Just order Xonar STX - right decision?

ajf

ajf

ajf

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Probably done this the wrong way round asking after purchase!

Decided to take the plunge and get the Xonar STX as a replacement for the on-board audio on my Asrock Extreme 4.

Want to use it primarily for stereo audio and will use it to connect to a Creek headphone amp and a pair of HD650s.

Hopefully when I rip all my CDs to FLAC, this will be a decent replacement for my Marantz CD63-ki?

So, WAS it the right decision?!
It can always go back if you all say NO!

One other thing. I have a set of 2.1 speakers.
I assume I can still have these hooked up to the on-board and just change the default audio device for games etc?

Andrew
 
Epic Card

The sound which I hear when my headphones are connected is awesome, can hear so much detail.

I'm running my 2.1 speakers of the stx.


Good Choice !!
 
It's nowhere near as good as a KI signature cd player. It is as perfect as pc sound can get below £200 though. I had one but went back to a hifi dac and amp due to the hissing. my gf uses the pci version on her other pc and that hisses a bit too thru the headphones at high volumes during silence. I'm really fussy!
 
http://www.stereophile.com/content/asus-xonar-essence-ststx-soundcards-follow-september-2010

The measurements section of the above is particularly good, stating the output impedance to be around 10 ohms and the distortion being very low indeed. Based on that you should probably use 150 ohms or greater headphones. Also the headphone out of the card is probably better than your headphone amp, but try both and see which you prefer.

Have a good read about the driver/software/sampling rate quirks (it won't do 88.2 for example, and the old drivers did strange resampling when over 44.1 KHz).
 
Thanks, I'll have a read through that link.
Not sure what the HD650s are rated at but I will try them both through the card and my seperate amp and see which sounds and performs the best.

Card is here now so just waiting to get home :)
 
Guarantee you'll love it mate ;)

btw - you can have both your 2.1 speakers and headphones connected at the same time (switch between the two using the asus control panel) - so no need to use that onboard rubbish anymore :)
 
He will be connecting his Creek headphone amp to the RCA outputs on the card. That's what I gathered from his OP anyway. So the 2.1 speakers will have to use the onboard audio. The Creek could connect to the headphone out on the card. Not ideal though, as the headphone out is already amplified.
 
Well all installed and working - after I realised it also needed additional power:p

Just trying it out with the HD650s through the card direct and through the Creek amp.
Only reason I was going to use the external amp was I already have it from using it with my CD Player.
If I find I am better without then great.

I sort of assumed it would still be a benefit to be honest too.
 
joeyjojo said:
If you've got the OBH-21? the STX has way better specs. I'd use the headphone out direct from the sound card.
Click to expand...

Yes it is, although the 'SE' version!:p
Still switching between the two but do agree the card alone seems at least as good so probably leave it with the CD Player.

Overall so far very happy. The CD63 is a great player but I think this combo is enough to convince me to go digital as I also want the ease of flicking through tracks - I rarely listen to just one cd start to finish.

Have found the flac software makes a difference too. Tried playback with VLC as had it installed and was getting some really odd 'static' or clipping or powerful tones. Switched to Media Monkey and that has gone. Foobar2000 has also been suggested but not tried that yet.

Thanks for all the comments though everyone.
 
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