ASUS Xonar Essence STX

[Stefano]

This thread has gotten realy hostile.

[ShearMe]

This thread has gotten realy hostile.

 

[Lauen]

snip

You're using Steelseries Siberia v2's? I call placebo effect. 

[ShearMe]

You're using Steelseries Siberia v2's? I call placebo effect. 

 

He said the zing word "clarity" so maybe the lack of bass response makes the V2 sound better. 

[mr moose]

This thread has gotten realy hostile.

Really?

 

I think it's quite sedate, especially considering the amount of people who don't fully understand audio but are still posting like their experience is an all wise unmitigated truth.  Audio is very complicated and most people who understand it have been seriously into it for years or have studied and work at a professional level in the industry,  It isn't easy to sit back and read posts where people are giving advice to buy a $200 sound cards because they don't understand how confirmation bias works or that differences in sound does not equate to an improvement in quality.

[mr moose]

He said the zing word "clarity" so maybe the lack of bass response makes the V2 sound better. 

or possibly the inability for the STX to control the bass has caused it to be boomy and he personally likes that deep rumbly sound.

[Dark_Nemesis]

I've used headphones most major brands of headphones ranging from the Skullcandy Ink'd, to Ultrasone Pro 900's, to Focal Spirit Ones, to the Stax's SR-007 and 009. 

I've used mostly every single Sennheiser and Audio Techncia headphone in their respective line ups from the past five years.

I own Shure SRH1540's, Shure SE-215's, and Sony MDR7506.

Of the hundreds of hundreds of headphones that I have demoed and tried or owned. I like the 7506. Its nice. 

My pair is six years old. 

Hey dude, no matter how much you know, keep a civil tone!

Your hostility in this whole thread is neither helpful nor welcome!

 

I have HD380s, try hating on them to the best of your ability, =P

and I'll show you how to have a civil discussion despite having a difference in opinion!

[ShearMe]

Hey dude, no matter how much you know, keep a civil tone!

Your hostility in this whole thread is neither helpful nor welcome!

 

I have HD380s, try hating on them to the best of your ability, =P

and I'll show you how to have a civil discussion despite having a difference in opinion!

 

>quoting the one post in which he wasn't being an arse

>calling him an arse

 

k

[mr moose]

>quoting the one post in which he wasn't being an arse

>calling him an arse

 

k

using the British/Australian spelling for arse = legend!!!

[Guest]

or possibly the inability for the STX to control the bass has caused it to be boomy and he personally likes that deep rumbly sound.

 

Actually they aren't boomy at all.  I find the bass is pretty tight and punchy

 

There is a lot of corksniffing that happens on Audio forums.  Your preferred listening experience is by far obviously the most retarded thing in the world to someone else, so you are wrong.

 

What I'm saying is that my personal preference, for my two ears and my brain, is that the Essence STX provides a far clearer listening experience, positions the soundstage nicely and overall provides me with a much more satisfying listening experience, either with my old Aego M's or my v2's (and these "amazing" audiophile grade Sennies with £400 cable I tried... they weren't much better)

 

Using the v2's across all of the platforms I mentioned in my previous post keeps a constant and allows me to judge them on what sounds best coming out those 'phones.

 

That all being said I am about to purchase some AKG K702's....

[mr moose]

  Your preferred listening experience is by far obviously the most retarded thing in the world to someone else, so you are wrong.

 

 

Are you trying to insult me hear or did you mean something different?

[EmoRarity]

>quoting the one post in which he wasn't being an arse

>calling him an arse

k

Butts mah "hostile" "uncivil" lists.

[Guest]

Are you trying to insult me hear or did you mean something different?

I wasn't attempting to insult anyone, I do apologise if it came off that way.

 

However you'll see it on this forum and many, many others that when it comes to audio gear there are a lot of very strong opinions people hold.  But they're just opinions, they don't factor into other peoples experiences.  That was my point

 

I prefer mayo over ketchup, heathen that I am!!!  Of course Mr Ketchup tells me I'm totally wrong, and even Mr Mustard is like "dude Ketchup man, it goes on hotdogs, like Mustard.  No brainer!".  But Mr Ranch agrees with me.  He sees the chicken and bacon that I see.   Mr Chipotle's on the fence - could go either way...

 

I suppose it can come off as hostile to poo-poo other peoples setups - setups that people put time and money and effort in to. If they enjoy it and like what they get out of it then who is anyone to say otherwise?

 

It's why I said if they have the cash they should buy it and see how they like it.    And I agree, audio is complicated as hell, not even gonna pretend I understand it well.  I'm not educated in it professionally.  I can use my ears and do have an ear for music though

[Lauen]

snip

I think what's going on is that you're under the placebo effect. Some people here (including me) have tried different soundcards, and compared them to onboard by ear, with good headphones, and come to the conclusion that it sounds pretty much the same, and the facts are that the high-powered soundcards aren't very nice for lower impedance headphones (including those K702's). And then what happens is that there's five people saying that soundcards are unnecessary, maybe even bad for your audio, and then there's like one or two guys going "this and this soundcard sounds soo much better", due to their either placebo effect, or an actual bad onboard audio solution (doesn't happen that much anymore), and then the OP goes ahead and buys a soundcard, because that one guy sounded mighty convincing for some reason.. it's annoying, at least to me.

 

several people here are indeed actual experienced people, like mr moose, loads of experience and educated, and then there's Mayflower, who actually "makes" and sells dacs, amps, and customized headphones. Just please, listen, and try for yourselves, that's what I did, and discovered that my onboard and soundcard sounded the same, just like my phone and laptop also sound the same as the onboard and soundcard.

[Dark_Nemesis]

>quoting the one post in which he wasn't being an arse

>calling him an arse

 

k

You have to see the silver lining 

 

But yes I did admittedly, but in a polite way, see the difference? 

[Dark_Nemesis]

I think what's going on is that you're under the placebo effect. Some people here (including me) have tried different soundcards, and compared them to onboard by ear, with good headphones, and come to the conclusion that it sounds pretty much the same, and the facts are that the high-powered soundcards aren't very nice for lower impedance headphones (including those K702's). And then what happens is that there's five people saying that soundcards are unnecessary, maybe even bad for your audio, and then there's like one or two guys going "this and this soundcard sounds soo much better", due to their either placebo effect, or an actual bad onboard audio solution (doesn't happen that much anymore), and then the OP goes ahead and buys a soundcard, because that one guy sounded mighty convincing for some reason.. it's annoying, at least to me.

 

several people here are indeed actual experienced people, like mr moose, loads of experience and educated, and then there's Mayflower, who actually "makes" and sells dacs, amps, and customized headphones. Just please, listen, and try for yourselves, that's what I did, and discovered that my onboard and soundcard sounded the same, just like my phone and laptop also sound the same as the onboard and soundcard.

Thx for making a valid argument! 

 

I'm no expert like some of the people here, but i have tried if for myself too. My old x-fi extreme gamer soundcard, probably 5 years old at this point, still sounds "better" (not louder) than my onboard on my Asus 990X mobo, with my HD380Pros. Not only is the sound quality better, with crispier highs, and clearer mids, but the onboard suffers from interference, that completely riuns the listening experiance. I don't tell people whar to buy, I can only share my experaience for my specific case.

And belive me in all the OS reinstalls I've done over the years, if there the difference was so small it could be placebo, then I'd have run the onboard instead of battleing with the creative drivers every time    

[Lauen]

Thx for making a valid argument! 

 

I'm no expert like some of the people here, but i have tried if for myself too. My old x-fi extreme gamer soundcard, probably 5 years old at this point, still sounds "better" (not louder) than my onboard on my Asus 990X mobo, with my HD380Pros. Not only is the sound quality better, with crispier highs, and clearer mids, but the onboard suffers from interference, that completely riuns the listening experiance. I don't tell people whar to buy, I can only share my experaience for my specific case.

And belive me in all the OS reinstalls I've done over the years, if there the difference was so small it could be placebo, then I'd have run the onboard instead of battleing with the creative drivers every time    

well what if you had no audible interference? it might sound as "good" as the soundcard then.

[EmoRarity]

You have to see the silver lining

But yes I did admittedly, but in a polite way, see the difference?

Because a list of the headphones that ve use over the years is "uncivil" which is mostly amusing in it's own right.

[Dark_Nemesis]

Because a list of the headphones that ve use over the years is "uncivil" which is mostly amusing in it's own right.

I was not questioning your expertise, only your attitude sir, and not that post in particular, just your contributions to this thread in general =)

[EmoRarity]

I was not questioning your expertise, only your attitude sir, and not that post in particular, just your contributions to this thread in general =)

Everything stated was put forth in the most tactful manner possible, with the exception of possibly one post. 

(Most of the time I was watching a livestream or passed out on my desk.)

[Dark_Nemesis]

Everything stated was put forth in the most tactful manner possible, with the exception of possibly one post. 

(Most of the time I was watching a livestream or passed out on my desk.)

Well I suppose "the most tactful manner possible" is a subjective opinion...

Yeah I know, as of wrtiting this I'm passed out my desk =P

hasta luego

[Dark_Nemesis]

well what if you had no audible interference? it might sound as "good" as the soundcard then.

Fair question, have to get back to you on that.

Will get the gf to help me blindtest, just have to find some music where the interferance isn't that noticable. Also thinking of plugging in my monitors, or possibly my AVR instead of  the headphones, and tinker with the volume settings hopefully minimizing the interferance until it sin't noticable. We'll see how it goes 

[LOST TALE]

 needier(its a real word right?)

Yes, except with grammar nazis.

[Ginge620]

Nice, what headphone do you have and what gain do you have set? In games I like to play on 8 channels, music and movies on stereo and I like that is has optical for my speakers.

Currently use Sennheiser PC360's, Normal gain, 2 channels. I can tell a difference with the headphones between my Asus N56VZ notebook and the soundcard. More bass, more volume and slightly clearer.

[legodude]

I love my Xonar Essence STX, matched with my DT770 pros HD595s or DT990s they as good as my bang & olufsen beomaster 5500 hi fi. Anyone who says a Fiio Olympus E10 or whatever sounds better than a sound card is talking bull poop

 

of course true audiophiles use reel to reel, like my Philips 4520