[leeperry]

luckily there's more to soundcards than just X-Fi or Xonar...just try them all until you're satisfied(some want it sharp, some others mellow, some in-between), that's what I did....then fine tune w/ op-amps of your choice

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I mainly listen to Trance and with the STX this was just too loud and indeed an agressive upper spectrum (sharp). If I listen Trance with the X-Fi I could fall in sleep with it while STX keeps me awake with it's load sound and sharp edges in the upper spectrum. So I could better stay with the X-Fi and leave alone the ST?

If you use EQ, how do you have the EQ set?
What setting is the gain on the headphones amplifier set to?
Opamps can change many aspects othe spectrum. This card just might not be a good mix with your cans. Perhaps there are other cards out there that might be a better match for you.

 

[Alexander01]

I always listen to Trance with this Equalizer preset in WMP:

More lower bass and less upperbass. And alot of upper treble makes it pretty clear. By default the X-Fi is a bit muddy and boomy due its warm caracter I think. The bass is bloated and too boomy. And there is no clear high spectrum. I always listen with this preset in WMP and I really enjoy it. Big impactual bottom end with tight mid bass and a clear overall sound due the 16khz treble boost. This treble boost causes no sharp treble. It has no sharp edges. It just makes the music more clearer. If I do this with the STX EQ it also makes the music more clearer but also alot sharper. This is probably because the STX has already a sharp upper spectrum from itself. If there are opamps that will hide this sharp upper spectrum and make it more smooth so I can fully turn up the 16khz with 20db I would be alot happier with STX. I like it how clear the STX can be but with the stock opamps it's just too loud, sharp and agressive. It also need a better bottom-end texture. If turn up the 31hz of the STX EQ with 20db and turn down the 125 and 250 I do not get that big textured sub-bass like with the X-Fi and the WMP equalizer.

 

[ROBSCIX]

If this is the EQ you used for your X-fi and now you applied that to a card with better high end like a STX that might be why you have such an agressive treble heavy sound.
That EQ is cutting much of your bass. That is not something I would use but if you like it great. Personally I don't even use EQ...

What gain level is your headphone amplifier set for?
There is a sub panel in the STX that you can bring up when you select headphones....what level is it set for?
Do you know what I am refering to?

 

[Alexander01]

I found the 300-600 ohm option the best one for my headphone (which is 32ohm). I have the volume between 3 and 7 with the 300-600 ohm setting. I noticed more expression and dynamic while using the 300-600 ohm setting.

I'm cutting the 62 and 125 hz because i don't like too much upper bass. But I like alot low end bass. If I boost the 31hz and I get a more sub-bass caracter that I like alot. I can't have enough sub bass

But the STX has a sharper high spectrum then the X-Fi. Maybe if I change the opamps I can get a more smooth airy high-end so I get a ultra clear sound without sharpness if I boost the 16 khz with 20db.

 

[crossbone]

Hi Alexander!

I have one recommendation OPAMP for you, that could suit your needs. Try the OPA2107. Perhaps you can get some free samples from Texas Instruments?? (.edu or .com email address needed)
It has much better low-end than standard setup and i would describe the high-end as airy, but not harsh. Another one you could like would be the LT1364, though i found it a bit harsher then the OPA2107. Apart from that, those two are really similar.

Bye
Matthias


edit: For more laid back sound with smaller soundstage but not "that" airy highs, i would recommend OPA2132/OPA2134.

 

[auger66]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not have the ST yet. It's still not available in Holland. . .

We just got it here in the US. Mine should be here Friday.

 

[mojave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by auger66 /img/forum/go_quote.gif We just got it here in the US. Mine should be here Friday.

Where did you buy it?

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I always listen to Trance with this Equalizer preset in WMP

godverdomme, that's nasty EQ my friend

maybe you could try to follow these 2 EQ methods for EQ'ing headphones:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/how...torial-413900/

The necessity of headphone equalization

and if you want laid back sound, OPA-Earth is the way...and possibly OPA-Moon(more distorted): RightMark Audio Analyzer test: comparison

 

[ROBSCIX]

..yes you can look back about 3 months ago when many were testing the STX/ST with discrete opamps. There is a much better information as many were testing them in many different configurations. Both the STX and ST thread are full of impressions from many different peopel and many different configurations.

For your RMAA, what is the test device? What are the stock measurments?
There is no basis for comparison if you have no stock values in there.
I know your new to RMAA but,wihtout knowing what your testing and what the default measurments would be they are usless results.

 

[auger66]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojave /img/forum/go_quote.gif Where did you buy it?

nuLime.com

I've never heard of them, but I got tired of waiting for Amazon or Newegg to get them in stock. There's a $10 coupon code on the far right side of their home page that brings the total cost with shipping to $200. I called Tuesday, and the rep said they had 40 in stock. Ordered Tuesday; shipped Wednesday; should be here Friday. No problems with them at all so far.

Xonar Essence ST (90-YAA0E0-0UAN00Z) - Asus - Sound Cards, Computer Add-Ons & Upgrades, Computers, Electronics & Computers - nuLime.com

Found them on Google shopping. Others may have it in stock by now.

 

[Bmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crossbone /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Alexander! I have one recommendation OPAMP for you, that could suit your needs. Try the OPA2107.

I would recommend the same thing. I had a Neko D100 in my system for a while, which is known to be a fairly neutral DAC with a passive transformer-based output stage. I used the Neko as a benchmark for comparing different op-amp combinations in the STX. It was easy to A/B them with my pre-amp. The closest I came to the sound of the Neko was with 2 x OPA2107 and 1 x LM4562.

In the end, the Neko was a just a little sweeter, musical and more analog sounding than the STX. I would say their sound was more similar than it was different, to the point where at times I would forget which source I was using and confuse the two. Soundstage and imaging was quite similar. The Neko had slightly rolled off highs, but I didn't feel like I was missing any information there. In comparison, the STX's upper mid's and treble may have been just slightly emphasized relative to neutral. It was a little harder and less organic and natural sounding, but certainly not what I would call aggressive or loud. I was actually really impressed by just how neutral it was and how close it came to the D100 given the roughly $1K or 500% difference in price. Perhaps it could be closer still with discrete units, but I haven't tried them.

The Neko is gone now, replaced with a Benchmark DAC-1 PRE, perhaps as neutral a DAC as there is. In the process I removed the pre-amp from that system which I felt was negatively affecting the sound. I haven't really had a chance to A/B the STX with the Benchmark yet, but I will. The headphone amp in the DAC-1 is definitely better than in the STX though. The DAC-1 has several LM4562's (and a few 5532's) in the signal chain, so I'd like to compare the STX with 3 x LM4562 just to see how it sounds with the same op-amps.

 

[phusg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander01 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I do not have the ST yet. It's still not available in Holland.

Well it's been available here for a few months now I think, but the price of €169 is far from competitive and there's no sign of the H6 expansion board yet, which I'm waiting on. It's still cheaper to import it from Germany at the moment.

In the mean time I've more or less solved the problem I was having with Trance music being too harsh. I swapped my detailed Pioneer A300R Precision amplifier out for a smoother Marantz PM17KI and after that my Auzentech X-Mystique out for an Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 with Audio GD Earth opamp. All this through Mission 753 speakers, which have metal tweeters which makes them more prone to harshness than silk dome types. Now finally I'm happy with the way my reference trance CD Ra's 9th sounds and don't need to fiddle with the EQ at all any more. Hope you get there too!

 

[ROBSCIX]

...sure some source are just not such a good mix with some amplifiers or receivers but sound great with others.

 

[ZeNmAc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by auger66 /img/forum/go_quote.gif nuLime.com I've never heard of them, but I got tired of waiting for Amazon or Newegg to get them in stock. There's a $10 coupon code on the far right side of their home page that brings the total cost with shipping to $200. I called Tuesday, and the rep said they had 40 in stock. Ordered Tuesday; shipped Wednesday; should be here Friday. No problems with them at all so far. Xonar Essence ST (90-YAA0E0-0UAN00Z) - Asus - Sound Cards, Computer Add-Ons & Upgrades, Computers, Electronics & Computers - nuLime.com Found them on Google shopping. Others may have it in stock by now.

This is good news

!!!

I know what I'm getting myself for Christmas