I own Xonar STX and looking for an upgrade, do you have any recommendations?

[e22big]

Just got Sennheiser HD660s not too long ago and STX works fine with it but I had owned this card for almost a decade at this point and wondering if there's any good upgrade option at this point.

 

Don't have anything spesific in mind - I prefer sound card over external DAC/amp to keep my desk clean but I am open to the idea if there's something that offer a significant price to performance advantage.

 

I prefer something with as natural signature as possible. Don't like warm or dark tint, just want something with as accurate audio reproduction as possible.

[Exidor]

Well sadly I personally think internal soundcards are dead.....

I held on to my F-Fi Titanium for as long as I could loved the card.....

Unless you want to go used, (and there really is no point you have a great card) nobody is making any good soundcards anymore.

 

But now for multichannel you got to go HDMI and for Headphones just use a optical out or USB DAC. Sadly I do not use headphones much so I have no clue what would be good.

[Tigerleon]

11 minutes ago, Exidor said:

Well sadly I personally think internal soundcards are dead.....

I held on to my F-Fi Titanium for as long as I could loved the card.....

Unless you want to go used, (and there really is no point you have a great card) nobody is making any good soundcards anymore.

 

But now for multichannel you got to go HDMI and for Headphones just use a optical out or USB DAC. Sadly I do not use headphones much so I have no clue what would be good.

They are really not dead.

2 hours ago, e22big said:

Just got Sennheiser HD660s not too long ago and STX works fine with it but I had owned this card for almost a decade at this point and wondering if there's any good upgrade option at this point.

 

Don't have anything spesific in mind - I prefer sound card over external DAC/amp to keep my desk clean but I am open to the idea if there's something that offer a significant price to performance advantage.

 

I prefer something with as natural signature as possible. Don't like warm or dark tint, just want something with as accurate audio reproduction as possible.

The sound blaster AE-7 card is more expensive but comes with nice features and great specs.

[Psittac]

There are many many options for dac's amp's and dac/amp's.  Very few options for sound cards.  The biggest issue with sound cards being that they are tied into an electronically noisy environment which is your PC.  I had a wicked coil whine going through my system and even into my dac/amp so I got a pi2aes to have complete electronic separation from my system though I'm not currently using it as I guess the new power supply broke in or something, I don't have the USB noise any more.

 

If a clean setup is what you're looking for there are some pretty good looking stacks out there, I would do a little looking around first but everyone's needs are different.

 

I think that this Schiit Fulla looks pretty clean and minimalistic, even allows for a mic input I think.

[e22big]

50 minutes ago, Psittac said:

There are many many options for dac's amp's and dac/amp's.  Very few options for sound cards.  The biggest issue with sound cards being that they are tied into an electronically noisy environment which is your PC.  I had a wicked coil whine going through my system and even into my dac/amp so I got a pi2aes to have complete electronic separation from my system though I'm not currently using it as I guess the new power supply broke in or something, I don't have the USB noise any more.

 

If a clean setup is what you're looking for there are some pretty good looking stacks out there, I would do a little looking around first but everyone's needs are different.

 

I think that this Schiit Fulla looks pretty clean and minimalistic, even allows for a mic input I think.

It's not the matter of look but more about having as few stuffs iny desk as possible. Putting Dac on the desk will mean I have to wire my headphone over the desk as well which less than ideal.

 

But like I mentioned above, I am open to the idea, provided that they offer a significant upgrade than my current set up and don't cost an arm and a leg

[e22big]

3 hours ago, Tigerleon said:

They are really not dead.

The sound blaster AE-7 card is more expensive but comes with nice features and great specs.

Heard about it - what does it offers over my STX though?

[Psittac]

Just now, e22big said:

It's not the matter of look but more about having as few stuffs iny desk as possible. Putting Dac on the desk will mean I have to wire my headphone over the desk as well which less than ideal.

 

But like I mentioned above, I am open to the idea, provided that they offer a significant upgrade than my current set up and don't cost an arm and a leg

a 3.5mm extension cable is always an option to route it back behind your desk

[e22big]

1 minute ago, Psittac said:

a 3.5mm extension cable is always an option to route it back behind your desk

May be, actually, my cable probably long enough to do that to begin with (Sennheiser and their damn 3 meter cable)

 

What does Fulla offers over my STX though? Heard they are the Shiit (sorry couldn't resist ) but don't know exactly what they do better for my setup - enough to go through the trouble

[Psittac]

8 minutes ago, e22big said:

May be, actually, my cable probably long enough to do that to begin with (Sennheiser and their damn 3 meter cable)

 

What does Fulla offers over my STX though? Heard they are the Shiit (sorry couldn't resist ) but don't know exactly what they do better for my setup - enough to go through the trouble

If the 660S is anything like the 6xx then they are very transparent to everything behind them in the chain.  meaning that dac amp media and even cable all have a big impact (yes cable, wouldn't have believed it until I used a sub par xlr to 2.5mm trrs adapter and they RUINED my sound).  If you're looking for straight up improvement it's hard to suggest anything specific because you're getting into the realm of experiences and out of the world of A is better than B.  I know that some tubes will directly impact 6xx and I actually don't listen to them on anything but one of my tube amp's these days.

 

Unless you have a noise floor that is unacceptable I wouldn't worry about going external unless you want to experience something different.

 

With that said a properly powered set of can's can sound far different, fuller even than something underpowered.  Just because two amps claim the same power production doesn't mean they provide as full of a sound signature.  The DT880-600 sound like balls when underpowered supposedly even though they get just as loud, but when you hook them up to a stereo amp they come to life.

 

The audio world is so so subjective and almost impossible to go off the recommendations of someone else because not only are specs and charts next to meaningless imo but everyone's ears are different.  I would just go off the general idea that someone offers for something and experience it for yourself.

[Tigerleon]

38 minutes ago, e22big said:

Heard about it - what does it offers over my STX though?

Great software and DSP if you'd need that. Great specs and no audible noise through your PC components. It can handle higher impedance/lower efficient headphones.

[e22big]

1 hour ago, Psittac said:

If the 660S is anything like the 6xx then they are very transparent to everything behind them in the chain.  meaning that dac amp media and even cable all have a big impact (yes cable, wouldn't have believed it until I used a sub par xlr to 2.5mm trrs adapter and they RUINED my sound).  If you're looking for straight up improvement it's hard to suggest anything specific because you're getting into the realm of experiences and out of the world of A is better than B.  I know that some tubes will directly impact 6xx and I actually don't listen to them on anything but one of my tube amp's these days.

 

Unless you have a noise floor that is unacceptable I wouldn't worry about going external unless you want to experience something different.

 

With that said a properly powered set of can's can sound far different, fuller even than something underpowered.  Just because two amps claim the same power production doesn't mean they provide as full of a sound signature.  The DT880-600 sound like balls when underpowered supposedly even though they get just as loud, but when you hook them up to a stereo amp they come to life.

 

The audio world is so so subjective and almost impossible to go off the recommendations of someone else because not only are specs and charts next to meaningless imo but everyone's ears are different.  I would just go off the general idea that someone offers for something and experience it for yourself.

From what I heard 6xx is more akin to 650 (they are basicallu the same - same driver, same housing)

 

I don't have 6xx but I tried 650 before, they are nothing alike, world apart actually. 660s actuallu use HD 700 driver and put it in a modified 650 case. If anything they are more similar to 600 in sound profile but with better sound stage and more easy to drive driver (also a bit better detailed)

[e22big]

45 minutes ago, Tigerleon said:

Great software and DSP if you'd need that. Great specs and no audible noise through your PC components. It can handle higher impedance/lower efficient headphones.

What does DSP do though? And how could it benefit me?

 

For the record, STX already do an excellent job shielding the noise, never heard interference from using it and also can drive up to 600 ohm headphone (when when I matched the require inpedence of my 660s I basically have to listen at 20 percent volume, otherwise it's far too lound)

[weez]

Honestly when it comes to headphone amps and dacs (basically anything with a headphone jack). If what you have sounds good than you don't need to change it. Only upgrade if you hear noise or need more power or features. What you have now is good

[Psittac]

22 minutes ago, weez said:

Honestly when it comes to headphone amps and dacs (basically anything with a headphone jack). If what you have sounds good than you don't need to change it. Only upgrade if you hear noise or need more power or features. What you have now is good

I would agree with that sentiment for most people.  For me it's another hobby in it's self, I like to experience different thing's so I'm always getting new equipment.  I've got enough headphones and amp's for 5 setups but only one dac.

 

1 hour ago, e22big said:

What does DSP do though? And how could it benefit me?

 

For the record, STX already do an excellent job shielding the noise, never heard interference from using it and also can drive up to 600 ohm headphone (when when I matched the require inpedence of my 660s I basically have to listen at 20 percent volume, otherwise it's far too lound)

That's good to know that there are options with a low noise floor.  There's just so many weird thing's that can happen inside a PC that can interfere.  I was fine until my psu popped and I replaced it with another, then I had massive coil whine going through my usb, then a month later I went back to usb and the noise is completely gone.  It's a complete mystery to me and that was even external.  The rabbit hole goes very deep and I don't understand some of it.  The 880-600 is one example, being able to power it and having it sound good are two different thing's.  It's not volume that's different but fullness.  And I've just barely dove into this but I'm running an Emotiva A-100 to properly power them, that or a darkvoice  336SE and I absolutely love it.  Putting them on my topping dx7 get's them just as loud when I turn it up but there's no meat to the frequencies or clarity.  The A-100 is Class A/B I think and it's got a big backlog of power to deliver.

 

 

There is ALWAYS something more to be had with more money, and that's everything not just headphones.  But I would say that weez's statement is completely valid even for me.  I just enjoy swapping around to different gear.

 

[e22big]

15 hours ago, weez said:

Honestly when it comes to headphone amps and dacs (basically anything with a headphone jack). If what you have sounds good than you don't need to change it. Only upgrade if you hear noise or need more power or features. What you have now is good

Absolutely true. It was just that I 2020 has been kind to me unlike most people and I actually have some more dough to play than expected. It has been a long time since I get my STX so I wonder if there's a good option worthy of upgrading in these days and age

[weez]

4 hours ago, e22big said:

Absolutely true. It was just that I 2020 has been kind to me unlike most people and I actually have some more dough to play than expected. It has been a long time since I get my STX so I wonder if there's a good option worthy of upgrading in these days and age

I mean if you're just wanting something new for the sake of getting something new than the Creative Sound Blaster ae line up is really good. But not sure if you'll notice a difference compared to your current card as again, what you have is good. Me personally if I was in the market for an internal sound card would get the ae-5. It measures really good and offers decent power for headphones. I prefer external amp/dacs though as I like having knobs within reach

[e22big]

48 minutes ago, weez said:

I mean if you're just wanting something new for the sake of getting something new than the Creative Sound Blaster ae line up is really good. But not sure if you'll notice a difference compared to your current card as again, what you have is good. Me personally if I was in the market for an internal sound card would get the ae-5. It measures really good and offers decent power for headphones. I prefer external amp/dacs though as I like having knobs within reach

yeah.. I am also against getting something just for the sake of getting something - honestly probably not a terribly bad idea, just can't justify it for myself

 

jow is ae-7 compared ae-5 and mine though? there's actually something that I am looking for in particular, support for BT LDAC, might be more useful as the future is getting more and more wireless