[Praeceps]

Might there be a UK equivelent of monoprice? I tried seeing if I can have it shippped but changed my mind as it costs $30 to be sent...
In the end I tried amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/0-5m-TWIN-PHONO-RCA-Cable/dp/B002RRVQEI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 

[Fegefeuer]

Quote:

Why do you even need to hook up an external headphone amplifier to the headphone output of the STX?
STX should be able to drive any mainstream headphone on the market.
 
 
 

I will add the HE-500 to my small collection.

 

[WiR3D]

QED
 
Quote:

Might there be a UK equivelent of monoprice? I tried seeing if I can have it shippped but changed my mind as it costs $30 to be sent...
In the end I tried amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/0-5m-TWIN-PHONO-RCA-Cable/dp/B002RRVQEI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

 
 

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

I will add the HE-500 to my small collection.

Then you would need an external amp.
If you are going to use the headphone jack, then set the volume to 76%, not 50.
 
I am not sure on the gain, it may need to be put on the high gain.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

I will add the HE-500 to my small collection.

The HE-500 is not quite as hard to drive as the HE-6, it needs only about a tenth as much power, and slightly more than the AKG K70x.
 

 

[bcschmerker4]

I am attempting to diagnose an intermittent issue with the Essence STX PCIe x1 audio card in my Asus CM1630-06.  Every now and then, the card will present massively excessive gain and a 3 kHz "howl" symptomatic of loss of negative feedback in the I-V; I have isolated the problem to the analog section of the STX.  (The problem presents itself, when it occurs, at whatever analog output is active: Headphone, 2 Speakers, or Front Panel.  However, it is undetectable at a second computer equipped with a Creative Laboratories SB0350 PCI audio card, which takes the STX' digital output through a front-mounted I/O Drive).
 
Is there any consistent issue with the stock JRC2114D operational amplifiers, in terms of internal hardware failure that would result in intermittent loss of negative feedback; or is the current-output section of the Asus AV-100 audio chip itself a suspect in this problem?  And need I look into the JEDEC 8-pin DIP sockets for the I-V?  I would appreciate some info about a most probable diagnosis prior to upgrading the analog section with new National Semiconductor op amp chips (probably a pair of LM6172IN's for the I-V and one LME49860NA for the buffer).
 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I am attempting to diagnose an intermittent issue with the Essence STX PCIe x1 audio card in my Asus CM1630-06.  Every now and then, the card will present massively excessive gain and a 3 kHz "howl" symptomatic of loss of negative feedback in the I-V; I have isolated the problem to the analog section of the STX.  (The problem presents itself, when it occurs, at whatever analog output is active: Headphone, 2 Speakers, or Front Panel.  However, it is undetectable at a second computer equipped with a Creative Laboratories SB0350 PCI audio card, which takes the STX' digital output through a front-mounted I/O Drive).
Is there any consistent issue with the stock JRC2114D operational amplifiers, in terms of internal hardware failure that would result in intermittent loss of negative feedback; or is the current-output section of the Asus AV-100 audio chip itself a suspect in this problem?  And need I look into the JEDEC 8-pin DIP sockets for the I-V?  I would appreciate some info about a most probable diagnosis prior to upgrading the analog section with new National Semiconductor op amp chips (probably a pair of LM6172IN's for the I-V and one LME49860NA for the buffer).

You could try making sure the current op-amps are well seated, my STX arrived with a lose buffer chip.
The LME49860NA is the same chip at the LM4652 & LME49720NA, the LME49860NA is the cherry pick because it has a better voltage range.
 
 
 

 

[evgenetic]

HI, I've got a strange problem with ASIO output, although perhaps it's not a problem but an Asus ASIO driver specificity.
 
I have two devices connected to the STX, headphones through hp-out and a Marantz receiver with speakers thru SPDIF. The thing is is when i play audio thru foobar using the ASIO drivers that come with the soundcard driver, i get sound from both of the devices, speakers and headphones..even when the default playback device in windows is set to SPDIF i get sound out of headphones too. I understand that ASIO is supposed to circumvent all the windows settings but this is quite uncomfortable and i'd like to know if there's away to deal with it, namely make only one device active at all times when using ASIO. Non-ASIO output is ok, for example when i play a youtube video the sound only comes through the windows default device.
 
Thanks.

 

[WiR3D]

 
Quote:

HI, I've got a strange problem with ASIO output, although perhaps it's not a problem but an Asus ASIO driver specificity.
 
I have two devices connected to the STX, headphones through hp-out and a Marantz receiver with speakers thru SPDIF. The thing is is when i play audio thru foobar using the ASIO drivers that come with the soundcard driver, i get sound from both of the devices, speakers and headphones..even when the default playback device in windows is set to SPDIF i get sound out of headphones too. I understand that ASIO is supposed to circumvent all the windows settings but this is quite uncomfortable and i'd like to know if there's away to deal with it, namely make only one device active at all times when using ASIO. Non-ASIO output is ok, for example when i play a youtube video the sound only comes through the windows default device.
 
Thanks.

With wasapi you should be bale to specify a device, also you can specify an output device in foobar as far as i know, so just select "speakers" for hp, and "digital" when you switch to the receiver.
 
 

 

[evgenetic]

yep, you're right about wasapi, it does solve the issue in foobar cause i can select the output device. the thing is is that i also use flstudio (amateur music production program), which as far as i know doesn't support wasapi and the same problem persists there, so it's probably an asus driver issue.
anyway where do you select the device in foobar ? from what i see this is only available to direct sound and wasapi.

 

[Audioexcels]

I may well post this elsewhere, but thought I'd post it in here.  People always complain about sound cards having an issue with the "noisy" computer environment.  What about using a riser extension ribbon, either PCI-E to PCI-E or PCI-E to PCI, etc. (depending on whether you have the ST or STX), and placing the card outside of the computer?
 
Something like this for those like me that have the ST (though not in use yet), but only have PCI-E slots on my Mobo:
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/PCI-E-1X-to-16X-Riser-Card-Extension-Cable-15-5cm-Length-/120832498591?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c222d9b9f#ht_3826wt_1132
 
Just had me thinking a few things:
 
1) Maybe this helps reduce noise.
 
2) A diyer can essentially tape the RCA's/analog direct to the analog of their preamp or receiver OR tap the digital directly to the SPDIF of their external dac.
 
3) Only questionable thing is when you have a ribbon like that in the equation, is that doing more harm.  It's just wires, but it's still wires that could be causing some "audiophile" issue.  In other words, a person with high end interconnects might want the card inside the computer because their audiophile ic's will be better than having that additional inferior ribbon cable wiring.
 
Maybe silly thoughts in the wee morning hours...

 

[WiR3D]

Quote:

I may well post this elsewhere, but thought I'd post it in here.  People always complain about sound cards having an issue with the "noisy" computer environment.  What about using a riser extension ribbon, either PCI-E to PCI-E or PCI-E to PCI, etc. (depending on whether you have the ST or STX), and placing the card outside of the computer?

Maybe silly thoughts in the wee morning hours...

Put the card in, if you hear any noise then congrats, because i have it less then an inch from an overclocked HD4890, and an inch from a 750watt PSU running at about 500watt constantly, and 8~10 120mm 2000rpm fans, and on max max max, 0 noise, with denon d2000
 

 

[ProjectDenz]

Anybody think the OPA2227 is a good opamp to roll on these? I'm looking for a neutral sound with good extension on both sides of the spectrum.

 

[choC.]

I'm considering getting a HiFiMan HE-500 and was wondering if the amp in the STX is enough to source it. Has anybody tried to pair the two?

 

[bcschmerker4]

Quote:

Anybody think the OPA2227 is a good opamp to roll on these? I'm looking for a neutral sound with good extension on both sides of the spectrum.

After viewing the online spec sheet from Texas Instruments for the OPAn227/OPAn228 family, I'd favor the OPA2228 over the OPA2227.  The OPA2227 is short on high-frequency performance, with a gain bandwidth product of only 8 MHz (versus the 33 MHz of the OPA2228) and a maximum slew of 2.3 V/μs (versus the 11 V/μs of the OPA2228).