[germanium]

Quote:

 
The DC offset is probably subject to some random variation, especially since the path to the headphone output is fully DC coupled, so the DC offset from the stages before the TPA6120A2 is also amplified. Even in your measurement one channel has 1.5 times higher DC offset than the other.

While there is some variation most people who have measured it come up with the same figures as I have right down to the same level of mismatch between the 2 channels.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

While there is some variation most people who have measured it come up with the same figures as I have right down to the same level of mismatch between the 2 channels.

 
Well, I just measured it again, and it is indeed +28 mV on the left channel, and +30 mV on the right (with no load, obviously with a low impedance load the voltage drops somewhat). The "most people who measured it" is probably not a large sample.
 
Oddly, however, the output impedance seems to be about 15 Ω on both channels

I will measure everything again with different methods to make sure it is not an error, but maybe there are manufacturing differences or revisions between the cards ? Edit: forget it, it was apparently a cable problem. But that does not have anything to do with the DC offset, which is still consistently 28-30 mV for me with no load.
Edit 2: I tested again using a loopback based method and 22 Ω resistor load. The DC offset is about the same (+/- 1 mV) as with the DMM, and the output impedance is now, without the faulty cable, 10.3 Ω at 1 kHz on both channels.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Sorry, but I never ever said it performs poorly with 300+ ohm headphones, don't put words in mouth please, I even used it with such headphones. It just doesn't perform (with none of the headphones) as good as a decent external amp, or with something like a integrated speaker amp headphone output. And yes, a headphone output on my speaker amp is superior in every regard, regardless of specs. It sounds bigger, punchier, more detailed, more airy, more musical, everything sounds more separated, etc. Thats the biggest problem with STX amp, everything sounds congested, soundstage is small and the music just doesn't sound coherent as it does on regular amps.  STX headphone out is good, for the price, but not nearly as good in practice as the specs say or as good as the DAC section. That's clear when you compare it to a cheap separate head amp with inferior specs, but it actually sound better.

 
To summarize it in short, you think it performs poorly, it is just a matter of how the words are chosen.

Not that I think that non-level matched sighted amplifier comparisons are worth much, though. According to specs and measurements, it should be difficult to tell the card apart from an objectively "perfect" amplifier in a proper blind test (something that very rarely happens) with high impedance headphones. Clearly audible flaws are not acceptable; that is, assuming that they actually exist.

 

[Houbi]

Has anyone ever tried to power the Essence STX with the mobile dual-battery Molex PowerSupply called MolexT?

http://team-xecuter.com/molext-molex-on-the-move/

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Has anyone ever tried to power the Essence STX with the mobile dual-battery Molex PowerSupply called MolexT?

 
It should not be useful if you do not have a poor quality PSU that does not meet the ATX specifications.

 

[Theodore]

Quote:

 
It should not be useful if you do not have a poor quality PSU that does not meet the ATX specifications.

What wattage should this be?
And by the way,can you suggest some good quality PSU?
Wish you a happy new year.
Theodore.

 

[stv014]

Quote:

 
What wattage should this be?

 
That depends mostly on what other components (particularly the CPU and GPU) you have in your PC. The Xonar itself adds less than 20 W consumption.
 
Quote:

 
And by the way,can you suggest some good quality PSU?

 
You can find detailed PSU reviews and measurements if you search. You will probably want a model with reasonably low ripple and accurate voltages under any load, in addition to being (obviously) reliable, well built, quiet (after all, acoustic noise from PC components is just as bad for music listening as noise in the audio signal), efficient, etc. But the sound card does have onboard power supply filtering and regulation, so it does not need a "perfect" PSU, only a decent one that clearly meets the ATX specs under any conditions.

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

What wattage should this be?
And by the way,can you suggest some good quality PSU?
Wish you a happy new year.
Theodore.

I try to read the product feedback on the Newegg site before buying any computer parts, from any place.

 

[Theodore]

Thank you very much guys.
 

 

[PurpleAngel]

Quote:

Thank you very much guys.

This looks like a good deal for a 650 watt.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-TechBargains&cm_mmc=AFC-TechBargains-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16817139005

 

[Psyside]

Ok guys few questions.
 
1. I'm using ASIO over AIMP3 for music playback, (24 bit) but how about when converting audio with AVS audio converter is ASIO active during that process and what benefits if offer, how does it work when i'm not using AIMP3?
 
2. Does bit/sample rate change on its own? (auto) i'm using  Xonar UNI 1.63 beta.
 
3. Any benefit to lower the latency in ASIO panel lower then 10ms? also maybe use 32 bit instead of 24 bit? pros/cons of this settings?
 
4. Is this proper way of setup in windows, 

 
5. Anything else i should change or tweak? thanks!

 

[Psyside]

Anyone?

 

[irishpatrick33]

I know I will be reprimanded for this, but... can somebody give me a synopsis on rolling the op amps on the Xonar Essence cards?
 
The thread is way too long, unorganized, and possibly outdated.
 
I will never use headphones, so I am only interested in rolling the buffer op amp.
 
What are people's thoughts and recommendations? I assume any op amp that I sub in here needs to be a dual circuit?

 

[ROBSCIX]

Actually for the line outputs, you change all three opamps if you wish (buffer and 2 X I/V).  Headphones, you only change the I/V as the circuit replaces the buffer with the headphones amplifier chip.

 

[irishpatrick33]

Quote:

Actually for the line outputs, you change all three opamps if you wish (buffer and 2 X I/V).  Headphones, you only change the I/V as the circuit replaces the buffer with the headphones amplifier chip.

 
 

Q: What's the deal with interchangeable opamps?
A: The card has 3 swappable 8-pin dual opamps. The two matched I/V opamps impact the headphone out alone, while the 3rd "buffer" opamp impacts the RCA out. If you are only using the headphone out you only have to worry about the 2 I/V opamps. They can be removed and replaced using your fingers, a small flathead screwdriver, needle nose pliers, etc.

 
This is why I said what I said.