My Asus Essence STX is dead. What now?

[davidrf]

Hi there, out of the blue my trusty Asus Essence STX began to emit a sort of static noise which almost drowns the normal audio signal that is still there anyways. I've tried to do everything that came to my mind but to no avail. Now, what DAC would you suggest I buy? Please consider this:

 

- I don't care too much about video games

- My main reason to have a sound card / DAC is to listen to 2.0 music

- It needs to have headphone output (I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600)

- I have 2.0 studio monitors with RCA input

- I record and produce music but for that I already have a Focusrite Scarlett.

- Budget is 200$ maximum

 

Thanks a lot!

[bernie.j]

Following because I use an stx ii for my digital piano, and one year will share the same question. 

 

Looking up the same a year ago, anyway, there was nothing new that was superior.  My main gripe is the driver support for the six ii is truly awful.  

 

EVGA had some hot and sexy new audio card but it didn't actually improve on the stx ii and didn't have the outputs I required for my speakers.

 

It may be that we have to go to external DACs in the future.

[davidrf]

5 hours ago, bernie.j said:

Following because I use an stx ii for my digital piano, and one year will share the same question. 

 

Looking up the same a year ago, anyway, there was nothing new that was superior.  My main gripe is the driver support for the six ii is truly awful.  

 

EVGA had some hot and sexy new audio card but it didn't actually improve on the stx ii and didn't have the outputs I required for my speakers.

 

It may be that we have to go to external DACs in the future.

Someone elsewhere suggested Dx3+, Earmen TR-Amp or Schiit modi/magni combo. 

[ShearMe]

Is the Scarlett insufficient for listening?

[davidrf]

22 hours ago, ShearMe said:

Is the Scarlett insufficient for listening?

It's surely worse than my old Essence STX, especially for the headphone out as far as I noticed.

[weez]

JDS Labs Atom Stack

Schiit Stack

Topping Stack

SMSL Stack

 

So many good options for amp/dac stacks in the $200ish price range. I would look into JDS Labs first. Probably best bang for your buck. Also Topping DX3 Pro+ if you don't want a stack would be a good option in your price range

[rice guru]

On 2/28/2022 at 5:23 AM, davidrf said:

Hi there, out of the blue my trusty Asus Essence STX began to emit a sort of static noise which almost drowns the normal audio signal that is still there anyways. I've tried to do everything that came to my mind but to no avail. Now, what DAC would you suggest I buy? Please consider this:

 

- I don't care too much about video games

- My main reason to have a sound card / DAC is to listen to 2.0 music

- It needs to have headphone output (I have a pair of Sennheiser HD600)

- I have 2.0 studio monitors with RCA input

- I record and produce music but for that I already have a Focusrite Scarlett.

- Budget is 200$ maximum

 

Thanks a lot!

The best stack imo for producers at $200 is the atom stack by JD's labs . One of the most neutral stacks not the best built or the most powerful but it's reliably neutral should pair well with the HD 600. If you want something a little less neutral and add a bit of color you have the schiit stack if you want even more color sub out the amp on either stack for a monoprice liquid spark by far the most unique sounding amp in any $100 amp list and I guess the earmen Donald dac which is a warm sounding dac.

[davidrf]

Thanks, but all of those stacks you mentioned are currently either almost impossible to find (Schiit, SMSL) or much expensive than 200$/€ here in Europe.JDS stack, for instance, exceeds 300€ on Amazon (so we're talking about 330$). The devices I could easily find that are under or about 200$/€ are the Topping DX3 Pro+ (199€) and the FiiO K5 PRO MKII ESS (229€). The latter also seems a very good option according to many reviews. Any opinions?

 

P.S:

Also, for producing I use the Scarlett, and for listening I'm not looking for something "neutral". It is ok if it colors the sound.

 

 

[weez]

Both those will work great. Get the one that has all the features you need and you think looks the best. 

[Heats with Nvidia]

What about repairing it? If you can record that noise, maybe i can help you troubleshoot it.

On the pictures of it, i can see something on the top right, that looks like a DC/DC converter and there are two electrolytic capacitors (marked CE76 and CE74 on this picture Pic), which i would really try to replace before thinking about anything else.

Maybe cou can find somebody in your area who can do this for you or just try yourself.

 

Edit: You mentioned, you are in Europe. If you are in Germany or close to it, get in contact and i replace these capacitors for you. All you might lose is a broken card and the money to get it to me.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Heats with Nvidia

[davidrf]

17 hours ago, Heats with Nvidia said:

What about repairing it? If you can record that noise, maybe i can help you troubleshoot it.

On the pictures of it, i can see something on the top right, that looks like a DC/DC converter and there are two electrolytic capacitors (marked CE76 and CE74 on this picture Pic), which i would really try to replace before thinking about anything else.

Maybe cou can find somebody in your area who can do this for you or just try yourself.

 

Edit: You mentioned, you are in Europe. If you are in Germany or close to it, get in contact and i replace these capacitors for you. All you might lose is a broken card and the money to get it to me.

Thanks a lot for your kindess! I think I could find someone to do that job. The problem is I tried to pull out the Op-Amps in order to clean them but I seriously bent the legs in one of them, and I don't know if it fixable. So, right now I can't record the noise. Anyway is like a continuos static noise/hiss more prevalent in the left channel that almost drowns the real audio signal, that is still there but at much lower volume.

 

Aside from that, if I manage to put back on the op-amps I could surely have someone changing those two components you mentioned. I think I'll try and go this route before spending any money. Danke!

[Heats with Nvidia]

8 minutes ago, davidrf said:

Thanks a lot for your kindess!  Danke!

Bitte!

8 minutes ago, davidrf said:

I think I could find someone to do that job. The problem is I tried to pull out the Op-Amps in order to clean them but I seriously bent the legs in one of them, and I don't know if it fixable. So, right now I can't record the noise. Anyway is like a continuos static noise/hiss more prevalent in the left channel that almost drowns the real audio signal, that is still there but at much lower volume.

 

Aside from that, if I manage to put back on the op-amps I could surely have someone changing those two components you mentioned. I think I'll try and go this route before spending any money.

Bent pins usually arent much of a problem. Just gently bend them back and as long as they dont break off, it will most likely be OK.

If a pin breaks off, just make a good makro photo, where i can see the writing and then i can help you find a good replacement.

It also doesn`t hurt to be grounded while you do this.

[davidrf]

On 3/2/2022 at 1:12 AM, Heats with Nvidia said:

What about repairing it? If you can record that noise, maybe i can help you troubleshoot it.

On the pictures of it, i can see something on the top right, that looks like a DC/DC converter and there are two electrolytic capacitors (marked CE76 and CE74 on this picture Pic), which i would really try to replace before thinking about anything else.

Maybe cou can find somebody in your area who can do this for you or just try yourself.

 

Edit: You mentioned, you are in Europe. If you are in Germany or close to it, get in contact and i replace these capacitors for you. All you might lose is a broken card and the money to get it to me.

I followed your advice and had those two capacitors replaced (they only asked 5€), but to no avail. The problem is still there. I noticed the static noise is only on the right channel. I don't know what can I do more. Attached, a recording of the noise:

 

 

static-noise-asus.aac

[Heats with Nvidia]

Ok, when its on the right side only, it can`t be the power supply, like you just found out. Please make a photo of your card, i have an idea, but want to know, if this could work for you, first.

 

Oh, and is it on all outputs? if not, only the headphone one, or the line one?

[davidrf]

4 hours ago, Heats with Nvidia said:

Ok, when its on the right side only, it can`t be the power supply, like you just found out. Please make a photo of your card, i have an idea, but want to know, if this could work for you, first.

 

Oh, and is it on all outputs? if not, only the headphone one, or the line one?

The static is on all outputs!

[davidrf]

(I updated the image with two better ones)

[Heats with Nvidia]

Thank you for the photos! Just to be sure, i understand you. All outputs have the same noise on the right side.

 

If i understand the topology of the card right (and the information, i found about it, is correct), the PCM1792 is your only DAC in the card, so it is your signal source. Afterwards, it gets amplified by the two socketed NJM2114D (labeled only 2114D) and distributed by the small white relais. So the problem has to be either around the DAC or one of the NJM2114Ds.

 

The easyest thing you can try, is swapping the two NJM2114Ds with each other and see, if the problem swaps channels with them.

If the noise appears on the left side, you know, the NJM2114D  needs to be replaced, if not, we know, they are OK. Which leaves the digital part around the DAC. If i had it here, i would have a closer look at its solder joints and see, if it gets warm and later scope its inputs and outputs and compare them, but i think this would be a little much.

[davidrf]

11 hours ago, Heats with Nvidia said:

Thank you for the photos! Just to be sure, i understand you. All outputs have the same noise on the right side.

 

If i understand the topology of the card right (and the information, i found about it, is correct), the PCM1792 is your only DAC in the card, so it is your signal source. Afterwards, it gets amplified by the two socketed NJM2114D (labeled only 2114D) and distributed by the small white relais. So the problem has to be either around the DAC or one of the NJM2114Ds.

 

The easyest thing you can try, is swapping the two NJM2114Ds with each other and see, if the problem swaps channels with them.

If the noise appears on the left side, you know, the NJM2114D  needs to be replaced, if not, we know, they are OK. Which leaves the digital part around the DAC. If i had it here, i would have a closer look at its solder joints and see, if it gets warm and later scope its inputs and outputs and compare them, but i think this would be a little much.

I tried that and the static is now on the left channel! But at the same time the right channel is 100% dead. No static, no sound.

[Heats with Nvidia]

1 hour ago, davidrf said:

I tried that and the static is now on the left channel! But at the same time the right channel is 100% dead. No static, no sound.

Maybe you are lucky and these opamps are really dead. You can try using NE5532 instead. They don't cost much and are readily avaiable and since they are socketed, you can upgrade them later, if you want to. Maybe you can ask the person, who replaced the capacitors, if they can get you two of hem. Just don`t buy them on ebay or so, there are many counterfeit parts out there.