[elwappo99]

Hoping to get a little help on a weird issue I've been having.
 
I'm running completely stock on the whole unit. When I'm running RCA outs, if volume is past 50% I start to get distortion. If I run the headphone out exclusively, I don't get any distortion at all. I swapped out the buffer Opamp, but ran into the same issue. Any ideas what's causing this? 

 

[stv014]

What amplifier do you have connected to the RCA outs ? Maybe it cannot handle the full scale (~2.15 Vrms) voltage of the line output. Do you also get the same distortion if you drive headphones directly from the line output using the RCA->1/8" female jack adapter included with the card ?

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

What amplifier do you have connected to the RCA outs ? Maybe it cannot handle the full scale (~2.15 Vrms) voltage of the line output. Do you also get the same distortion if you drive headphones directly from the line output using the RCA->1/8" female jack adapter included with the card ?

 
Figured this was my next step, but I didn't have an easy way to do it without rearranging everything. 
 
Oddly enough, going from the headphone jack to the amplifier does not give off any distortion at all. I'm pretty lost and what would cause this. 

 

[jincuteguy]

Where do you guys buy these op-amps for the STX / Claro Halo? Like is there a website that sell them besides Ebay?

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Where do you guys buy these op-amps for the STX / Claro Halo? Like is there a website that sell them besides Ebay?

I bought pre-soldered used AD797BR op-amps from this seller on eBay.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/mod-1x-AD797BR-Dual-to-Mono-Op-amp-module-ultralow-noise-replace-a-dual-op-/261176178327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ccf503697

 

[rvcjew]

Quote:

I bought pre-soldered used AD797BR op-amps from this seller on eBay.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/mod-1x-AD797BR-Dual-to-Mono-Op-amp-module-ultralow-noise-replace-a-dual-op-/261176178327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ccf503697

Bookmarked that and will get them eventually, thanks. so i need to purchase three of those sets makes sense, and the emi shield still clears after that?
 
EDIT: found 3x49720NA for 8 bucks at mouser electronics will give them a shot too.

 

[Redshift Rider]

Since m-stage entered the picture, my impressions on various opamps changed quite a bit.
 
Using essence as a dac only i found the 3x49720NA to be the most pleasing combination.
Enormous soundstage, good separation, nice bass and very dynamic, exciting sound with a bit forward mids.
 
My previous favourites were 2xAD797BR (IV) with headphone out, but they are quite disappointing in 2xAD797BR+49720NA(buffer) combination. Very flat and sterile, with dynamics completely sucked out 

, and average soundstage. 
 
Received the 3x49720HA today and testing this combination right now. I can immediately tell they have the biggest soundstage i have heard yet. This combination keeps all the good stuff about 3x49720NA , but they clean the sound up nicely, push the mids back a bit, and bring nice sparkle to the highs. I can't tell the difference in bass quantity. 
These will be staying in place.  

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Bookmarked that and will get them eventually, thanks. so i need to purchase three of those sets makes sense, and the emi shield still clears after that?
 
EDIT: found 3x49720NA for 8 bucks at mouser electronics will give them a shot too.

If you get the AD797BRs, make sure they are well pressed into the slot, The AD797BRs only a few millimeters from the EMI shield.
 
Could just try the 49720s for now, only $8.
 
The STX's buffer chip, the LM4652 and the LME49720 are the same chip.
(What I was told).

 

[elwappo99]

So after about 3 hours of swapping out opamps and restarting my computer, I still have not figured out why I'm getting so much distortion off the RCA jacks. The headphone still has no distortion on it at all. If anyone ever gets a solution for this, I'd love to hear it. 

 

[Gustav Mahler]

So after about 3 hours of swapping out opamps and restarting my computer, I still have not figured out why I'm getting so much distortion off the RCA jacks. The headphone still has no distortion on it at all. If anyone ever gets a solution for this, I'd love to hear it. 

I looked back through the thread....I don't think you ever told us what you're driving from the line out. It might help if you shared that information. I have no difficulty using them on my card...they run to a Music First Classic pre-amp then to my Bryston 3B which drives my speakers.

Cheers!

Gus

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Quote:

So after about 3 hours of swapping out opamps and restarting my computer, I still have not figured out why I'm getting so much distortion off the RCA jacks. The headphone still has no distortion on it at all. If anyone ever gets a solution for this, I'd love to hear it. 

I looked back through the thread....I don't think you ever told us what you're driving from the line out. It might help if you shared that information. I have no difficulty using them on my card...they run to a Music First Classic pre-amp then to my Bryston 3B which drives my speakers.

Cheers!

Gus

 
It's a Matrix M-stage. I'm usually good at narrowing out issues, but I've basically given up on this one. I have no clue what could have caused this issue. What's unusual is it seems to developed over time. I've had this card for a few years now. Thanks for the help though! 

 

[Gustav Mahler]

It's a Matrix M-stage. I'm usually good at narrowing out issues, but I've basically given up on this one. I have no clue what could have caused this issue. What's unusual is it seems to developed over time. I've had this card for a few years now. Thanks for the help though! 

I did find this post regarding the gain settings on the M-stage.....might be worth a look.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/552411/backwards-gain-settings-on-matrix-m-stage

Cheers!

Gus

 

[connieflyer]

Interesting read on the xonar stu here on head fi.  http://www.head-fi.org/products/asus-xonar-essence-stu/reviews/9307  near the end he describes his take on the op amps with the stu and we may be able to use it to help decide which op amps for the essence stx. 

 

[foreign]

I've got an stx and an external amp I need some help there is a slight hum(white noise) using the external amp. How do I eliminate this? Any advice would be appreciated as I'm struggling to find an answer. Thankyou

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

I've got an STX and an external amp I need some help there is a slight hum(white noise) using the external amp. How do I eliminate this? Any advice would be appreciated as I'm struggling to find an answer. Thankyou

Your hooking the external amp to the RCA outputs on the Essence STX?