3d's driver removal) to properly eliminate all traces of the previous drivers... or will a simple uninstall do it for the creative drivers?
 
Will disable mobos audio. What do you mean by unified xonar drivers? Shouldn't I just install the regular drivers? What's the difference?
 
So what your telling me is the DAC, amp is better and the impedence is lower. But what does this mean?

 

[PurpleAngel]

I would like to ask is sound card installation similar to that of graphics card driver installation, in the sense that you use software (e.g guru3d's driver removal) to properly eliminate all traces of the previous drivers... or will a simple uninstall do it for the creative drivers? Will disable mobos audio. What do you mean by Unified Xonar drivers? Shouldn't I just install the regular drivers? What's the difference?
So what your telling me is the DAC, amp is better and the impedence is lower. But what does this mean?

Nothing wrong with using a driver removal program to make sure you have removed all traces of the old drivers.
But if you do not use the driver removal software, it's not a big deal, with the more the more modern Win OS.
The Unified Xonar Drivers usually have the latest C-Media updates.
Better the DAC, the more real the audio quality.
It's preferred to have a head amp that has 8 times less the impedance of the headphones, for best audio quality.

 

[Trojan Horse]

No I mean what driver removal software would you recommend for removing the creative products?
 
so my 30ohms x1s should have a soundcard with 8x less ohms?

 

[Grandagony]

http://www.guru3d.com/content_page/guru3d_driver_sweeper.html
 
All you'll ever need. Does video card drivers as well.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  No I mean what driver removal software would you recommend for removing the creative products?
 
so my 30ohms x1s should have a sound card with 8x less ohms?

The lowest headphone jack output impedance offered on any sound card is 10-Ohms (Essence STX & ST).
Something like the Schiit Magni headphone amplifier has an output impedance of less then 1-Ohm.

 

[Trojan Horse]

Hi guys,
 
I would just like to say .. the new STX has arrived and well...
 
 
ITS ******* AMAZING.
 
I thought the Z was as good as it gets but I may actually be an audio phile or something because the difference is day and night... quality is super ******* awesome. The sounds gotta be played at a higher percentage to get at the same audio levels though.. the instruments in blurred lines are so... I cant even describe it the instruments are separated to such a fine degree I can hear everything in its own 'space'...
 
My only complaint is the drivers are proper *****. I have had to use Unified Drivers and even then the bloody interface is awful. Creative has a much nicer GUI that is understandable and ASUS should have a better GUI as they are huge in the hardware sector.. making everything from GFX cards, mobos, .. ok well those are the only two on my mind haha but regardless they are huge and should have a better software backing. Also how do I up the 'rumble' the Z seemed to do a better job at certain parts of the song where the bass hits deep and rumbles... I really want this  as its one of my favourite parts in sound itself.. would be a huge dissapointment t o miss this in the movies.
 
I have only listened to music and heard the surround may be worse for gaming etc... just trying to learn how to use the card.
 
 
Also I keep hearing a clicking sound when my PC is turned on and whenever I switch from headphones to 2 speakers etc that is coming directly from the sound card - did I break something?
 
 
While I'm at it any of you know any decent albums I should get purely to listen with to this? Something similar to blurred lines is preferred.. I just want to try all these damn beautiful songs.

 

[Trojan Horse]

Also just like to say " a massive **** you asus your a bunch of ********" because on the first install it wasn't really clear that I had to switch it from "2 channel" to "headphones" and I was shocked badly until I googled it ten seconds later and fixed it

 

[davidsh]

You shouldn't switch to 'headphones' when listening to music, you just want to select 2 channel I suppose. In general all effects should be turned off when listening to headphones. You want to use headphones/Dolby/virtual surround when gaming/watching movies. For more bass, perhaps try the built in EQ but remember to turn the pre slider down as much as the highest EQ band is turned up.

 

[Trojan Horse]

You can't listen in 2 channel... only headphones with headphones.

 

[davidsh]

Ohh, like headphones -> jack and 2 channel -> RCA