[gurubhai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitor /img/forum/go_quote.gif I connected the 3.5 to RCA cable with my speaker system.

there are no 3.5 mm outs on STX. You need to use a pair of RCA to RCA connectors.

 

[digitor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gurubhai /img/forum/go_quote.gif there are no 3.5 mm outs on STX. You need to use a pair of RCA to RCA connectors.

^ This problem has been resolved. Thanks for helping.

 

[ROBSCIX]

@Guru, the card comes with a RCA to 3.5 mm for PC type speakers.

@Digitor, what was your issue, the conenctions?

 

[abelincoln]

The saga of the fluttering volume continues--it came back the day after getting the replacement card. So I wanted to report back that it's at least not a problem with the STX. I've got another PSU on the way and if it's not that then I dunno...maybe it could be the motherboard? Very strange.

 

[Gilly]

is the case grounded properly?

EMI interference? what graphics card?

what brand of PSU?

what connectors are you using on the sound card, and what do they go to?

 

[KDE]

STX isn't good card according to data sheets

PCM1792A THD+N at 192 kHz: 0.0015%
TPA6120A2 THD+N at 32 Ohm: 0.00055%
JRC2114 THD: 0.0005 %%

It has high distortion at 32 Ohm according to Xbit labs
Two in One: Asus Xonar Essence STX Sound Card Review (page 7) - X-bit labs

 

[abelincoln]

The case is a Silverstone lc10b-e. It should be properly grounded--is there anything special you have to do? It's plugged into a tripp-lite power protector.

Not sure about EMI interference. I've tried it with spread spectrum enabled and disabled. The graphics card is the internal nvidia geforce 9400 on the Gigabyte Ga-E7AUM-ds2h motherboard.

PSU is a 330W Seasonic S12 II connected to one HDD (sata style power connector), one DVD+RW (ata molex connector), 3 Nexus 80mm 'real silent' case fans (cpu and case fan power on mobo, ata connector) and one Scythe Mini-Kaze (also ata connector).

 

[Gilly]

okay well I wonder if there is a lot of system traffic (with the integrated graphics card).

also is there a dirty motor one of the fans?

I'm not sure however, the power input stage on the card must get rid of some of the crap.

those power supply's are quite good for ripple etc, afaik.

not 100% sure what to say. Load it up with ferrite cores i guess

and you can check the ground with a multimeter, using AC 200V or 500V if your in Europe, check for ~110v across live and ground, and ~230v across if your in Europe. I can't see no ground causing problems (although my stuff goes to a water pipe) like that described, ground loops can cause buzzing and or pulsing (heard both happen with power amps and AV amps togeather).

Hope we can come up with a solution for you togeather!

 

[dex85]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KDE /img/forum/go_quote.gif STX isn't good card according to data sheets PCM1792A THD+N at 192 kHz: 0.0015% TPA6120A2 THD+N at 32 Ohm: 0.00055% JRC2114 THD: 0.0005 %% It has high distortion at 32 Ohm according to Xbit labs Two in One: Asus Xonar Essence STX Sound Card Review (page 7) - X-bit labs

good thing for you if can hear a difference between 0.0015% and 0.0025% THD. maybe you should have paid more attention to the conclusion of the review.

Quote:

When I had been listening to the Auzen X-Fi Prelude, I had not expected any card to surpass it. Later on, the ASUS Xonar D2 showed the weak aspects of the Prelude. And now, the Xonar Essence STX sounds better than the Xonar D2 and Prelude, and better than the X-Fi Elite Pro, and perhaps even better than any audio card in the world, but I still want some more! It is a shame that the Essence is just one step short of being perfect. It just needs better resistors and different operation amplifiers.

 

[dlb0089]

@abelincoln

its probly fluctuating current from your psu. i would change it out for something with a little more reputable brand. I usually choose between Antec and Corsair myself. heres one by Antec called "Earthwatts", very efficient and clean, stable power, and great brand to boot. cost isnt too bad either

Newegg.com - Antec earthwatts EA380 380W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Power Supplies

 

[ROBSCIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abelincoln /img/forum/go_quote.gif The saga of the fluttering volume continues--it came back the day after getting the replacement card. So I wanted to report back that it's at least not a problem with the STX. I've got another PSU on the way and if it's not that then I dunno...maybe it could be the motherboard? Very strange.

hmm, I guess the power woudl be the next thing to check if you already replaced the card and are still having this issue.
IS the card on it's own tap? -Meaning a straight cable right from the PSU and NOT sharing with anything else which may be adding interference to the power?

 

[abelincoln]

Thanks for the suggestions. I do have a power supply on the way but it's been almost a week and BB still hasn't shipped it (should have ordered newegg but didn't want to pay the restocking fee if this doesn't solve my problem).

dlb, I'm getting a Corsair this time but they're apparently made by Seasonic so hopefully it was just bad luck of the draw with my current one. Rob, I did try putting the card on it's own tap which meant unplugging my optical drive. Didn't make a difference.

I usually just laugh at people on message boards having random problems with stuff that works fine for me so I guess this is my payback.

 

[ROBSCIX]

OK, that was just a suggestion. A buddy of mine had a good card but there was noticable high end distortion, well noticable to me. I could hear the cymblas just didn't sound right. They sounding like a frying egg with no ting to them.
Check it out and he had his card on the same Pa as his HDD. The HDD was adding interference to the card. Soon as it was put on it's own the cymbals sounded how they should again.
You have tried another slot etc? I am thinking you just need a cleaner PSU or maybe this one is giving up the ghost so the power it supplies is becoming unstable.
Keep use posted.

 

[abelincoln]

Thanks, I'll definitely put the stx on it's own tap when I get the new PSU. My reason behind using the same tap for the stx and dvd drive was that I thought it wouldn't make a difference when the optical drive isn't in use but this probably isn't 100% true. I was even briefly looking into getting a double rail psu so I could put the card on it's own 12v rail but the thought of getting an 800W psu for an htpc makes me cringe.

 

[KDE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dex85 /img/forum/go_quote.gif good thing for you if can hear a difference between 0.0015% and 0.0025% THD.

There is much higher distortion at high output power.
TPA6120A2 has 10% THD+N at 1.2 W output power and 64 Ohm load according to figure 7 at page 8 of data sheet. My 50 Ohm headphones has 3.5 W maximal input power.