[elwappo99]

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so upon puchasing a STX, i became a true believer on the quality and performance of this wonderful soundcard. i posted a wonderful and helpful review on amazon for others to see hoping that it'll spread the word. i have a HD598 and AD700 and it really brought out the best of headphone listening. and what do you know, some duche bag who's never listened to the card deducted a point from my review telling me that he has a hard time believing that a soundcard can be audiophile. what a ****** bag, obviously never even tried out the product, and just stereo type all soundcards as bad, not only that, deducts a point from a review having never experienced it. 
 
http://www.amazon.com/review/R5ZUHS4PKFB6B/ref=cm_cr_rev_detup_redir?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B001OV789U&cdForum=Fx2A03G9IMRYFJG&cdPage=1&cdThread=Tx1B15N2GVT2BR3&newContentID=MxKWOM00G7L9P8&store=electronics#MxKWOM00G7L9P8

 
Hah, I like how he says Denon and Onkyo receivers have better SQ. Sorry dude, definitely not the case. Those are still pretty far behind. 
 
Anyway, I gave a thumbs up to the review. 

 

[CommanerKeen]

I've had my Essence STX for a while but never bothered with opamps but I've read they're a cheap way to upgrade/get better sound out of it.
Currently have a pair of HD555 and a Denon receiver with Fluance speakers\subwoofer but I'm going to upgrade soon,maybe HD650 or DT880's.
Any inputs on this?
Thanks.

 

[Stanley Pain 00]

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One other question. I can just replace the IVs and leave the buffer OPAMP as stock or would it be beneficial to also replace the buffer?

 
 
Quoting to see if anyone could answer that question for me. From what I've read it's probably OK to leave the buffer as stock but I just want to tripple check. Thanks.

 

[germanium]

I've had this card , while very good & is bordering on high end it's not quite there stock. This card has tremendous potential though to be an absolute giant killer where you have difficulty beating it at 10x the cost with very little work. Same goes for the X-Fi Titanium HD as it uses very similar hardware. A little more difficult with the Titanium HD though.

 

[xeizo]

I just put in 3 brand new LM4562NA/NOPB, they had a totally different partnumber printed on the capsule than the single original LM4562NA in Essence ST. While same model it's obiously a different revision. Much later of course, as this was newly manufactured chips.
 
I choose LM4562 in all places, because it seemed the easiest way to get a neutral sound that is just cleaner than default, no big signature change. According to the long threads here and at similar sites.
 
As of yet I can't tell if it's really any cleaner but the new OP:s works just fine and there's definetely more depth and 3D to the soundstage in Stereo, which is probably because it IS cleaner ie easier for the ears to detect slight variations that cue direction.
 
Also, it seems ambient effects and room echo comes through better now, default sound was slightly dry. Now it is more wet so to say, as in liquid. This depth/3D-effect is a rather pronounced effect compared to default, not hard at all to detect.
 
But, it's way to early to tell if I will prefer the overall sound change. The sound is neutral though, as I wished, and the imaging is very stable as in pinpointing sounds and them staying in place even though so much depth to the sound.  I'm still happy 
 

 

[powerincarnate]

I have a question, I'm not an audiophile but I do like good audio.
 
What do you mean by putting an opamp in the buffer position, and the I/V.  My guess from reading here, the buffer position is where the original lm4562 is and is for the analog right and left RCA out, and the I/V is the paired opamp that goes to the headphones.  So then, Why would changing that third opamp do anything for the paired opamp with regards to sound when using it with a headphone.  
 
My next question is related to the first.  I've read people mixing and matching opamps.  saying things i'll use one opamp and pair it with another so that I don't lose detail or soundstage or whatever.  Is this mismatching the paired headphone opamps or the third opamps. 
 
My 3rd question is, is it me or does the lme49990 x3 seem to give me more of a muffled sound, though it is warmer than 3X lm4562, the lm4562 seem to give me a cleaner sound, especially with string instruments, and for sure with the mids and treble.  
 
I hear that lm4562 is same as lme49720 and that is same as lme49860 except the ladder was tested to accept higher voltages.  IF they are the same, why have three different part numbers.  I remember it being discussed months ago, but I'm not sure what the conclusion were.  I also have read people felt the lme49860 is warmer, how is that possible??  I also heard Weired (is that his name) said the 49720 and 49860 was flawed, flawed as in what?? not enough base, or for some other reason.  
 
One last thing, does the Xense sound that much different than the STX?? I do have the STX, but I was wondering if the difference was minimal, the reason I asked is because when I do play music through my receiver, I always felt the DAC of the soundcard and use with analog wires to a receiver sounded better than sending the audio to the receiver via HDMI (using Radeon 7970) and letting the receiver's DAC handle the sound.  The Xense would give me the option of the 7.1 analog and STX wouldn't.  
 
Finally, has anyone tried that new Soundblaster ZXR from Creative??  My last creative sound card was audigy 2 and then I moved to X-meridian after that and never looked back, but it seems that this card might be a pretty good one, driver issues aside of course.  

 

[elwappo99]

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I've had this card , while very good & is bordering on high end it's not quite there stock. This card has tremendous potential though to be an absolute giant killer where you have difficulty beating it at 10x the cost with very little work. Same goes for the X-Fi Titanium HD as it uses very similar hardware. A little more difficult with the Titanium HD though.

 
I don't think that's a very fair thing to say about this card. It does very very well, and does have a very good dac. But even my Matrix M-stage beats out this card in terms of amplification.

 

[germanium]

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I don't think that's a very fair thing to say about this card. It does very very well, and does have a very good dac. But even my Matrix M-stage beats out this card in terms of amplification.

You obviously haven't heard this card with my mods.

 

[elwappo99]

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You obviously haven't heard this card with my mods.

 
Have any DACs or Amplifiers that are worth $1800 to compare it to?

 

[eggyhustles]

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You obviously haven't heard this card with my mods.

no one here has, lol. 

 

[germanium]

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no one here has, lol. 

Not entirely true. There is one  that did so & really liked the result.

 

[germanium]

10X the cost by the way is no guarantee of better quality as much of that goes into physical aesthetics & having to have it's own power supply transformer. Great sound can be had for cheap but it takes some work on the part of the listener. I'm not saying that 10X the cost DACs can't beat the stock unit but it would have a very hard time beating my modified unit. 10X the price generally does not improve things that much. It is the law of diminishing returns. Going to 100X the cost does often improve things dramatically but not always. Those are really statement products that are truly cost no object.

 

[elwappo99]

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10X the cost by the way is no guarantee of better quality as much of that goes into physical aesthetics & having to have it's own power supply transformer. Great sound can be had for cheap but it takes some work on the part of the listener. I'm not saying that 10X the cost DACs can't beat the stock unit but it would have a very hard time beating my modified unit. 10X the price generally does not improve things that much. It is the law of diminishing returns. Going to 100X the cost does often improve things dramatically but not always. Those are really statement products that are truly cost no object.

 
It certainly goes without saying that "mo money doesn't mean mo betta", in the audio world. However, you make a strong statement saying it compares to DACs at 10X the price. It also goes without saying that laws of diminishing returns are exemplified with audio gear. However a good portion of the price goes into the little details that make higher end DACs gain a small edge over lower cost units. For example, power transformers and regeneration are incredibly important in DAC implementation, and can get very pricey very quickly.
 
So again, I ask have you recently owned any DACs at the value of $1800 that this unit outperforms? 

 

[germanium]

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It certainly goes without saying that "mo money doesn't mean mo betta", in the audio world. However, you make a strong statement saying it compares to DACs at 10X the price. It also goes without saying that laws of diminishing returns are exemplified with audio gear. However a good portion of the price goes into the little details that make higher end DACs gain a small edge over lower cost units. For example, power transformers and regeneration are incredibly important in DAC implementation, and can get very pricey very quickly.
 
So again, I ask have you recently owned any DACs at the value of $1800 that this unit outperforms? 

If you were to actually hear what I have done I think you would change your tune. The main mods are to the power supply & in case you are not aware the power supply is in the direct signal path so huge differences can be made here with not very much cash outlay either. I go a completely different route to improve sound than other modders & having very limited funds to accomplish my goals I had to come up with a real difference maker that goes well beyond anything I've heard before. While I cannot own DAC's of the price that are 10X this soundcard it does not mean that I haven't heard any in that price range & I have not heard anything that could put mod modded cards to shame yet. I have heard setups that cost may times what mine cost & still found wanting in some areas that my modded card excel at.
 
My power supply mods work equally well whether they are applied before or after regulation devices, it does not matter at all as long as my mods are applied to both the plus & minus rails & any single supply rails & all caps lead back to ground my mods work wonders to the sound

 

[cdd3068]

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I'll give some brief impressions. I've wasted way too much money on op amps for this sound card. Also, I've taken the shield off the card so many times that one of the screws will no longer screw in. If you plan to try many op amps, I recommend leaving the shield off until you settle on a set, and then put it back on.
 
My headphone is the Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. [Clear, neutral, slightly warm, slight emphasis in the mid-bass and midrange.] It is a low-impedance phone so I am using the normal gain.
 
JRC2114 (stock): It's easy to find faults with these, but after trying out a bunch of op amps it becomes obvious how good they actually are, and might be the best choice for the majority of people. If you think the stock sounds great, don't assume you can get a better sound just because the op amps are replaceable. Someone here wrote that they were not able to find op amps that sounded as good as the stock, and I totally respect that. I don't know if it has to do with the fact that the card was designed for these op amps, or they just sound good in themselves, but they have a sound that is the most dynamic and "fun."
 
However, I initially found them to be extremely bass-heavy, and wanted a more neutral sound. They can also sound a little harsh, which I think is just part of having a dynamic sound. They exhibit a strange soundstage to me, where the bass presents itself close to me, in kind of a left-right fashion, whereas the mid and upper ranges are further away, and only directly in front of me, in a kind of back-forward fashion. I prefer a more even, "in your head" type soundstage.
 
LME49720: I got these for free from TI.com using my student account. They definitely have a different sound, but I don't think it is an improvement. They emphasize the upper and mid ranges at the expense of bass. Coming from the stock, they will seem bass-deficient. They do have more detail than the stock, but the lack of bass and the added fatigue make them inferior in my opinion. They are also less dynamic and "fun."
 
AD797BR: I bought these from audjade_chn on ebay. I do not recommend them. They definitely wowed me when I first listened to them. They are hyper-detailed and extremely energetic. They also have a wide natural soundstage. The first problem is that I think they are bass-deficient. As in, zero bass. Again, coming from the stock this will be disappointing because the stock's best quality is its bass. Next, the hyper-detail brings the most fatigue of all the op amps. Finally, after a week or so of installing these I got very loud, noticeable, static-y distortion coming through the headphone amp. It was so present that I thought something was going on outside my window (and my headphones are closed). It even continued when I turned off the song. I'm not sure if I just got a bad one, or this is the "oscillation" that was referred to in this thread, but clearly something was wrong and I had to remove these. Even if I didn't have that problem, I still would prefer the sound quality of the stock over these. For me, a waste of money.
 
THS4032: I bought these from hifiic on ebay. These are the first I would consider a possible upgrade over the stock. As expressed in this thread, they are definitely the smoothest sounding. They are closer to neutral and have a great natural soundstage. However, I still would like more bass. They definitely have present bass, it might even be neutral, but again coming from the stock, they disappoint in this regard. The smoothness of sound and lack of bass "punch" make these sound a little "flat" to me, and less dynamic and fun compared to stock.
 
OPA2107, OPA2137: I got these for free from TI.com using my student account. I looked for op amps that could possibly compete with the stock in the bass department. They don't, and I found them inferior everywhere else, too. Waste of time, do not recommend.
 
LME49990: I bought these from frugalphile on ebay. These are the ones I am going to keep in the card. They possess the bass, dynamics, and "fun" of the stock, along with the smoothness of the THS4032, and added detail as well. The bass is great: present, tight, and defined. My only nitpick is that they possess similar soundstage characteristics to the stock, in that the bass feels close and side-to-side and the midrange feels center and a little further away. Since the stock have this too, I can't really consider it a flaw of the op amps. I'm really happy with these and highly recommend them. Also, I found frugalphile's workmanship of the circuits to be higher quality than the others and another benefit is he's an American seller so you don't have to wait for your op amps to arrive from China.
 
Recommended: LME49990, THS4032, or JRC2114 (stock).

 
 
I just switched from LME49720 to LME49990...I'm picking up my jaw from the ground still...I have the say the biggest difference is for me was the bass. It's tighter, more defined? The mids to highs are more smoothed compared to the LME49720. I actually turned OFF my EQ that I was running in Xonar Audio Center when LME49990 were in place (the one I was previously using) and the heavens sang! I'm going to go enjoy my whole music collection again. IMO LME49990 > LME49720. +1 for frugalphile...he ships from around Buffalo, NY and came pretty quick down to Florida. One word of advice, he has auction for both single and dual SOIC LME49990...make sure you get the DUAL! I made the mistake of buying the single If anyone needs some single ones for any reason, let me know! I'll sell them to ya!