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Xonar STX op amp recommendations

V

Veedo

2[H]4U
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Mar 9, 2004
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Been running the stx in stock form for a year or so now and I do like it a lot, but looking to experiment with op amps. I'm using the rca outs to a small ta2021 indeed t amp, driving a pair of energy rc10's near field at the moment. I'm looking through various threads on the stx, and there is a lot of info out there for sure. Just looking to see what you guys thought would be a good starting point, and maybe some tips on where to purchase. Should also add that I'd like to try near field monitors in the future, so if you have input on that feel free to chime in. Thanks.
 
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Thanks for the reply! Still wading through the pages and pages of that thread. Where did you get your op amps from?
 
But the above articles give the impression that changing op-amps isn't going to do anything to improve the sound. I've been using the STX with stock op-amps for the past five years or so. I'm about to move it to a new build and was thinking about playing around wiht the op-amps but now I'm wondering if I should bother.
 
svgtom said:
But the above articles give the impression that changing op-amps isn't going to do anything to improve the sound. I've been using the STX with stock op-amps for the past five years or so. I'm about to move it to a new build and was thinking about playing around wiht the op-amps but now I'm wondering if I should bother.
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That is why I posted those. I have a couple op-amps I've purchased and have swapped them around. I believe I can hear differences in sound with everything else being the same, but my guess is if someone switched them out behind a curtain I couldn't tell the difference. Maybe I could tell between a really cheap one and the ones I have (midrange TI & BB), but I wouldn't put money on it. For the investment (Generally around $3-5 each) its not an expensive thing to play around with and see if you can tell the difference.
 
AD8620, AD8599, AD8022, and LM4562 are a few good op amps you could try.

Don't expect much if any difference, though. Distortion could be slightly lower, but unless it was at an audible level to begin with, you won't notice.
 
dandragonrage said:
AD8620, AD8599, AD8022, and LM4562 are a few good op amps you could try.

Don't expect much if any difference, though. Distortion could be slightly lower, but unless it was at an audible level to begin with, you won't notice.
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Entirely depends on what you're listening to, genre wise. If you're listening to deathmetal, I suppose the tinny-sounding stock op-amps would work fine.

As far as Nwavguy...yea he's a salesmean trying to get people to buy his product and not buy his competitor's.
 
Skripka said:
Entirely depends on what you're listening to, genre wise. If you're listening to deathmetal, I suppose the tinny-sounding stock op-amps would work fine.

As far as Nwavguy...yea he's a salesmean trying to get people to buy his product and not buy his competitor's.
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What is Nwavguy's product that he is peddling? Purchasing equipment that accurately reproduces the studio recording? He doesn't make a dime off of his designs.
 
weuntouchable said:
What is Nwavguy's product that he is peddling? Purchasing equipment that accurately reproduces the studio recording? He doesn't make a dime off of his designs.
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Yea his claim to fame is an "objective DAC"...which if he was as critical of himself as he was of op-amp usage and design....he'd be the first to point out that there's no such thing anywhere on Earth as "objective" in audio especially the further you get away from live acoustic music in a square room with a pair of mics stuck in the middle of the room for recording.

-Most of the great saxophone players use microphones stuck into the bell to record...a position that no one in the club ever actually hears including the player themselves.
-Guitar players. Oy. Most of the big name ones plug into a tube amp to distort the snot out of whatever they are doing that then has a microphone in front of it that then goes to a mixing station...that the sound guy then finally makes sound "right" for the room, which most likely is not what your CD player recording sounds like on any piece of equipment.

and so on.


Further most op-amps used are dirt cheap or free to get so it isn't like you're investing anything. The exception being the Muse Edition of the Xonar Essence USB DAC...which most people (even audiophiles with much more expesive equipment) like a hell of a lot more than the stock cheapos (it only differers from the stock in the op-amps, the circuit design is identical)....That USB DAC is the exception, because no one hear is recommending Muse op amps which are hella expensive.
 
Ya know, I use the OPA2134's some ppl hate (but I also use Ultrasone Pro 900, which works so well w/these) so it depends a lot on what cans or setup you'll be using. I prefer the stock opamp when I use my HTPC's setup of a Carver M200T+Event 20/20 Monitors and a 12W 350W JBL Sub.
 
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