Replacing STX

Narj

Narj

Narj

Soldato
Joined
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Hi all,

I want to replace my Essence STX as I only really use my PC for games and the odd dabble in some music apps which this card isn't suited for.

Should I be looking at an external DAC? What are my options and are there disadvantages to one of these over a PCIe card? System stability is priority and I don't want weird USB issues.

Budget would probably be around 150 squidlets. I really want to retain a positional audio via headphone function as well (eg: Dolby Headphone). I'll flog the STX when done to help fund this. :)

Ta.
 
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It can be more expensive for a decent External DAC vs. a "decent" sound card, but the latter have frustrated me of late, even ones with good reviews. For example, my STX suffered from the occasional ear-shattering high-pitched noise occuring randomly (but most often when playing YouTube videos) which ASUS have essentially denied all knowledge of.

I thought all my problems had been solved when I purchased the PowerColor Devil HDX 7.1 sound card. Although it's a wonderful card in terms of sound quality and it hasn't ever squeaked at me, it now refuses to start up with a warm reboot, requiring me to shut down for 2-5 minutes before it will decide to work again. PowerColor's support response? Generic advice like "change PCIe slot" and "use a different molex connector" even though it was connected up perfectly well and exactly the same as my STX. What we really need is a firmware update, but there's a snowball's chance in hell of that happening. The driver software is still on version 1.0.

So, based on my experience with internal sound cards, I'd have to say external DACs are the way to go.
 
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Undesirable said:
It can be more expensive for a decent External DAC vs. a "decent" sound card, but the latter have frustrated me of late, even ones with good reviews. For example, my STX suffered from the occasional ear-shattering high-pitched noise occuring randomly (but most often when playing YouTube videos) which ASUS have essentially denied all knowledge of.

<snip>

So, based on my experience with internal sound cards, I'd have to say external DACs are the way to go.
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Hi,

Yes, I've had that screeching noise and it scared the absolute ******* **** out of me while I was sneaking around in Dishonored. :eek:

The card is absolutely awesome sound quality wise but that is one issue that's irked me, too, along with ASUS terrible drivers and support. Not to mention that the card seems to slow my PC boot a bit.

I'm not sure what I'd get for the STX - I've got the original packaging and everything but the resale could help fund a decent DAC.

I quite like the idea of not fiddling around the back of the PC as well.
 
I have an STX still and have gone through a fair few external DACs. IMO, the STX is still a cracking DAC, i would keep it unless you want an external headphone amp control as well, then you can consolidate the two.

I'm using a FiiO E17 + E09K, great for the money. There's a lot to be had under £200, not sure where to start.
 
Rossi~ said:
I have an STX still and have gone through a fair few external DACs. IMO, the STX is still a cracking DAC, i would keep it unless you want an external headphone amp control as well, then you can consolidate the two.
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I've been messing around with Reason again recently and the STX is really no good for it. As above, the random (admittedly, rare) screeching and crap drivers are annoying me. :)

What's the SB X7 like? It's above my budget but in all honesty I could stretch given resale of the STX. Cheaper with the features I want would be better (Headphone amp + positional audio for gaming + reasonable performance for music apps), though!
 
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Narj said:
I've been messing around with Reason again recently and the STX is really no good for it. As above, the random (admittedly, rare) screeching and crap drivers are annoying me. :)

What's the SB X7 like? It's above my budget but in all honesty I could stretch given resale of the STX.
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I use Ableton with mine, one of the many reasons i've kept it :) I use the ASIO4ALL drivers, great for DAW software.
 
Narj said:
Keen to avoid ASUS tbh given their terrible drivers and customer service! Thanks, though. :)
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Had no trouble at all with my STX through Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 whereas I have had a Creative that kept on losing all of it's settings and a Powercolor that kept disappearing and eventually disappeared altogether (permanently).
 
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