[ROBSCIX]

Here is more information on the card. The 2nd part of my Sneak Peak. Though y ou guys might be interested.
Have a look: Here

I have tested the card for quite awhile no so if you have any questions, feel free and I will answer them if I can.

 

[Auidodude34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBSCIX /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is more information on the card. The 2nd part of my Sneak Peak. Though y ou guys might be interested. Have a look: Here I have tested the card for quite awhile no so if you have any questions, feel free and I will answer them if I can.

Cool can't wait for the full review with better opamp's!

 

[ROBSCIX]

I have a very large collection also. I am trying to expand to some more units but I am usure if they will be in my audio lab prior to the review.

 

[Alydon]

Well the Essence arrived on my doorstep this afternoon!

Unfortunately I'm stuck at work for another 6 hours so I can't listen to it yet.

I'll post some inital impressions after I get home tonight.

 

[Auidodude34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alydon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well the Essence arrived on my doorstep this afternoon! Unfortunately I'm stuck at work for another 6 hours so I can't listen to it yet. I'll post some inital impressions after I get home tonight.

Can't wait after new years i'll be ordering it.

 

[ROBSCIX]

I think this will be a hot selling card in the new year.

 

[jmpsmash]

i have been eyeing it everyday on newegg. hoping that it will be sold out so it will make it easier for me, however, to my surprise, it is still available. ARGH!

 

[Alydon]

Okay, I've been playing with the Essence for a little over 2 hours now, and I must say I am impressed. It's definitely a step up from the HDAV I've been using, which is in turn a step up from the Xonar D2 and Prelude.

My current setup is as follows:

Hardware:
Sound card -> Blue Jeans LC-1 RCA's -> Meier Corda "Blue" HA-1 MKI, crossfeed in the "off" position -> Beyer DT990 250ohm, plugged into the 0 ohm output.

To make things fair I pulled the LT1361 opamp out of the HDAV that I had installed and put the stock LM4562 back in that it came with. I also haven't played with the STX's built-in amp yet. Apples to apples.

OS: Winxp SP2
Player: Media Monkey 3.0.4.1185, Standard Ed., Otachan ASIO plugin 0.67 SSE2



Installation was a snap. Install card, turn on PC, cancel auto-detected device, insert CD, install software, reboot. The STX plays nicely with the Xonar HDAV that is already installed, but that's not surprising since earlier this Fall I had a Prelude, Xonar D2, and Xonar HDAV all running simultaneously.

Now for the good stuff. The sound.

The overall tonal sound signature is very similar to the HDAV (and thus it will be similar to the D2 & D2X as well) with one major difference. The Mids. Mids are significantly more present in the STX than the HDAV, leading to a slightly fuller/darker presentation. It's not a huge difference but it is immediately noticeable and is not overdone IMO. It's a welcome improvement. This is not to say that other parts of the spectrum are laid back/veiled, quite the opposite actually. Mids are also more controlled on the STX.

Almost everything else is improved on the STX over the HDAV as well: The highs are clearer and have more detail and a more 3D feel to them, which in itself is impressive given the opamp used (LM4562), which I found to be somewhat flat and "digital" sounding when installed in the other cards I've heard it in (Xonar D2, HDAV, Prelude). 3D imaging on the STX is improved as well, background/accompanying intruments that might blend into a nondistinct backdrop of sound on the HDAV are pulled forward into the room on the STX. The soundstage is about the same size on both cards but instruments are more 3D and more focused on the STX, and sounds have a more natural/extended decay and allowed to breathe a little more than on the HDAV. There is also more air in the environment in general and more cohesiveness in the msucial presentation as a whole.

The bass is pretty even between the two cards, though. I don't think the STX goes any lower. It's also not much more prominent than the HDAV but there is slightly more detail and texture than the HDAV. Mid/uppser bass might be slightly more prominent too.

What's also impressed me is that it is this good right out of the box. Both the Xonar D2 and HDAV I had needed about 30-40 hours burn-in time before they reached their sonic potential. And the Prelude took over week IIRC. The STX sounds better than them all from the start. I can't wait to hear what it sounds like after using it for a week.

Another big surprise was how good it sounds with the stock LM4562. Don't get me wrong, it's a good opamp. But like I said I found the highs it produced to be "digital" and somewhat flat image-wise in the other cards I've heard it in. In the 3 other cards the highs were also quite scratchy/fuzzy for the first several hours of use. Not so with the STX. In fact, for the first couple of minutes I had the STX installed, the HDAV still had the LT1361 in it (which fixes the LM4562's "problems" in the 3 above-mentioned cards), and a few quick a/b's showed the STX/LM4562 matched the HDAV/LT1361 in every respect.

Okay, that's enough for now. I'm off to play some more.

 

[Alydon]

I just listened to the amp on this thing. It's good.

I mean, really good.

As in, "it's on the same level as my Corda Blue" good, which was $400 when I bought it.

It drives my DT990's with no problems on the medium gain setting. The sound is darker than the Corda Blue and has a little more weight. The Corda Blue has the edge on airiness and detail, tho. It sounds a lot like my Corda Opera, actually (tho I'm not saying it's as good as the Opera. Yet

).

Keep in mind this is my first impression after about 20 minutes listening to 1 CD. But so far the amp section is very promising.

 

[ROBSCIX]

Thnx, now I have another who can backup what I have been saying although I haven't said all that much about the overall signature of the card.
Sounds good doesn't it?

I have had the card for a bit longer and there is a burn-in. This card still amazes me when I listen to my music collection. Enjoy.

 

[Bojamijams]

Question for you Alydon.

Are your DT990's recabled for an RCA connection, or are you using the 1/4" jack on the STX when you connect directly to it?

Also, I'm curious to hear your thoughts with the LT1361 installed in the STX.

 

[Auidodude34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmpsmash /img/forum/go_quote.gif i have been eyeing it everyday on newegg. hoping that it will be sold out so it will make it easier for me, however, to my surprise, it is still available. ARGH!

Looks like newegg is the only one selling this card right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alydon /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just listened to the amp on this thing. It's good. I mean, really good. As in, "it's on the same level as my Corda Blue" good, which was $400 when I bought it. It drives my DT990's with no problems on the medium gain setting. The sound is darker than the Corda Blue and has a little more weight. The Corda Blue has the edge on airiness and detail, tho. It sounds a lot like my Corda Opera, actually (tho I'm not saying it's as good as the Opera. Yet ). Keep in mind this is my first impression after about 20 minutes listening to 1 CD. But so far the amp section is very promising.

keep the updates coming!

 

[zimmzio]

Actually NCIX.com has them stock now... Just ordered one.

*UPDATE* - I don't know for sure now, maybe its just on order with the supplier... Anyway says ships in 2-5 business day, we'll see.

 

[viscosity]

someone needs to try a discrete opamp in one of these. hopefully it has enough power for one, I know some who have used them in Auzentech cards and loved the sound. works wonders in the ZeroDAC aswell

 

[Auidodude34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zimmzio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually NCIX.com has them stock now... Just ordered one. *UPDATE* - I don't know for sure now, maybe its just on order with the supplier... Anyway says ships in 2-5 business day, we'll see.

yeah showed up Canada site, not the US site