Asus Xonar Xense Review

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jpongin

Limp Gawd
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Jan 17, 2006
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Just thought I'd throw this out there about the Xonar Xense.

I just finished my build about 3 weeks ago, and the Xonar Xense is the component that I'm the most happy with - http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1646299.

Unlike my other components, the card worked well beyond my expectations. I just wanted a decent gaming sound card, but then I ran into a review about a Sennheiser PC350 / Asus sound card combo, and really I purchased it because I thought it was a tremendous value - good headset with a sound card that probably sounds and works like any other gaming sound card right? WRONG!

As soon as I installed the software. I played BF3 for a good week to break in my rig, and the sound was very crisp but not *amazing*. Once I completed tuning other parts of my rig, I fired up the Xonar Xense Audio Center to poke around. I selected GX DSP mode, FPS preset, and then selected the Sennheiser PC350 Headphone impedance "Xense" Edition, and WOW. Just wow. I'd go as far as saying that it took me to a whole other level of immersion with BF3. Everything, and I do mean *everything* immediately sounded magnitudes better. There was so much more depth and richness to every single aspect of the game.

And now I use the Xonar Xense (instead of my Bose and Macbook Pro) to listen to music while I work. It sounds that good. Some tracks I tried it on were:

Tron: Legacy Soundtrack
The Dark Knight - Aggressive Expansion
Inception - Time
The Might of Rome - Gladiator
Ashes To Ashes - Blackhawk Down

Hot Right Now - Bassnectar Remix
I'm Not Your Toy - Jack Beats Remix

The list goes on, but I'm extremely happy with the Asus Xonar Xense. In the end, I'd have to attribute this level of sound quality to the fact that Asus paired up software with hardware (soundcard + headset) to create and overall great product.
 
The only complaint I have about my STX version is the DPC latency with the stock drivers (~250 micro seconds for me). Fortunately, the unified drivers (http://brainbit.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/asus-xonar-unified-drivers/) get me down to the ~70 micro second area. The only annoyance here is the loss the ability to change headphone amp gain from the C-Media control panel (you have to start the default Asus control panel, make you change, then reboot to lower your DPC latency again).

You should also only need GX-mode for legacy EAX support. For music, I'd recommend turning off any DSP. Then toggle Dolby Headphone (if you enjoy it) for gaming.

Congratulations on kicking the Bose habit. For even better sound, you might want to consider: http://www.head-fi.org/t/406187/modding-the-sennheiser-pc350-headset
 
How do you measure or adjust the DPC latency gain? And how does it impact audio quality? My PC 350s plug straight to the back of the card.

You're correct about GX-mode, it makes zero changes to sound quality when listening to music - only in games because it's an EAX 5x emulator. The good thing is you can change these settings in real time to fine tune. The "FPS" preset works amazingly well for music.

Not sure if I'd go as far as modding my PC350s... Asus and Sennheiser already did that for me!
 
Thanks for Posting jpongin! now I am even more excited for my Xense to arrive today. I am patiently waiting *fingers drumming* at my work desk for the UPS guy to make the drop. It's been too long since I have had a dedicated card. Last one I had was the X-FI Fatality FPS PCI card (still have it, its in an anti-static bag, had to remove it when I got my second HD5850 :() my poor Sennheiser PC160's never have sounded the same using the onboard sound. Side note: I just looked at your build, amazing work btw, it is making me want to do a new build, had to close the page after starring at the pics for 10 minutes straight. :)
 
Thanks ruin97140, I hope you enjoy the Xonar Xense as much as I did. Maybe it's because I never really had great headphones with a great amp before (as in $500 headphones with $800 amp or something equally ridiculous), but the Xonar Xense is really the "complete package" for a great listening experience. I'm literally listening to my AC/DC playlist on Spotify Premium for the first time on this headset and HOLY COW!
 
I have been looking at thos combo as well as I am in the market at adding a sound card to my rig. Have been looking at just the Asus Xonar Essense STX, but this has caught my eye.

Wondering if this really is that good of a combo say versus combining a STX with say nice $150 or pair a cans...
 
The Xonar Xense software and hardware was designed for the PC350. And conversely, Sennheiser specificcally made this PC350 for the Xonar Xense. So it will sound awesome.
 
Thanks for this thread. I am looking to add this to my rig. I will primarily be using it to send SPDIF out to my Onkyo 5.1 setup, but do love the fact that the headphones will be matched for this.

One question, will adding a dedicated improve performance of the entire system? I know back in the day this used to be the case, but with the newer Realtek integrated audio solutions, is this still true?
 
Appa said:
Thanks for this thread. I am looking to add this to my rig. I will primarily be using it to send SPDIF out to my Onkyo 5.1 setup, but do love the fact that the headphones will be matched for this.

One question, will adding a dedicated improve performance of the entire system? I know back in the day this used to be the case, but with the newer Realtek integrated audio solutions, is this still true?
Click to expand...

Probably extremely small if any performance difference. If you are just going to use the spdif, then you are wasting your money.
 
If you are using digital out, just use onboard. This sound card is only good when using it as a source/amp.
 
I would club every baby seal that has ever been born if Asus would release a Xense without bundling in the headphones.

I already have a PC350 headset, I don't need another. I do, however, want a great sound card that can both drive said headset and also be a good source to output over SPDIF to my receiver (the receiver and speakers were on home theater duty until last week, when we reorganized the living room and my wife dropped enough subtle hints that she cared so little about the sound that she was more interested in having the big speakers gone). The Xense (sans headset) would be absolutely perfect for what I need.
 
Omophorus said:
I would club every baby seal that has ever been born if Asus would release a Xense without bundling in the headphones.

I already have a PC350 headset, I don't need another. I do, however, want a great sound card that can both drive said headset and also be a good source to output over SPDIF to my receiver (the receiver and speakers were on home theater duty until last week, when we reorganized the living room and my wife dropped enough subtle hints that she cared so little about the sound that she was more interested in having the big speakers gone). The Xense (sans headset) would be absolutely perfect for what I need.
Click to expand...

Don't quote me on this but I think the PC350s that come with the xense are different then the standard PC350s. So I would just get the STX because it is actually a little better than the xense version, and cheaper since it does not come with the PC350.
 
Adam.C said:
Don't quote me on this but I think the PC350s that come with the xense are different then the standard PC350s. So I would just get the STX because it is actually a little better than the xense version, and cheaper since it does not come with the PC350.
Click to expand...

Sure, they've got a custom color scheme and they've got 1/4" jacks instead of stereo mini jacks.

I've gone back and forth for a long time on the Essence, and the one thing stopping me was that the only way to use external speakers is via SPDIF and a receiver. The one thing I liked about the Xense is that it has a breakout cable and actual 7.1 channel support, so if I did need to return my home theater system to home theater duty and not gaming PC duty, I wouldn't be up a creek without a paddle if I wanted to use normal PC speakers.

Then again, that's probably not that likely, and I should suck it up and grab an Essence, heh.
 
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