Review and Measurements of Asus STX II PCI Sound Card

[mindbomb]

His harmonic distortion levels are lower than mine. That is independent of 16 versus 24 bits. So somehow there is regression in performance here.

Asus switched to muse op amps on the stx II, and I think this lowered the performance. Originally, it was jrc2114d for i/v and LM4562 (aka LME49720) for lpf.

 

[Sythrix]

I just want to reiterate, I was able to change the ASUS ASIO bit rate, despite being grayed out..

Regardless, I would really like to see those other drivers tested, if possible.

 

[bennetng]

The 0.0003% DAC figure from Stereophile is from a 50Hz based measurement and the 1kHz tests are ADC (line in) measurements. So JA and Amir were measuring different things.

 

[bennetng]

I just want to reiterate, I was able to change the ASUS ASIO bit rate, despite being grayed out..

Regardless, I would really like to see those other drivers tested, if possible.

Yeah. The linearity test in #52 is really bizarre with some unwanted processing.

 

[amirm]

The 0.0003% DAC figure from Stereophile is from a 50Hz based measurement and the 1kHz tests are ADC (line in) measurements. So JA and Amir were measuring different things.

Thanks for pointing that out. I was not paying attention.

 

[mindbomb]

I also missed that it was a 50hz sine wave in stereophile and 1khz here. Still a pretty big difference in second and third harmonic between the measurements.

 

[mindbomb]

I just want to reiterate, I was able to change the ASUS ASIO bit rate, despite being grayed out..

I have a different asus card that uses the same driver family, but for me, the asio settings are grayed out when asio is being used (eg a song is being played on a player that uses asio), but accessible otherwise.

 

[Sythrix]

I have a different asus card that uses the same driver family, but for me, the asio settings are grayed out when asio is being used (eg a song is being played on a player that uses asio), but accessible otherwise.

Well I think they're bugged on some systems, because they remained grayed out while I was changing them. So it may not be readily apparent that they can be changed unless it's attempted.

 

[sonci]

When using Asio output in foobar the options are always grayed out, because asio should be bit perfect anyway, but when using wasapi you can change bit depth.

 

[mindbomb]

When using Asio output in foobar the options are always grayed out, because asio should be bit perfect anyway, but when using wasapi you can change bit depth.

The asio bit depth options are in a different place. file>preferences>playback>output>asio , double click on the device.

 

[Sythrix]

:

View attachment 16675

So it is running in 16 bit mode and no way to change it (option above is grayed out).

Just so I'm clear, these are the ASIO options that I'm talking about, that Amir referred to, Not foobar or anything else. Asus's options.

These options remain grayed out on my system when they are changeable. That's what I'm trying to say. Not when music is playing or anything. So you can still change them, it just doesn't look like you can. That's the bug I'm trying to refer to.

 

[wadec22]

it's interesting. if you compare the STX vs STX II on this website - the STX wipes the floor with it:
https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx.php

 

[mindbomb]

Just so I'm clear, these are the ASIO options that I'm talking about, that Amir referred to, Not foobar or anything else. Asus's options.

These options remain grayed out on my system when they are changeable. That's what I'm trying to say. Not when music is playing or anything. So you can still change them, it just doesn't look like you can. That's the bug I'm trying to refer to.

Yes, foobar2000 opens up the same asio control panel. In foobar2000, you can change it as long as something isn't playing. So if the software you are using doesn't allow you to change it, you can use foobar2000 to do the change, and then return to the other software.

 

[Sythrix]

Yes, foobar2000 opens up the same asio control panel. In foobar2000, you can change it as long as something isn't playing. So if the software you are using doesn't allow you to change it, you can use foobar2000 to do the change, and then return to the other software.

Ok... I understand what you're getting at now... but it looks like the linearity dropped off a cliff in what looks to be a very non-hardware problem.

So does Amir needs to try what you're talking about and use foobar? Or is that beside the point now that ASIO4All Started working?

It's all confusing to me. I'm just hoping, as the owner of the card, that there is some way to make this thing run halfway decent... That those third-party drivers have some effect if nothing else.

 

[mindbomb]

I actually just found this portable application from an asio fan on headfi that allows you to change the asio bit depth without installing anything.
http://www.djdecks.be/asioconfig.exe

The asio on these xonar cards automatically disables all the extraneous processing that the xonar does, so it can rule out problems from sample rate conversion or other things.

 

[amirm]

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

 

[derp1n]

Snapshot install, install drivers and test, revert to snapshot.

 

[wadec22]

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

Did you see the link I posted?

Their measurements of the STX II were very similar to yours.

However the measurements for the original STX are very, very good. Odd with the same manufacturer and DAC chip....

https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/title-report.php?id=654&page=asus-stx

 

[amirm]

Did you see the link I posted?

Their measurements of the STX II were very similar to yours.

I did but only saw the original STX measurements. Where is the STX II?

 

[wadec22]

I did but only saw the original STX measurements. Where is the STX II?

Not an easy site to navigate.

https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/dac/asus-stx-ii.php