[NewOne]

Hey everyone!

This question has perhaps been asked, but the topic is quite lenghty and I, unfortunately, don't have enough time to go through it all now.

I'm purchasing these days Senns HD800, an AMP and perhaps a DAC (most likely Lehmanns Black Cube and M1DAC). If I get DAC and connect optically, does it make sense to get STX or should any card with optical out do? If former, please give (brief, if you don't have time) explanation why. I have been told that by going with optical out, I'm completely bypassing the sound card and it's capabilities.
 
EDIT: The Black Cube I'm getting is the USB one, so, I guess that sound card doesn't matter...

 

[walsh]

Quote:

Hi, been lurking here for a few weeks, what a great site!
 
To my question:
 
Has Asus uploaded new drivers to their ftp site: ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/PUB/ASUS/Audio_Card/Xonar_Essence_STX/PCI_STX_7_12_8_1792_Win7.zip ( there are zip's for xp and vista too )
 
Downloaded them but havent installed them yet.. They seem legit though, anyone tried them yet?

Fantastic, can't wait to try this! Can anyone who has tried these say if they offer the same huge improvement in sound that the last update in July did?
 

 

[germanium]

Here is the link to the actual FTP site with all the files related to Asus STX sound card. ftp://dlsvr02.asus.com/pub/ASUS/Audio_Card/Xonar_Essence_STX/
 
This link works properly. If you want a different Asus soundcard go up one directory Glad to see they are using zip files now.

 

[germanium]

Trying new drivers Yes indeed it does get rid of the popping sound when changing from headphones to speakers & back. This is true only of the speaker output, the headphone output still has a slight pop but not nearly as loud. This is likely due to the headphone amps higher D.C. offset. It is much softer than before though. Note that you hear 2 clicks of the solinoid relays instead of one when making these changes, before you only heard one.

 

[vreid]

Now the new drivers have appeared at the asus support site (with a changelog), only 4 fixes listed. I personally can't hear any improvements in sound quality over the older drivers but bug fixes are always welcome!

 

[[OverDrive]]

http://brainbit.wordpress.com/category/uni-xonar/
 
 

 

[chinesekiwi]

Hello guys, I'm thinking of re-buying the STX so really, for a deliberately neutral sound (from a scientifically electrical engineering perspective), what opamps do you recommend?
 
I'm thinking of buying the OPA627/637's and maybe the AD8065's as well.
Anyway recommendations for I/V and buffer combos? (that suits the circuit). 
 
I want the source to colour the sound as less as possible. I should be OK if they are in DIP8 I assume? 
I have 'opamp rolled' (gees that term is annoying) before but this time it's with a 'different mentality'.
 
EDIT: having read up that the STX actually measures better from the headphone out + the buffer isn't used in that circuitry, 2 x OPA627 / OPA637 = all go? Any other suggestions? Maybe AD8610?
 
OPA 637 = no go as I read that the gain must be higher than 5, which I don't think the STX's circuitry is AFAIK. Correct me if I'm wrong as I do intend to use the medium gain setting on the TI amp, which measures the best.

 

[[OverDrive]]

Audio Gd Earth x2 (I/V) + LM4562NA (Buffer). 

 

[drez]

LME49720's are favourites in the I/V, as are AD8620BR's on adapters, which you can buy from Auzentech.  Im not sure what suits the buffer slot.  
 
Discrete might be worth a try if you have enough time or knowledge to weld them onto adapters.  Burson also sells discrete opamps but they are PRICY.
 
LME 49720 are cheap as anything, and the AD8620BR cost about $25 from auzentech, but sound very good to my ears.

 

[Steve-o27]

Quote:

Audio Gd Earth x2 (I/V) + LM4562NA (Buffer). 

How are those? I always wanted to try those Audio GD opamps but never had the time nor the money to order them. Do the single channel versions work in the I/Vs for the Xonar? I think you only need single channel opamps in the I/Vs and dual ones in the buffer.
I read somewhere that 2 X GD Earth + 1 X Sun is the combination to go when it comes to the Xonar STX/ST...
 
PS: You should try out the LME49720HA on an adapter, they are really one step up the ladder from the LM4562NA/LME49720NA, I think you will find them very pleasing.

 

[[OverDrive]]

Quote:

How are those? I always wanted to try those Audio GD opamps but never had the time nor the money to order them. Do the single channel versions work in the I/Vs for the Xonar? 

 
I have obtained a sound not contaminated and natural, obviously this in my audio chain that you read nelal company.
 
Of sure I cannot make other that to advise discreet the audio gd.

 

[drez]

audiogd opamps seem quite reasonably priced, but they look like monsters to install!  and there I was thinking Burson opamps were big!  
 
It would be one hell of a job to install from what I can see.  I might try this one day, but in the meantime I might learn to solder on some old amps I have lying around.  
 
Even then I think the Burson's would be much less headache and much neater install, albeit at 3 times the cost, but how much is your time worth?
 
then again by the time I install the audiogd may have already built a gamma2 or something, but I guess If I cant solder the opamps, I cant handle the gamma2 anyway...

 

[ROBSCIX]

AudioGD opamps have been used by many ST/STX owners around here from the start.  Users seem to agree the Earths make the best I/V but you can also use the Sun V2 for that task.  The Moon opamps are NOT compatible for I/V stock...they are not stable.  Sun, Earth or Moon can be used for buffers but many seem to like the Sun V2.  Based on the testing done by a few owners around here...

 

[recorder]

Quote:

Fantastic, can't wait to try this! Can anyone who has tried these say if they offer the same huge improvement in sound that the last update in July did?
 

For me, NO!
To elaborate/clarify:
I run XP SP3  w/ musicbee.
The Uni-xonar worked great using ASIO.
The ASIO is broken w/the new ASUS driver in musicbee. Static/distortion beyond belief.
It does work w/Foobar2k. Maybe a musicbee issue, but not worth the bother of having to troubleshoot something that should work out of the box.
 
I uninstalled, and downloaded the latest uni-xonar, and musicbee is happy, again.

 

[genclaymore]

You gotta us UNI Asio patch for the drivers because they uses 2.0 ASio which why Asio dont work right. that ASio patch uni have installs ASIO 1.0.