[Lynkdev]

I'm currently using the HD 650's from Sennheiser and wondering if these settings are correct with the audio center and my STX please:
 
I have the modmic plugged into the line out jack and the 650's in the Headphone jack. I also own the Logitech z5500's which i have going to the SPDIF jack via toslink.
 
HF checked
Extra High Gain
Dolby headphone (unchecked) --can this be checked on along with 7.1 surround or just for speakers?
 
 
thanks

 

[Androb]

Hello!
I'm wondering if anyone could figure out why I get bluescreen when i'm using an external dac through the spdif?
I'm not getting it when i'm using 16 bit, but it's after I have changed to 24bit that I get them. Not instantly, but they come after a while. I think it has something to do with the STX.
Thanks!
 

 

[connieflyer]

I purchased these 3  DUAL SOIC LME49990 DIP8 ADAPTER and have been listening to them for a little while now and can say they are the last upgrade to the the Essence. I had 3  of the 49720na for about a year and liked them better than the original parts, but it was not a huge difference.  These are 49990's are clearly better in that the voices and bass lines are more articulate, listening to hi rez files of Diana Krall, makes you want to turn your head to see if she is in the room with you.  Very nice indeed.  I purchased them from frugalphile on Ebay....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/190999739495?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649 and he is every bit as good as others have said.  Fast shipping, great packaging, and the workmanship is some of the best I have seen.  All three worked fine no problems, no bent pins, popped the others out, in with the new and worked with no issues.  Ships from New York for those interested.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Hello!
I'm wondering if anyone could figure out why I get bluescreen when i'm using an external DAC through the S/PDIF?
I'm not getting it when I'm using 16 bit, but it's after I have changed to 24bit that I get them. Not instantly, but they come after a while. I think it has something to do with the STX.
Thanks!

 
Have you disabled the on-board audio? in the BIOS.
Try deleting the Asus drivers and install the Unified Xonar Drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/

 

[Androb]

   
Have you disabled the on-board audio? in the BIOS.
Try deleting the Asus drivers and install the Unified Xonar Drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/

Haven't deleted the on-board audio. Will try that soon!

The drivers didn't work for me, already tried them Still got bluescreens.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Haven't deleted the on-board audio. Will try that soon!

The drivers didn't work for me, already tried them Still got bluescreens.

 
Deleting the motherboard's on-board audio software/drivers is optional.
You need to make sure the on-board is disabled, in the BIOS.

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Haven't deleted the on-board audio. Will try that soon!

The drivers didn't work for me, already tried them Still got bluescreens.

I cannot rule out the need to install the latest Maxed Tech® UNi™ XONAR® Audio Software™ in Safe Mode, having recently had the out-of-sync Power Status problem on my Asus® CM1630-06 when updating from Release 1.63 to 1.71 (under Microsoft® Windows® 7.0.8001, Kernel 6.1.7601).  Winboxes, under certain conditions, can be quite temperamental with new hardware of any sort, and some drivers will only install in Safe Mode. (In my case, the planar VIA® VT1208 was already forced offline at the BIOS level and therefore not a factor in the failed-install issue.)

 

[Androb]

  I cannot rule out the need to install the latest Maxed Tech® UNi™ XONAR® Audio Software™ in Safe Mode, having recently had the out-of-sync Power Status problem on my Asus® CM1630-06 when updating from Release 1.63 to 1.71 (under Microsoft® Windows® 7.0.8001, Kernel 6.1.7601).  Winboxes, under certain conditions, can be quite temperamental with new hardware of any sort, and some drivers will only install in Safe Mode. (In my case, the planar VIA® VT1208 was already forced offline at the BIOS level and therefore not a factor in the failed-install issue.)

Ehm it seems like it's something with my soundcard that is wrong. Using USB to the dac now and it's working perfect.

 

[ogarmi21]

Not sure if they will design a balanced out put on this sound card. 

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Not sure if they will design a balanced out put on this sound card. 

In fact, the only member of the Asus® XONAR® family with balanced outputs is the Essence™ STU™, a USB device with integrated power supply.  Balanced outputs are not currently supported on any internal sound card, ISA, PCI, or PCIe, with the exception of the E-MU® 1010 and 1010e from Creative® Professional™; the 1010 and 1010e require an external connection box for XLR balanced outs.

 

[eXistencelies]

Just purchased this card along with the Q701s. I use my onboard sound for my 5.1 speakers. They are the basic logitech. So nothing special. I do use them when I am watching a stream on twitch. Im hoping I can leave the onboard sound enabled while using the STX for my headphones. I will of course will have to go to sound properties and switch between the two. That is what I do right now with these crappy Razer Kraken 7.1 USB gaming headphones I have. Not sure if anyone has done this?

 

[Gixxer420]

Anyone using the STX under Windows 8.1? The sound is just so damn awful, I'm using the latest UNI drivers too. Worked perfect under 7 and 8.

 

[CT007]

I just replaced the stock op amps with 3 LME49990's from ebay...
 
The sound is now much more detailed, but also significantly quieter, the bass is practically gone, and it definitely sounds distorted, like some instruments are played way off in the background...
 
What the heck is going on?

 Do I only need to replace the B & C op amps, to affect RCA output or something? I don't use the headphone port.
 
Thanks!
 
 
EDIT: I put stock op amp A back in, and now the headphone output sounds very similar to the stock RCA sound, perhaps less harsh, or missing some detail, and the RCA output still sounds very hollow & bass-less. According the STX op amp replacement guide I downloaded, it says to replace all 3 op amps to change RCA sound, so I don't understand why it sounds so bad... Stock RCA seems best still, and I just dropped $45 for these? :\
 
EDIT 2: The weird audio problem was this POS cable I had just gotten & tried for the first time along with the new op amps... After swapping the op amps several times, I conclude there is negligible difference(using HD600). If there is a difference, the 49990 is minutely less harsh, and has minutely less impact/bass. The 49990 through the headphone output did sound better than stock, however it's still not as good as stock RCA sound. After the 9th or so op amp swap, I accidentally put one of my stock chips in backwards, and got to smell melting plastic, which lead to a burnt chip and no left channel...so now I'm stuck with the 49990. 

 It's all good!

 

[PurpleAngel]

  Anyone using the STX under Windows 8.1? The sound is just so damn awful, I'm using the latest UNI drivers too. Worked perfect under 7 and 8.

 
Is your on-board audio disabled? in the BIOS.

 

[IncredulousD]

I just wanted to pop in to thank this thread sincerely. I find a lot of audiophile stuff to be a bunch of hogwash, but I do have a pair of HD 800s and an Essence STX that I've used for years now. I just discovered this thread tonight and I have to say there is an absolute night and day difference in the sound I am getting with these cans after setting up foobar properly and using the unified drivers. The soundstage, which always floored me, is somehow even more amazing and the bass is just so tight and defined. Really a genuine enhancement to my listening experience. Thanks again for taking the time to gather this information up!