[beeman458]

i suspect any improvement in SQ that you detect will be placebo, unless your current psu has problems.
your approach does nothing to address the issues with this card, which are namely - cheap components and 12v opa power supply.
 
Cheap, easy and happy; works for me.  Maybe folks can write ASUS with their concerns about the quality of ASUS's product as not being an EE myself, I find that the Essence ST/STX to be the best thing currently happening for an add-on board.  That's why we bought and installed it.
 
FWIW, the computer box came with an even cheaper made soundcard on the MoBo with a cheaply made power supply and power cord attached to a power strip that has a couple of wall warts attached so as to add their brand of interference.  Don't see anything wrong with stepping up the quality of the internal power supply, improving the internal computer cabling in the process and the addition of a quality built power cord, that looks way cool attached to it's own outlet.  The point, anything done will be an improvement over the original equipment.
 
Just sharing what I'm doing to tweak this card.
 
most certainly, if you cant figure out how to upgrade your psu yourself, all this is over your head.
better to go buy a box.
 
While the tech is swapping out the power supply, I'm making money, now that's smart.  If I'm swapping out the power supply, and dealing with the problems associated with the process, I'm not making money, now that's stupid.  Let's see, smart or stupid?
 
but i wish you luck
 
Thanks!

 

[raff012]

hi all, just checking if it is possible to replace the headphone amp by replacing the  (opamp?) as mine has stopped working and only gives off static, although the line out/ 2speaker setup still works very well i might add. If anyone knows what needs to be replaced i would appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

 

[gwillys]

@ beeman458,
 
ok, my point is that you are not tweaking anything. your upgrading your psu, period.
zero effect on SQ.
 
i just dont think its a good idea to give people the impression that this will improve the audio output, because it wont.
 

 

[InFn-0]

Hey guys, got my stx card few days back. I guess i am the first person who likes the stock opamps better than LME49720NA's; they were too laid back with my headphones. Anyway, happy customer here. Hope fully i ll be able to try more opamps and keep posting impressions!

 

[beeman458]

ok, my point is that you are not tweaking anything. your upgrading your psu, period.
zero effect on SQ.
 
Not true.
 
Upgrading your power supply to a better made PSU, cleaning up internal cabling, changing out your power cord for a better made product, keeping away from transformers by connecting to a separate wall plug and reducing outside influences such as RFI/EMI, is tweaking.  All this shows up on the oscilloscope as a cleaner (neutral/flat) signal.  Nothing voodoo about my above.  It's just that what I'm doing is not "your" idea of what tweaking is, but it don't mean I'm not tweaking.  Clean power is verifiably, a good thing.
 
This is a sound card that's completely and totally dependent on the inner-workings of the computer box as well as it's external power source; the power company.  There's even a requirement that it have it's own molex connector which makes the sound card, computer power supply dependent.  And the point that the sound card plugs into the MoBo makes the Essence STX, MoBo power supply dependent as well.  You can't separate the sound card out from the computer as they're one.  The Essence STX is not a stand alone product like a portable, battery operated DAC/Amp because the STX is part of a chain.  Each part or product in the chain, dependent on the other.  Improving on this chain is a good thing.
 
i just dont think its a good idea to give people the impression that this will improve the audio output, because it wont.
 
As I wrote earlier, I stay away from the zip cord debate as there's no point.  What I'm doing with the power being supplied to the Essence STX sound card (noisy vs clean) has nothing to do with the zip cord debate.
 

 

[gwillys]

very anecdotal, as you predicted

 

[jalyst]

Quote:

You have to look here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/426049/making-a-decent-hi-fi-power-supply-for-xonar-essence/270#post_6380209
 

Excellent, thanks for pointing this out.

 

[jalyst]

i'm not really qualified, but: 1. recap the card - replace all nichicon caps with elna silmic II. remember polarity, its marked on the board.
 
2. install 3 burson dual op amps. always know where pin 1 is.
 
IMHO, steps 1 & 2 should be mandatory. better to spend money here than on a exotic psu for your computer. i have a antec neo 400w, and its just fine. 100+ hr burn-in for elna & burson.

 
Okay this sounds pretty straight-forward.... in theory 

What sources did you reference to get inspiration for all the mods you're planning?
Oh I never planned to get the X-650 because I thought it'd have a dramatic impact on SQ.

3. replace the 7812 and 7805 surface mount regulators. this might be tricky. i had to pull out a macro photography set up just to identify them. desoldering these requires some practice, if you mess up the pads or pull a trace, your screwed. i have a dexa for the 7805, and a burson for the 7812.
i was able to mount the dexa in the original position by drilling a 1mm hole in the ground pad and bending the legs for a quasi surface mount. the burson is big, so i installed pins through the board, and connections are on the back. .85mm holes and trimmed cap legs. i'll get some silver wire from the local jeweler and make something more durable. still havent figured out where to mount the burson regulator board. right now its just hanging off the card. i have a milling machine and some delrin, and might fabricate a bracket for it.
i cant teach you how to solder/desolder, but theres plenty of info out there. tear something apart for a pcb to practice on.
find the data sheets/diagrams for components. triple check everything, no mistakes allowed.

 
What are these surface mount regulators you refer to & what's a macro photography set-up (I can guess, but not 100% sure)
The Dex and Burson you refer to are extra OPAMPS right?
It sounds like I'm nowhere near as well equipped as you, no soldering gear yet & definitely no milling machine!
 
So as to avoid hijacking this thread too much, do you have a dedicated thread documenting you progress?
I believe there's multiple others on this forum geared to the more 'hard-core' mods that you're considering.
I may be wrong but I think this one is more focussed on OPAMP swapping, software, & just general chit-chat.

next up for me is taking a stab at a isolated power supply. interested to see what effect 18v has on the opa's.
heres what i've ordered: http://www.mastechpowersupply.com/dc-power-supply/linear-power-supply/mastech-regulated-variable-dc-power-supply-hy3003d-30v-3a/prod_2.html
 
disclaimer: i really dont know what i'm doing, i just got my first multimeter , a extech 22-816, on clearance for $56 @ radio shack.
it works really well, and reads low ohms.

 
Yeah I'm interested in the concept of an isolated & better regulated/conditioned power source too.
But I would prefer if it can be done in such a way that it's still integrated into my HTPC's chasis!!
LOL, about the only useful gear I have for such an undertaking is a multi-meter!
 
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[shimm]

Quote:

 
Thanks for the link but any sort of board adjustments are way above my pay grade.  If it can't be done by swapping out a power supply, power cord or interconnect, I'm going have to switch over to DAC's and Headphone Amps.

Okay, i just wanted you to know the problem isn't outside the card but inside. Don't waste your money.

 

[gwillys]

@ jalyst,
dots show regulators 7805 & 7812. best to leave them unless you learn some soldering tech and develop
a strategy for replacement.
 

 
http://www.newclassd.com/index.php?page=70
 
http://bursonaudio.com/burson_super_regulator.htm
 
(the guy thats 'tweaking' his card by rewiring the grid would do well to check the above links
 
in any event, if you mod the card, the first thing i'd do is recap. cheap & easy - instant gratification & improves with burn-in.
i'd recommend recapping/burn-in before rolling opa's. the silmic II's change the character of the card pretty dramatically &
you'll then have a very good foundation for other mod's. can't stress this enough - recap!!
 
i used the dexa 7805 because it's fixed and compact, and the burson 7812 because it's adjustable and better suited for analog.

 

[beeman458]

Okay, i just wanted you to know the problem isn't outside the card but inside.
 
I never wrote there was a problem but time will tell as to any sound quality improvement regarding my efforts.
 
Don't waste your money.
 
Don't worry, I'm not but thanks for the financial advice.

 

[gwillys]

jeez
in regards to the pre-edited post...
kinda reminded me of hannibal lecter making dinner plans...

 
i dont mean to discourage you, keep at it - you'll learn something.

 

[beeman458]

The post you're referring to was edited accordingly, nuff said.
 
i dont mean to discourage you, keep at it - you'll learn something.
 
Thanks but so far, folks who have responded to my posts aren't here to share but are here to tell me how it is when that's not how it is.  So far, my limited experience, the prevailing attitude of posters here has not been encouraging.  I'd say my stay here will be short as I'm not here to be somebody's idea of a punching bag.

 

[gwillys]

ok bub, whatever trips yer trigger.
 
If you don't want to believe me, ignore me

 

[gwillys]

here's my st mess. if it survives the power supply phase, i'll tidy it up, in a utility fashion.
don't care much about how it looks, the sound is very, very good. night & day difference from stock.
 
if you think that looks bad, you should see the crossovers (hi pass/low pass) for my polk monitor 30's. Obbligato gold & copper, erse pulsex, solens, claritycap sa, duelund resistors, jantzen 15ga coils. mounted on clipboards, bigger than the speakers pretty funny looking. just 2 of the caps cost more than the speakers. but they sound great with a sub.
 
 my plan at the moment is to use a variable 0-30v regulated bench psu to power pins 4 & 8 of the 3 opa's.
hopefully, this wont upset the card or mobo. the goal is to get 18v to the opa's.
 
i really dont know what i'm doing. it would be really helpful if someone would chime in here before i blow something up