Review and Measurements of Asus STX II PCI Sound Card

[amirm]

Never mind I found it. https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx-ii.php

And they are indeed like mine and substantially worse than the original!

 

[amirm]

So I think we are done, no? I rather move on to testing something else.

 

[wadec22]

So I think we are done, no? I rather move on to testing something else.

Agreed. Although the original may be worth putting through its paces. Those line out measurements are very impressive.

 

[mindbomb]

So I think we are done, no? I rather move on to testing something else.

I guess the 100db sinad value on page 3 was probably right, but I'd feel better about just doing over the measurements in the first post with 24 bit asio just to be safe. Especially leaving the 16 bit dynamic range and linearity results just seems needlessly cruel.

 

[Sythrix]

I guess the 100db sinad value on page 3 was probably right, but I'd feel better about just doing over the measurements in the first post with 24 bit asio just to be safe. Especially leaving the 16 bit dynamic range and linearity results just seems needlessly cruel.

Agreed. I'd really like to see if proper 24 bit results would at least produce a decent product that I wouldn't mind using, even if it does have some issues.

 

[Sythrix]

My concern with installing alternative drivers is having it not work and being a one-way street (i.e. no uninstall)....

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. If it's software, you just uninstall it via the Programs in the Control Panel.

The drivers would only apply to the STX II. Should be the same process as the ASUS drivers, unless I'm missing something. Is it a complicated set up process?

 

[wadec22]

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. If it's software, you just uninstall it via the Programs in the Control Panel.

The drivers would only apply to the STX II. Should be the same process as the ASUS drivers, unless I'm missing something. Is it a complicated set up process?

you aren't going to see a huge change, you can tell by looking here where they got very similar results and tested at 24 bit. https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx-ii.php

on the plus side - you do get to a point with these results where distortion is certainly inaudible.

 

[Sythrix]

you aren't going to see a huge change, you can tell by looking here where they got very similar results and tested at 24 bit. https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx-ii.php

on the plus side - you do get to a point with these results where distortion is certainly inaudible.

They used the alternate drivers that we were talking about? Or did you mean to reference my other post? The one about 24 bit? I think there may well be a change in linearity, as it did not seem to be working correctly at 16 bit.

Also, if some of the errors we were seeing was because of faulty drivers, then the alternative third party drivers may change things quite a bit.

 

[wadec22]

They used the alternate drivers that we were talking about? Or did you mean to reference my other post? The one about 24 bit? I think there may well be a change in linearity, as it did not seem to be working correctly at 16 bit.

Also, if some of the errors we were seeing was because of faulty drivers, then the alternative third party drivers may change things quite a bit.

they don't note which drivers but they note it was tested at 24 bit - which makes sense since their results were slightly better than amir's

 

[Sythrix]

My concern with installing alternative drivers is having it not work and being a one-way street (i.e. no uninstall)....

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. If it's software, you just uninstall it via the Programs in the Control Panel.

The drivers would only apply to the STX II. Should be the same process as the ASUS drivers, unless I'm missing something. Is it a complicated set up process?

Nevermind. I went and read up on their install process when I got home and the known issues, possible complication, etc are extensive. I can see why you're concerned.

Is the linearity test you posted here at 24 bit? Is there anything else that would explain that or create a different outcome?

 

[amirm]

I'm not sure I understand this reasoning. If it's software, you just uninstall it via the Programs in the Control Panel.

No, it is not software (apps) in that regard. Drivers are operating system extensions and many times do not come with any install/uninstall scripts. Go in your add/remove control panel and see if there is anything for the myriad of drivers in your computer. I suspect you won't find any.

 

[Sythrix]

they don't note which drivers but they note it was tested at 24 bit - which makes sense since their results were slightly better than amir's

What concerns me the most is the 11-bit linearity result. Seems like something is fundamentally broken in the software or implementation. If 24 bit solves that... great, but I don't know if it really does, or if I will be able to set up my settings that way. Everything thus far has been confusing on what works, what doesn't, ASIO drivers, Foobar ASIO drivers, ASIO4ALL, etc...

 

[amirm]

Is the linearity test you posted here at 24 bit? Is there anything else that would explain that or create a different outcome?

Yes. That is why it is good at even -120 dB (20 bits). As I noted, a limiter would cause that droop towards right side of the graph. I don't know where that would be or why it would be on.

 

[Sythrix]

No, it is not software (apps) in that regard. Drivers are operating system extensions and many times do not come with any install/uninstall scripts. Go in your add/remove control panel and see if there is anything for the myriad of drivers in your computer. I suspect you won't find any.

Right, but then you would just go to the device in System>Device Manager> Card and uninstall the driver. Regardless, I don't think you should install the third party drivers anymore. The issues they list look... extensive.

 

[Sythrix]

Yes. That is why it is good at even -120 dB (20 bits). As I noted, a limiter would cause that droop towards right side of the graph. I don't know where that would be or why it would be on.

Is the droop a concern? What would that actually do in a listening sense?

 

[bennetng]

you aren't going to see a huge change, you can tell by looking here where they got very similar results and tested at 24 bit. https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx-ii.php

on the plus side - you do get to a point with these results where distortion is certainly inaudible.

Yeah I also read that website before and found that the cheaper Strix Raid Pro actually measured better in their test environment.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ernal-dac-headphone-amplifier.4116/post-97809
Here is a more detailed review from the authors of that website, in Russian:
https://www.ixbt.com/multimedia/asus-strix.shtml

 

[bennetng]

Right, but then you would just go to the device in System>Device Manager> Card and uninstall the driver. Regardless, I don't think you should install the third party drivers anymore. The issues they list look... extensive.

The Device Manager GUI only shows connected devices, if the device is unplugged it won't show up and there is no way to trigger the uninstall command.

I still use Win7 and my way to uninstall orphaned driver is open the command prompt (as admin) and type:

pnputil -e

A list of installed drivers will show up. To uninstall for example oem9.inf type:

pnputil -d oem9.inf

Only disconnected device can be uninstalled with this command, if the device is in use a warning will show up and won't let you uninstall.

 

[wadec22]

Yeah I also read that website before and found that the cheaper Strix Raid Pro actually measured better in their test environment.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ernal-dac-headphone-amplifier.4116/post-97809
Here is a more detailed review from the authors of that website, in Russian:
https://www.ixbt.com/multimedia/asus-strix.shtml

interesting read. they are very complimentary of that card. looks like there are some good options for internal sound cards still.

 

[Sythrix]

Is the droop a concern? What would that actually do in a listening sense?

Does anyone know? What would this linear dropoff actually do?

EDIT: Limit the maximum volume level?

 

[mindbomb]

Yes. That is why it is good at even -120 dB (20 bits). As I noted, a limiter would cause that droop towards right side of the graph. I don't know where that would be or why it would be on.

The svn button under the volume wheel in the asus panel is some type of limiter or dynamic range compression, though I don't know what the logic for when it turns on is. With the asio driver, all processing from the card is unavailable, so it might inadvertently solve the issue. This portable exe allows you to set the asio panel to 24 bit without installing another application
http://www.djdecks.be/asioconfig.exe

There's also a headphone amp in this card, which can be turned on by setting the analog out option to headphones and using the trs jack. One of the buttons to the right of the headphone option has 3 gain settings. So you could do output impedance and power measurements too.