[cuad]

Using JVC HA-RX700s. When I set the sample rate to 44.1KHz. I start hearing white noise. If I change the sample rate to any other value, it goes away. I've since tested this card with 4 other headphones. Two of them didn't give me any white noise, but the other three did. Again, only at 44.1KHz. But here's the thing. I returned the sound card to Fry's, and exchanged it for another one... and it has the same issue.
 
What's going on? I did not have this issue at all with onboard sound.
 
By white noise, I mean this, just quieter but equally annoying:
 

 

 

 

[sulvaat]

Try changing the power connector on the STX to a diffrent one (preferably a different rail if you PSU has one - it will be marked on that handy little sticker) and, if you can, test it in another PC and see if it still does it.

 

[cuad]

Hi, I did both. Currently posting from the second computer I have installed it in. Unfortunately I'm still getting white static from 44.1KHz, and curiously it still goes away at any other sample rate.

 

[reiserFS]

Common issue with sound cards, just resample to 192kHz.

 

[cuad]

I could do that, but I can't help but feel like I have a broken product. On top of that, I've been doing some testing and have come to the conclusion that my onboard Realtek ALC889 is able to fully drive my JVC HA-RX700s since I do not hear a single difference when I listen to them through the Essence STX. And I can't imagine ever owning anything better than AD700s, which could probably be driven fully by a Xonar DX.
 
So I ask: what in the hell am I doing with an STX?
 
I returned it. Saw a Titanium HD for $130 with a $30 rebate so I went for it. For $10 more than a DX this card will serve me well if I ever grab those AD700s. With the money I saved, I probably will.

 

[slidesear]

The same thing happens to me. 441KHz causes white noise...
 
Does anyone know if this is common?

 

[skreddy]

Faulty card. Send it back.

 

[fufula]

Is the white noise really low? If it is, and if you can't really hear it when playing music, then it's probably the same thing I experienced with my ST. It's got something to do with the headphone amp and very sensitive, low impedance headphones (both, the JVCs and PRO900s relatively easy to drive.) After I switched to 64 from a 32 Ohm set (that, and I'm using the RCA out now,) the white noise completely disappeared.
 
From what I've read, it is common, so even if you do get a replacement from ASUS, the new card is going to exhibit the same issue.

 

[slidesear]

The sound is pretty low but you can really tell when you switch to the speaker output, and then back to the headphone...
 
What would explain the problem going away from using other sample rates?

 

[slidesear]

Bump!

 

[cuad]

 
Quote:

Is the white noise really low? If it is, and if you can't really hear it when playing music, then it's probably the same thing I experienced with my ST. It's got something to do with the headphone amp and very sensitive, low impedance headphones (both, the JVCs and PRO900s relatively easy to drive.) After I switched to 64 from a 32 Ohm set (that, and I'm using the RCA out now,) the white noise completely disappeared.
 
From what I've read, it is common, so even if you do get a replacement from ASUS, the new card is going to exhibit the same issue.

 
Hey, thanks for the tip.
 
 

 

[slidesear]

This solved the issue for me too. I am currently running the line out from my STX to a FiiO e9 amplifier. I put some info in my thread here
 
I am not sure if it is odd that I am not getting the noise from the e9 even on 44.1Khz
Quote:

 
 
Hey, thanks for the tip.
 
 

 


Quote:

Is the white noise really low? If it is, and if you can't really hear it when playing music, then it's probably the same thing I experienced with my ST. It's got something to do with the headphone amp and very sensitive, low impedance headphones (both, the JVCs and PRO900s relatively easy to drive.) After I switched to 64 from a 32 Ohm set (that, and I'm using the RCA out now,) the white noise completely disappeared.
 
From what I've read, it is common, so even if you do get a replacement from ASUS, the new card is going to exhibit the same issue.

 

 

[Gradius]

Probably the culprit is the poorly crystal on PCB.

 

[Samsunait]

It's a common issue of all Asus Xonar Essence ST/STX cards; there was already a topic here on head-fi about this problem --> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/493349/asus-xonar-essence-st-sound-quality-issues
 
To summarize, the hiss/white noise is present on the Headphone out and NOT on the Line Out; it's quite audible at 44.1KHz but it's still here EVEN at the other rates, just almost inaudible.
I have a Xonar Essence ST, and i can hear this hiss on both my HD 595 and HD 598.
So the partial solution is to not use 44.1KHz (i'm using 96KHz), the "final" solution is to use Line Out.
 
This problem is pointed out even on a review of Xonar Essence STX at XbitLabs --> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/asus-xonar-essence-stx_8.html#sect0 where they wrote at the end And why is the odd problem with the noise level at 44.1 kHz not solved since the Xonar D2?
 
Said this, i was very disappointed when i found this problem, and if I had known about it, I never bought this sound card...

 

[Samsunait]

Do we know if this problem happen even with high impedance headphones line HD 600, HD 650 and so on? if someone that own both the Xonar and an high impedance headphone can test this, would really help, it's an information that we miss at the moment.