ASUS Xonar Essence STX

[Manny123]

I'm looking into this card for my next build, I'm quite the audiophile but also a BIG gamer. I don't use anything but headphones, do you guys think this is a good card for both or should I look into another card and if so what card?


ASUS Xonar Essence STX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132010

 

[Kosh]

yeah the xonar will be good for both.if you are using headphones only.something like this would be alot better depending on your budget.

 

[Manny123]

I would like to hear from someone who owns this card, and they're overall experiences with it.

 

[Kosh]

just so you know the asus xonar,creative xfi,and auzentech prelude are the best pc sound cards made.you can get better though with a product like i listed in my first post.

edit: what kind of headphones do you use?

 

[Manny123]

Sennheiser HD 595's

 

[Kosh]

senn's are some awesome headphones.you have good enough headphones you should be looking at that dac instead of a pc sound card.

 

[Manny123]

How does that work exactly?

 

[Kosh]

you just hook it in a usb port.set it as the default audio device.it will receive a digital signal from the pc.then convert it to analog which is what the headphones will receive.it works alot like a pc sound card,but alot higher quality.

here is a bit of reading on that

 

[Manny123]

This would be good for gaming too?

 

[Kosh]

yes unless you have plans on buying 5.1 headphones.5.1 headphones are really gimicky things though not serious audiophile quality.

 

[Manny123]

I just plan on using my 595's.

 

[Kosh]

well then a dac like the one i have linked to is for you.mainly if you are worried about audiophile quality sound.that thing will deliver!:good:

 

[Cameron]

I feel I need to point out that those aren't good headphones just by virtue of being Sennheiser.... in fact as far as $200 - $300 open headphones go they are a bad example.

I would highly recommend the Asus card for what you have got. The Xonar Essence STX is an extremely high quality sound card and in particular it has a built in headphone amp which is a nice addition to a sound card.

I wouldn't burn $600 on a DAC without spending at least as much on the headphones... but if you do, you would want to connect it to the PC via an optical or coax cord, not USB.