When installed, Does the ASUS Xonar Essence STX (5.1 or 7.1) sound come through the HDMI port on the video card or onboard HDMI? Using Windows 7 64bit, Asus Z68 Motherboard.
@MrGrandDragon Wireless headsets typically have their own audio processing chips inside, and plug in with usb to the computer. Basically, they are junk compare to what this card outputs with wired headphones.
So would this Sound card work with the Astro A40? I think the two would go very well together seeing as they are both considered really good audio components.
@haloharry97 STX, since PCIE will be more future proof. You already see motherboards without any PCI slots, so you want to keep this card for a long time, and get the PCIE (STX) version.
So, would the Xonar Essence One USB DAC Amplifier be necessary if you bought this card? Which one is better? I figured it'd be the Essence One since it's more expensive, but anyone got come tips?
@JogBird The USB ones are for Notebooks / laptops not for the use on the PC / Mac.
Because this is amplified soundcard and is well built it's yes expensive. But considering the sound you are getting with this and pairing this high end soundcard with high end headphones / speakers. You are in for a suprise ;) :)
I love it when people come on sound card, speaker, headphone videos and say this sucks bla, bla, bla then dont tell you what the best of whatever there talking about. So be it the best headphones or what ever i say if everyone is so stupid please help us stupid people out and tell us where we should really spend our money. Dont just tell us this sucks and not tell us what is better.
@anhtransport Dude, the Razer Tiamat is dumb as hell. It's a gimmicky nonsense headset no audiophile would ever recommend. Just plug it into any system, and set windows to 7.1 and it'll work fine. Why would you need an amp for it anyway?
@strikerk Is there any surround sound audiophile card that you would recommend, If i wanted a surround sound set up??? I just might go with 7 boze surround speakers for my new gaming rig??
@strikerk Bose=nice looking, for rich people who don't know what sound quality is, but who can say HERP DERP I HAVE BOSE LOLMEOWHAHHA I betters thans u ruff.
I was wondering which of these Asus Xonar sound cards I should go with? I'd like it to be good for gaming, but AMAZING for music. I also plan on buying new speakers, but I have no idea where to start.
Best thing about this card is value. It costs only 200$, but its DAC section beats any external DAC for 200$ , or much above that in fact. ST measurements are better than some 500+ $ DACs. And its headphone amplifier is better than any standalone headphone amp for 200$, and better than most that cost much more. And it doesnt feel cheap, in fact is built really well, it looks expensive, it comes with loads of stuff in bundle, has great drivers...just a superb product.
This card is primarily meant for usage with headphones, and it shows its best qualities with proper headphones. It has a powerful amp inside that will run even ridiculously demanding headphones to very high volume levels...like Hifiman HE-6. I'm using it with Sennheiser HD650 and it sounds great, especially once you try it with different op-amp, you can set your sounds exactly as you want. Also, it has dolby headphone modes, which create virtual surround.
@Yangsen yes i am using it to output sound to the LX83 , its an ok card outputs 8 channels and its kinda bummer for me as i want to take full advantage of my 9,1 channels , one thing this card is good at is to output to a Hi Fi headphones that require a higher impedance as the Sennheiser HD headphones .
@Salanmon It really depends on the quality of your amp system, noise and frequency response can really mess up a good sound, then you'd blame the card instead of your amp system. In my case I've found out that many times you get a much better sound directly from the card even if (like is said on the video) your card is not enough to handle your headphones.
This is where the built-in dac/amp made a huge difference. At least for me.
just something to add most audiophiles will agree that surround sound is better for hometheater but for music adding more channels just interferes wwith the music. This card is fore music, that is why it is stereo. Not that that is always the case but a nice stereo system is usually better for music than a ht surround system is for the same price. Nice video, i usually don't watch unboxing videos but this one was actually very informative.
@Vortex1988 I don't know if you've already decided, but the only difference between this card and the STX is that the STX is PCIe (1.0 the smaller one)And yes this card would work great with a 2.1 sound system. Just make sure your sound system has a response frequency of AT LEAST 48khz (recommended would be 192khz but those are expensive.) Most common systems try to fool you with watts but that's just loudness, not clearness, which is always preferred. Otherwise go Headphones+ SubWoofer instead.
@Vortex1988 I haven't bought speakers in a long time (switched to headphones + subwoofer) so I don't know what good speaker systems are out there now. But as an example check out Roland's DM-2100 system. It was pretty affordable and had a response from 20hz up to 96khz, the same as most of the best headphones out there. Something similar would work great.
(The next step is usually 192khz but you probably wont notice any difference past 100khz unless you are using it for professional purposes)
@OmgItsDedi People say the ST is have a superior sound, and it technically has some kind of jitter reducing thing that the STX doesn't have, which supposedly improves sound quality...
thumbs down those "he's gay" comments. they were composed by an immature bunch who made false claims with no evidence whatsoever. also, he's getting married soon so yeah, shut your mouth and show some respect.
This audiocard is definitely not for gaming, you gotta have at least an amplifier with 110-120db SNR and a excellent pair of fullrange bookshelf speakers like JBL ES30 to really listen to what this can offer. This is probably the best entry-level DAC you'll see in years...
What I hate about all the PC sound cards is that almost none of them have a external volume controler...i mean, how much would it costs to put a small volume control unit connected with a USB. Thats why I prefer external DAC's which often sound better for the same price as well.
The STX version on NCIX's website lists a "Op AMP" that you can buy for it, can someone tell me what exactly an Op Amp is... and how you install it, cuz it looks like soldering is involved.
I talked to an audiphile and he said this card sucks because it has pulse shifting to make a "virtual" 7.1 surround sound, but he called it "pulse fucking".
He said the best soundcard ever made is actually the Soundblaster Live 24-Bit and it was made over 10 years ago.
I have the STX for a couple of months,the Essence Series is awesome and it sounds nothing like the cheapo creatives and the other ultra overrated cards.
STX can be sold way cheaper than the ST from stock or used,so for me it worth the money more than ST.
Also if someone cares about value for money and great sound,there are many better used Usb or Firewire Audiophile DACs in the market,don't get fooled by 127db SNR or 192khz Sample Rate,there are 10yo DACs with humble specs that sound better.
@unrealeck so is the STX version better than the ST version? I know you said the only difference is that one is PCI and the other is PCI-E, but would there be any noticeable difference in quality? Thanks :-)
@1981z28camaro I don't think there's any difference in quality. All the specifications for sound levels such as sound to noise ratio etc are the same on both interfaces for these cards.
@unrealeck that's probably true.. I'm wondering if I should even get a better soundcard, I have onboard, but I swear the sound is still really good, (I know, hard to believe) .... I have a MSI-GD85 mobo, and when I play games like Bad Company 2, there are certain parts of the game, where I can hear like leaves rustling and wind, and it does already sound pretty good to me, can hear footsteps of other people pretty good, would there really be a huge difference?
@1981z28camaro I'm not sure what the sound chip on the board is like but I have the Rampage 2 Gene board which uses some sort of X-FI chip, however apparently it's not a chip by Creative, although it was still good quality.
I upgraded to the Asus Xonar DX (older xonar but still good) and I did notice a difference, but whether or not it was worth the money I'm not sure. I'd say that if you have money to spare and don't have any other upgrades then go for it.
@unrealeck ok cool, thanks for the info, I think I'm going to get some other stuff first, like a RevoDrive :-)
Do you have any experience with Headphones? I know Sennheiser are really good, and I was thinking of getting the Sennheiser PC360 G4ME Headphones... what do you think?
@1981z28camaro As a matter of fact I use the PC350 headset myself. The 360 is basically the same headset only it is open back, which means can hear stuff in the room better with them on. The PC350 is the closed set so it closes off more of the sound from your surroundings.
But yeah definately go for Sennheiser. They are good but expensive.
@unrealeck cool, thanks for the reply, I dont know if I would like to hear background noises when using headphones, do you think the PC350's would be about the same in sound quality? I have heard that the PC350's are better for music, and not as great for games. what do you think? (unless I'm confused with another pair of cans)
I currently have the Sennheiser PC181 headphones, they are not bad, but I'm sure I can get much better sound with something more expensive :-)
@unrealeck also... the PC350's are "over the ear" I don't know if I would like that, it would feel to me like the headphones are too big for my ears or something, tho I may be surprised and find out that they are pretty comfortable, cuz I know headphones can start to make your ears sore after a while.
do you have experience with "over the ear" headphones? do they feel awkward, or are they pretty comfortable?
@1981z28camaro The PC350 is essentially the same as the HD595. Get the HD595 if you don't need the mic. The bass on the PC350 isn't as good as the 595 but the PC360 bass might be better than the 350. I modified my 350 set a little to allow air to pass through and produce better bass.
@unrealeck I think I might just end up getting the PC360's, because I've been thinking about the over the ear design, and that actually might be pretty comfortable, just might have to get use to the feeling of it, they should have pretty decent bass, and clarity, and it does have a mic, and it's open ear, so it should have a better soundstage right? like better positional audio, so it seems like the best of everything :-)
I am still deciding, but I think I will go with the 360's
@derbigpr500 Why would I joke about something so trivial? They are similar headsets by technical specs. There are very few differences and it's mostly surrounding the housing.
@sergioh91 Like I already said, I wasn't kidding. It may be the HD555's, but I do know that the PC350 set is very similar to one of those two sets. Ask around some sound forums and you'll get the same answer. I think even the actual drivers inside the headset is the same. The main difference as I said is the housing they use.
@sergioh91 The PC350 and the HD555 have the same drivers. Period. They use the same model of drivers. I can reference numerous websites which confirm this. Type "pc350 hd555 drivers" into google or something.
Just incase anyone was wondering, the reason this card is PCI and not PCIe is that the "Asus Xonar V100" is actually a C MEDIA 8788 Oxygen HD chip which is native to PCI. Asus do produce a PCIe version but a PCI to PCIe adaptor is used, I'm not sure what the advantages of th PCI version are, but I assume there will be some sort of signal degradation or colouring to the sound. If anyone can correct me that would be great as I'm looking to get the PCIe version for future-proofness :P
Is there any difference between the STX and ST versions of this card, besides PCI/PCIe, and no add-on card for the STX? (For use with Sennheiser HD650)
I love this sound card. Sounds great. I use it to drive my stereo speakers directly (as a preamp to my power amp) and works amazing with my Sennheiser HD650s.
@nykvarnskurken i cant say but i will say this, creatives drives a bloated crap (and they have huge updates all the time). if you want a creative card get one from auzentech they licsence creative tech and make it without the crap.
Free inexhaustible energy is real!But a few ppl make too many billions from our energy needs to let this technology be known,Go to LT-MAGNET-MOTORdotCOM and get the blueprints for a genuine magnet motor ,Start the revolution!
i have a somewhat redundant question....... 'if I do install a sound card, would i get the basic performance from my pc audio plug, or do i need to plug directly to the sound card for optimum performance???
This is the first step to getting better sound out of a PC/Mac. The inclusion of Burr Brown DACs is a nice upgrade, but I find the option to switch out the opamps a bit silly for PC. I can't see the serious "audiophile" buying better opamps for this card rather than just using the SPDIF to a proper 192/24 external DAC, then to a dedicated headphone amp.
PC cases are terrible for EMI's. Having an external soundcard would eliminate this. But if that's not an option, this card is a great choice.
This has been flagged as spam show
When installed, Does the ASUS Xonar Essence STX (5.1 or 7.1) sound come through the HDMI port on the video card or onboard HDMI? Using Windows 7 64bit, Asus Z68 Motherboard.
zZZzzzSnooze2nd 4 days ago
"Once you gone black you never go back..."
LinusRacistTips
MrGunforever 2 weeks ago 5
ST or STX?
marino4691 2 weeks ago
can you unbox this one plz ?
Asus Xonar HDAV1.3 Deluxe PCI 7.1 Channel Sound Card
hassanbasafa 2 weeks ago
can anyone tell me how this compares to creative's fatality champion?
angryaznman 2 weeks ago
Do these work with wireless Headsets also?
MrGrandDragon 1 month ago
@MrGrandDragon Wireless headsets typically have their own audio processing chips inside, and plug in with usb to the computer. Basically, they are junk compare to what this card outputs with wired headphones.
marekknowak 1 month ago
@marekknowak
So would this Sound card work with the Astro A40? I think the two would go very well together seeing as they are both considered really good audio components.
MrGrandDragon 1 month ago
Please tell me this guy isn't claiming to be some sort of tech expert.
Haldead1 1 month ago
If this card was aimed at audiophiles. They woudnt use the amp in this card they would just use it to connect an external dedicated amp.
hikinguphigh 1 month ago
wot is batter essence st or Essence STX
haloharry97 1 month ago
@haloharry97 STX, since PCIE will be more future proof. You already see motherboards without any PCI slots, so you want to keep this card for a long time, and get the PCIE (STX) version.
marekknowak 1 month ago
@haloharry97
There should be no difference, ST is pci, STX is pci-e.
Just different card slots, whatever works out better for you.
Decenium 4 weeks ago
2:55 dem legs
TheQuiZNoKid 1 month ago 2
that is sexy!
nimamiz 1 month ago in playlist Audio Product Unboxings
So, would the Xonar Essence One USB DAC Amplifier be necessary if you bought this card? Which one is better? I figured it'd be the Essence One since it's more expensive, but anyone got come tips?
Watch4 1 month ago
dis nigga gay
Hypercamera 1 month ago
wonder how this compares to some stand alone dacs.
energeez 1 month ago
way too expensive.. just google Fiio for good usb dac/heaphone amp combos
JogBird 1 month ago
@JogBird The USB ones are for Notebooks / laptops not for the use on the PC / Mac.
Because this is amplified soundcard and is well built it's yes expensive. But considering the sound you are getting with this and pairing this high end soundcard with high end headphones / speakers. You are in for a suprise ;) :)
sandu1983 1 month ago
I love it when people come on sound card, speaker, headphone videos and say this sucks bla, bla, bla then dont tell you what the best of whatever there talking about. So be it the best headphones or what ever i say if everyone is so stupid please help us stupid people out and tell us where we should really spend our money. Dont just tell us this sucks and not tell us what is better.
Bubaka54 1 month ago
mmm little black box :P
Legendz4LIF3 2 months ago
I want it badly q_q
Cribs00 2 months ago
Comment removed
GordonFreeMANness 2 months ago
nice ummm ......errr....shorts?
mrsideshowjack 2 months ago
14 people are gay...
MrTesterm 2 months ago
Is there a high end asus xonar card with a built in amp that support 7.1 real surround sound for the new razer tiamat???!!??
anhtransport 3 months ago
@anhtransport Dude, the Razer Tiamat is dumb as hell. It's a gimmicky nonsense headset no audiophile would ever recommend. Just plug it into any system, and set windows to 7.1 and it'll work fine. Why would you need an amp for it anyway?
strikerk 3 months ago
@strikerk Is there any surround sound audiophile card that you would recommend, If i wanted a surround sound set up??? I just might go with 7 boze surround speakers for my new gaming rig??
anhtransport 3 months ago
@anhtransport Try the Xonar D2. :3 It should definitely suit your needs perfectly.
strikerk 3 months ago
@anhtransport ...but buying Bose is not the best idea out there.
strikerk 3 months ago
@strikerk Bose=nice looking, for rich people who don't know what sound quality is, but who can say HERP DERP I HAVE BOSE LOLMEOWHAHHA I betters thans u ruff.
1DoTLone 2 months ago
Does this card support 7.1 real surround sound for the new razer tiamat???!!??
anhtransport 3 months ago
I was wondering which of these Asus Xonar sound cards I should go with? I'd like it to be good for gaming, but AMAZING for music. I also plan on buying new speakers, but I have no idea where to start.
DoomTra1n 3 months ago
Best thing about this card is value. It costs only 200$, but its DAC section beats any external DAC for 200$ , or much above that in fact. ST measurements are better than some 500+ $ DACs. And its headphone amplifier is better than any standalone headphone amp for 200$, and better than most that cost much more. And it doesnt feel cheap, in fact is built really well, it looks expensive, it comes with loads of stuff in bundle, has great drivers...just a superb product.
derbigpr500 3 months ago
This card is primarily meant for usage with headphones, and it shows its best qualities with proper headphones. It has a powerful amp inside that will run even ridiculously demanding headphones to very high volume levels...like Hifiman HE-6. I'm using it with Sennheiser HD650 and it sounds great, especially once you try it with different op-amp, you can set your sounds exactly as you want. Also, it has dolby headphone modes, which create virtual surround.
derbigpr500 3 months ago
love 2 channel stereo for music but i still play games and need that 5.1 for fps. shame looks like a really good product
s1vus1 4 months ago
Awesome reiview btw
BIGTAMISH 4 months ago
"once you go black, you never go back" im sure he knows all about it :D
BIGTAMISH 4 months ago
so if i want to plug in a traktor control s4 (midi controller) via rca to the rca jacks, would it work as an input or not so much?
harrowlax28 4 months ago
It's beer time in the city.)
Gloomsridge 4 months ago
I love your name. :D Thanks so much!
JragonBanned 4 months ago
linus, you are the best guy out there doing reviews, keep it up.
BrostiBrost 5 months ago
this guy is full of experience...
Toffer161 5 months ago 18
Anyone using this for hi fi stereo? Thinking about getting these to use pc as alternate source for my bowers & wilkins cm5.
Yangsen 6 months ago
@Yangsen yes i am using it to output sound to the LX83 , its an ok card outputs 8 channels and its kinda bummer for me as i want to take full advantage of my 9,1 channels , one thing this card is good at is to output to a Hi Fi headphones that require a higher impedance as the Sennheiser HD headphones .
AtomicAutopsy 5 months ago
Real audiophiles would use the optical jack to stream the digital signal to a seperate Dac and Amp
Salanmon 6 months ago
@Salanmon It really depends on the quality of your amp system, noise and frequency response can really mess up a good sound, then you'd blame the card instead of your amp system. In my case I've found out that many times you get a much better sound directly from the card even if (like is said on the video) your card is not enough to handle your headphones.
This is where the built-in dac/amp made a huge difference. At least for me.
Raydeus 6 months ago
just something to add most audiophiles will agree that surround sound is better for hometheater but for music adding more channels just interferes wwith the music. This card is fore music, that is why it is stereo. Not that that is always the case but a nice stereo system is usually better for music than a ht surround system is for the same price. Nice video, i usually don't watch unboxing videos but this one was actually very informative.
Imprezaman555 6 months ago 2
A product product :D that's better then a product.
darkheat246 6 months ago
Would this or the Essence STX be a good sound card for a 2.1 speaker system?
Vortex1988 6 months ago
@Vortex1988 I don't know if you've already decided, but the only difference between this card and the STX is that the STX is PCIe (1.0 the smaller one)And yes this card would work great with a 2.1 sound system. Just make sure your sound system has a response frequency of AT LEAST 48khz (recommended would be 192khz but those are expensive.) Most common systems try to fool you with watts but that's just loudness, not clearness, which is always preferred. Otherwise go Headphones+ SubWoofer instead.
Raydeus 6 months ago
@Raydeus Do you have any recommendations on speakers to use with it?
Vortex1988 6 months ago
@Vortex1988 I haven't bought speakers in a long time (switched to headphones + subwoofer) so I don't know what good speaker systems are out there now. But as an example check out Roland's DM-2100 system. It was pretty affordable and had a response from 20hz up to 96khz, the same as most of the best headphones out there. Something similar would work great.
(The next step is usually 192khz but you probably wont notice any difference past 100khz unless you are using it for professional purposes)
Raydeus 6 months ago
hahahahahahahahahah i died 4:39
tETsuCS 7 months ago 20
nice unboxing one of the less mind numbing unboxing vids on here...
cappaculla 7 months ago
Never heard of the brand "assuce". lol
aptsys 7 months ago 3
It looks like a GPU ate a soundcard and crapped out a expensive price-tag.
PikKirby 7 months ago
Can i run a 2.1 speaker setup with my headphones same time?
disruptfam 7 months ago
"once you go black you never go back" LOL
marcusBX 8 months ago
So pivotal question. Can this actually output 5.1 surround to a 5.1 setup w/o using a A/V reciever
Soccercrazyigboman 8 months ago
@Soccercrazyigboman yes dolby digital out via coax or optical
delameu 8 months ago
I want, maybe im the only gamer that does not want surround
utubeb14 9 months ago
@utubeb14 This has virtual surround.... Physical surround speakers are a gimmick.
JonnMcNally 8 months ago
This is perfect for my old 1970s Sony amp .
MonsterMunchAreAce 9 months ago
He might be gay. Who cares? Get over it
vivalasexy 9 months ago
WTF LINUS UR GAY WTF
arjun57689 9 months ago
@arjun57689 No. :|
Haroids 9 months ago
"once you go black, you never go back" yeah, please don't say that next time. Very good review though, thanks
spectre1310 9 months ago
Audio files or audiophiles?
Xolin11 10 months ago 54
@Xolin11 audiophiles
pyromaniac171 8 months ago
@pyromaniac171 Technically it's both.
Xolin11 8 months ago
@Xolin11 how
pyromaniac171 8 months ago
@Xolin11
pedophiles
jespero93 2 months ago
@jespero93 Grow up! you little tiny douchebag!
robbewuzhere 2 months ago
@robbewuzhere
haha. dont take things you read on the interwebs seriously. just a tip.
jespero93 2 months ago
Can you review the ASUS Xonar Essence STX?
sandiegoborn32 10 months ago
@sandiegoborn32
as far as i know the STX is exactly like the ST but it has PCI E X1
OmgItsDedi 9 months ago
@OmgItsDedi People say the ST is have a superior sound, and it technically has some kind of jitter reducing thing that the STX doesn't have, which supposedly improves sound quality...
JonnMcNally 8 months ago
thumbs down those "he's gay" comments. they were composed by an immature bunch who made false claims with no evidence whatsoever. also, he's getting married soon so yeah, shut your mouth and show some respect.
exonerator 10 months ago 81
@exonerator how do you know he's getting married
waseem1173 7 months ago
@waseem1173
his co-worker, esther announced it
anyway he's already married w/ a ring on his finger now ^^
exonerator 7 months ago
@exonerator wow . never saw that video of esthers .
waseem1173 7 months ago
@exonerator Even if he was, who cares? As if being gay is an insult or something. For fucks sake people.
strikerk 4 months ago
@exonerator says his boyfriend
carrerasubway 3 months ago
@exonerator Eh, pathetic comments like "LOL HES GAY" don't seem to phase him, just ignore the people who do it.
GreatSteamingCatBox 3 months ago
IS THIS CARD GOOD GOR GAMING? IF NOT WHAT IS?
uphill248 10 months ago
when they start making audio cards with vacume tube amps ...then i'll get excited
GeorgiMl 10 months ago
The wierd looking thing is probably an optical to coaxl SPDIF?
Harrysound 11 months ago
@VaultedAstonish as he flicks through, one of the headings and pictures/associated information is for the STX, no the ST
MHloppy96 11 months ago
4:46 anyone else notice that?
MHloppy96 11 months ago
8 people listen to Justin Bieber
ryantedderfan 1 year ago
@Hofsteder yes, it is. but you need an adapter
ryantedderfan 1 year ago
2:02 , pause.
givin me a bj;)
Mowhawkman1024 1 year ago
Nice.
lonelyboiboi89 1 year ago
He's not gay...... He's Canadian!
madgnad 1 year ago
i bet he sings better than justin bieber
ashrocks87 1 year ago
so this card is more for stereo or can it handle 7.1 just as good?
Luger718A1 1 year ago
He's not gay!?
alexbeast14 1 year ago
This audiocard is definitely not for gaming, you gotta have at least an amplifier with 110-120db SNR and a excellent pair of fullrange bookshelf speakers like JBL ES30 to really listen to what this can offer. This is probably the best entry-level DAC you'll see in years...
sergioh91 1 year ago
does bosse makes sound cards that would be awesome
TheBigupz 1 year ago
What I hate about all the PC sound cards is that almost none of them have a external volume controler...i mean, how much would it costs to put a small volume control unit connected with a USB. Thats why I prefer external DAC's which often sound better for the same price as well.
derbigpr500 1 year ago
The STX version on NCIX's website lists a "Op AMP" that you can buy for it, can someone tell me what exactly an Op Amp is... and how you install it, cuz it looks like soldering is involved.
Part Number on NCIX - "90-YAA00SP1000BZ"
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
I talked to an audiphile and he said this card sucks because it has pulse shifting to make a "virtual" 7.1 surround sound, but he called it "pulse fucking".
He said the best soundcard ever made is actually the Soundblaster Live 24-Bit and it was made over 10 years ago.
commodore256 1 year ago
@commodore256 Who the heck said this....
JonnMcNally 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
you have sexy legs, Linus! hahahahahaha
photoxloan 1 year ago
you have a sexy legs, Linus! hahahahaha
photoxloan 1 year ago
I have the STX for a couple of months,the Essence Series is awesome and it sounds nothing like the cheapo creatives and the other ultra overrated cards.
STX can be sold way cheaper than the ST from stock or used,so for me it worth the money more than ST.
Also if someone cares about value for money and great sound,there are many better used Usb or Firewire Audiophile DACs in the market,don't get fooled by 127db SNR or 192khz Sample Rate,there are 10yo DACs with humble specs that sound better.
truebassB 1 year ago
@LinusTechTips Essence ST or STX ?
Sajmoon37 1 year ago
@Sajmoon37 They are the same cards with one difference. The ST is PCI interface and the STX is PCI-E interface.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck so is the STX version better than the ST version? I know you said the only difference is that one is PCI and the other is PCI-E, but would there be any noticeable difference in quality? Thanks :-)
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@1981z28camaro I don't think there's any difference in quality. All the specifications for sound levels such as sound to noise ratio etc are the same on both interfaces for these cards.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck ok cool, thanks for the reply :-) Do you think there's any other cards that are better than this one?
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@1981z28camaro You might find something better but the difference won't be very noticable, if at all.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck that's probably true.. I'm wondering if I should even get a better soundcard, I have onboard, but I swear the sound is still really good, (I know, hard to believe) .... I have a MSI-GD85 mobo, and when I play games like Bad Company 2, there are certain parts of the game, where I can hear like leaves rustling and wind, and it does already sound pretty good to me, can hear footsteps of other people pretty good, would there really be a huge difference?
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@1981z28camaro I'm not sure what the sound chip on the board is like but I have the Rampage 2 Gene board which uses some sort of X-FI chip, however apparently it's not a chip by Creative, although it was still good quality.
I upgraded to the Asus Xonar DX (older xonar but still good) and I did notice a difference, but whether or not it was worth the money I'm not sure. I'd say that if you have money to spare and don't have any other upgrades then go for it.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck ok cool, thanks for the info, I think I'm going to get some other stuff first, like a RevoDrive :-)
Do you have any experience with Headphones? I know Sennheiser are really good, and I was thinking of getting the Sennheiser PC360 G4ME Headphones... what do you think?
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@1981z28camaro As a matter of fact I use the PC350 headset myself. The 360 is basically the same headset only it is open back, which means can hear stuff in the room better with them on. The PC350 is the closed set so it closes off more of the sound from your surroundings.
But yeah definately go for Sennheiser. They are good but expensive.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck cool, thanks for the reply, I dont know if I would like to hear background noises when using headphones, do you think the PC350's would be about the same in sound quality? I have heard that the PC350's are better for music, and not as great for games. what do you think? (unless I'm confused with another pair of cans)
I currently have the Sennheiser PC181 headphones, they are not bad, but I'm sure I can get much better sound with something more expensive :-)
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@unrealeck also... the PC350's are "over the ear" I don't know if I would like that, it would feel to me like the headphones are too big for my ears or something, tho I may be surprised and find out that they are pretty comfortable, cuz I know headphones can start to make your ears sore after a while.
do you have experience with "over the ear" headphones? do they feel awkward, or are they pretty comfortable?
(hope you don't mind all the questions) lol
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@unrealeck btw, the HD595's have really good reviews.. hmm.. decisions, decisions, lol
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@1981z28camaro The PC350 is essentially the same as the HD595. Get the HD595 if you don't need the mic. The bass on the PC350 isn't as good as the 595 but the PC360 bass might be better than the 350. I modified my 350 set a little to allow air to pass through and produce better bass.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck I think I might just end up getting the PC360's, because I've been thinking about the over the ear design, and that actually might be pretty comfortable, just might have to get use to the feeling of it, they should have pretty decent bass, and clarity, and it does have a mic, and it's open ear, so it should have a better soundstage right? like better positional audio, so it seems like the best of everything :-)
I am still deciding, but I think I will go with the 360's
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
@unrealeck I hope you're joking. Pc350 and Hd595 are not even similar.
derbigpr500 1 year ago
@derbigpr500 Why would I joke about something so trivial? They are similar headsets by technical specs. There are very few differences and it's mostly surrounding the housing.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck Listen to both of them and you will see they're not similar. :P
derbigpr500 1 year ago
@unrealeck HD 595: 12 - 38500 Hz, 50 Ω, 112 dB... PC 350 10 Hz – 26,000 Hz, 150 Ω, 108 db... You got to be kidding...
sergioh91 1 year ago
@sergioh91 Like I already said, I wasn't kidding. It may be the HD555's, but I do know that the PC350 set is very similar to one of those two sets. Ask around some sound forums and you'll get the same answer. I think even the actual drivers inside the headset is the same. The main difference as I said is the housing they use.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck Dude, 12-38500hz vs 10 - 26000hz is not the same, housing CAN'T do this HUGE difference, they got different drivers. period.
sergioh91 1 year ago
@sergioh91 The PC350 and the HD555 have the same drivers. Period. They use the same model of drivers. I can reference numerous websites which confirm this. Type "pc350 hd555 drivers" into google or something.
unrealeck 1 year ago
@unrealeck Sorry, I got the specs from another Sennheiser headphone... (shamed) they got the same 50Ω driver...
sergioh91 1 year ago
Just incase anyone was wondering, the reason this card is PCI and not PCIe is that the "Asus Xonar V100" is actually a C MEDIA 8788 Oxygen HD chip which is native to PCI. Asus do produce a PCIe version but a PCI to PCIe adaptor is used, I'm not sure what the advantages of th PCI version are, but I assume there will be some sort of signal degradation or colouring to the sound. If anyone can correct me that would be great as I'm looking to get the PCIe version for future-proofness :P
jonnyj0987654321 1 year ago
yaknow, i've never seen a review done in shorts before
xdeadstarpsyclonx 1 year ago
@VRXJudge If you're mocking the pronunciation, that is actually how it's pronounced. If you're not.. well.. then I don't know what you're doing here.
80r 1 year ago
This video should not have been linked from a product page that lists the card as being 7.1
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
If you swap OPA Sockets, you might be a nerd.
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
Is there any difference between the STX and ST versions of this card, besides PCI/PCIe, and no add-on card for the STX? (For use with Sennheiser HD650)
MrThetoadstool 1 year ago
@MrThetoadstool just ST is PCI and 117dB for Headphone and STX is PCI-express and 110dB for Headphone
NoxeN2008 1 year ago
I love this sound card. Sounds great. I use it to drive my stereo speakers directly (as a preamp to my power amp) and works amazing with my Sennheiser HD650s.
makasin 1 year ago
Is this soundcard better than Creative Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Champion? In which way or the one better than the other?
nykvarnskurken 1 year ago
@nykvarnskurken i cant say but i will say this, creatives drives a bloated crap (and they have huge updates all the time). if you want a creative card get one from auzentech they licsence creative tech and make it without the crap.
utubeb14 1 year ago
Gonna pick this up soon :).
xC4Rbonx 1 year ago
So this dose not support 5.1 surround sound?
Theslywaffle 1 year ago
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slipshodcoqbgg 1 year ago
Excellent presentation.Thank you.
mannyblue0 1 year ago
i have a somewhat redundant question....... 'if I do install a sound card, would i get the basic performance from my pc audio plug, or do i need to plug directly to the sound card for optimum performance???
MovadoDaSaint 1 year ago
one of the best unboxing videos ive seen in quite a while, thank you!
jschristian44 1 year ago
This is the first step to getting better sound out of a PC/Mac. The inclusion of Burr Brown DACs is a nice upgrade, but I find the option to switch out the opamps a bit silly for PC. I can't see the serious "audiophile" buying better opamps for this card rather than just using the SPDIF to a proper 192/24 external DAC, then to a dedicated headphone amp.
PC cases are terrible for EMI's. Having an external soundcard would eliminate this. But if that's not an option, this card is a great choice.
heezdedjim 1 year ago
once you go black, you never go back
ahhhh classic...
kboy3141 1 year ago
Asoos? I thought the company was called Asus.
Sumwun22 1 year ago
@Sumwun22 linus pronounced it correctly
Bracken2656 1 year ago
how to instal this with my z-5500 now instal optical the xonar has optical
TheGiannispanatha13 1 year ago
GAY boi
OglanciMuslum 1 year ago
asus really think it wisely..
nobody needs any 7.1 channel audio connection in their sound card anymore because everybody uses 7.1 channel audio through HDMI
azim6709 1 year ago
Comment removed
OglanciMuslum 1 year ago
can you use this card with a optical to connec to z5500 from logitech ?
foolsofdamnation 1 year ago
mic????
Nuffedyr 1 year ago
have you tested the card?
mike82y 1 year ago
hi this cart has opticalin and work with z5500
TheGiannispanatha13 1 year ago
all i know i got my k 702's and i am going to rock out with my cans out...woot woot
goldenchild4942 1 year ago
you have a girly voice
misterpink95 1 year ago
@misterpink95 He's gay what did you expect -.- ?
but I still like his videos xD
gla300 1 year ago 16
@gla300
omg he is actually gay...
misterpink95 1 year ago 7
@misterpink95 what are you 12? get off youtube scrub :)
PCTechTalks 1 year ago
@misterpink95
How do you know?
TreyArc 1 year ago
@misterpink95 No he isn't.
BenHanna7 11 months ago
@misterpink95 no hes gettina married soon dummy
MiniExtreme 9 months ago
@gla300 Haha! My Gaydar clicked on to this in the 1st second lol
DawnyDarko 1 year ago
@gla300 No he isn't.
BenHanna7 11 months ago
@gla300 ¿? why do you think he is gay
gmk120 10 months ago
@gla300 is he actually gay? i thought he was with esther!
gumberly 10 months ago
@gla300 no hes getting married soon dummy
MiniExtreme 9 months ago