ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard is not giving quality sound

[chAntY]

I have recently mounted ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard and even though I have been using the same by now but then I am really not convinced with the quality and potential of it, I mean that I have been facing a lot if issues with the highs, I have tried out the changing the possible settings through the equalizer but then no matter what settings I am choosing the highs that I am getting is still aggressive, I have tried out reducing it but then I don’t think that it is making much difference. I have also tried changing the opamps but even it did not helped. Is there anyone who has faced the same and has an idea about resolving the high’s issue??

[KKiran]

Even I have been facing the same problem since the day I had installed the ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard, I had tried changing a no of setting but no matter what I tried I am still getting the same response and now I think that I have got use to it but then if there is a solution to solve it out then I will like to know. I just wanted to add that I have also used other "DACs" and some top range CD player but they just work properly but then I don’t know what’s the issue with Xonar is. In order to avoid this problem I had also switched to old speakers that had less high.

[phunsuk]

I think that this might be some kind of driver issue but then I am not very sure about the same but then you can just try to uninstall and reinstall the latest drivers and see if it is making any effect, also make sure that you are installing the latest driver for your soundcard from the asus official website rather than getting it form some third party website, Just try it out and then let me know what you get.

[chAntY]

I think that this might be some kind of driver issue but then I am not very sure about the same but then you can just try to uninstall and reinstall the latest drivers and see if it is making any effect, also make sure that you are installing the latest driver for your soundcard from the asus official website rather than getting it form some third party website, Just try it out and then let me know what you get.

No, this is not any kind of driver issue because I have already downloaded the latest driver from the asus website that is Asus (Version 7.12.8.1794) and previously I was having Version 7.12.8.1777. I don’t think that the latest driver is making much difference as I have uninstalled it and reinstalled it several times as well but then I am getting the same response from it as well, is there any other solution that I can try out?? Any further help will be appreciated.

[Baebi]

I don’t know why you guys are facing the problem because I am using the same and I have never faced any such problem you all are talking about. I don’t think that you might be using low quality headphones and they really distort at higher frequencies, I also wanted to share that even mid-level" headphones may result in such cases. Actually this card is made to use with audiophile grade components, I mean like the high-ohm headphones. If you don’t believe ten just read the report that you have got with the sound card. I think that the ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard is the best quality soundcard that is being marketed today.

[chAntY]

I don’t know why you guys are facing the problem because I am using the same and I have never faced any such problem you all are talking about. I don’t think that you might be using low quality headphones and they really distort at higher frequencies, I also wanted to share that even mid-level" headphones may result in such cases. Actually this card is made to use with audiophile grade components, I mean like the high-ohm headphones. If you don’t believe ten just read the report that you have got with the sound card. I think that the ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard is the best quality soundcard that is being marketed today.

I am having the following:

• JBL duet 2.0
• Sennheiser IE8

And I don’t think that they are counted in the low quality and even after having them I am facing such issue. What do you have to say about it now??

[Baebi]

Frankly speaking I personally feel that the JBL duet 2.0 is just a cheap speaker made form plastic and I dint think that it is capable of giving you a true sound fidelity, if you really want to get a true sound then I will suggest you to get the Edifier's and you will find out the difference you’re self. The Sennheiser IE8 is just decent but then I have hardly used it for home use and I think that they are really not good for ears and I am saying this as per my experience. I think that you are facing the problem because of your gears so if you want to get rid of such problem then I will suggest you to get a decent pair of circumaural headphones and Edifier's speakers.

[KKiran]

Frankly speaking I personally feel that the JBL duet 2.0 is just a cheap speaker made form plastic and I dint think that it is capable of giving you a true sound fidelity, if you really want to get a true sound then I will suggest you to get the Edifier's and you will find out the difference you’re self. The Sennheiser IE8 is just decent but then I have hardly used it for home use and I think that they are really not good for ears and I am saying this as per my experience. I think that you are facing the problem because of your gears so if you want to get rid of such problem then I will suggest you to get a decent pair of circumaural headphones and Edifier's speakers.

I don’t think that this issue is because of the gears that we are having and as far as the JBL duet 2.0 is concerned even I have used them before and they work well and they are not cheap but a bit inexpensive and it does have a good quality, anyways I am having big ellipson speakers and I am still having the same problem, I have also tried to reduce the highs but then it is just not making any difference and I really don’t think that even ellipson is low quality speaker?? I am quite sure that there is nothing wrong with the gear that I am having and I have never faced any such problem with the DACs that I have used before, the only speaker it is working fine is the IEM speaker and I really don’t know how and why is it making such difference, I have tried it out and the sound was not harsh with it but then I am getting harsh sound on my ellipson speakers. What do you think?? What might be wrong in my case??

[Baebi]

I still think that the issue is just related with the gears and not the sound card but then if you are saying that you are having the same problem with the ellipson speakers then before is suggest you anything, I will just like to know the following:

• By what means you are connecting them to the ASUS Xonar Essence STX soundcard???
• What amp you are using for the same??

[chAntY]

I think that I have found out a temporary solution to our issue, I have replaced the PSU with one that is not having fan and for the fan I have I am uising140MM low noise fan and doing this has reduced the compute4r noise to a great extent. Other than this I have also installed a parametric digital EQ and have reduced the same to 4Khz and I think that the sound that I am getting now is less sibilant as compared to what I was getting. I will like to know if it is possible to make customization instead of just replacing the opamps.

[KKiran]

Hey thanks for that even I will try out the same and will let you know if it is helping me out as well.