[taso89]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for answering my questions So it seems that it is quite difficult to install these discrete OPAMPs on STX

Difficult and expensive. OPA-Moon is 25 bucks, plus base shipping price of another 17 bucks. If you got three of those that's already approaching half the value of the sound card! Whether it is worth that or not is something you have to decide yourself, personally I would have to hear a lot of good impressions going from a LME49720NA to some discrete units.

FWIW I used to have an OPA-Earth in a Zero DAC and it improved the sound considerably.

 

[leeperry]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does it mean that I need to install such a large thing on my sound card as an OPAMP, when a LME49720 could be just 100 times smaller? Am I getting it correct?

the first page of this PDF explains why discrete is so much better : http://johnhardyco.com/pdf/990-2007.pdf

but they compare it to some really lousy regular op-amp....which were not meant for audio stuff in the first place, so it's not hard to beat!

supposedly the discrete op-amps will increase both the distortion and the details....I don't see how that's possible, but I know I don't want more distortion

and having these 3 huge things hanging from the soundcard is simply laughable

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for answering my questions So it seems that it is quite difficult to install these discrete OPAMPs on STX

The discrete opamps are bigger, as they are composed of discrete audio grade components. Depending on your case a easy way may be to put the card in the lowest slot possible and allow the opamps to rest on the bottom of the PC case. Put down some Non-conductive film -You can use a side of the static bag you get chip opamps in.

 

[Ansh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif The discrete opamps are bigger, as they are composed of discrete audio grade components. Depending on your case a easy way may be to put the card in the lowest slot possible and allow the opamps to rest on the bottom of the PC case. Put down some Non-conductive film -You can use a side of the static bag you get chip opamps in.

Well, I have a medium size case , which I have 4 free PCI Slots now
I'm not sure if that will work, but if , I would still like to have a try

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ansh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I have a medium size case , which I have 4 free PCI Slots now I'm not sure if that will work, but if , I would still like to have a try

There are ways to do it, if you want to check them out.

 

[Bojamijams]

ROBSCIX, or anyone else in the know, do they plan on updating the STX with the new clocking circuit and daughter-board expandibility (I made up a word, YAY!)

Seems silly not to.. then users just choose the better form factor

 

[fine art acoustic]

You'r right i'am still happy about the outcoming ST and i still have the daughterboard.
I hope next week i'll get my ST and straight ahad i have the best 7.1 card wich is at the moment to get plus Headphone amp

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bojamijams /img/forum/go_quote.gif ROBSCIX, or anyone else in the know, do they plan on updating the STX with the new clocking circuit and daughter-board expandibility (I made up a word, YAY!) Seems silly not to.. then users just choose the better form factor

Not that I know of. The clock chip and pin-header seemd to be last minute additions to the ST. You never know though, if they think there is a need for it they might. ASUS may offer a newer modified version of the orignal STX.
There have been no concrete information either way.

 

[hawaya]

Works fine with 3 Opa-Earth

 

[Cynips]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawaya /img/forum/go_quote.gif Works fine with 3 Opa-Earth

So, how do they compare to stock op amps?

 

[hawaya]

First i try lt1361, and 2x lm6172, but the sound was dry in
mids and highs compare with the earth-opamps.

 

[awesom-o]

I have the 49720HA in the I/V positions, and yesterday i checked if they were still in place. And when i touched them the opamps were realy hot.
I would have burned myself if I had held on for more than a second. I'm guessing at least 70 degrees C.
Is this normal?

Soundcard is working fine, sound is awesome.

 

[leeperry]

w/ or w/o the metal shield on the STX? some say it will only make the components hotter

I should have the ST in the next coming days, when I do I'll quickly get the STX off the PC, then remove the shield...if they're really hot I'll ditch the shield.

apparently, measurements are identical whether or not you have it installed....it's the PCB that is shielded.

 

[awesom-o]

it's with the shield off. Have an opa-moon in the buffer, so I haven't bothered with the shield

 

[Mr_Owlow]

Hi all
I just received and installed 2 OPA Earth in IV and an OPA Sun V2 in the Buffer. right now I'm using the head-out so I only hear the Earths but I will listen to my speakers later and report on the differences there.

Compared to stock I would say that there is more extention in both directions and the level of detail is cranked up one more notch. I think they give a slightly warm and very natural representation of the sound.
They are a bit of a pain to install, at least in my cluttered case, something that could have been fixed with better cable management . I think the new level of sound quality more than makes up for the installation and the price.

I can't wait to hear the full potential of these pretty little things when they reach the 100 h mark, even though I cant understand what would change in any electronic component with extended use.

A big thanks to ROBSCIX for helping me with the questions that came up while researching discrete OP-Amps and for his great work in this thread.