[Theodore]

Hi.
I ask if it is useful to  swap the clock of a Essence ST card, to a  precision clock, to minimize audio jitter.I have bought  one,but I have not put it on,because I have read that it is very difficult.
Is there somebody,who has done it?
Some video perhaps?

 

[Redshift Rider]

Quote:

I can tell that the line out has a better SNR then the headphone out.
So where to plug in my headphones best?

Thanks in andvance for your answeres

 
     Plug your awesome headphones into heaphone out so you can use soundcard's built in amp.
     Line out does not use internal amp, but it may be useful to you in the future if you buy better, separate amp.
     Then you would go:
     soundcard line out ---> new amp --> headphones

 

[MrHeadphone]

     Plug your awesome headphones into heaphone out so you can use soundcard's built in amp.
     Line out does not use internal amp, but it may be useful to you in the future if you buy better, separate amp.
     Then you would go:
     soundcard line out ---> new amp --> headphones

Thanks. So ill go with the headphone Out.

 

[belerofonte981]

Finally the op amps arrived 1x lme 49990 and 2xlme 49860
 
First, i started with the 9990 in the buffer section, result: more detail, less  harsh in highs, not more bass but punchier. 
Then i put the 49860 in the i/V section: more pleasant highs, more controled, but less bass, much less. By now i 'm a bit dissapointed with these, but OP found that after a break in period the bass was better
I found the sound stage about the same with this new opamps.
Another point is that the lme 49990 runs too hot, similar to the motherboard chipset, i want to try 2 more in the i/V section but i 'm afraid that the heat or the oscilation problem may cause damages in the sound card or in the rest of the equipment. Anyone using 3x49990?
My computer, with a standar psu is connected to a apc ups, can an psu upgrade help to get a more stable, less hotter, 49990. Can the psu affect to the SQ here?
 
Thanks

 

[Magister Mundus]

Hello people, just wanted to give my first impressions on replacing the 3x stock op amps (JRC2114DD) with 3x LM49720NA...
 
What I have noticed after 20 minutes: (including the time to install the op-amps)
 
BASS:
+ Can hear the bass strings more (I can't really describe this, but the "thin" sounds from bass, like when you hear a bass without amplification)
+ More emphasis in upper bass (around 250hz I think)
- Less emphasis in low-bass, sound is somehow lighter(20hz-100hz I think)
 
DRUMS:
 
+Don't really know the name of that part, but the part of the drum kit that you "kick" with your right foot... the bassy thing... I think I can hear it easier
 
OVERALL:
+ Less harsh
- Midrange MAY be a little more recessive (or I'm tired, can't tell for sure)
+ More instrument separation
 
If I had to choose two of the above characteristics that I am really sure things changed in that department, it would be these:
"+ Can hear the bass strings more (I can't really describe this, but the "thin" sounds from bass, like when you hear a bass without amplification)"
This is really not placebo, I am totallly hearing more bass... I have some bass hearing loss ( can't hear 20hz, only 30hz), I don't know why, so I can tell things improved
 
"+ More instrument separation"
Also true.
 
 
Well, just my two cents.

 

[belerofonte981]

Anyboy here with  3 x lme 49990 that can help?
Thanks

 

[nicholars]

From what I read on here it seems like pretty much the best op amps are just the ones which come with the STX... This makes sense I guess because the STX was designed to use them. Correct me if I am wrong but what I have read suggests very minor inprovements at best.

 

[belerofonte981]

Nicholars,
term like "best", "better"... are always very subjective, it depends a lot from other aspects, more into the sound world. For me, change the opamp from the buffer with the lme 49990 made a big difference, better for me, more defined bass, better highs... the same when i changed the yamaha amplifier for the cayin or when i changed the cambidge audio interconects for the mit avt3.
But a change can be "better" for me and mi rig and not for you/ your.
I asked to frugaphile about the heat from the opamp, he said that usually it runs warm, but if it is hot ,maybe it is oscillating, i dont know what that means, i dont nokw it there is any risk for the soundcard, amplifier, speakers... so i want to know the opinion of those people that are runing 3xlme49990, anyone?
And the other question was if a better PSU can help to this problem or can improve the SQ. i 'm runing a cheap psu conected a great APC UPS.
 
Thanks.

 

[budi]

Added this card to the Sound Cards Massdrop poll! Vote it up!

https://www.massdrop.com/vote/sound-cards-audio-cards

 

[Stanley Pain 00]

Quote:

Anyboy here with  3 x lme 49990 that can help?
Thanks

 
I have 3 installed now, however I don't use line out but I'd assume you'd get similar performance from Line Out as you see from the Headphone Amp side of things.
 
 
With my Denon 6500s and 650s the 49990s make a HUGE difference. MUCH better soundstage, tighter base, less sparkly highs.

 

[Triggster]

I received this card on Friday and my Phillips Fidelio X1 headphones, I also got the DGX for comparison but I think the STX is a definitely better card when either actually works.
 
So far I've tested both cards, the DGX on beta drivers for windows 8 and the STX on beta,release and unified drivers on w8 and then the unified drivers on w7 and they all produce the same results: the computer will freeze and hang indefinitely. The beta drivers caused it to cash quickly (5-15 minutes), the release took a fair bit longer (hours) and the unified was in between. 
 
Initially on w8 I thought it could be the cause of my problems so a fresh install of w7 and nothing has improved.I also get the following message with the STX installed during boot up: 
00 usb mass storage devices found and configured .oot menu.
whcih will cause a hang until the computer is restarted, some times it takes several times. I don't have any external usb storage devices plugged into my computer either.
 
 
 
Have I got two dodgy cards or is there some incompatibility with my headphones or even motherboard? 

 

[MrHeadphone]

Quote:

I received this card on Friday and my Phillips Fidelio X1 headphones, I also got the DGX for comparison but I think the STX is a definitely better card when either actually works.
 
So far I've tested both cards, the DGX on beta drivers for windows 8 and the STX on beta,release and unified drivers on w8 and then the unified drivers on w7 and they all produce the same results: the computer will freeze and hang indefinitely. The beta drivers caused it to cash quickly (5-15 minutes), the release took a fair bit longer (hours) and the unified was in between. 
 
Initially on w8 I thought it could be the cause of my problems so a fresh install of w7 and nothing has improved.I also get the following message with the STX installed during boot up: 
00 usb mass storage devices found and configured .oot menu.
whcih will cause a hang until the computer is restarted, some times it takes several times. I don't have any external usb storage devices plugged into my computer either.
 
 
 
Have I got two dodgy cards or is there some incompatibility with my headphones or even motherboard? 

 
In your case i would look if you have installed the correct motherboard drivers, like chipset, usb, sata, all this kinds of drivers. Maybe you want to consider a fresh install of windows again.
Try to turn off the onboard soundcard in the bios menu. Maybe the onboard sound interrupts the soundcard.
 
It is more likely your computer causing the trouble then the soundcards. I dont know about windows 8 though, might be something with the drivers from asus as well.

 

[MrHeadphone]

Hey everyone!
 
The STX cant do 5.1 i know, only by connecting it digitally with coax or spdif it will do 5.1.
 
Is there any difference beteen 5.1 from a STX digitally vs 5.1 from a soundcard with actual 5.1 support analog out?
Im wondering maybe ill upgrade later in a 5.1 sound system, and if the digital out from the STX is just as good as a 5.1 supported soundcard ?

 

[Gustav Mahler]

Regarding the op amps........installed 3 muses 1s that I got through ali express about six weeks ago..........they took a while to open up but represent a good improvement....audio image steps back slightly from the front  of the speakers and becomes more spacious....better throughout the frequency range from organ pedals to triangles and cymbals
 
stx out to music first classic preamp to bryston 3b sst to theil 22s
 
Cheers!
 
Gus

 

[Triggster]

Quote:

 
In your case i would look if you have installed the correct motherboard drivers, like chipset, usb, sata, all this kinds of drivers. Maybe you want to consider a fresh install of windows again.
Try to turn off the onboard soundcard in the bios menu. Maybe the onboard sound interrupts the soundcard.
 
It is more likely your computer causing the trouble then the soundcards. I dont know about windows 8 though, might be something with the drivers from asus as well.

 
Already rolled back to W7 from W8, made no difference.
 
Tried updating all possible drivers tonight and flashed the bios, made no difference. Disabled on board sound, also made no difference.
 
Sort of at wits end here, don't know what to do other than send the card back for a replacement or use it an an excuse for an upgrade.