Replacing Xonar Essence STX

[Razargh]

Hi Guys,

So my Xonar has given up the ghost out of the blue. Turned on the PC this afternoon after logging out last night with everything working. Today there is no sound. I have removed all the drivers, checked windows settings and checked the Uni-Xonar C-Panel. It is showing audio playing on the Mixer but you can only faintly hear it above the static being produced. I popped off the cover on the Xonar and one components seemed to be halfway out of its socket. I re-seated it and inspected the rest of the card and couldn't see any obvious damage.

So I pretty much think its died.

So now i'm in the market for a new sound card or an external alternative.

I use my PC mainly for Gaming, Music, Films etc but i also dabble in music production.

I currently use AKG K7XX's Headphones and I have a pair of Corsair SP2500 speakers which were previously connected via RCA.

Does anyone have any recommendations for External or Internal Solutions?

I would prefer if it has the option to connect headphones via 1/4 inch jack and would support Dolby with upscaling?

Any help appreciated.

-Raz

 

[Rofflay]

I think the two at the minute are the Xonar STX II £206 and the new Soundblaster AE-9 but i need to look at them and see if Soudblaster bested the Xonar.


It is basically the updated version of the one you had with the 7.1 daughter board too. It would be good to hear what people think about the AE 9 too.

 

[JasonM]

Since your motherboard takes old sckool PCI, how about a second hand Asus Essence ST? I'm still using the ST with Windows 10 fine, and second hand ST's are cheap, one on auction site now 99p starting.

 

[Marsman]

STX II is a joke at £210. It's an STX with minor updates and the 7.1 daughter board. Creative ZxR is an option, currently £150, but I don't know what Creative's drivers are like now they have the AE-5. AE-9 is apparently coming at some point, but who knows when.

There's also that EVGA sound card. Whether that is worth £220, I have no idea. There was a thread about it, but I didn't pay too much attention to it.

 

[Yaayuh!]

If you want 1/4" and all the gaming Dolby gumpf, then it'll cost you as they usually come with a half-decent headphone amp stage.
You could get a 3.5mm 1/8 inch Male to 6.35mm 1/4 inch Female adapter though of course.

You could spend £75 to £LOL, so would really need to know the budget.

 

[Rofflay]

STX II is a joke at £210. It's an STX with minor updates and the 7.1 daughter board. Creative ZxR is an option, currently £150, but I don't know what Creative's drivers are like now they have the AE-5. AE-9 is apparently coming at some point, but who knows when.

There's also that EVGA sound card. Whether that is worth £220, I have no idea. There was a thread about it, but I didn't pay too much attention to it.

Pretty sure STX 2 beats EVGA and ZxR it is high quality kit but the stuff inside the AE 9 is supposed to also have Sabre DAC but i though you know it will be £350 no joke? I still think about buying the STX 2 because when i go to Ryzen i need to go from pci to pcie so my mint and cared for Xonar ST will have to be sold.


Been considering it on the MM it is immaculate but i am saving hard for a 2080ti by sept 9th and only £200 to go. Selling now throws that up in the air considering the price of these cards.

 

[synixx]

Perhaps the component that had popped out was an op-amp? I remember the STX had the ability to change op-amps to customize the sound signature of each output. Do you hear static from all the outputs?

 

[Marsman]

As above; sounds like it is possibly an opamp, if it can be reseated. Everything else is most likely soldered in place, including the opamp socket. Although; opamps should be a tight fit and not something that would just dislodge itself.

 

[V F]

As above; sounds like it is possibly an opamp, if it can be reseated. Everything else is most likely soldered in place, including the opamp socket. Although; opamps should be a tight fit and not something that would just dislodge itself.

Yeah, you need those tweezer/long thin small nose type pliers to get them out carefully.

 

[JasonM]

Re if an Opamp fails, am I correct in thinking only one channel would have fail, but sound from the other channel unaffected?

 

[Razargh]

Perhaps the component that had popped out was an op-amp? I remember the STX had the ability to change op-amps to customize the sound signature of each output. Do you hear static from all the outputs?

Here is a picture of an STX II but its practically the same.

https://imgur.com/cYKIsNH

I have circled the part that was out of place.

I am currently using an old Creative X-Fi Titanium but If i switch the Xonar back in the sound is basically only just audible and you can hear static through the headphones.

I have to have my speakers/headphones on max just to even slightly hear it.

I have decided to go for the EVGA Nu Audio to give it a shot as i think I will use Dolby Atmos for Headphones from now on and I don't mind missing the Dolby stuff on the speakers as they are only 2.1 and i never found the virtual surround much better than standard.

-Raz

 

[EsaT]

Re if an Opamp fails, am I correct in thinking only one channel would have fail, but sound from the other channel unaffected?

Depends on chip.
Some are single opamps, some dual opamps. (I think there are also quad opamps)
Though only one of them can be in use.

Also both opamps of chip could be in use for same audio channel.
Like in Objective2 which pairs opamps of dual chips in parallel to double current output capability.

 

[EsaT]

https://imgur.com/cYKIsNH

I have circled the part that was out of place.


I have decided to go for the EVGA Nu Audio to give it a shot as i think I will use Dolby Atmos for Headphones from now on and I don't mind missing the Dolby stuff on the speakers as they are only 2.1 and i never found the virtual surround much better than standard.

That's opamp.
Should be JRC2114/NJM2114’.
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-xonar-essence-stx-soundcard-review,9.html

Those sockets maintain contact even if opamp is couple millimeters higher.


No binaural sound simulation/HRTF will ever work with speakers.
It requires completely independent signal reproduction for both ears. (=headphones)
Natural crossfeed, delays/room echoes etc from speakers only mess it.
Stereo is really best what you can get from stereo speaker set.

As for headphones Dolby Headphone is rather average with bass bloat and tendency for echo.
Anyway with both headphones and speakers for gaming use you would want ability to switch between them with HRTF enabled for headphones and disabled for speakers.
Creative's newer cards work well for that with SBZ Switcher giving hotkey control for that in SB Z serie and AE5 switcher doing same with tray icon doubleclick for AE-5.

Though "Project Accent" could be really nice for gaming with customizable Super X-Fi HRTF.
That should give better directionality with most head shapes.

 

[Razargh]

That's opamp.
Should be JRC2114/NJM2114’.
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/asus-xonar-essence-stx-soundcard-review,9.html

Those sockets maintain contact even if opamp is couple millimeters higher.
.

Mine was stuck out at a 45 degree angle and two pins didn't seem to be contacting anything.

I plugged it back in but still the sound is extremely quiet barely audible and their is a fair amount of static which was never present before.

I cant see any other noticeable damage but when I get home I'll take a couple pics so that someone who is clued in may spot something i have missed.

-Raz

 

[doc]

You can usually buy replacement or different sounding op amps pretty cheaply. Might be worth trying first.

 

[EsaT]

Mine was stuck out at a 45 degree angle and two pins didn't seem to be contacting anything.

That opamp is variation of classic NE5532, so if you remember what legs didn't touch anything that would tell what was unconnected.
(end of package with leg 1 has mark in it)
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/ne5532.pdf
But that certainly doesn't do good for it, especially with quite likely one voltage rail disconnected.

Just have to wonder how it did end up that way...

 

[Razargh]

Hi Guys,

Here are the images. https://imgur.com/a/3AKDvcx

I think there is some damage in the first image but apart from that I cannot see anything obvious.

The opamp had the 4 pins on the right side out of the socket (3,4 5,6?) but maybe not fully so they may have still been contacting.

If I could repair it that would be great.

I really don't understand how it happened tbh It was working the night before.

 

[EsaT]

That green stuff looks quite weird.
Oxidation really shouldn't be that bright coloured, but more matt/less glossy and with non smooth surface.
That looks more like some kind glue/paint.


That lower 2114 sure looks like it might have been quite out of position.
With especially the rightmost, negative voltage rail leg bend.
So it's certainly possible that disconnection there could have caused damage to it.

As for what could have caused it to loosen, maybe it was originally sloppily installed and over the years thermal cycling slowly disconnected it.

 

[Razargh]

Thanks for taking a look EsaT.

I was worried about the green on the end of that pin and the square below where it looks like something has came off or corroded.

Tbh though I am unsure how long its been that way as I have been putting off cleaning my machine the last couple months.

I just got the EVGA NU Audio so i'll give that a go for now and see if I can get the other working in my test rig.

 

[V F]

Thanks for taking a look EsaT.

I was worried about the green on the end of that pin and the square below where it looks like something has came off or corroded.

Tbh though I am unsure how long its been that way as I have been putting off cleaning my machine the last couple months.

I just got the EVGA NU Audio so i'll give that a go for now and see if I can get the other working in my test rig.

Do tell your findings...