Asus Xonar Essence Stx Sound Card E7806 User Manual

Xonar Essence STX  
Audio card  
User manual  
Contents  
iii  
Notices  
Federal Communications Commission Statement  
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the  
following two conditions:  
ā€¢
ā€¢
This device may not cause harmful interference, and  
This device must accept any interference received including interference that  
may cause undesired operation.  
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a  
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are  
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a  
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio  
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with manufacturerā€™s  
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,  
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If  
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception,  
which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is  
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following  
measures:  
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.  
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.  
Connect the equipment to an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the  
receiver is connected.  
ā€¢
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.  
Canadian Department of Communications Statement  
This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions  
from digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the  
Canadian Department of Communications.  
This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.  
Australia statement notice  
From 1 January 2012 updated warranties apply to allASUS products, consistent with  
the Australian Consumer Law. For the latest product warranty details please visit  
under theAustralian Consumer Law. You are entitled to a replacement or refund for a  
major failure and compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage.  
You are also entitled to have the goods repaired or replaced if the goods fail to be of  
acceptable quality and the failure does not amount to a major failure.  
If you require assistance please call ASUS Customer Service 1300 2787 88 or visit  
iv  
 
Safety information  
ā€¢
Before installing the device on a motherboard, carefully read all the manuals  
that came with the package.  
ā€¢
To prevent electrical shock hazard or short circuits, switch off the power supply  
before installing the device on a motherboard or connecting any singal cables  
to the device.  
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
If the device is broken, do not try to ļ¬x it by yourself. Contact a qualiļ¬ed service  
technician or your retailer.  
Before using the product, make sure all cables are correctly connected. If you  
detect any damage, contact your dealer immediately.  
To avoid short circuits, keep paper clips, screws, and staples away from  
connectors, sockets and circuitry.  
Avoid dust, humidity, and temperature extremes. Do not place the product in  
any area where it may become wet.  
ā€¢
ā€¢
Place the product on a stable surface.  
If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualiļ¬ed  
service technician or your retailer.  
This symbol of the crossed out wheeled bin indicates that the product (electrical  
and electronic equipment) should not be placed in municipal waste. Check local  
regulations for disposal of electronic products.  
Trademarks  
Xonar and ASUS logo are trademarks of ASUSTek Computer Inc. ā€œDolbyā€  
and ā€œDolby Digital Liveā€, ā€œDolby Pro Logic IIxā€, ā€œDolby Virtual Speakerā€, ā€œDolby  
Headphoneā€ are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. EAX and A3D are trademarks  
of Creative Technology Ltd. Microsoft, DirectSound3D, Windows are trademarks of  
Microsoft Corporation. Other company and product names may be trademarks of  
the respective companies with which they are associated. ASIO is a trademark and  
software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH  
License  
Dolby Master Studio driver is manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.  
v
 
1.  
Introduction  
1.1  
Package contents  
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ASUS Xonar Essence STX PCI Express audio card  
3.5mm-to-RCA cable x1  
3.5mm-to-6.3mm adapter x1  
S/PDIF TOSLINK optical adapter x1  
Support CD  
Audio Precision Test Report  
1.2  
System requirements  
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
One PCI Express 1.0 (or higher) compatible slot for the audio card  
MicrosoftĀ® WindowsĀ® Vista (32/64bit) / XP (32/64bit) / MCE2005  
IntelĀ® PentiumĀ® 4 1.4 GHz or AMDĀ® Athlon 1400 CPU or faster CPU  
256 MB (or above) DRAM system memory  
60 MB available HDD space for driver installation package  
CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive ) for software installation  
High-quality headphones, powered analog speakers, or a Dolby Digital  
decoder, to enjoy the ultra-high ļ¬delity sound of the card  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
1
 
1.3  
Speciļ¬cations summary  
Items  
Description  
Audio Performance  
124dB for Front-out  
110dB for Headphone-out  
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted):  
Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-Weighted):  
118dB  
Output Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz 0.0003% (-110dB) for Front-out  
(-3dB) :  
0.001% (-100dB) for Headphone-out  
Input Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise at 1kHz  
(-3dB) :  
0.0002% (-113dB) for Line-in  
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/96kHz format): <10Hz to19820KHz  
Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage  
Headphone Impedance  
2 Vrms (5.65 Vp-p)  
Optimized for 32~600Ī©  
Bus Compatibility  
-PCI Express Rev.1.0a specification compatible  
-Max. full 2.5Gbps bandwidth per direction and optimized  
latency for high-definition audio processing  
PCI Express  
-Compatible with X1, X4, X8, X16 PCI Express slots  
Main Chipset  
ASUS AV100 High-Definition Sound Processor (Max.  
192KHz/24bit)  
Audio Processor  
Texas Instruments PCM1792A*1 for Front-Out (127dB  
SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)  
Texas Instruments 6120A2*1 (120dB SNR, 100dB THD  
+N @ VccĀ±12V, RL=600Ī©, f=1kHz)  
24-bit D-A Converter of Digital Sources:  
High Fidelity Headphone Amplifier  
24-bit A-D Converter for Analog Inputs:  
Sample Rate and Resolution  
Analog Playback Sample Rate and Resolution  
Analog Recording Sample Rate and Resolution  
S/PDIF Digital Output  
Cirrus-Logic CS5361* 1 (114dB SNR, Max. 192kHz/24bit)  
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit  
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit  
44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @ 16/24bit, Dolby Digital  
I/O Ports  
RCA jack *2 (Front R / Front L)  
6.30mm jack*1 (Headphone out)  
Analog Output Jack:  
Analog Input Jack:  
Digital S/PDIF Output:  
6.30mm jack *1 (Shared by Line-In/Mic-In)  
High-bandwidth Coaxial/TOS-Link combo port supports  
192KHz/24bit  
Other line-level analog input (for TV Tuner or CD-  
ROM):  
Aux-In (4-pin header on the card)  
Shared by Headphone out / 2 channels out /  
Microphone in  
Front Panel:  
Driver Features  
Operation System  
Windows Vista(32/64bit) / XP(32/64bit) / MCE2005  
Dolby Digital Live encodes any audio signal on PC in real-  
time to Dolby Digital (AC3) 5.1 surround sounds to your  
home theater environment through one single S/PDIF  
connection  
ź¢€
Dolby Digital Live  
Dolby Headphone technology allows users to listen to  
music, watch movies, or play games with the dramatic  
5.1-channel surround or realistic 3D spacious effects  
through any set of stereo headphones.  
ź¢€
Dolby Headphone  
Dolby Virtual Speaker technology simulates a highly  
realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound listening  
environment from as few as two speakers.  
ź¢€
Dolby Virtual Speaker  
Dolby Pro-Logic II is the well-known technology to  
process any native stereo or 5.1-channel audio into a 6.1  
channel output, creating a seamless, natural surround  
soundfield.  
ź¢€
Dolby Pro-Logic II  
-DS3D GX 2.5 supports EAX gaming sound effects and  
DirectSound 3D hardware enhanced functions for more  
DirectSound3D Game EXtensions 2.0 & 1.0 (DS3D games on Windows Vista & XP. (DirectX/DirectSound 3D  
GX 2.0)  
compatible)  
-DS3D GX 2.5 adds latest VocalFX voice effects for online  
gaming or chatting.  
(continued on the next page)  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
2
 
Xonar Essence STX provides VocalFX, the latest vocal  
effect technologies for gaming and VoIP, including:  
-VoiceEX: produces vivid environmental reverberation for  
your voice to others in EAX games  
-Local VoiceEX: enables yourself to hear the vivid  
environmental reverberation by your speakers  
-ChatEX: emulates different background environment  
effects when you chat online  
VocalFXTM  
-Magic Voice: changes your voice pitch to different types  
(Monster/Cartoonā€¦) for disguising your real voice or just  
for fun in online chatting  
Normalizes the volume of all audio sources into a  
constant level and also enhances your 3D sound listening  
range and advantages in gaming  
Music Key-Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone  
Echo effects like professional Karaoke machine  
Smart Volume NormalizerTM  
Karaoke Functions  
FlexBassTM  
Professional Bass Management/Enhancement system  
Virtual 7.1 speaker positioning  
Xear 3DTM Virtual Speaker Shifter  
Other Effects  
10-band Equalier/27 Environment Effects  
ź¢€
ź¢€
DirectSound3D GX 2.5 & 1.0, EAX 2.0&1.0,  
ź¢€
3D Gaming Sound Engines/APIs  
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support:  
DirectSound HW, DirectSound SW, OpenAL generic  
modes, 128 3D sounds processing capability  
Supports 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @16/24bit with very  
low latency  
*Speciļ¬cations are subject to change without notice.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
3
2.  
Xonar Essence STX card layout  
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
5
No Item  
Description  
1
2
3
Front Right Out port  
Front Left Out port  
Headphone Out port  
Connect the Right audio cable (red) from your 2/2.1 channel  
speakers to this port. For multi-channel speaker systems,  
connects to the Front Right In port on the powered speakers.  
Connect the Left audio cable (white) from your 2/2.1 channel  
speakers to this port. For multi-channel speaker systems,  
connects to the Front Left In port on the powered speakers.  
Connect your headphones to this port.  
NOTE:  
- DO NOT connect your speakers to the headphone out port.  
The possible high driving power may cause damage to your  
speakers.  
- To prevent damage to your headphone, before the  
connection, adjust the headphone impedance settings  
in the Xonar Essence STX Audio Center to match your  
headphone impedance.  
4
Microphone In port  
Connect your external PC microphone to this port for voice  
input. Built-in high-quality Microphone pre-ampliļ¬er.  
(continued on the next page)  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
4
 
4
5
Line In port  
Connect analog devices like MP3 players, CD players,  
music synthesizers and other line-level sound sources to  
this 6.3mm port for audio recording or processing. (Through  
Ultra-high ļ¬delity 118dB SNR A-D converter)  
S/PDIF Out port  
Coaxial and optical TOSLINK combo digital output port.  
Connects to external digital decoder or digital speaker  
systems, Home Theater systems, AV receivers for outputting  
digital audio including PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, WMA-Pro,  
etc.  
6
7
Front panel audio  
header  
Connect one end of the front panel audio cable to the front  
panel audio header on the Xonar Essence STX card, with  
the other end to the chassis-mounted front panel audio I/O  
module.  
Aux Input Header  
Usually connects to the Analog Audio output of TV tuner card  
or other sound source inside your PC system. (To monitor  
your TV tuner cardā€™s audio from this Aux-In, you must enable  
the ā€œmonitorā€ function for Aux-In in the Xonar Essence STX  
Audio Centerā€™s recording mixer.)  
8
9
Power connector  
S/PDIF Out header  
Connects to the power cable of your power supply unit.  
Connects to a graphics card with HDMI output.  
NOTE: When using Dolby Digital Live on S/PDIF output,  
make sure the connected graphics card is capable of  
decoding DDL; otherwise, there will be no audio output from  
the graphics cardā€™s HDMI port.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
5
3.  
Installing the hardware  
3.1  
Preparing your computer  
Before you proceed with the following installation steps, it is recommended that  
you disable the onboard audio device in the BIOS settings, or uninstall any other  
sound cards on your PC.  
For BIOS setting or uninstallation of other sound cards, refer to the user  
manuals of your motherboard and sound cards.  
1.  
Power OFF the computer, the monitor, and all other peripheral devices  
connected to your computer.  
2.  
3.  
Unplug the computer power cord from your computer and power outlet.  
Touch the metal back or side panel of the computer to avoid static electricity.  
Remove the chassis cover.  
4.  
5.  
Remove the metal bracket from an available PCI Express x1 slot for the  
Xonar Essence STX audio card.  
6.  
Carefully insert the audio card into the PCI Express x1 slot. Ensure the audio  
card sits properly in place.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
6
 
3.2  
Installing the Xonar Essence STX card  
1.  
2.  
Secure the audio card with screws and the metal bracket.  
Connect the 4-pin power cable of your power supply unit to the power  
connector of the audio card.  
3.  
4.  
5.  
6.  
Put back the chassis cover.  
Reconnect all cables.  
Plug the power cord to the computer and to a power outlet.  
Power ON the computer.  
The PCI Express high-quality audio card requires additional power from your  
computer. If the power cable is not connected properly, the audio card will not  
work at all.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
7
 
3.3  
Connecting to a TV tuner card  
1. If you have a traditional PCI or PCI Express TV tuner card on your PC, you  
may need to connect it to the Xonar Essence STX card to send the tuner  
cardā€™s sound to your PC speakers.  
2.  
3.  
Secure the PCI/PCI Express TV tuner card and screw it into the back-panel.  
Connect the audio output header from the TV tuner card to the Aux-In header  
of the Xonar Essence STX card.  
For optimum TV audio quality, Xonar HDAV uses ADC recording to digitize the  
signal and loops it back to DAC playback. Select Aux-In as the recording source  
in the Xonar Essence STX Centerā€™s recording mixer and enable the monitoring  
button to pass this signal to the audio output. Using this setup, you can even  
turn on sound effects such as Pro-Logic IIx to expand the stereo TV audio to 5.1  
or 7.1 channel surround sound. TV audio on your PC will become even better  
than on your TV set.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
8
 
4.  
Installing software  
Installing the card driver  
Ensure that you have installed the VGA card driver before installing the Xonar  
Essence STX driver. Otherwise, driver installation error may occur.  
1.  
2.  
3.  
After you have installed the Xonar Essence STX card, turn on your computer.  
WindowsĀ® automatically detects the HDAV card and searches for device  
drivers. When prompted for the drivers, click Cancel.  
Insert the support CD into the optical drive. If Autorun is enabled in your  
system, the setup starts automatically. If not, run setup.exe from your  
support CD.  
The installation program will remind you to make sure you have connected  
the additional power cable from your power supply unit to the card. If the  
power cable is not connected properly, the card will not work at all. If it has  
not been done, turn off the computer to install the power cable before you go  
on the installation process.  
4.  
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation. Read the  
ā€œEND USER LICENCE AGREEMENTā€ in the process and make sure you  
understand and accept it before you continue the installation. When the  
installation ļ¬nishes, you may be prompted to restart your computer. You can  
choose to restart the computer later if desired.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
9
 
5.  
Connecting speakers and peripherals  
5.1  
Connecting digital speaker systems (Home Theater)  
The Xonar Essence STX supports Dolby Digital Live technology, which  
transcodes any audio, including games and music, into industry-standard Dolby  
Digital surround bit-streams. This makes playback through your home theater  
system possible, creating an immersive and impressive cinema surround sound  
experience. A single digital cable connection can carry high-quality Dolby Digital  
audio from any of your PC audio sources to any digital speakers or AV Receivers  
with Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding capabilities.  
1
SPDIF Out  
2
No Item  
Description  
1
Optical adapter  
Plug the optical TOSLINK adapter into the S/PDIF-Out  
combo connector.  
2
Optical cable  
Connect your decoderā€™s S/PDIF-In port to the optical adapter  
with the TOSLINK optical cable.  
You can also use a coaxial cable for a S/PDIF connection. Just plug the coaxial  
RCA male connector to the S/PDIF-Out combo jack and connect the other end  
into the coaxial S/PDIF input on your decoder.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
10  
 
5.2  
Connecting stereo headphones  
Headphone Out  
The Headphone Out port has a built-in high-quality ampliļ¬er to drive headphones.  
Connect your stereo headphones to the Headphone Out port son the Xonar  
Essence STX card.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
11  
 
5.3  
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers  
2 Speakers  
2.1 Speakers  
1
1
1
Front Right Out  
Front Left Out  
No Item  
Description  
1
Front Left/Right Out  
The Left/Right Front Out ports have a built-in high-quality  
ampliļ¬er to drive headphones. Connect the 2/2.1 speaker  
setā€™s 3.5mm plug to the bundled RCA-to-3.5mm Y cable, and  
then connect the Left/Right ends to the Front Left/Right Out  
ports on the Xonar Essence STX card.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
12  
 
5.4  
Connecting microphone  
1
2
2
1
Front Right Out  
Front Left Out  
Mic In  
2
No Item  
Front Left/Right Out  
Description  
Connect the headphoneā€™s 3.5mm plug to the bundled RCA-  
to-3.5mm Y cable, and then connect the Left/Right ends to  
the to Front Left/Right Out ports on the Xonar Essence STX  
card.  
port/Headphone port  
1
Microphone Input port  
Connect your external PC microphone to this port by  
using the bundled 6.3mm-to-3.5mm adapter for voice  
communication, recording, or karaoke.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
13  
 
5.5  
Connecting Line-In audio sources  
1
Line In  
No Item  
Line Input Jack  
Description  
1
Connect the CD/MP3 Player or any other Line level analog  
audio sources to this Line-In port by using the bundled  
6.3mm-to-3.5mm adapter for sound recording or real-time  
Dolby sound processing through the Monitoring path (See  
the Mixer section of the driver guide).  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
14  
 
6.  
Xonar Audio Center  
6.1  
Xonar Audio Center GUI  
1.  
After the driver installation is complete  
and your computer has been rebooted,  
you will ļ¬nd the Xonar Audio Centerā€™s  
icon in the system tray on the bottom  
right-hand corner of the screen. Double  
click this icon to open the Xonar Audio Center utility.  
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, launch the Xonar Audio Center  
from the Windows desktop by clicking Start > All Programs > ASUS Xonar  
Essence STX Audio > Xonar Essence STX Audio Center.  
2.  
The Xonar Audio Center is the Graphic User Interface (GUI) for the Xonar  
Essence STX driver. You can control the functions and features of the Xonar  
Essence STX driver on the Xonar Audio Center. The following picture shows  
a basic overview of the Xonar Audio Center. The following sections of this  
manual will describe its functions in more detail.  
4
Minimize button  
Close button  
1
2
5
6
7
8
3
9
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
15  
 
No Item  
Description  
1
2
Support link  
Clicking this button will lead you to the ASUS ofļ¬cial website.  
Display Area  
This display area shows the 10-band signal meter, volume  
level, and the status of the Dolby/DTS technologies, EQ, and  
DSP modes. Note: this area just displays information, but is  
not used to alter settings.  
3
Setting Menu Panel  
This panel gives access to setting tabs, including Main  
Settings, Mixer/volume, Effects, Karaoke, FlexBass, and  
VocalFX.  
4
5
Information icon  
Menu Open/Close  
Clicking this icon will pop up driverā€™s Information window.  
Clicking this button will move the display area and reveal  
the conļ¬guration area below. Clicking it again will move the  
display area back down.  
6
7
8
Master Volume  
Mute Button  
SVN Button  
This rotary knob controls the master playback volume. Drag  
the small circle inside it to change the volume level.  
Click this button to mute audio playback; it will display a red  
light when playback is muted.  
Click this button to enable the ā€œSmart Volume Normalizationā€  
feature for constant volume from all playback sources. It will  
display a blue light when enabled.  
9
DSP Mode  
These 4 buttons give access to quick sound effects  
combinations for Music, Games, DVD Video, and effect-free  
(Hi-Fi) modes.  
NOTE: Default DSP Mode is OFF.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
16  
6.2  
Main Setting  
Sample Rate  
6.2.1  
The sample rate determines the number of audio samples per second that the  
Digital-to-Analog Converters (DAC) and S/PDIF digital interface will output. The  
Xonar Essence STX card can support sample rates up to 192KHz (44.1K, 48K,  
96K, 192KHz). Usually audio CDs and MP3 ļ¬les are 44.1KHz; DVD-Video uses  
48KHz; DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or 192KHz high-  
deļ¬nition audio content. Please select the corresponding sample rate for your  
playback sources to get the best audio ļ¬delity. Even if your setting differs from the  
audio sourceā€™s sample rate, the Xonar Essence STX engine will do super high  
ļ¬delity sample-rate-conversion with a double ļ¬‚oating-point ļ¬lter, which can reduce  
total harmonic distortion (THD+N) by -140dB.  
1
No Item  
Sample Rate  
Description  
1
Select the sample rate that corresponds to (or exceeds  
that of) your playback sources, for optimal audio ļ¬delity.  
The Xonar Essence STX card supports sample rates up to  
192KHz (44.1K, 48K, 96K, 192KHz). Typical values:  
-Audio CD, MP3, WMA, Wave ļ¬les are 44.1KHz;  
-The audio of DVD-Video is 48KHz;  
-DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or  
192KHz high-deļ¬nition audio content.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
17  
 
6.2.2  
Analog Out mode  
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
Analog Out  
The Analog Out setting is used to match your actual speaker  
setting, such as headphones and 2/2.1 speakers. Xonar  
Essence STX will play the channels and do the proper  
3D/Dolby sound processing accordingly. Select the correct  
speaker type for your connected speakers.  
2
3
Speaker Test  
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right  
pane. Click the ā€œplayā€ button to test each speaker one by one  
or click each speaker manually to test.  
HP Advanced Setting  
Clicking this button allows you to select the gain tuning  
according to your headphone impedance. The setting is also  
available for FP Headphone.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
18  
6.2.3  
SPDIF Out/DDL  
Xonar Essence STX is capable of outputting Dolby Digital Live, which is a real-time  
encoder that transcodes any audio, including games and music, into industry-  
standard Dolby Digital bit-streams on-the-ļ¬‚y. This is ideal for playback through a  
home theater system, creating an impressive cinema surround sound experience.  
It enables a single digital connection to carry high quality Dolby Digital surround  
audio from your PC to digital speakers and AV Receivers.  
2
3
1
No Item  
Description  
1
S/PDIF Out enable/  
disable  
Click this check box to enable S/PDIF output.  
2
S/PDIF Output  
Formats/Functions  
This pull-down menu allows you to select one of the following  
four formats:  
-PCM (Pulse Code Modulation, which is a typical raw audio  
data format.)  
-Dolby Digital Live real-time 5.1ch encoding  
3
Dobly Digital Live  
advanced upmixing  
option  
This advanced setting will automatically upmix stereo (2ch)  
content to 5.1 channel surround with Dolby Pro-Logic II when  
using Dolby Digital Live output.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
19  
6.2.4  
Audio Channels (For Vista only)  
This setting only appears in Windows Vista. Vista will deliver the audio channels  
to the audio driver according to this setting, no matter what the original audio  
content is or how many channels they have. Therefore, you need to set this in  
accordance with your audio content before you play it. Please note that this setting  
is synchronized with Vistaā€™s system speaker conļ¬guration and changing the  
setting during playback will cease the audio playback program. You may have to  
restart the program after the change. Itā€™s recommended that you close all playing  
programs before you change the setting.  
1
No Item  
Audio Channels  
Description  
1
Here are some typical suggestions:  
-MP3, WMA, AAC, CD, VCD, 2D games => 2 channels  
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digtial or DTS 5.1 => 6 channels  
-DVD-Video with Dolby Digtial EX or DTS ES => 8 channels  
-3D games => 8 channels  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
20  
6.2.5  
7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter  
The 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter has the following major features:  
ā€¢
ā€¢
ā€¢
Expanding/upmixing audio to 7.1-channel surround sound  
Virtualizing 7.1 surround sound over any set of speakers  
Shiftable virtual speaker positioning allows you to adjust the best sound ļ¬eld  
easily without moving physical speakers and wires  
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Shifter enable/disable  
Click this check box to enable the 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter.  
Clicking the text bar will switch the right window to the  
Speaker Shifter page for manual adjustments.  
Note: The setting will remain when a different Analog Output  
is selected.  
2
Drag speaker or  
listener  
You can drag each speaker or listener to a different relative  
position ā€œvirtuallyā€ using only your mouse. The Xonar  
Essence STX card will process it and virtualize each speaker  
position in real-time. The Subwoofer has no directional  
sounds, and hence can be moved only closer or further  
away.  
3
4
Reset  
Reset all Speaker Shifter settings to the defaults.  
Increase/decrease  
volume  
Click + to increase volume (move speakers closer); click ā€“ to  
decrease volume (move speakers further away)  
5
Counter-clockwise  
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate counter-  
clockwise  
6
7
8
Clockwise  
Make all speakers (except Subwoofer) rotate clockwise  
Manually drag and rotate all speakers (except Subwoofer)  
Manual Rotation  
Manual Drag Mode  
This is the default mode that allows you to manually drag  
each speaker or the listener with your mouse.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
21  
6.2.6  
Dolby Pro-Logic IIx  
Dolby Pro-Logic IIx is a 7.1 surround upmixing technology and is widely used in  
home theater systems, TVs, game consoles, and car audio systems. It can expand  
stereo audio, such as MP3, CD, and TV programs into immersive 5.1 or  
7.1-channel surround.  
2
3
4
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Dolby Pro-Logic IIx  
enable/disable  
Click this check box to enable Dolby Pro-Logic IIx. Clicking  
the text bar will switch the right window to the Pro-Logic IIx  
page for manual adjustments.  
2
Center Width  
This parameter is used to set the spread of the center, mainly  
for the vocal signals of songs and music. Drag the scroll bar  
to the left to centralize the vocal signal. Drag to the right side  
to widen the vocal sound range.  
3
4
Reset  
Reset all settings to the defaults.  
Dimension  
The dimension parameter fades sounds to the front or rear  
of the listener.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
22  
6.2.7  
Dolby Headphone  
Dolby Headphone creates a stunning multi-channel surround experience over  
ordinary stereo headphones for playing 3D games, watching 5.1 DVD movies, and  
listening to music. Dolby Headphone produces surround sound cues so realistic  
that you will believe you are listening over speakers in a well-controlled studio.  
Dolby Headphone can also improve listening comfort and reduce "listener fatigue"  
from long listening over headphones.  
2
3
4
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Dolby Headphone  
enable/disable  
Click this check box to enable Dolby Headphone. Clicking  
the text bar will switch the right window to Dolby Headphone  
page for manual adjusting.  
Note: 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter and Dolby Pro-Logic IIx can  
be selected only when Dolby Headphone is enabled.  
2
DH1  
Dolby Headphone (DH) provides three room ļ¬lters that may  
be used with any type of audio. They differ in the sense of  
the ā€œspatial dimensionā€ they impart.  
DH1ā€”Reference Room: Small, acoustically damped room.  
DH2ā€”Livelier Room: More acoustically live than DH1  
3
4
DH2  
DH3  
DH3ā€”Larger Room: Larger room than DH1; more distant  
and diffused effect.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
23  
6.2.8  
Dolby Virtual Speaker  
Dolby Virtual Speaker technology simulates a 5.1-speaker surround sound  
listening environment from as few as two speakers. Dolby Virtual Speaker also  
creates a wider two-channel environment during playback of stereo CDs and MP3  
content, and when combined with Dolby Pro LogicĀ® II processing, delivers a virtual  
5.1-channel surround listening experience from any high-quality stereo source.  
2
3
1
No Item  
Description  
1
Dolby Virtual Speaker  
enable/disable  
Click this check box to enable Dolby Virtual Speaker. Clicking  
the text bar will switch the right window to a Dolby Virtual  
Speaker page for manual adjusting.  
2
Reference Mode  
Dolby Virtual Speaker provides two modes of virtualization:  
The ļ¬rst is Reference mode, which virtualizes the missing  
speakers as in the following picture.  
3
Wide Mode  
Wide mode virtualizes the necessary speakers and  
enhances the surround experience as in the following  
picture.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
24  
6.3  
Mixer/Volume  
The mixer page is designed to control the volume for playback and recording on  
the Xonar Essence STX. In addition, the Xonar Essence STX also provides a high-  
quality digital monitoring function for hearing the recorded audio from the speakers.  
You can also process the input signals with all playback sound effects such as  
Dolby and DTS technologies.  
6.3.1  
Playback Volume  
1
6
2
3
4
5
No Item  
Description  
1
2
Playback volume tab  
Click this button to show the playback volume page.  
Left / Right balance  
The horizontal slider controls the volume between the left  
and right channels.  
3
Volume slider  
Drag this slider down to decrease the volume; drag it up to  
increase the volume. The tool-tip reveals the percentage  
number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale level.  
4
5
Mute button  
Click this button to mute the audio channel; click this button  
again to restore the audio output.  
Source / path name  
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,  
including:  
- WAVE: All digital audio sources except MIDI ļ¬les  
- SW: Software Synthesizer; control the playback volume of  
the MIDI ļ¬les  
- CD: CD-ROM digital playback (CD-DA) volume control  
- LEFT, RIGHTā€¦: the volume control for each speaker/  
channel  
NOTE: WindowsĀ® Vista does not support WAVE, Synthesizer  
and CD-In volume controls.  
6
Reset  
Reset all volume controls to the default settings  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
25  
 
6.3.2  
Recording/Monitoring Volume  
1
8
2
3
4
5
6
7
No Item  
Description  
1
2
Recording Volume Tab  
Click this button to show the recording volume page.  
Left/Right balance  
This horizontal slider controls the volume between the left  
and right channels.  
3
Recording volume  
slider  
Drag this slider down to decrease the recording volume; drag  
up to increase the recording volume. The tool-tip reveals the  
percentage number from 1 to 100 in terms of the full scale  
level.  
4
Recording Selector  
button  
Click this button to select the path/source you are going  
to record. Note that the recording function on Windows is  
a one-path selector. So, you can select only one default  
recording source at a time. You may have to restart the  
recorder program if you switch to a different source. (Note:  
On Vista, some application programs may allow you to  
select the recording device/path in the recording programs  
themselves.)  
5
Microphone-In  
Click this button  
Microphone-In:  
to open the advanced settings for the  
Advanced Setting  
Enabling ā€œMicrophone Boostā€ will increase a volume gain  
to boost microphone input signals. If you connect your  
microphone to the front panel audio module, enable ā€œFront  
Panel Microphoneā€. For typical low-cost PC microphone, itā€™s  
recommended to enable this function.  
(continued on the next page)  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
26  
6
Monitoring button  
Click this button to monitor and loopback recording audio  
to outputs (PC speakers). Therefore, the recording volume  
will inļ¬‚uence the monitoring signals from speaker outputs.  
The audio will be mixed into the streams you are playing  
out from your PC and all DSP effects will be applied to the  
source, too. A typical beneļ¬t is to apply Dolby Pro-Logic  
IIx 7.1-ch spreading for your TV audio, CD, MP3, or stereo  
game console audio from Wii, Xbox, PS2/PS3/PSP, etc.  
To apply Dolby Virtual Speaker is suitable for two-speaker  
environment.  
NOTE: When the monitoring function is enabled, audio  
output from HDMI output is disabled.  
7
Source / path name  
This shows the source name for each volume control slider,  
including:  
S/PDIF-In: S/PDIF digital input source  
Mix: Stereo Mix which will record MIC, AUX, and digital  
WAVE audio you are playing on PC  
Aux: recording from Aux-In for typically TV-tuner card audio  
or other sound sources  
Line-In: recording from Line-in jack for external audio  
devices  
WAVE: recording from digital wave audio you are playing on  
PC (Note: Windows Vista doesnā€™t support WAVE  
recording.)  
8
Reset  
Click to reset all volume controls to the default settings.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
27  
6.4  
Effects  
6.4.1  
Environment Effects  
Environment effects can be used to create realistic listening experiences that  
mimic different environments. There are a total of 27 environment options, which  
can be applied to all 2D sound sources, like music.  
3
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
Default environments  
These four buttons activate Bathroom, Concert hall,  
Underwater, and Music Pub environments, respectively.  
2
More options  
Clicking this button will apply the environment effect that you  
select from the pull-down menu on the right side. There are  
another 23 options in this menu.  
3
Environment size  
There are three size settings for each environment: Large,  
Medium, and Small.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
28  
 
6.4.2  
10-Band Equalizer  
The equalizer can modify the audio output for different frequencies, and be used  
to compensate for deļ¬ciencies in your speakers/systems. There are 12 default  
patterns and you can also make your own settings.  
1
2
3
4
5
6
No Item  
Description  
1
Default equalizer  
options  
There are 12 available equalizer patterns. Click one to apply  
it.  
2
3
Equalier slider  
Adjust the gain for each band (30~16KHz)  
User Deļ¬ned  
You can click this button to apply your own deļ¬ned  
parameters saved in the pull-down menu.  
4
5
Save name  
Add / save  
Key in a name for your own ā€œUser Deļ¬nedā€ equalizer setting  
Click this ā€œ+ā€ button to save the parameters into User Deļ¬ned  
list  
6
Delete  
Click this ā€œā€“ā€ button to delete the parameters from User  
Deļ¬ned list  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
29  
6.5  
Karaoke  
The Xonar Essence STX provides powerful features for Karaoke, including Key-  
Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone Echo. Key-Shifting can change the  
pitch of Karaoke background music, and Vocal Cancellation can reduce the original  
vocal in songs and keep the music and symphony for karaoke.  
5
1
2
3
4
No Item  
Description  
1
2
On/Off  
Click the switch to turn on or off the functions on this page.  
Key-Shifting  
Check the box to enable or disable the key shifting feature  
for music playback from 4 semitones below, to 4 semitones  
above.  
3
Vocal Cancellation  
Checkbox to enable or disable the vocal cancellation function  
and adjust the voice cancellation level from 0 to +100. +100  
will eliminate most original vocals (default value is 50).  
4
5
Mic Echo  
Reset  
Select the Mic Echo function and adjust the gain for echo  
signals (30~16KHz)  
Reset all settings to the default.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
30  
 
6.6  
FlexBass  
FlexBass, an advanced bass management and enhancement mechanism, allows  
you to select each satellite speakerā€™s type for optimal sound performance from the  
speakers. (Small: common speaker that cannot produce low frequencies; Large:  
wide-band speakers that can produce low frequencies well). It comes with an  
adjustable crossover frequency for the boundary of the bass signals. FlexBass will  
ļ¬lter out the bass signals from small speaker channels and redirect them all to the  
subwoofer or Large speakers.  
4
1
2
3
No Item  
Description  
1
On/Off  
Click this switch to turn on or off all functions on this  
FlexBass page.  
2
Small / Large speaker  
option  
Select the speaker type that you connected. If your speaker  
type cannot perform low-frequency signals (bass), select  
ā€œSmallā€ speaker type and Xonar Essence STX will ļ¬lter out  
the bass signals and send them to the subwoofer channel.  
If those speakers are full-range, you can select the ā€œLargeā€  
speaker type.  
Note: Usually, low-cost PCā€™s 2-channel speakers are  
small-type speakers. Refer to the speakerā€™s speciļ¬cation.  
If you have any questions, consult your speaker vendor.  
However, common 2.1 speakers with a subwoofer should  
be categorized as Large speakers because the subwoofer  
can redirect the bass signals inside the two channels to the  
subwoofer speaker automatically.  
3
Picture for Small/  
Large speaker  
Colors for small/large speakers are different.  
Orange: large speakers  
Green: small speakers  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
31  
 
4
LFE Crossover  
Frequency  
Adjusts the cut-off frequency (20~250Hz) for LFE (low-  
frequency effects) signals. Xonar Essence STX will ļ¬lter out  
the bass signals below the crossover frequency from small  
speaker channels and forward them to the subwoofer. The  
higher the crossover frequency, the more bass signals will be  
subtracted.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
32  
6.7  
Smart Volume Normalization  
Smart Volume NormalizationTM (SVN) automatically keeps all music or video/TV  
audio output at a constant level to reduce manual adjustment hassles inherent  
with sound sources of different loudness. It allows you to listen to various content,  
like MP3, TV program, DVD video and even games with consistent sound level.  
The following graph shows how different signals 1 & 2 will become the same level  
(for example, 10dB below full scale) after you turn on SVN. Please note that for  
lower volume music 2, it will become louder when you turn on SVN; and for higher  
volume music 1, it will become quieter.  
0dB (Full-scale)  
Music 1  
T
-10 dB  
Music 2  
SVN Off  
SVN On  
- ź¢€  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
33  
 
3
2
1
No Item  
Description  
1
SVN On/Off  
Click this button to enable SVN. This button is outlined blue  
when active.  
2
SVN blue light  
SVN display  
When SVN is enabled, the master volume knob will be  
illuminated by a blue light. It will be lit red if the volume is  
muted.  
3
When SVN is enabled, ā€œSmart Volumeā€ will be lit up at the  
bottom of the volume meter and the volume meter will show  
the level.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
34  
6.8  
DS3D GX and DSP Modes  
Xonar Essence STX is introducing an innovative technology ā€“DirectSound 3D  
Game Extensions v1.0 (DS3D GX 1.0)- to restore DirectSound 3D Hardware  
acceleration mode and its subsidiary EAX effects on Windows Vista for 3D games.  
Unlike some proprietary API like OpenAL, DS3D GX doesnā€™t require games to  
support OpenAL API. All existing games compatible with Microsoft DirectX and  
DirectSound 2D/3D will be supported with DS3D GX technology. Before you start  
EAX and DS3D HW games, enable DS3D GX on the Xonar Audio Center, and  
disable the function after the games.  
Supports latest DS3D GX 2.0 for gaming on Vista & XP  
DS3D GX 2.0 not only revives EAX and DirectSound HW effects, but also  
allows you to run EAX HD 5.0 games on both XP and Vista. It provides the best  
compatibility with existing DirectX games. GX2.0 also adds innovative VocalFX  
voice effects for existing EAX games or VOIP applications.  
Besides the abundant sound effects described above, the Xonar Essence STX  
also provides quick Digital Sound Processing modes which are conļ¬gured for  
typical applications including Music, Movies, and Games over different output  
speaker types. In addition, Xonar Essence STX also offers a Hi-Fi mode for hi-  
ļ¬delity playback without any effect processing to keep the original audio ļ¬delity.  
Every time you turn on Hi-Fi mode, Xonar HDAV 1 will clear all sound effects. Itā€™s  
also recommended to use Hi-Fi mode for audio quality tests (using RMAA software  
or another machine-based measurement). Use the DSP mode button as the quick  
setup if you donā€™t wish to know the details of the effect setup. (Note: no sound  
effects will be applied to high-deļ¬nition 96KHz/192KHz content.)  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
35  
 
3
2
4
5
1
No Item  
Description  
1
GX Mode  
DirectSound 3D Game Extensions mode to support EAX and  
DirectSound 3D Hardware extensions for lots of DirectX/  
DirectSound3D games on Windows Vista.  
2
Hi-Fi Mode  
This mode is set for Hi-Fidelity playback, where all effects will  
be cleared to keep the original digital data and analog output  
quality as high as possible.  
3
4
5
Music Mode  
Movie Mode  
Game Mode  
This mode is set for Music playback.  
This mode is set for DVD Movie playback.  
This mode is set for Games.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
36  
6.9  
VocalFX  
VocalFX is an innovative voice processing technology to let your voice get into  
the realistic game landscape (VoiceEX) or to emulate the background scenes in  
online chat (ChatEX). It also allows you to change your voice pitch to disguise  
who you are (Magic Voice). These features dramatically increase the fun for voice  
communication on PC.  
3
4
5
1
2
No Item  
Description  
1
VoiceEX  
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental  
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.  
2
Local VoiceEX  
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental  
reverberation for your voice in 3D gaming communication.  
(You can hear your voice form speakers)  
3
4
5
ChatEX  
It emulates different background environment effects when  
you chat online.  
Magic Voice  
App List  
Changes your voice pitch to different types for disguising  
your real voice or just for fun in online chatting.  
You can add VOIP application into VOIP application List.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
37  
 
For 3D Games  
1.  
2.  
Check the check box of VoiceEX and Local VoiceEX.  
Make sure you and your team member can talk to each other in the game.  
For VOIP  
1.  
2.  
Press App List  
If you donā€™t see the VOIP application of yours in the list, press Add.(Make  
sure the Skype and MSN Messenger are the latest version)  
3.  
Look for the applicationā€™s location and Open it.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
38  
4.  
Your VOIP application has been added into list.  
5.  
6.  
Check the check box of ChatEX and Magic Voice.  
You can use ChatEX and Magic Voice when you chat online.  
Click the checkbox to enable VocalFX function, then a prompt message will pop  
up:  
This message implies the record device will be set to microphone. Make sure  
the GX function is enabled. Click ā€œOKā€ to accept it, or ā€œCancelā€ if you want to  
enable it later. Check ā€œDonā€™t remind me againā€ if you donā€™t want to see this  
message pop up next time.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
39  
7.  
Troubleshooting and FAQs  
[Troubleshooting]  
The audio card driver could not be installed on my PC.  
Instructions:  
1.  
Make sure that you have properly plugged the audio card in the PCI Express  
slot on your motherboard.  
2.  
Check that the Windows hardware device manager has discovered a  
multimedia audio device. If no device is found, please try scanning for new  
hardware.  
3.  
4.  
Try soft reboot (restart) your Windows.  
Remove the card, plug it into another PCI Express slot, and try again.  
I cannot ļ¬nd the Xonar Essence STX Audio Center  
Instructions:  
1.  
2.  
Make sure you have installed the driver  
Locate the Xonar Essence STX Audio Center icon in the system tray on the  
bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Double-click the icon to open the  
Xonar Essence STX Audio Center utility.  
3.  
4.  
If the icon could not be found in the system tray, go to the Windows Control  
Panel and double click the ā€œXonar Essence STX Audio Centerā€ icon to make  
it visible in the system tray again.  
After the driver installation is complete, itā€™s recommended that you reboot  
your computer to complete the setup. If the icon still doesnā€™t appear, please  
try installing the driver package again.  
I cannot hear any sound from my analog speakers  
Instructions:  
1.  
Xonar Essence STX card needs the power cable to supply addition power  
in addition to the basic PCI Express bus power. Double check you have  
plugged the small 4-pin power plug onto Xonar Essence STX power  
connector. If you did not plug the internal power, Xonar Essence STX Audio  
Center will remind you a warning message and will not allow your operation  
when you double-click Xonar Essence STX Audio Center icon in the system  
tray.  
2.  
Ensure that you have connected speakers properly and have powered on  
your speakers.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
40  
 
3.  
4.  
Ensure that the device master volume or the software player has NOT been  
muted on the Xonar Essence STX Audio Center.  
If you are using Dolby Digital Live encoder through the S/PDIF output, the  
analog output will be muted to get rid of the interference between your digital  
speaker system and analog speakers or headphones. Check if this is the  
case.  
5.  
Try restarting your Windows.  
I cannot hear any sound from the S/PDIF output  
Instructions:  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Ensure that you have enabled S/PDIF output in the Audio Center GUI (Main  
page)  
Ensure that you are connecting the correct S/PDIF output jack on the card to  
the decoderā€™s (AV receiver) S/PDIF input jack  
You may need to select the correct input and mode of your decoder or AV  
receiver. For Dolby Digital output, you may have to double check that the AV  
receiver is in that decoding mode.  
4.  
If you are using 192KHz PCM output, please make sure your decoder can  
support 192KHz decoding. Try changing it to 44.1K or 48KHz ļ¬rst.  
I cannot hear audio input (Mic, Line-in, AUX, etc.) from my speakers  
Instructions:  
1.  
Go to the mixer recording page in the Audio Center and select the correct  
input as the recording source. If you are using Windows Vista, also go to  
system audio control panel to see the current default recording/input device is  
right.  
2.  
Remember to turn on the digital monitoring button for that recording source.  
I cannot hear the TV tuner audio from my speakers  
Instructions:  
1.  
2.  
3.  
If you are using a traditional TV tuner card which has analog audio output,  
please connect it to the Aux-In header on the audio card  
Select Aux-In as the recording source and remember to turn on the digital  
monitoring button on the recording mixer page  
If you are using a TV tuner card which has digital audio output instead of  
analog, check that the sound is not muted and whether other applications can  
play sound out. If you still have problem, read the TV tuner cardā€™s software  
user guide.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
41  
I found no sound effects when playing 96K or 192KHz sound sources.  
Instructions:  
1.  
Currently Xonar Essence STX effects including Dolby supports common  
44.1K, 48KHz sound sources processing and will assure high-deļ¬nition audio  
(96K/192KHz) in hi-ļ¬delity playback. This is also usually the behavior that  
professional audiophiles and musicians prefer.  
2.  
3.  
If you still want to have the effects, you can use some editing software  
(Ableton Live, Cakewalk, CoolEdit, Soundforge, etc.) to convert the sounds  
into 48KHz ļ¬les.  
Note that the frequency meter on Xonar Essence STX Audio Center panel  
will not take effect either when the playback source is 96KHz or 192KHz  
sample rate to prevent any processing distortion.  
[FAQ]  
Q1: Does the Xonar Essence STX support Windows Vista?  
Answer:  
Yes, the Xonar ESSENCE STX driver package does support Windows Vista 32/64  
bit and most key features are available. In addition, Xonar Essence STX supports  
unique DS3D GX on Windows Vista, which can recover DirectSound 3D hardware  
and EAX gaming sound effects on Vista for a lot of existing DirectX games.  
Q2: Why does the Xonar Essence STX support Dolby technology?  
Answer:  
Dolby is the ONLY brand and technology recognized by the CE industry and  
available on a wide range of audio equipment. Xonar includes these features to  
make your PC a powerful media and entertainment center.  
Q3: Why is Xonar Essence STX the best audio card for HTPC and multi-  
channel speakers?  
Answer:  
The Xonar Essence STX supports Dolby Digital Live, which allow a single digital  
connection to your AV receiver to carry Dolby Digtial audio. In addition, Xonar  
Essence STX also provides Dolby Pro-Logic IIx to upmix TV and other music to  
multi-channel surround sound in Home Theater environments. Xonar Essence STX  
also has Ultra High Fidelity SNR at 192K/24bit, which is the high quality consumer  
audio card in the world. Therefore, itā€™s also the best card to deliver the high quality  
audio through an analog connection to your home theater system or high-end  
multi-channel speakers.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
42  
 
Q4: Does the Xonar Essence STX support EAX on Vista?  
Answer:  
Yes, Xonar Essence STX can support EAX2.0 not only on Windows XP but also  
on Vista through innovative DirectSound3D Game EXtensions v1.0 (DS3D GX 1.0)  
technology.  
Q5: Why do I need Dolby for PC games?  
Answer:  
1.  
Dolby Digital and Pro-Logic IIx are available on the latest game consoles,  
like XBOX360, PS3, and Wii. Dolby can provide the best gaming sound  
experience and compatibility with home theater or TV systems.  
2.  
Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker are the best 3D sound  
positioning, spatial modeling and 5.1-channel virtualization technology for  
regular stereo headphones and speakersreo headphones and speakers  
Q6: What is the most important beneļ¬t of the Xonar Essence STX for  
musicians?  
Answer:  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Ultimate Fidelity: Xonar Essence STX has the highest quality of audio in/out  
for the cleanest sound production.  
Duplex HD: Supports audio sampling rates up to 24bit/192KHz for all inputs  
and outputs.  
ASIO 2.0: Xonar Essence STX includes an ASIO 2.0 driver for low-latency,  
low-distortion music creation application.  
Q7: Will PCM sound output through S/PDIF be just 2 channels even with  
different analog output channels?  
Answer:  
The S/PDIF protocol speciļ¬cation (IEC-60958) can only carry 2-channel PCM  
data or non-PCM AC3/DTS data. So, when a user selects PCM output for  
S/PDIF, the Xonar sound card will always deliver 2 channel PCM data through  
the S/PDIF output port. For attaining 5.1 channel surround sounds, you can  
select Dolby Digital Live encoding output from the S/PDIF out menu, which will  
allow the Xonar Essence STX to deliver 5.1 surround sound for DVD movies,  
and even stereo music.  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
43  
ASUS Xonar Essence STX  
44  

Maxtor DiamondMax 22 User Manual
LG Electronics UX 830 User Manual
Kenwood KDC 9026R User Manual
GPX Portable CD Player PC301B User Manual
Gevalia XCE8 User Manual
Fujitsu DISK DRIVES MHM200AT User Manual
Epson CMD 2260 User Manual
DeLonghi Coffee Maker EC330S User Manual
Antec Quiet Computing 0761345 02267 5 User Manual
Aluratek AIRMM02F User Manual