ASUS Xonar Essence STX, SNR up to 124dB

[Cravo]

So is it better in gaming than my all time favorite Auzen X-Fi Prelude?.Atleast looking at the specs what is your opinion?

[joshd]

So is it better in gaming than my all time favorite Auzen X-Fi Prelude?.Atleast looking at the specs what is your opinion?

No. The Xonar emulated EAX is not as good. For me, it crashes games really epically. I have to play with it off.

[3NZ0]

That is an untruthful statement. There are tons of USB headphones out there. What does it do for them? Nada. Other than that the card is looking good.

USB headphones are utter crap.

So is it better in gaming than my all time favorite Auzen X-Fi Prelude?.Atleast looking at the specs what is your opinion?

No, not for games (if they use eax). Is better for everything else though.

[Katanai]

USB headphones are utter crap.

Yeah I know. Software emulators are not sound cards. Still they are out there, so that statement is utter bull.

[ROBSCIX]

You know they aren't talking about USB headphones, sometimes statements lose something when translated. This card has a high quality, high impedance headphone amplifier which can drive any headphones on the market that require seperate amplification. For instance models like HD600, DT880, AKG K240..etc.

[Donnie27]

Oh, alright, so that DS3D GX2.5 3D that Asus offers has not much to do with harware processing of game effects (like EAX support etc.)? I've never really looked into Asus cards since I figured the Prelude is the best of both wordls (at that point and at least for me)...


A good friend of my who has a little home studio and produces some music just tells me to get firewire audio interface. The thing with them is that I either have to spend a fortune to get a noticeably better perfomance (at least the way I see it) or end up with a product that offers on par sound quality, if not worst, have all the feautures I am not planning to use in the near future (like multiple inputs and outputs, midi support etc.) and just lack that nice interface of X-Fi cards (I just love it heh), crippling gaming feautures in general. So thats my argument towards keeping what I have for now (since I haven't find any audio interface in the range of up to $500 that I think is a worthy upgrade in my case). As I said, headphone amp is one of the things I am likely to get next and... most of those cheaper firewire cards offer a ty one anyway.

I think Z-5500 are good for what they are though - movies and games (especially taking into account their price). I am having my sitting in the corner, looking new with 25m or so of copper wire, that I bought but havent tried using. I dont know if I should sell them or keep, because I think its just a great value for what they are... Well, music wise... its only if you had some cheap 5.1 system before that you can really like it. When speakers are set currectly (especially the sub), then they can produce quite a nice result (for the money) playing some FLAC stuff and having a proper bass level in the control panel. Well, its no stereo of course...

I think somebody should really build a card with feautures similar to this new Asus card, delievering great stereo perfomance and fitting a nice headphone amp into it. Well, as many have already pointed out, for like $250 it might be hard to deliever whats promised (but I keep fingers crossed anyway ). Would be nice if it would have 1/4" outs instead of RCA's too...

The Asus GX2.5 stuff is a Gimmick and I've tried it for myself. IMHO, it is a Daniel K type hack to dodge flags or to show fake support. The X-Fi processes EAX that adds to DS3D or OpenAL. Either of these alone aren't bad but EAX make them better. Note, these are HW effects. Good sound along is not enough for Games.

Not much to disagree with you with except two things. Xonars are great for music and not so good for games. The other thing I disagree with that 5500 are low quality at best. No, I'm not an audiophile but most $100+ Bookshelf speakers sound better. Many HTiB sound better for about the same price do as well.

I agree with most of the other things you said here.

[Donnie27]

So is it better in gaming than my all time favorite Auzen X-Fi Prelude?.Atleast looking at the specs what is your opinion?

Not even close. If the game supports any kind of EAX that is.

[ROBSCIX]

Hopefully there will be some listening impressions this week...

[Bo_Fox]

Cant wait.. looks like I'll be able to build a killer rig with either Corei7 or Phenom 2... patience.. patience....

I'm currently using a headphone amp that was designed for car audio, hooked to the 12V harness from the car battery, but instead I'm connecting it to the 12V line from my PSU. Nifty, eh?

[slim142]

Would love to see this compared to the Auzentech Prelude HD coming out in january

[Jamesrt2004]

The Asus GX2.5 stuff is a Gimmick and I've tried it for myself. IMHO, it is a Daniel K type hack to dodge flags or to show fake support. The X-Fi processes EAX that adds to DS3D or OpenAL. Either of these alone aren't bad but EAX make them better. Note, these are HW effects. Good sound along is not enough for Games.

Not much to disagree with you with except two things. Xonars are great for music and not so good for games. The other thing I disagree with that 5500 are low quality at best. No, I'm not an audiophile but most $100+ Bookshelf speakers sound better. Many HTiB sound better for about the same price do as well.

I agree with most of the other things you said here.

Donnie what would you then recommend speaker wise (for music + movies mostly odd game of css) AudioEngines A5's for some cheap nice speakers (can use to dock ipod too) or yea etc..

(sorry for offtopic)

[Jamesrt2004]

Cant wait.. looks like I'll be able to build a killer rig with either Corei7 or Phenom 2... patience.. patience....

I'm currently using a headphone amp that was designed for car audio, hooked to the 12V harness from the car battery, but instead I'm connecting it to the 12V line from my PSU. Nifty, eh?

haha pretty sweet idea

personally I used the tried + tested + cheap little ChuMoy amp

[flopper]

Hence my shortened sweetened post about ridiculous specs that 95% of the market will never notice a difference.

Its for those 5% that the difference is huge.
Its not called xtreme uncalled 4

[Donnie27]

Donnie what would you then recommend speaker wise (for music + movies mostly odd game of css) AudioEngines A5's for some cheap nice speakers (can use to dock ipod too) or yea etc..

(sorry for offtopic)

First, sorry I missed this one James. I'd easily go with one of those HTiB. Many like the Onkyo, and even JVC has a couple of nice ones. The best thing to do is listen to them first but that is not always possible. Also reviews are not always accurate either since no two people hear or experience sound the same.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/masterindex_htib.html

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...nkyo_s660.html
The one I've heard the and like just as much as the better much more expensive ones are these (others in this line as well that cost more).

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-HT-S3100...Entertainment-

System/dp/B0015M1BCS/ref=sr_1_43?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1229443014&s r=1-43

Starts at $189 or you can get the 4100 model for $244 and makes the 5500 a bad deal its current price level. As others have said you can add better speakers to fit your needs or taste later on. I like Old School Full range for stereo to first. These are then turned into big Mid range when listening in 5.1 mode. I'm an Harmon Kardon Fan, always have been since the 70's when Carver/Phase Linear stole my ear! This would do that sweet sound Card some real Justis.

I had Logitech 560z many others, I also have a non working set of Mega works 650's. I swore off computer multimedia speakers years ago and none shipping have me change my mind. Hell, I built my own.

[RealTelstar]

Would love to see this compared to the Auzentech Prelude HD coming out in january

Now its january.... the ETA keeps changing every month!

[Levish]

Just a fyi, there is no magic ear. the only difference is audiophiles appreciate higher fidelity while others appreciate value (bang for the buck) more. I'm sure this card will be great to those who want great two channel audio out of their card with enough oomph to not require a headphone amp for the higher end headphones.

There is snake oil though, wood blocks to lift speaker cables off the floor anyone or how about $100/ft speaker cable/interconnects?

[Bojamijams]

Well this is depressing... according to the official website

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1...11&modelmenu=2

The 'amazing' 124Snr is only available if your headphone is recabled for RCA inputs.. if you just use your 1/4" jack, you only get the measily 110db.. not that impressive for most people after all I think.

[Donnie27]

it depends

EAX DSP effects are a joke each and every recording engineer will laugh at

you can run far better quality effects in software, and it won't really stress todays quad core CPUS

the problem is good effects cost a lot, so if you cover all the EAX capabilities with professional software effects you will get far better audio quality, but it will cost like 1000$

but enough with the SNR milking, there is no point, what people need is better dynamic range, and that means balanced connections, cuz you cant go above 104 dB dynamic range with current multimedia gear

Then there are other engineers who'll laugh at your first statement as well. EAX was NEVER meant for Recording Engineers. EAX is used to add to already simulated or fake sounds. Does little to Nothing for real recordings that it was NEVER meant for. EAX setup correctly on a half-@$$-ed system does just what it supposed to.. Too bad many times I've checked others' systems with it not even setup or not enabled. Once these are done I mostly get two reactions embarrassment or astonishment! Embarrassed because most of these folks should have known better. One guy's been building computers at least 7 years. Then the other group is blown away and are like what did you do? They THOUGHT it was setup or that nVidia chipsets were at fault. I've found that **MOST** Nay Says NEVER truely heard EAX in action.

Just a fyi, there is no magic ear. the only difference is audiophiles appreciate higher fidelity while others appreciate value (bang for the buck) more. I'm sure this card will be great to those who want great two channel audio out of their card with enough oomph to not require a headphone amp for the higher end headphones.

There is snake oil though, wood blocks to lift speaker cables off the floor anyone or how about $100/ft speaker cable/interconnects?

There are a tons of folks who think most of the folks who ID themselves as Audiophiles are folks who fall for and buy snake oil! Yet, I love $10,000 Martin Logan Summits

Headphone amp? Find an old Harmon Kardon like my old 730 or better still a 930? Other Headphone AMPs will never sound the same afterwards. Too bad I don't have my old HPM 100's

[Donnie27]

You seem to know a lot about that (I am being sarcastic) FYI there are professional oriented audio interfaces from EMU that have the very same DSP chips as creative soundcards, but unfortunately they offer pretty low quality, thats why everyone into recording is gonna prefer software effects instead of hardware. You shouldn't be so y when you clearly have no idea of what you are talking about

EAX effect set is nothing more than EQs, reverbs, echoes, and modulators. You have the same effects available in much more professional forms, and most of all, impulse based effects. That is a special sound, played and recorded into a given location, lets say a cave, compared to the original sound, and the difference extracted, allowing to accurately recreate exactly the same environment. So a software based good effects set, coupled with a good quality sound card will end up much better than original HARDWARE EAX.

No LOE, you got caught showing off your cluelessness and have to lash out uh? I don't need to get or go down in the crapper gutter with you. No need for the

Yes you have effects that put EAX to shame. But what you seem to fail to grasp is that they aren't available to Gamers in any form except with a X-Fi based card. If you think EAX is; "EAX effect set is nothing more than EQs, reverbs, echoes, and modulators" then you are the clueless one here. Xonar can't even do those measley effects you mentioned

Example to prove my point. Some of EAX's biggest and best features are Transitions, Game voice that place players in and between locations. While outside the cave, you can hear other player/s as well as those going in and out of the cave simultaneously. Sometimes it can create sound perception overload for those not use to it. Experienced EAX 3+ users have been called cheats since they could tell the hallway from the next room because of EXCELLENT Obstruction and Occlusion. Upstairs instead of Down can be recreated where on the Xonar you can't fracken tell. NONE OF THESE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ARE on ANY other card=P Good sounds with NO EAX3+ effects are just plain. It's like watching Blue Ray in stereo.

Please stick to flaming LOE, because you don't know anything else. Look at my Sig and tell me about Low Quality Creative cards again? "good quality sound card" what in the hell do you think the Prelude is? EAX not only makes echos, it muffles, distorts, changes pitch, delays, decays, has low latency, creates elevation, distance and many other feats NOT pulled off by ANY none EAX card/s. It uses the best from Sensura, Aureal, EMU, and etc..

Xonar makes a great HTPC card as I said but NOT recommended for Serious Gamers.

[aztec]

No. The Xonar emulated EAX is not as good. For me, it crashes games really epically. I have to play with it off.

That's funny, the DX EAX emulation works fine in games I've played thus far. You might have something else crashing your rig?

As for the poster who earlier said his DX "sounded like a Rice Crispies"...I don't get it. Mine sounds fine and I consider myself an audiophile. Some older pix of just a few of the high-end components I've owned over the years:

Mesa Baron amp -





Audible Illusions Modulus 3 pre -




Theta DS Pro Basic II -


I later got a Pass Labs D1 DAC, connected by AT&T fiber optic to a C.E.C. TL-1X transport. Look them up, they retailed for over $10k at the time.


Levinson No. 383 Integrated -




Here you can see the left B&W Nautilus 803. I had Sound Anchors make me a set of custom stands for them.




As someone else said here, most 'philes are not going to attempt to get "hi-fidelity" sound out of a fawking noisy PC playing questionable software, so my argument is: how logical is it to spend $150.-$300.+ on a PC sound card?? Most of the "high-end" cards out are gimmicky or over-built/over-priced and have very dubious benefit over a decent basic/mid-range sound card.

IMO don't waste your money. If you want to listen to great audio, then build a REAL audio system but don't expect miracles from PC audio coz it ain't gonna happen.

I'm sure some will disagree, so flame away boys!!

[Donnie27]

That's funny, the DX EAX emulation works fine in games I've played thus far. You might have something else crashing your rig?

I'm sure some will disagree, so flame away boys!!

Many will give mad props to a very sweet system, also very nice Drums. I play Bass and have been learning Guitar.

I lived in the Audio Club on Rhine Main Airbase even though I was stationed about 100 miles away LOL! Two Air Force Dinks were Homies or from my home town, they visited me as well.

I bring this up because they sold B&W, B&O, Canton, Ohm, Denon, Merantz, NAD, many others and my favorite Phase Linear-Carver. The only thing left from my Hi-Fi is the Phase Linear Series II Range Expansion Noise Reduction unit. The 1000 Amp and Pre-AMP were only out done by the MAC equipment that they had but only Generals and Drug dealers could afford it.

Only running HPM-100 for Quality and CS-922's for loud parties.

Anyway, thanks for sharing those great Pics. I'm NOT one of those folks who think Audiophiles are wasting their time.

[Particle]

I really hated my Xonar Dx. It sounded like a bowl of Rice Krispies. I have my doubts about this.

Sounds like you had a majorly defective unit. That does not at all describe my experience with the DX. It is by far the best sound card I've ever used, which goes for any number of Creative products, Realtek onboards, and Turtle Beach units.

[Vargher Warg]

Mesa Baron amp... aahhh!...want it!...

The Asus card looks good though! I like it - beautiful design!

[aztec]

Many will give mad props to a very sweet system, also very nice Drums. I play Bass and have been learning Guitar.

I lived in the Audio Club on Rhine Main Airbase even though I was stationed about 100 miles away LOL! Two Air Force Dinks were Homies or from my home town, they visited me as well.

I bring this up because they sold B&W, B&O, Canton, Ohm, Denon, Merantz, NAD, many others and my favorite Phase Linear-Carver. The only thing left from my Hi-Fi is the Phase Linear Series II Range Expansion Noise Reduction unit. The 1000 Amp and Pre-AMP were only out done by the MAC equipment that they had but only Generals and Drug dealers could afford it.

Only running HPM-100 for Quality and CS-922's for loud parties.

Anyway, thanks for sharing those great Pics. I'm NOT one of those folks who think Audiophiles are wasting their time.

Thx for the kudos.

Yeah, the Pioneer HPM-100's were OK. I have a pair of JBL 4412's that are in the same vein.

I just think paying for pricey sound cards, etc. to be run from a PC isn't the best idea. A more reasonable system sure, but it's hard for me to see how something more than say the Xonar DX would improve things, unless you're into multi-channel on the PC which I'm not.

[aztec]

Mesa Baron amp... aahhh!...want it!...

It's a great amp. Even better after I sent it back to Mesa for the WIMA caps mod. No grain at all in the mids now and I can use any output tube I want (KT-88, EL34, E34L, KT-90/99, 5881/6L6). No prob driving 2 ohm loads. With 5881's (shown) it gets out a powerful 150/wpc. With KT-99's it can do a huge-ass 225/wpc. Just tweak the bias a little for the tube type and good to go.

And them's ballsy, transparent TUBE watts gentlemen...not the low-current, high-screech "blah blah watts-per-[pick your number]-channels that you get from cheesy surround-sound receivers and PC sound cards!