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As someone very wisely said, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” What that person neglected to mention is no amount of preparation can prepare you for dealing with the subjective – in this case, sound quality.
I’d been scouring the internet for the perfect solution to my sound woes. My old classic JVC separates and speakers are huddling together somewhere in the UK in a land-fill (not my choice, believe me) and for the sake of my eardrums I needed to say goodbye to a Logitech 2.1 set. If you have experienced reasonable hi-fi quality you’ll know it’s hard to take a step back for too long.
My internet journey took me far and wide, from external USB Digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) units like the Music Streamer II to the M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card. I’d thought about getting a Fatman Valve amplifier like the Carbon Trinity, too, but a fair few hours of scouring reviews led me to believe the Asus Xonar Essence ST was the solution for me. But was it the right choice?
Before I answer that, I would like to briefly point out something you will come across if you have been looking at an Asus Xonar Essence sound card. The ST and the STX version of this card have a few key differences you should consider before purchase.
Please note: This article was originally published on License To Quill, which has been shut down. It has been reposted for posterity.
Fundamentally both cards are very similar but there are a few key differences. The STX came before the ST, which means the latter has a few extra additions. Oddly, there is little price difference, if any, between the tw so it’s more a case of checking your PC configuration.
With the package in hand, delivered on time by Scan, I eagerly unwrapped the parcel. There was no time to pop the bubble wrap – I was very keen to see what this card was about.
Adorning the front is the Chime Tiger, the reason for its use explained under the box’s cover.Also under the flap is a glimpse of what just cost all those pence – the magnificent Xonar Essence ST sound card itself. Wrapped in a mixture of grey metal casing with lashings of gold here and there, you only need clap your eyes on the card once to know Asus wasn’t messing around. A further look at its stats stamped all over the box only emphasise the feeling it was made for those who take their music listening very seriously.
A 124dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is almost unheard of at this price range, and how many sound cards do you know with two RCA connections? This really was designed from the ground as thee sound card for audiophiles, something Asus proudly likes to show with its final surprise – a book with yet more gold but also, more importantly, a selection of graphs indicating its technical pedigree. Whether you understand the graphs or not, Asus has clearly put its heart, soul and a great deal of expertise into this product.
As much as I wanted to admire its dashing good looks, it was time to see how easy it was to install. Bear in mind I was running 32bit XP with service pack 3 (hey, if it ain’t broke!) and an average performing PC at the time of the review: Q6600 quad core processor, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, Tuniq Tower 120 cooler, Asus Republic of Gamers motherboard and more Sharkoon fans than you can shake a golf club at.
Once you’ve excitedly torn your way through the box it’s time to open up your computer. Usually there is some sort of switch or locking mechanism, as there is on my case, or perhaps a screw or two needs to be undone.
Before I start, also refer to the instructions in the box. They are easy to follow but I thought I would elaborate on certain bits for the less tech-savvy readers out there.
Turn off your PC, ask any pets or children you have to leave the room for about half an hour and have a cup of tea or coffee primed. Make sure there is no power running through your computer because no one wants an electric shock. You then need to ground yourself as static can damage components. There are a variety of ways to ground yourself, including silly gloves, leaving the power cord in but the PSU off (not keen on this one, personally) or my preferred choice; rub both hands on top of the case every time you need to touch a component.
Before you remove the Xonar ST from its plastic kingdom, make sure you have a spare 4-pin molex connector ready and have it nearby the slot you are going to use. Find a suitable PCI slot, preferably away away from graphics card fans or anything else like that as this card will obviously interrupt airflow. It’s not the smallest PC component, that’s for sure.
Done the above? Slowly remove the graphics card, being careful to remove it flat from its packaging. It’s not easy to remove so take it steady, eventually it will pop out. Now gently slot it into your chosen PCI slot, gently pushing down once the connectors all line up. It’s hard to get this wrong as it’s pretty obvious the RCA connectors etc aren’t meant to be on the inside and each slot can only accommodate one connector. You will see what I mean when you look at your motherboard if you are new to this upgrade malarkey.
Assuming it slotted in nicely, connect the 4-pin molex and it should have power (see below). Leave the case door off for now and fire up the PC, ensuring you don’t anything with the power on! You should get a ‘new hardware detected’ warning in the bottom left of the screen or something to that effect. Click ‘cancel’ and insert the supplied Asus Xonar ST/STX disc. The necessary molex 4-pin will only fit in one way.
The end is in sight now. Run the disc, and click browse. Navigate to Driver and then pick your operating system. In my case, Windows XP. Now double click ‘set-up’ and the disc should do the rest. It will do its job and then you will be prompted to restart your PC. Do so, and everything should be ready to go. Go to Start Menu and find the new program called ASUS Xonar Essence ST Audio, open it, and enjoy.
I’ll cover all the settings later on. For now, it’s time to go on with the show.
Looks are all fine and dandy but when the ST or STX is sat in your computer it will be upside down, presenting you with the back of a circuit board. What really matters is how it sounds. So let’s find out how well the sound card performed?
It’s relatively early days for all of the components but already Xonar ST is doing exactly what I wanted. Connected with the Cambridge Audio 500 cable to my PC, my entire collection is coming alive, and without the help of any equaliser settings (I’m using the Pure Direct setting on my amp and no equaliser settings on the Xonar ST, bar turning HiFi on and adjusting the bit-rate for the purest sound).
Mylo – Need you tonight
This song isn’t particularly challenging for the Tannoy V4’s but the lyrics are meant to be slightly haunting, which the Xonar ST really brings out. It’s all too easy to drown out the mids and highs with the steady bass in this song but instead the lows are present and punchy, not overwhelming.
Prefuse 73 – Plastic
A rap-lyric heavy song; again the song is handled confidently, with the underlying bass line humming perfectly in the background. The treble is controlled and the lyrics are broadcasted with ease. As with many Prefuse 73 songs, an array of bizarre sound effects can be lost or confused by less impressive kit but the Xonar ST and company manage the job easily.
Roots Manuva – Witness the Fitness
Always a good song to test because of the repetitive and heaviness of the bass line, all I could hear was a great rendition of the track. Even with the Yamaha amp, renowned for a certain light, precision sound, there was real warmth to the song. For those days when I want to rumble the house I slapped on some EQ settings and turned Pure Direct off on the amplifier but I didn’t feel the need to.
Dave McCullen – Call you my bitch
For those of dance music tastes, it would seem the Xonar ST is more than capable. The lyrics jump between left and right, with the bass line steady and controlled throughout. No struggle at higher volumes either – the neighbours will definitely hear the ‘charming’ vocals as if they were in the room with you.
DJ Tiesto – Traffic
Now this is more of a test. Beginning with that powerful kick of bass and the increasing level of treble, the Xonar ST easily holds its own. There is balance throughout, and when the slow build-up of the melody begins you can’t help but feel involved. Bass heads will probably manually whack in some lows, but let the volume do the talking and there is no need. The soundstage more than makes up for it.
Pendulum – Hold your Colour
As a track I used to play through two Pioneer subs and a powerful system in my car, I was expecting good things. Cranking this tune up, I begin to feel all levels of bass through the floor. Obviously the lows are not quite as rumbly as two 12-inch subs but they are most definitely present, and where my car would trail off, the Tannoy V4’s effortlessly push out the mids.
At the Drive In – One armed scissor
Got to give some guitar and shout-fest music a go, eh? Not usually one to listen to music this heavy, but At the Drive In’s ability to go from strangely quiet to full-on screaming and unrelenting guitar riffs wins me over. There’s a certain rawness that the band manages to control until the choruses, where it all goes a bit mad. Once again, the Xonar ST provided a clear and concise sound. No muddling like I had with my previous speakers, each part of the song stands out. It’s all too easy for this song to sound like noise but there was no such issue here.
Jimi Hendrix – Voodoo Chile / Child
Of all the songs, the quality of the recording kicks in here. It’s strangely surreal listening to the pre-song tune-up in Voodoo Chile, with the random strums of guitar darting from left to right with such detail. Crystal clear but with an edge of warmth, it’s hard not to admire the masterful, legendary Voodoo Child riff. Instrumentals are definitely a strong point for the Xonar ST and the rest of the components.
All Along the Watch Tower was similarly great to listen to. Very impressive.
What the Xonar ST does, no matter the challenge, is provide a fantastic sound. Although many online reviews have complained the sound card really shows off imperfections in low-quality audio, my slightly more casual ears were certainly not offended. Occasionally, I wanted the bass to kick like a mule but the Yamaha prefers to sit back and push out the tunes in more audio-true fashion, which is the fault of the amp. Nothing sounds flat or treble-heavy but this isn’t a setup for the bass-lover, until you start adjusting the EQ options.
As someone who likes a lot of drum and bass, though, particularly the liquid variety, I never felt like the setup wasn’t bassy enough. It actually becomes quite refreshing when the true lows thunder when needed, almost catching you off guard, instead of droning on. If you want heavy hitting music, the card is more than capable; just pick a different amp or ensure you make use of its subwoofer connection.
Although largely down to the other components, the Asus Xonar ST achieved exactly what I wanted; fantastic sounds from a PC straight into quality HiFi components. So let’s move onto gaming.
The Asus Xonar ST has Dolby Virtual Speaker as an option, which means it has some of the pedigree usually associated with Asus’ usually more game-focused offerings. There’s also a 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter, adding to its repertoire.
Playing Call of Duty: Black Ops online, there was clear definition between left and right, making pinpointing where other players are coming from. Because of the limitations of two speakers, on Dolby Virtual Speaker it can be a tiny bit more difficult to hear where players behind you are, something a 5.1 set wouldn’t struggle with. Still, it was vastly better than my budget Logitech 2.1 set and a whole lot more atmospheric.
Similarly, in Dead Space 2, the random high-pitch shrieks are just as jumpy, and whilst directionally sound isn’t quite as obvious as with a good pair of headphones like the Audio Technica ATH-AD700, you still wander down every corridor just as cautiously. And of course, big speakers like the Tannoy V4’s can provide explosions with plenty of power that most headphones will struggle with.
What about the virtual 7.1 setting mentioned earlier, I hear you ask?
In the game stakes, the Xonar Essence ST is more than adequate, particularly if you have the added 7.1 card you can attach directly (more on that when it arrives in the near future), but it won’t beat Asus’ dedicated gaming cards or other high-end offerings. Not that it matters, because this is an audiophile card first and foremost – reasonable gaming performance is a bonus.
Although the Xonar ST can be linked to a surround sound additional card, i’m not including it in this review. It makes sense to judge the card on its own merits because most of you will probably only want to link your hi-fi to a PC, not a full-blown 5.1 system (it will get its own separate review in the near future though, which I will link to within this article).
Watching the action of The Expendables, it’s clear the Dolby Virtual Speaker system comes into its own. On the Hi-Fi mode it’s difficult to hear voices during some scenes, particularly when the explosions and gun fire enters the fray, but a touch of Dolby balances out the sound. It also very convincingly deals with left and right movement – as the car chase ensues the sound of the V8 engine flies past, as it should. It’s no way near as convincing as with a 5.1 setup, but you get a good enough level of directional sound to add something to most movies.
7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter wasn’t particularly good. It killed bass with the standard settings and although not vastly different in other areas, it just felt inferior to that of the Dolby offering.
Without a dedicated subwoofer, the lows won’t be massively strong but many amps have a sub-out. If you have one, the Xonar ST will push through all the bass you need. Without, my Tannoy V4s lack the floor-shaking rumbles I love, but that isn’t the fault of the sound card or the speakers. For a music-focused setup, I was impressed. Knowing I could go all out with the expansion card means I had peace of mind when it comes to flexibility.
Although I’ve refrained from changing equaliser settings to test the most true sound to the components – bar in the gaming test and movies – many of you may want to fine-tune the sound to your ears. As you will have seen during installation, Asus supplies a disc for installing the Xonar Audio Center. This piece of software lets you control everything the Essence ST can do, including swapping between powering headphones via the built-in amplifier and the RCA connection. Just to point out, you can’t run both at the same time, if you were curious.
The first page has a few buttons for swapping between Game, Music, Hi-Fi, Movie and DS3D GX. I only really use Hi-Fi as it cuts out the over-excited Dolby settings, but the Game one handily saves you navigating back to the main page for adding improved directional sound.
You then have the ability to change those all-important sample rates, ranging from 44.1KHz, 48KHz, 96KHz and 192KHz. Having tested a wide variety of music and bit-rates, I can’t say I could hear a difference between all settings. Call it casual ears or a problem of the room I use to test my music, but whatever it is, you get very, very similar quality from each setting.
To make your own equaliser settings or pick from the numerous ones on offer, most of which are pretty awful to be fair, you can drag bars up and down to your heart’s content until you have the sound you want. Your adjustments can then be saved under user defined. Whilst for some songs it can be great to find a particular list of settings, it can be a pain if a genre comes on that’s unmatched. If you only listen to, say, hip-hop you may be fine but those with a wide range of tastes may tire of swapping around the EQ settings every time a new song plays.
As well as EQ, you can select from a wide range of environments, set the recording level, adjust the LFE Crossover Frequency and you can even enable VoiceEX and a variety of Voip settings to help with listening to team mates in games.
The Xonar Audio Center takes little time to setup and get used to. You can tab between specific option groups and most of the time you either tick a box or not – can’t really ask for more than that. I don’t really use it much for general music playback, it’s really only when you watch a movie or play a video game.
All in all, you can’t really fault the Asus software.
So we’ve come to the million dollar question – is the Asus Xonar Essence ST sound card worth its asking price? Well, that depends on the task. If you want to connect your digital music collection with your hi-fi then the answer is a resounding yes. Aside from sounding fantastic, the two RCA slots make it incredibly easy to setup, Asus’ software is a pleasure to use – on Windows XP at least, and a dedicated headphone amplifier can bring your cans to life. It may be pricey but for its part in revolutionising my hi-fi experience it was worth every one of the many, many pennies.
For gaming and other uses? No, is the short answer. Gaming and film – unless you purchase the H4 card – is an afterthought. There are better options out there for considerably less, like the Xonar DX or something from the Xi-Fi range. Don’t get me wrong, the performance of the Xonar ST is reasonable in both areas, but it won’t beat dedicated gaming sound cards.
Not that it needs to. Asus set out to create something special, something unique, and for the task it sets out to achieve it has little, if any, competition. Unless you fancy the portability of an external DAC unit or sound quality just isn’t that important, the Xonar Essence ST or the STX is a brilliant piece of kit, and one that can even be improved with additional sound chips.
Ultimately, if you are prepared to buy one you can at least rest easy knowing your sound card won’t be the weak link in the chain. That is, unless your hi-fi system is worth more than the average home.
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