[jakelieb]

Anyone using the ASUS Xonar card with dedicated computer setup for 2-channel?

[Levi]

The ASUS Xonar Essence is a great sound card.  It surely looks good in paper and is probably better than my Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Audio PCI Express with Audio Engine speakers.  However, for a dedicated computer setup I use a USB tube DAC.  To each of it's own.  Congrats! 

[boead]

PCI audio cards are ok but usually have no soul. I’ve had many. Several M-Audio’s that are better than most other brands, costing several hundred dollars. And well... recently… in my office I have an M-Audio DIO with the famed “audiophile 24/96” chip across the room from me at a second workstation. I run it into a set of KRK V8’s, playing AIFF’s. It’s a bit analytical and its not a good listening room (its my office!) but it sounds good, way better than most peoples home stereos or whatever. Before I sold my Scott Nixon USBTD I was using it in place of the M-Audio and it sounded real nice. Once the SN was sold and gone I hooked up the M-Audio back up and it was like the heart and soul of the music was gone! So dry and boarding yet technically great!! I also have a USB M-Audio device and its very similar to the DIO, not as good actually. If you want to keep it cheap, I’d try some Chinese USB NOS DAC. I bet even a really cheap no-name brand one will sound more musical than anything you can buy at Newegg.
The Devil Sound DAC is surprising awesome – I mean VERY awesome, like 85% of a $2k to $3k audiophile CD Player. Seriously!! You can pick up a SS Scott Nixon NOS DAC used for cheap enough.

[Hoots]

PCI card v. USB is an interesting topic.  It seems you can't make a general statement that USB DAC is better than sound card S/PDIF to DAC.  USB timing is an issue that needs to be addressed.

For example:  the Peach Tree Audio Nova has both a coaxial input as well as USB.  The Computeraudiophile review preferred the sound card S/PDIF to coax input over the same computer connected to NOVA's USB.

"the Nova sounded better than the other components and configurations using Windows 7, J River Media Center, WASAPI + Exclusive Mode, and ASUS Xonar Essence STX outputting bit perfect audio via coaxial S/PDIF to the Nova's coaxial input number one"

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Peachtree-Audio-Nova-Review-Part-II


The ASUS card is on that site's recommend sound card list.

I am trying to determine how to get the best sound out of my PC for under $2k (ideally <$1500).  At $4k there seems to be some well regarded options:

* sound card & DAC?
* just a DAC w/USB input?
* USB to S/PDIF reclocker plus a DAC?
* etc.

If sound card to DAC then is ASUS enough or would there be better sound using a <$700 like Lynx or RME?

I am currently using an m-Audio Revolution connected to my pre/pro DAC and I would like to upgrade.  I run JR RIver with ASIO and control with a laptop using remote desktop.  The PC is in a closet with cable through wall to electronics (so it's dead quite in listening room).