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Author Topic: Asus Xonar Essence STX - Compressed sound  (Read 8047 times)
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slyder
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« on: May 21, 2009, 05:07:09 am »

Hi, I was running on Realtek onboard audio, and loved the sound of XXHighEnd.

I just upgraded to the Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card.
http://usa.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmenu=2&model=2711&l1=25&l2=150&l3=0&l4=0

The songs now sound compressed in XXHighEnd, like certain high impact parts of the song have their volume/impact reduced.
Any idea what is happening here? Could it be a Q setting? Out of phase?

Running on Windows 7 RC, Engine3, but this problem was happening on Windows Vista too.

Thanks, Rob
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PeterSt
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« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2009, 08:53:16 am »

Hi Rob,

This is hard to say, and obviously you expected it to be better instead of worse.

Besides the below, let's keep in mind that nobody that I know of (for XXHighEnd) uses a PCI Express soundcard. And, while I myself would expect that PCIe should be better than normal PCI, it is very different anyway.

First, however, I'd look into those "DSP" settings in there. The "normalized volume" could be a first you overlooked, or even set on purpose.
I think you will know that all of these things should be shut off, right ?

Now, since you will be using this for analogue out (opposed to SPDIF Passthrough), anything could differ, because you're just using another DAC. And you won't hear me say that Realtek is specifically bad (in fact it seems to be the only mobo chipset people use here and there). So, I'd say that when nothing else can be found (the DSP stuff) it may very well be the DAC you are hearing.

Lastly there's this :

Quote
Customize your sound color effortlessly via swappable OPAmp socket

This looks like a virtue, but may also tell you that an opamp is in order while in the Realtek there is not (this needs diving into that chip), and which - when one has not and the other has one - is a good reason for very different sound.

I hope this brings you somewhere ... Happy
Peter
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For the Stealth III LPS PC :
W10-14393.0 - July 17, 2021 (2.11)
XXHighEnd Mach III Stealth LPS PC -> Xeon Scalable 14/28 core with Hyperthreading On (set to 14/28 cores in BIOS and set to 10/20 cores via Boot Menu) @~660MHz, 48GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 14393.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/0/0/*1*/ Q1Factor = *4* / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = *10ms* / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = *10.13*  (max 10.13) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / Stop Desktop, Remaining, WASAPI and W10 services / Use Remote Desktop / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD Off (!) / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *62* / Nervous Rate = *1* / Cool when Idle = n.a / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = Optimal / Time Stability = Stable / Custom Filtering *Low* (16x) / Always Clear Proxy before Playback = On -> USB3 from MoBo -> Lush^3
A: W-Y-R-G, B: *W-G* USB 1m00 -> Phisolator 24/768 Phasure NOS1a/G3 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (16ms) -> B'ASS Current Amplifier -> Blaxius*^2.5* A:B-G, B:B-G Interlink -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers. ET^2 Ethernet from Mach III to Music Server PC (RDC Control).
Removed Switching Supplies from everywhere (also from the PC).

For a general PC :
W10-10586.0 - May 2016 (2.05+)
*XXHighEnd PC -> I7 3930k with Hyperthreading On (12 cores)* @~500MHz, 16GB, Windows 10 Pro 64 bit build 10586.0 from RAM, music on LAN / Engine#4 Adaptive Mode / Q1/-/3/4/5 = 14/-/1/1/1 / Q1Factor = 1 / Dev.Buffer = 4096 / ClockRes = 1ms / Memory = Straight Contiguous / Include Garbage Collect / SFS = 0.10  (max 60) / not Invert / Phase Alignment Off / Playerprio = Low / ThreadPrio = Realtime / Scheme = Core 3-5 / Not Switch Processors during Playback = Off/ Playback Drive none (see OS from RAM) / UnAttended (Just Start) / Always Copy to XX Drive (see OS from RAM) / All Services Off / Keep LAN - Not Persist / WallPaper On / OSD On / Running Time Off / Minimize OS / XTweaks : Balanced Load = *43* / Nervous Rate = 1 / Cool when Idle = 1 / Provide Stable Power = 1 / Utilize Cores always = 1 / Time Performance Index = *Optimal* / Time Stability = *Stable* / Custom Filter *Low* 705600 / -> USB3 *from MoBo* -> Clairixa USB 15cm -> Intona Isolator -> Clairixa USB 1m80 -> 24/768 Phasure NOS1a 75B (BNC Out) async USB DAC, Driver v1.0.4b (4ms) -> Blaxius BNC interlink *-> B'ASS Current Amplifier /w Level4 -> Blaxius Interlink* -> Orelo MKII Active Open Baffle Horn Speakers.
Removed Switching Supplies from everywhere.

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slyder
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« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2009, 04:32:25 am »

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the great reply!

I looked into the dsp/volume settings, as far as I can see, they all look correct - nothing being added to the sound.

The songs sound okay in foobar2000, so I can only assume it's the interaction between the sound card and xxhighend.

So maybe dac related...
Guess I will keep listening to new versions of xxhighend, and see if anything changes.
Thanks, Rob
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Telstar
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« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2009, 11:16:30 pm »

Are you using the headphone out? Because they have a pcm1794 dac which is very good...
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(2nd Apr 2018)
Software:
W10 14393 Pro x64 | XXHE 2.10 | MinOS | Q=14x1/0/0/0/0 | SFS 5,19 mixed contiguous | Nervous rate 1 | 4096k buffer |

Hardware:
OrigenAE H5 case | E5300 fanless |  8GB RAM | Winmate DC-DC fanless PSU | OS on SSD | Renesas USB3 pcie card | Belden highspeed usb cable | Audio-gd dac19 NOS with sigxer F1 | My_ref_FE mono amps | Albedo Apex speakers
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