[nimo]

Ok, down to either the OPA2107 or OPA2111 for the buffer.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Just picked up the Essence STX....

Need thoughts on the Buffer section.
OPA2107 - used in Little Dot 1+ previously; good but most costly after the OPA627
OPA2134 - never used.
LM6172 - never used....

Headphones:
SONY MDR-7506 (vinyl-rips)
PHILIPS SHP-9500 (general listening)

Pre-amp: NAD C162
Power-amp: ARCAM Delta 290P
CD-Player: NAD C542
Tuner: NAD C422
Speakers: VIFA 'PL' drivers; custom 2-way bookshelf/floorstanders, 3-way floorstanders

Concerning the integrated circuits listed, the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM6172N is a dual video amplifier that I have under consideration for the I-V, but not the buffer due to lack of stability certification for a 600Ω load.  The LM4562N is a known decent buffer; the LME49720NA and LME49860NA are directly comparable.

 

[nimo]

  Concerning the integrated circuits listed, the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM6172N is a dual video amplifier that I have under consideration for the I-V, but not the buffer due to lack of stability certification for a 600Ω load.  The LM4562N is a known decent buffer; the LME49720NA and LME49860NA are directly comparable.

Thanks! Took a look at the LME49860NA which I totally missed only from your input.

Just ordered from Element14 (farnell):
2x LME49860NA for I/V
1x OPA2107AP for Buffer
1x LM6172IN/NOPB for Buffer
 
The LME49860NA is twice the price compared to the LM4562NA/LME49720NA but in reality just a little more so figured wth.
The OPA2107AP for the Buffer is rather expensive but I found close enough to the OPA627 so that's that.
The LM6172IN/NOPB just to 'try'; not sure if the 600ohm bit is relevant since it's output thru RCA - maybe I missed something?

 

[bcschmerker4]

  Concerning the integrated circuits listed, the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM6172N is a dual video amplifier that I have under consideration for the I-V, but not the buffer due to lack of stability certification for a 600Ω load.  The LM4562N is a known decent buffer; the LME49720NA and LME49860NA are directly comparable.

 
 

  Thanks! Took a look at the LME49860NA which I totally missed only from your input.

Just ordered from Element14 (farnell):
2x LME49860NA for I/V
1x OPA2107AP for Buffer
1x LM6172IN/NOPB for Buffer
 
The LME49860NA is twice the price compared to the LM4562NA/LME49720NA but in reality just a little more so figured wth.
The OPA2107AP for the Buffer is rather expensive but I found close enough to the OPA627 so that's that.
The LM6172IN/NOPB just to 'try'; not sure if the 600ohm bit is relevant since it's output thru RCA - maybe I missed something?

600Ω is the standard characteristic impedance for unbalanced line-level devices (-10dBV) common to home audio installations.  As a video amplifier, the National Semiconductor®/Texas Instruments® LM6172IN may be built for 75Ω loads common to component and composite video but is untested at 600Ω.

 

[Vopidu]

Best upgrade for STX II?

 

[wanted110]

The stock muses 8920 look to be good, so i don't know if try some other amp will improve the sound quality to you. But, if you want to test some good amp, start with AD797BR (take a goodlook at the datasheet, there are capacitors to add, between 2-6 and 6-8 if i remember).

 

[Monitox]

Hello everyone,
 
 
It is possible that this has been discussed already, but in over 300 pages is hard to find.
If it has been discussed, I apologize, anyway, my question: to an Xonar Essence STX, which is the best op-amp for buffer, if I want to keep those two JRCs that came with the sound card from the factory. ? I just want to change my present buffer, with another, more efficient.
 
Thx.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  It is possible that this has been discussed already, but in over 300 pages is hard to find.
If it has been discussed, I apologize, anyway, my question: to an Xonar Essence STX, which is the best op-amp for buffer, if I want to keep those two JRCs that came with the sound card from the factory. ? I just want to change my present buffer, with another, more efficient.

 
The LM4562 op-amp used the buffer slot on the Essence STX is a relabeled LME49720 op-amp, which I guess is more liked then the JRC2114 op-amps in the two I/V slots.
A lot of people just replace the two JRC2114s with two LME49720 op-amps, to improve audio quality.
With the Essence STX, only the two I/V slot are for the headphone output, for line-output (RCAs) all three op-amps are used.

 

[Monitox]

The problem is that I believe that I have problems with the buffer OP-AMP and not with the JRCs. The sound in my speakers, (Corsair SP2500), is somehow gutural, if I can say this. In headphone instead, the sound  is best of the best, clear like mountain water, and I know that for headphones the sound not pass through the buffer. This mean that if in my speakers the sound is not clear, and in headphones is, only the buffer can be guilty.
 
Therefore I asked which OP-AMP is best for buffer, and to work very well with the default JRCs?
 
Excuses for my poor english, it's because I'm not a native english speaker.

 

[PurpleAngel]

  The problem is that I believe that I have problems with the buffer OP-AMP and not with the JRCs. The sound in my speakers, (Corsair SP2500), is somehow gutural, if I can say this. In headphone instead, the sound  is best of the best, clear like mountain water, and I know that for headphones the sound not pass through the buffer. This mean that if in my speakers the sound is not clear, and in headphones is, only the buffer can be guilty.
 
Therefore I asked which OP-AMP is best for buffer, and to work very well with the default JRCs?
 
Excuse for my poor english, it's because I'm not a native english speaker.

 
I'm just having a hard time believing it's the design of the LM4652 op-amp that is causes the "gutural" issue.
Sometimes the op-amps are not full seated in their slots, so take off the EMI cover and careful press down on the op-amps to make sure they are fully seated.
Did you disable the motherboard's on-board audio, in the BIOS, before installing the STX and the Asus software?
Try deleting the Asus drivers and installed the Unified Xonar Drivers.
http://maxedtech.com/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/
 
Any chance there is a issue with the Corsair SP2500?
Have you tried plugging the Corsair SP2500 into anything else besides the STX?
 
Maybe try replacing the RCA to RCA cable for connecting the Essence STX to the SP2500?
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021814&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2

 

[Monitox]

- I didn't looked in the sound card, to see if some components are not in their place properly, but I'll take a look.
- Yes I disabled on-board audio, and installed the modded driver UNi Xonar Driver
- Don't know if the problem is with my Corsair, I put signal from my smartphone, and it sounds well, no more "guttural" sounds, wich, between us, is not one too significantly, it's just a bit, a bit but enough annoying.
- The RCA cable is the original which came with the speakers, I doubt, somehow, to be from he.
 
What's curious is the fact that I have the sound card and the Corsair SP2500 for a year, and this phenomenon appeared by two or three months, till then everything was ok with the sound: clear in speakers, clear in headphones.

 

[lucianpescaru]

  The problem is that I believe that I have problems with the buffer OP-AMP and not with the JRCs. The sound in my speakers, (Corsair SP2500), is somehow gutural, if I can say this. In headphone instead, the sound  is best of the best, clear like mountain water, and I know that for headphones the sound not pass through the buffer. This mean that if in my speakers the sound is not clear, and in headphones is, only the buffer can be guilty.
 
Therefore I asked which OP-AMP is best for buffer, and to work very well with the default JRCs?

Connect the headphones to the RCA socket using the supplied RCA to 3.5mm cable and see if the sound is still distorted.

 

[Monitox]

Same sound unclear as on the speakers. If someone could tell me which thinks is the best OP-AMP for buffer, and also to work very well with the default JRC's, I'd appreciate.

 

[lucianpescaru]

I have OPA2107 for the hole bunch eg IV and buffer. Sounds a bit bright but it's clearer than the stock config and I'm happy with the sound.

 

[Monitox]

Someone told me, to put for buffer: OPA2132P, and also to buy an LM4562NA, because is the same with the one I have now for buffer.
And, he said me to do two tests:
 
1 - OPA2132P buffer + original JRC's I/V
2 - OPA2132P buffer + 2xLM4562's I/V (the new one and the original one, that was for buffer)
 
And to see in which one of these two combinations, sounds better.