Asus Essence STX II User manual

Essence STX II
Audio card
User Guide

2
Copyright © 2014 ASUSTeK Computer Inc. All Rights Reserved.
No part of this manual, including the products and software described in it, may be reproduced, transmitted,
transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form or by any means, except
documentation kept by the purchaser for backup purposes, without the express written permission of ASUSTeK
Computer Inc. (“ASUS”).
Product warranty or service will not be extended if: (1) the product is repaired, modied or altered, unless such
repair, modication of alteration is authorized in writing by ASUS; or (2) the serial number of the product is
defaced or missing.
ASUS PROVIDES THIS MANUAL “AS IS”WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS
FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL ASUS, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS BE
LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR
LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF USE OR DATA, INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS AND THE LIKE), EVEN IF
ASUS HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES ARISING FROM ANY DEFECT OR ERROR IN THIS
MANUAL OR PRODUCT.
SPECIFICATIONS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL ARE FURNISHED FOR INFORMATIONAL USE
ONLY, AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A
COMMITMENT BY ASUS. ASUS ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS OR INACCURACIES
THAT MAY APPEAR IN THIS MANUAL, INCLUDING THE PRODUCTS AND SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN IT.
Products and corporate names appearing in this manual may or may not be registered trademarks or copyrights
of their respective companies, and are used only for identication or explanation and to the owners’ benet,
without intent to infringe.
E9122
First Edition
February 2014

3
Contents
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Package contents............................................................................................................................. 5
System requirements...................................................................................................................... 5
Specications summary................................................................................................................. 6
Essence STX II card layout .............................................................................................................9
Chapter 2: Getting started
Before you proceed .......................................................................................................................13
Installing the audio card..............................................................................................................13
Installing the audio card driver .................................................................................................14
Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
Connecting digital speaker systems (Home Theater) .......................................................15
Connecting stereo headphones...............................................................................................16
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers........................................................................................17
Connecting a microphone..........................................................................................................18
Connecting Line-In audio sources...........................................................................................19
Chapter 4: Audio Center
Audio Center....................................................................................................................................21
Main Setting.....................................................................................................................................23
Mixer/Volume ..................................................................................................................................31
Eects ..............................................................................................................................................34
Karaoke ..............................................................................................................................................36
FlexBass..............................................................................................................................................37
Smart Volume Normalization.....................................................................................................38
DS3D GX and DSP Modes............................................................................................................40
VocalFX ..............................................................................................................................................42
Appendices
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................................45
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ..........................................................................................46
ASUS contact information...........................................................................................................47

4

ASUS Essence STX II 5
Chapter 1
Product introduction
Package contents
• ASUS Essence STX II audio card x 1
• Quick Start Guide x 1
• Low Prole Bracket x1
• 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter x 1
• S/PDIF adapter x 1
• Op-amp swap kit x 1
• Installation CD x 1
• RCA-to-3.5mm adapter cable x 1
Contact your dealer or retailer if any of the items is damaged or missing.
System requirements
To ensure a successful installation of ASUS Essence STX II, your computer must meet the following
requirements:
• IBM compatible PC with one PCI-Express 1.0 (or higher) compatible slot for the audio card
• Microsoft® Windows® 8.1 / 8 / 7 / XP (32/64bit)
• Intel® Pentium® 4 1.4GHz, AMD Athlon 1400 CPU, or faster CPU
• 256 MB DRAM system memory
• 60 MB available HDD space
• CD-ROM drive (or DVD-ROM drive) for software installation
• High-quality headphones or powered analog speakers to enjoy the ultra-high delity sound
of the card

6 Chapter 1: Product introduction
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Specications summary
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Audio Performance
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio
(AWeighted)
124dB for Front-out
120dB for Headphone-out at 600ohms
Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio
(AWeighted)
118dB
Output Total Harmonic
Distortion + Noise
at 1kHz (-3dB) :
0.0003% (-110dB) for Front-out
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 to 90KHz
Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage 2 Vrms (Line Out)
7 Vrms (Headphone Out)
Headphone Impedance Optimized for 32~600ohm
Main Chipset
Audio Processor ASUS AV100 High Denition Sound Processor
(Maximum 192KHz/24bit)
24-bit D-A Converter of Digital
Sources
Texas Instruments PCM1792A*1 for Front Out
(127dB SNR, 192kHz/24bit)
High Fidelity Headphone
Amplier
Texas Instruments 6120A2*1 (120dB SNR, 100dB
THD+N @ Vcc+- 12V, RL= 600ohms, f=1kHz)
24-bit A-D Converter for Analog
Inputs
Cirrus-Logic CS5381*1 (120dB SNR, Maximum
192kHz/24bit)
Sample Rate and Resolution
Analog Playback Sample Rate
and Resolution
44.1K/48K/96K/192kHz @ 16/24bit
Analog Recording Sample Rate
and Resolution
44.1K/48K/96K/192kHz @ 16/24bit
SPDIF Digital Output 44.1K/48K/96K/192kHz @ 16/24bit,
Dolby Digital
continued on the next page)

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 7
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ITEM DESCRIPTION
I/O Ports
Analog Output Jack RCA jack *2 (Front R/Front L)
6.30mm jack *1 (Headphone Out)
Analog Input Jack 6.30mm jack *1 (Shared by Line-In/Mic-In)
Digital S/PDIF Output High bandwidth Coaxial/TOSLINK combo port
supports 192kHz/24bit
Front Panel Shared by Headphone out/2 channels out /
Microphone in
Driver Features
Operating System Windows® XP/7/8 (32/64bit)
Dolby® Digital Live 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 signal S/PDIF connection.
Dolby® Headphone Dolby® Headphone technology allows users to
listen to music, watch movies, or play games with
the dramatic sound.
Dolby® Virtual Speaker Dolby® Virtual Speaker technology simulates
a highly realistic 5.1-speaker surround sound
listening environment from as few as two speakers.
Dolby® Pro-Logic II 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 soundeld.
VocalFX™ :• 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 dierent background
environment eects when you chat online
continued on the next page)

8 Chapter 1: Product introduction
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ITEM DESCRIPTION
Smart Volume Normalizer™ Normalizes the volume of all audio sources into a
constant level and also enhances your 3D sound
listening range and advantages in gaming.
Karaoke Functions Music Key-Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and
Microphone Echo eects like professional Karaoke
machine
FlexBass™ Professional Bass Management/Enhancement
system
Xear 3D™ Virtual Speaker Shifter Virtual 7.1 speaker positioning
Other Eects 10-band Equalier/27 Environment Eects
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support Supports 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @16/24bit with
very low latency
Specications are subject to change without notice.

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 9
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Essence STX II card layout
I/O ports
Front right RCA output. Connect to the right input of the 2/2.1-channel speakers of
your system.
Front left RCA output. Connect to the left input of the 2/2.1-channel spearkers of your
system.
Amplied 6.3mm (1/4") headphone output. Connect to your headphones/headsets.
• To prevent possible damage, please set up the compatible gain in audio center or mute the
volume before powering up.
• DO NOT connect your speakers to the headphone output port. The possible high driving
power may cause damage to your speakers.
6.3mm analog input (Line-in/Mic-in). Connect to your microphone with built-
in microphone amplier or audio devices with line output such as MP3 player or
synthesizer.
S/PDIF coaxial output: Connect to the external digital decoder, digital speaker
system, and home theater system, outputting digital audio including PCM, Dolby
Digital, DTS and WMA-pro.
PCI Express nger: Connect to a PCI Express slot on your motherboard.

10 Chapter 1: Product introduction
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Multi-channel expansion board bridge connector: Connect to the multi-channel
expansion board of Essence STX II 7.1 edition or Xonar H6.
4-pin Molex power connector: Connect to the power cable of your power supply
unit.
STX requires a 4-pin Molex connection to power the card.
Front panel audio header: Connect to the chassis-mounted audio module.

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 11
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
There are three swappable op-amp sockets in Essence STX II. Changing the op-amps aects the
tonal characteristics of the RCA outputs, while changing A and B aects the tonal characteristics of
the 6.3mm (1/4") headphone output.
A. Right channel I/V converters
B.. Left channel I/V converters
C. Low pass lter
To swap op-amps:
1. Use an IC clamp to clasp an op-amp and remove it vertically upwards.
2. Replace it with a new op-amp from the op-amp kit.
Op-amps sockets
To avoid reversion, ensure that the half-moon opening on the op-amp points the same way as
that on the socket.

12 Chapter 1: Product introduction
ENGLISH
ENGLISH

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 13
Chapter 2
Getting started
Before you proceed
Read the following notes and precautions before you install the audio card.
• Disable the onboard audio device in the BIOS settings or uninstall any sound cards on your
computer.
• For BIOS setting or uninstallation of other sound cards, refer to the user guides of your
motherboard and sound cards.
• Turn o your computer and disconnect all peripherals connected to it.
• Unplug the computer’s power cord from the power outlet.
• To avoid static electricity, use a grounded wrist strap or touch a safely grounded object such as
the metal part of the rear panel of your computer.
Installing the audio card
To install the audio card:
1. Unplug your computer's power cord and
disconnect all peripherals or cables.
2. Touch a metal object, such as the metal
side of your computer, to avoid damaging
components due to static electricity.
3. Remove the chassis cover.
4. Remove the expansion slot cover of an
available PCI Express slot.
5. Insert the card into the PCI Express slot until the card is seated rmly in place.
6. Secure the card into the slot with a screw.
7. Replace the chassis cover and reconnect all the cables.
8. Power on the computer.
2

14 Chapter 2: Getting started
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Installing the audio card driver
After installing the ASUS Essence STX II to your computer, install the card driver from the bundled
CD or download from ASUS support site (http://support.asus.com).
• Essence STX II requires a 4-pin Molex connection to power the card. Connect it to your power
supply unit before installation.
• Driver version and the contents of the support CD are subject to change without notice.
To install the audio card driver:
1. Insert the driver CD into your optical drive. Proceed to step 5 if Autorun is enabled on your
computer and the driver setup screen appears. If Autorun is not enabled on your computer,
perform step 2.
2. On your Windows desktop, launch File Explorer.
• Windows®7 SP1 Click Start then Computer.
• Windows®8 Click + E
3. In File Explorer, double-click the optical drive icon.
4. Double-click Setup.exe.
5. Read through the End User License Agreement and click Accept when prompted. Follow
the onscreen instructions to complete the driver installation.
6. When driver installation is complete, you will be prompted to restart your computer.

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 15
Chapter 3
Connecting speakers and peripherals
Connecting digital speaker systems (Home Theater)
Essence STX II supports DTS Interactive technologies, which transcode any audio, including games
and music, into industry-standard DTS 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 DTS digital audio from any of
your PC audio sources to any digital speakers or AV Receivers with DTS 5.1 decoding capabilities.
Optical adapter. Plug the optical TOSLINK adapter into the S/PDIF-Out combo
connector.
Optical cable. Connect your decoder’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.

16 Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Connecting stereo headphones
Front Out/Headphone Jack. The Front Out jack has a built-in high-quality amplier to
drive headphones. Connect your stereo headphones directly to this jack.

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 17
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers
2 Speakers 2.1 Speakers
Left/Right Front Out. Left/Right Front Out ports have a built-in quality amplier to
drive headphones. Connect the 2/2.1 speaker set’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 Essence STX card.

18 Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Connecting a microphone
Front/Left Right Out port/Headphone port. Connect the headphone’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 Essence STX II card.
Microphone Input port. Connect your external PC microphone to this port by using
the bundled 6.3mmto- 3.5mm adapter for voice communication, recording, or karaoke.

ENGLISH
ENGLISH
ASUS Essence STX II 19
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
Connecting Line-In audio sources
Line input jack. Connect the CD/MP3 player or any other line level analog audio
sources to this line-in port by using the 6.3mm-to-3.5mm adapter for sound recording
or real-time Dolby/DTS sound processing through the monitoring path. Refer to the
Mixer section of the driver’s user guide.

20 Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
ENGLISH
ENGLISH