Asus Xonar Essence STX Sound Card
![Asus Xonar Essence STX Sound Card ImageIt isn't the ideal sound card for everyone's needs, but it's an absolutely splendid solution for music lovers.Highs: Produces exquisitely clean audio, thanks to the presence of high-end components and meticulous attention to electrical design.Lows: Surround-sound output is limited to digital; not a good solution for Blu-ray movies.Where to buy: IntroductionIf you’re the type of audio enthusiast who delights in discovering nuances in musical recordings you thought you were already intimately familiar with, you’ll want to check out the Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. This audiophile-quality sound card is a glittering sonic jewel. If you’re the type who thinks MP3s encoded at 128Kb/sec sound just fine, on the other hand, no amount of praise we heap on the Xonar Essence will ever convince you that this card easily justifies its $180 street price—especially when even the least expensive computer can play music without needing any additional hardware at all. But have you ever plugged a pair of quality headphones into your PC’s onboard audio and really listened to it? The interior of a PC is a harsh environment for audio, and most onboard sound systems do little to compensate for it. Listen carefully and you’ll hear noise and distortion worming its way into your music, irrevocably changing and diminishing what the artist worked so hard to record. It doesn’t have to be that way. A PC can be an awesome high-fidelity component, and the Xonar Essence STX is proof. This card boasts very high-end digital and analog audio components, and it’s been vigorously engineered to eliminate the noise problems that plague the typical onboard audio solution. The result is the cleanest sounding PC soundcard we’ve laid ears on.12345 | Next Page --» digital_trend782:http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/review/6190/asus-xonar-essence-stx-sound-card-reviewPrint | ReprintsRelated ReviewsCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi I/O Drive Upgrade Kit Sound CardM-Audio FireWire 410 Sound CardDiamond Multimedia Diamond Xtreme Sound XS71 Sound CardCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional SerCreative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite ProRelated DownloadsYahoo Pool BuddyUlead Photo ExpressCyberLink PowerDVDCool Beans NFO CreatorMagic Match//');//]]>Top Reviews by CategoryWrite a ReviewDo you have an opinion on this product? Write your own review and let others know what you think!Name: (required)Email Address: (required)Summary: (required)Remember my informationYour Comments: (required)Your Score://');//]]>](http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/images/reviews/full/6190/20090220_1514521.gif)
(9 out of 10)
It isn't the ideal sound card for everyone's needs, but it's an absolutely splendid solution for music lovers.
If you’re the type of audio enthusiast who delights in discovering nuances in musical recordings you thought you were already intimately familiar with, you’ll want to check out the Asus Xonar Essence STX sound card. This audiophile-quality sound card is a glittering sonic jewel. If you’re the type who thinks MP3s encoded at 128Kb/sec sound just fine, on the other hand, no amount of praise we heap on the Xonar Essence will ever convince you that this card easily justifies its $180 street price—especially when even the least expensive computer can play music without needing any additional hardware at all. But have you ever plugged a pair of quality headphones into your PC’s onboard audio and really listened to it? The interior of a PC is a harsh environment for audio, and most onboard sound systems do little to compensate for it. Listen carefully and you’ll hear noise and distortion worming its way into your music, irrevocably changing and diminishing what the artist worked so hard to record. It doesn’t have to be that way. A PC can be an awesome high-fidelity component, and the Xonar Essence STX is proof. This card boasts very high-end digital and analog audio components, and it’s been vigorously engineered to eliminate the noise problems that plague the typical onboard audio solution. The result is the cleanest sounding PC soundcard we’ve laid ears on. Continue reading full review @ Digital Trends
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