Gamer PC 20k Budsjett

[AThought]

De fleste testene jeg har funnet avviser at den er god til FIlm/Spill, derimot ment til musikk.

[AThought]

Kanskje ASUS Xonar D2X er bedre for gaming enn ASUS Xonar Essence STX, da den har EAX 2.0.

 

 

Etter å ha lest Guru3D reviews er jeg ganske usikker, uff hvilken skal man velge...

Endret 30. april 2012 av AThought

[MDCCLXXVI]

Guru3D

 

 

 

The Verdict

 

Based on my long term testing with the STX card, from engineering sample to final production version I have been highly impressed with the Xonar Essence STX. ASUS set out to build a new flagship card for stereo and headphone use and definitely pushed the bar much higher for other companies who want to follow suit. This soundcard was built with a driving end result, high sound quality and the entire design clearly shows that ASUS wanted the best sounding card they could build at this point in time within the price point.

 

From the EMI shielding, high end DAC to the Nichons, Os-Cons and choice for opamps all aimed at giving their current fans and future Xonar fans a highly enjoyable audio experience without breaking the bank. The Xonar Essence STX has high end sound quality and features in spades.

 

While the Essence can use GX 2.5 gaming driver to add EAX emulation to games the effects are by no means a perfect copy of hardware based effects and there were some anomalies and instances of the driver not performing at all in the tested games. With that being said, if it comes between GX 2.X drivers or plain stereo sound with no effects in Vista I will gladly take the GX effects. The GX 2.0 drivers definitely increase the enjoyment factor of the card while gaming.

 

ASUS has proven that they are not only a presence in the PC audio market but a serious force to be reckoned with and an audio design entity not to be taken lightly by fans or competitors. The Xonar sound machine has been put into high gear and the question on my mind is; if the Essence has sound quality this impressive; imagine what ASUS has up their sleeves next?

 

We highly recommend this card to anybody who wants exceptional sound quality for their headphones or stereo speaker system. This card offers sound quality that is many times better then its price really reflects. I am also awarding this card the Top Pick Editors choice award and it will remain my new reference card for headphones until surpassed by ASUS or another.

 

 

 

Xbitlabs

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

When I had been listening to the Auzen X-Fi Prelude, I had not expected any card to surpass it. Later on, the ASUS Xonar D2 showed the weak aspects of the Prelude. And now, the Xonar Essence STX sounds better than the Xonar D2 and Prelude, and better than the X-Fi Elite Pro, and perhaps even better than any audio card in the world, but I still want some more! It is a shame that the Essence is just one step short of being perfect. It just needs better resistors and different operation amplifiers.

 

Of course, everyone can try to pick up operation amplifiers to his/her own taste as the developer has provided for that. But why is not the card set up properly out of the box to deliver a SNR of 124dB and maximum sound quality? There is a lot of theory available on transimpedance amplifiers and suitable opamps are specially marked by their makers. And why is the odd problem with the noise level at 44.1 kHz not solved since the Xonar D2? Developing audiophile equipment means searching for the ideal. One should not take it up unless there are ways to achieve that ideal. Or should one?

 

Anyway, today, the Xonar Essence STX is the best choice for a person who wants to enjoy excellent-quality music, especially in 250-300Ohm headphones. It will also be good in games and may even prove superior to X-Fi based audio cards in some gaming situations. And finally, this audio card can be used for high-quality sound recording as it offers solid ASIO support. It also offers two outputs with different connectors and significantly different sound and is based on the modern PCI Express interface. Thus, I just can’t think of a worthy opponent to this audio card in terms of functionality and sound quality.

 

But still, what a pity it is that such a tiny gap distanced Asus Xonar Essence STX from being absolutely ideal...

 

 

OC-club

 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

As with most products, I was slightly apprehensive about the Xonar Essence STX before I heard it. I asked myself, how could a small, simple amplifier on a soundcard perform anywhere near as well as a standalone headphone amplifier? The answer is, it performs spectacularly thanks to the high quality components producing the line-level audio signal, as well as the very capable headphone amplification circuitry.

Probably what surprised me the most was how well the multi-band EQ works to tailor the sound to any headphones. I feel this is because following the EQ section with powerful amplification delivers rich and detailed sound that just isn't possible on an unamplified soundcard. If you have high-end headphones without a standalone headphone amplifier, the onboard headphone amp of the Essence STX will serve you well, and you may find that you don't even need a separate amplifier. Though I still find it hard to believe, it really is that good.

 

The Dolby Headphone mode is found on the rest of the Xonar line of soundcards, but because the Essence STX has the amplified headphone output, it is even better, and performs well for pre-recorded multi-channel audio in movies as well as live multi-channel audio in games. Coupled with the GX mode's support for EAX environmental effects, this gives you what I would consider the best soundcard for games. I believe that games should be played using headphones, for greater immersion, spacial awareness, and for the optimal set-up for gaming when using voice-chat features either in-game or using applications such as Ventrilo or TeamSpeak.

 

It's not all about headphones though, and the high quality sound is also available through the analog stereo line level output (RCA/phono) so that you can use the soundcard with speakers or even an external headphone amplifier. If you want to use the Essence STX with a multi-speaker surround sound system, you can enjoy 5.1 surround sound from games and movies as long as your computer speakers or AV receiver has a digital input. This can either be optical or coaxial, and the Dolby Digital Live feature means you can have proper surround from games, and with the upmixing feature, you can even play music through all of the speakers.

 

I really wasn't sure if there would be a soundcard to beat my modded X-Fi XtremeMusic, but the Xonar Essence STX beats it both in sound quality, features, and compatibility. The Creative drivers, both for the Audigy and X-Fi Soundblaster cards, can cause severe problems in Vista, causing the whole operating system to lock up, clicks and digital noise in the audio signal, and some features such as microphone input to not work at all! The Essence STX doesn't have any of these problems, and functions properly without issues while sounding better than any Creative soundcard.

 

If you don't really use headphones and prefer speakers, or only have a cheap headset for Skype calls or something, it would make more sense to go for the Xonar D2 or one of the newer Xonar soundcards with more features and connectivity for home cinema equipment. However, if you have high end headphones, enjoy online gaming, or watch movies at night, I cannot recommend the Essence STX highly enough. It is now my favorite soundcard and has taken the crown from my modified X-Fi XtremeMusic, so if you love sound and love headphones, do yourself a favor and get the Xonar Essence STX.

 

Pros:

• The DAC, capacitors, and op-amps on the card produce an extremely pure and transparent sound
  
• Hugely dynamic and accurate sound on any headphones using the onboard headphone amplifier
  
• Headphone amplification works for the front panel (case) audio sockets
  
• Flawless driver compatibility in Vista 64-bit
  
• The multi-band EQ works much better than the implementations by Creative and Realtek
  
• Large jacks and RCA/phono sockets instead of 3.5mm stereo sockets
  
• Adaptors included for any devices with 3.5mm jacks
  

 

Cons:

• The GX mode isn't a 100% exact emulation of EAX
  

 

 

 

 

Benchmarkreviews

 

 

 

7.1 Sound Card Final Thoughts

 

Testing audio components is always a challenge. While there's software such as RMAA which can give you an analytical look at the performance, it isn't as simple as hitting 'start' and then looking at graphs. Ensuring that your system isn't introducing noise into the signal is challenging, and in many cases, near impossible. The original test system was a X58 platform with an overclocked i7 920. However, when noise tests came back erratic, one could only imagine what was causing it. Was it noise on the PCI-e bus? Was the PSU providing 'dirty' power to the amplifier? Thermal noise? Or perhaps the lengthy loopback cable was being a nuisance? In the end, it came down to the either of the first three options, but even at stock, the audio was well below spec in terms of noise. I like to think that the motherboard was shouting profanities as it struggled to keep up with its heavy overclock, causing the meek STX to cower in fear. But in the end, it was probably just the hothead 4870x2 heating up the defenseless EMI shield!

 

Fortunately, an older but capable system was used instead, and sane results were produced. These results were spectacular, with very low noise levels across the board, and a respectable frequency response. This is very much a card for audiophiles.

 

ASUS Xonar Essence STX Conclusion

 

As the performance graphs show, the ASUS Xonar Essence STX is a high achiever. It blitzed all tests, bar one, where the Xonar Xense got a slight upper hand in frequency response. The Essence STX absolutely obliterated the onboard solution in all tests, which is a good sign considering the asking price.

Despite the lack of native EAX support, the Essence STX does surprisingly well in games. Dolby Headphone does wonders when paired with the emulated EAX environmental effects. The inbuilt amplifier gives headphones an added oomph, even if they're already easy to drive. Whether it be music, games or movies, the amplifier adds that little bit extra which makes all the difference.

 

In terms of aesthetics, the Essence STX ticks all the boxes. Classy color scheme? Check. Brushed aluminium? Check. Chrome branding. Check. Looks great through a case window? Check. What more can we ask for?

 

The construction quality of the Essence STX is as good as you can expect. The card is rigid and the materials are top-notch.

 

When it comes down to functionality, we have to keep in mind that this card is aimed squarely at audiophiles. This being said, the Essence STX is excellent for more than just music. It's a capable movie and gaming card too, with Dolby Headphone producing outstanding results. Digital out and the provided TOSLINK connector allow external DACs to be used, and the gold plated TRS/RCA in/out facilitate clean noise-free audio. To top it off, the card has replaceable op-amps - something that's far from common, yet very handy for dedicated enthusiasts.

 

NewEgg sell the ASUS Xonar Essence STX for $199.99. This may sound pricey, but you're getting a card which will last several upgrades. Audio equipment depreciates at a significantly smaller rate than your typical processing components (think CPU and GPU). When one can spend upwards of $500 on just the graphics portion of a build, a top of the range audio solution for $200 with greater longevity becomes enticing. Is the Essence STX worth $200? If you love your music, it's well worth your hard earned cash.

Overall, the Essence STX is the best audio experience I've experienced on a PC to date. The only gripe I have is that it's limited by my audio gear! The quality of output is excellent, so future speaker upgrades won't be a concern. This, and the decision to use modern connectivity (such as PCI-e) makes this a true future proof audio card. Highly recommended.

 

Pros:

 

+ Crisp audio output

+ Near flat frequency response

+ Respectable headphone amp

+ Very low noise levels on both line-in and line-out

+ Top-tier components, such as the capacitors, DAC and op-amps

+ Op-amps are user replaceable

+ Drivers work flawlessly on Vista and 7

+ Dolby Headphone works well for movies and games

 

 

Cons:

 

- Need pricey equipment to appreciate the added quality of sound

- EAX emulation isn't quite as good as a native hardware solution

- No hotkeys to quickly alter settings in Xonar Audio Center

 

Ratings:

 

Performance: 9.00

Appearance: 9.50

Construction: 9.75

Functionality: 9.25

Value: 8.00

 

Final Score: 9.1 out of 10.

 

 

 

 

Du kan jo ta en titt på noen av gamer-korta til Asus, om du føler STX blir litt for mye audiophile, litt for lite gamer.

 

Spesielt Xonar Xense ser spennende ut! Les deg opp på tester om du finner noen

[vodkish]

For det første, når du har budsjett på 20 000 kroner så burde du i hvertfall lage din egen vannkjøling system.

Mye bedre enn D14, Phanteks, H100 etc.

[AThought]

ASUS Xonar Xense ser ganske spennende ut ja. Lurer på om det blir kjøp der, fant noen tester. Den koster 300kr mer enn STX

[AThought]

Noen som har noen erfaringer med Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD Sound Card, ser ut som dette kortet er mer rettet mot Gaming med EAX 5.0?

 

Blir enten ASUS Xonar Essence STX eller Creative SB X-Fi Titanium HD

 

Det skal bare brukes til Hodetelefoner, med størst fokus på Gaming/FIlm

Endret 1. mai 2012 av AThought

[Lami]

Gå for ASUS Xonar Essence STX. Beste lydkortet.

[AThought]

Beste lydkortet? Kan du utdype deg litt mer, hvordan er det egentlig til Spill...?

Endret 1. mai 2012 av AThought

[MDCCLXXVI]

Hva slags type gaming? Casual eller competative CS/Quake Live/BF3?!

 

Jeg har ikke hatt noe utpgrega problemer med STX, men så er jeg heller ikke den som stiller høyest krav til lyd i spill. Dog er jeg litt skap-audiofil, med musikksamling utelukkende i FLAC, ASIO out, etc.. og der gir STX valutta for penga

 

Men, om du hører stor forskjell på STX og X-Fi titanium kan jeg aldri tenke meg, så om EAX-støtten er alfa og omega vil nok Creatives' kort være det beste kjøpet for deg.

 

De fleste STX tester sammenligner jo kortet mot X-Fi titanium, gjør de ikke? Burde ikke være noe problem å finne tester hvor de korta er satt opp mot hverandre.

[Lami]

Though the Essence STX is not pushed as a gaming card, we did play a handful of games with the card and found the sound to be quite good.

 

Quoted en side som testet kortet.

Er et kort for de som ikke er interessert i å putte alle pengene i høyttalere og fokuserer mer på hodetelefoner eller foretrekker stereo.

 

Går det mest i gaming så gå for Titanium HD kortet. Er veldig bra til spilling. Titanium HD ligger på lik linje med Xonar Essence STX så er vel samme hvilket du går for.

Endret 1. mai 2012 av Lami

[AThought]

Takk for at du vil hjelpe meg Har lest en del negativt om Creative drivere ogsånt, er dette noe å bekymre seg for?

[Lami]

Dessverre så har Creative slitt med driverproblemer de siste årene og en kan få problemer med dette kortet og Creative sine drivere til det, men jeg anbefaler deg å installere Daniel K X-Fi support pack driverne istedenfor, som fungerer

 

Download link hentet herfra.

Endret 1. mai 2012 av Lami

[AThought]

Tror ikke jeg orker Creative med alt det driver tullet

[MDCCLXXVI]

De har hatt dårlige drivere siden Audigy-tiden. Merkelig at de ikke har fått 'årnings på det..

[AThought]

Heisan! (Oppdatering) Bygging i Corsair 550D

 

Har nå installert alle GT viftene, jeg brukte retail skruene som kom med kabinettets vifter, var dette greit? Uansett, ser nå at jeg egentlig bare trenger en Hard drive bay(Den nederste), skal bare ha en SSD der.

Er dette mulig og vil det da ikke bli noe forskjell? (På støy/ konstruksjons stabilitet ved å bare bruke en hardrive bay) Så ut som de to bayene holdt hverandre oppe?

 

 

Tusen takk for hjelp, faen hvor gøy det var å bygge PC!

[AThought]

Hmm, hjelp?

 

 

Hmm, låsen på min ASUS P8Z77-V DELUXE, Socket-1155 var meget hard å få ned. Jeg hørte også en rar knitre/knirke lyd mens jeg presset ned. Er dette normalt?

 

Prossesoren er: Intel® Core i7-3770K Processor.

 

 

Jeg har låst den ned nå og det ser normalt ut, første gang jeg bygger. Kan jeg bare ha vært for overfølsom og for redd til å gjøre feil, og dermed trodd at noe gikk/er feil?

Jeg begynte å "dytte nedover veldig, veldig forsiktig men det ble ganske hardt midtveis. Har sett mange videor og de virket ikke så harde på låsen.

[Lami]

Hvilken lås? Den du presser ned ved prosessoren? Dette er helt normalt. Kan være litt skummelt da den er hard å presse ned, men er helt normalt. Bare pass på at CPU brikken ligger riktig.

[fflex]

Du har brukt avstandsskruer på kabinett/hovedkort?

[AThought]

Har montert hovedkortet utenfor kabinettet, festet en bracket under den for CPU vifte. Hva mente du egentlig?

[JokerN_]

Så lenge du har satt prosessoren riktig ned i hovedkortet (dette ser du lett, da det egentlig bare èn tydelig måte å få den til å passe på), så er det ikke noe farlig. Den låsen er ofte hard å trykke ned, og det kan nok virke litt skummelt om det er første gang du bygger PC.

 

Har montert hovedkortet utenfor kabinettet, festet en bracket under den for CPU vifte. Hva mente du egentlig?

Det han mente er de skruene som skal mellom hovedkort og kabinett, slik at det blir litt luft imellom. Hovedkortet skal ikke ligge inntil kabinettet.

Endret 8. mai 2012 av Sending!