Xonar Essence ST
Audio card
User Manual
Contents
Chapter 1: Product introduction
Specifications summary ............................................................................. 2
Chapter 2: Getting started
Before you proceed..................................................................................... 7
Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
Chapter 4: Xonar Audio Center
Xonar Audio Center................................................................................... 15
Main Setting .................................................................................... 17
Effects ......................................................................................... 28
Karaoke ......................................................................................... 30
VocalFX ......................................................................................... 36
iii
Appendix: Troubleshooting and FAQs
iv
Notices
Federal Communications Commission Statement
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions:
•
•
This device may not cause harmful interference.
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 manufacturer’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:
•
•
•
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.
•
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 all ASUS products consistent
with the Australian Consumer Law. For the latest product warranty details, please
excluded under the Australian 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
falure.
If you require assistance, please call ASUS Customer Service at 1300 2787 88 or
v
Safety information
•
Before installing the device on a motherboard, carefully read all the manuals
that came with the package.
•
To prevent electrical shock hazard or short circuits, switch off the power supply
before installing the device on a motherboard or connecting any signal cables
to the device.
•
•
•
•
If the device is broken, do not try to fix it by yourself. Contact a qualified 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 circuit, 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 be exposed to moisture.
•
•
Place the product on a stable surface.
If you encounter technical problems with the product, contact a qualified
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. “Dolby”
and “Dolby Digital Live”, “Dolby Pro Logic IIx”, “Dolby Virtual Speaker”, “Dolby
Headphone” 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.
vi
About this guide
This user guide contains the information you need when installing and configuring
the motherboard.
How this guide is organized
This guide contains the following parts:
•
•
•
Chapter 1: Product introduction
This chapter describes the features of the Xonar Essense ST.
Chapter 2: Getting Started
This chapter discusses how to install the audio card and its driver.
Chapter 3: Connecting speakers and peripherals
This chapter discusses how to connect the speakers and peripherals to the
audio card.
•
Chapter 4: Xonar Audio Center
This chapter provides information on the Xonar Audio Center, the graphical
user interface (GUI) of the audio card driver.
Where to find more information
Refer to the following sources for additional information and for product and
software updates.
1. ASUS websites
The ASUS website provides updated information on ASUS hardware and
software products. Refer to the ASUS contact information.
2. Optional documentation
Your product package may include optional documentation, such as warranty
flyers, that may have been added by your dealer. These documents are not
part of the standard package.
Conventions used in this guide
To ensure that you perform certain tasks properly, take note of the following
symbols used throughout this manual.
DANGER/WARNING: Information to prevent injury to yourself when trying
to complete a task.
CAUTION: Information to prevent damage to the components when trying
to complete a task.
IMPORTANT: Instructions that you MUST follow to complete a task.
NOTE: Tips and additional information to help you complete a task.
vii
Chapter 1
Product introduction
Package contents
•
•
•
•
•
•
ASUS Xonar Essence ST PCI 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
If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your retailer.
System requirements
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
One PCI slot for the audio card
Microsoft® Windows® Vista (32/64bit) / XP (32/64bit) / MCE2005
Intel® Pentium® 4 1.4 GHz or AMD® 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 ultra-high fidelity sound
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
1
Specifications summary
ITEM
DESCRIPTION
Audio Performance
Output Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-
Weighted):
124dB for Front-out
117dB for Headphone-out at 600ohms
118dB
Input Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A-
Weighted):
Output Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise 0.0003% (-110dB) for Front-out
at 1kHz (-3dB) :
0.001% (-100dB) for Headphone-out
Input Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise
0.0002% (-113dB) for Line-In
at 1kHz (-3dB) :
Frequency Response (-3dB, 24-bit/
<10Hz to 80KHz
96kHz format):
Output/Input Full-Scale Voltage
Headphone Impedance
Main Chipset
2 Vrms (5.65 VP-p)
Optimized for 32~600ohms
Audio Processor
ASUS AV100 High-Definition Sound Processor
(Maximum 192KHz/24bit)
24-bit D-A Converter of Digital Sources:
Texas Instruments PCMI792A*1 for Front-Out
(127dB SNR, 192kHz/24bit)
High Fidelity Headphone Amplifier
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
44.1K/48K/96K/192kHz @ 16/24bit
Analog Recording Sample Rate and
Resolution
S/PDIF Digital Output
44.1K/48K/96K/192kHz @ 16/24bit,
Dolby Digital
(continued on the next page)
2
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
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
Other line-level analog input (for TV
Tuner or CD-ROM):
Aux-In (4-pin header on the card)
Front Panel:
Shared by Headphone out/ 2 channels out/
Microphone in
Driver Features
Operating System
Windows® Vista (32/64-bit) / XP (32/64-bit) /
MCE2005
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
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
soundfield.
DirectSound3D Game EXtensions 2.0 &
1.0 (DS3D GX 2.0)
DS3D GX 2.5 supports EAX gaming sound
effects and DirectSound 3D hardware
enhanced functions for more games on
Windows Vista/XP. (DirectX/DirectSound 3D
compatible)
DS3D GX 2.5 adds the latest VocalFX voice
effects for online gaming or chatting.
(continued on the next page)
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
3
ITEM
DESCRIPTION
VocalFX™
Xonar Essence ST 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
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
FlexBass™
Music Key-Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and
Microphone Echo effects like professional
Karaoke machine
Professional Bass Management/Enhancement
system
Xear 3D™ Virtual Speaker Shifter
Other Effects
Virtual 7.1 speaker positioning
10-band Equalier/27 Environment Effects
3D Gaming Sound Engines/APIs
DirectSound3D® GX 2.5 & 1.0, EAX®2.0&1.0,
DirectSound® HW, DirectSound SW, OpenAL
generic modes, 128 3D sounds processing
capability
ASIO 2.0 Driver Support
Supports 44.1K/48K/96K/192KHz @16/24bit
with very low latency
*Specifications are subject to change without notice.
4
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Xonar Essence ST card layout
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
9
10
Front Right Out port
1
2
3
Connect the Right audio cable (red) from your 2/2.1 channel speakers to this
port. For multi-channel speaker systems, connect to the Front Right In port on the
powered speakers.
Front Left Out port
Connect the Left audio cable (white) from your 2/2.1 channel speakers to this
port. For multi-channel speaker systems, connect to the Front Left In port on the
powered speakers.
Headphone Out port
Connect your headphones to this port.
•
•
DO NOT connect your speakers to the headphone out port. The possible
high driving power may cause damage to your speakers.
Before connecting your headphone, adjust the headphone impedance
settings in the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center to match your
headphone impedance. This is to prevent damage to your headphone.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
5
Microphone In port
4
Connect your external PC microphone to this port for voice input. It has a built-in
high-quality Microphone pre-amplifier.
Line In port
Through an Ultra-high fidelity 118dB SNR A-D converter, 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.
SP/DIF Out port
5
6
7
Coaxial and optical TOSLINK combo digital output port. Connect to external digital
decoder or digital speaker systems, Home Theater systems, AV receivers for
outputting digital audio including PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, and WMA-Pro.
Front panel audio header
Connect one end of the front panel audio cable to the front panel audio header on
the Xonar Essence ST 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 computer. To monitor your TV tuner card’s audio from this Aux-In,
you must enable the “monitor” function for Aux-In in the Xonar Essence ST Audio
Center‘s recording mixer.
Power connector
8
Connects to the power cable of your power supply unit.
6
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
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
other sound cards on your computer.
For BIOS setting or uninstallation of other sound cards, refer to the user
manuals of your motherboard and sound cards.
•
•
•
Turn off 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 or the rear panel of your computer.
Installing the audio card
To install the audio card:
1.
2.
Remove the chassis cover of your
computer.
Remove the metal bracket of a
PCI slot at the rear panel of your
computer.
2
3.
4.
Carefully insert the audio card into
the PCI slot. Ensure that the audio
card sits properly in place.
Secure the audio card with the screw you removed from the PCI slot’s metal
bracket.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
7
5.
Connect the power cable of your power supply unit (PSU) to the power
connector of the audio card.
Ensure that the power cable is connected properly. Otherwise, the audio card
will not work.
6.
7
Replace the chassis cover.
Plug the computer’s power cord into a power outlet.
Turn on your computer.
8.
Connecting to a TV tuner card
If you have a traditional PCI TV tuner card on your computer, you may need to
connect it to the Xonar Essence ST card to send the tuner card’s sound to your PC
speakers.
To connect to a TV tuner card:
1.
2.
Secure the PCI TV tuner card into the rear panel with a screw.
Connect the audio output header from the TV tuner card to the Aux-In header
of the audio card.
For optimum TV audio quality, Xonar HDAV uses ADC recording to digitize the
signal and loop it back for DAC playback. Select Aux-In as the recording source
in the Xonar Essence ST Center’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. This gives you a better TV audio quality on your
computer compared to that of your TV.
8
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Installing the audio card driver
Ensure that you have installed the VGA card driver before installing the Xonar
Essence ST driver. Otherwise, driver installation error may occur.
To install the audio card driver:
1.
After you have installed the Xonar Essence ST card, turn on your computer.
Windows® automatically detects the HDAV card and searches for device
drivers. When prompted for the drivers, click Cancel.
2.
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.
3.
4.
Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
When the installation is complete, you are prompted to restart your computer.
Select Yes, I want to restart my computer now or No, I will restart my
computer later.
5.
Click Finish.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
9
10
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Chapter 3
Connecting speakers and peripherals
Connecting digital speaker systems
(Home Theater)
The Xonar Essence ST supports Dolby Digital Live and DTS Interactive
technologies, which transcode any audio, including games and music, into
industry-standard Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 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 or DTS 5.1 digital audio from any of your PC
audio sources to any digital speakers or AV Receivers with Dolby Digital or DTS
5.1 decoding capabilities.
1
SPDIF Out
2
Optical adapter
1
2
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.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
11
Connecting 2/2.1 channel speakers
2 Speakers
2.1 Speakers
1
1
1
Front Right Out
Front Left Out
Front Left/Right Out
The Left/Right Front Out ports have a built-in high-quality amplifier to drive
1
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 Xonar Essence ST card.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
13
Connecting a microphone
1
2
2
1
Front Right Out
Front Left Out
Mic In
2
Front Left/Right Out port/Headphone port
1
2
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
Xonar Essence ST card.
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.
14
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Connecting Line-In audio sources
1
Line In
Line Input Jack
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/DTS sound processing through the Monitoring path. Refer to the
Mixer section of the driver’s user manual.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
15
16
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Chapter 4
Xonar Audio Center
Xonar Audio Center
The Xonar Audio Center, the graphic user interface (GUI) of the Xonar Essence
ST, allows you to control the functions and features of the Xonar Essence ST.
To launch the Xonar Audio Center, double-click
the Xonar Audio Center icon on the taskbar.
If the icon is not shown on the taskbar, click Start > All Programs > ASUS
Xonar Essence ST Audio > Xonar Essence ST Audio Center to launch the
Xonar Audio Center.
4
Minimize button
Close button
1
2
5
6
7
8
3
9
Support link
1
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
17
Display Area
2
3
The 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.
Setting Menu Panel
This panel gives access to settings tabs, including Main Settings, Mixer/volume,
Effects, Karaoke, FlexBass, and VocalFX.
Information icon
4
5
6
Click this icon to launch the driver information window.
Menu Open/Close
Click this button to display more settings.
Master Volume
This rotary knob controls the master playback volume. Drag the small circle inside
it to change the volume level.
Mute Button
7
8
9
Click this button to mute audio playback. It displays a red light when playback is
muted.
SVN Button
Click this button to enable the “Smart Volume Normalization” feature for constant
volume from all playback sources. It displays a blue light when enabled.
DSP Mode
These 4 buttons give access to quick sound effects combinations for Music,
Games, DVD Video, and effect-free (Hi-Fi) modes.
By default, DSP Mode is OFF.
18
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Main Setting
Sample Rate
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 ST card can support sample rates up to 192KHz (44.1K, 48K, 96K,
192KHz). Usually audio CDs and MP3 files are 44.1KHz; DVD-Video uses 48KHz;
DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or 192KHz high-definition audio
content. Select the corresponding sample rate for your playback sources to get
the best audio fidelity. Even if your setting differs from the audio source’s sample
rate, the Xonar Essence ST engine will process super high fidelity sample-rate-
conversions with a double floating-point filter, which can reduce total harmonic
distortion (THD+N) by -140dB.
1
Sample Rate
1
Select the sample rate that corresponds to (or exceeds that of) your playback
sources, for optimal audio fidelity. The Xonar Essence ST card supports sample
rates up to 192KHz (44.1K, 48K, 96K, 192KHz). Typical values:
•
•
•
Audio CD, MP3, WMA, Wave files are 44.1KHz;
The audio of DVD-Video is 48KHz;
DVD-Audio or other HD media may contain 96KHz or 192KHz high-definition
audio content.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
19
Analog Out mode
1
2
3
Analog Out
1
The Analog Out settings are used adjust audio to match your actual speaker
setting, such as headphones and 2/2.1 speakers. Xonar Essence ST will play
the channels and process the 3D/Dolby sound accordingly. Select the correct
speaker type for your connected speakers.
Speaker Test
2
3
Click this button to show the speaker test window in the right pane. Click the Play
button to test each speaker one by one or click each speaker manually to test.
HP Advanced Setting
Click this button to select the gain tuning according to your headphone
impedance. The setting is also available for FP Headphone.
20
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
SPDIF Out/DDL
Xonar Essence ST 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-fly. 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
S/PDIF Out enable/disable
1
2
Tick this checkbox to enable S/PDIF output.
S/PDIF Output Formats/Functions
From the dropdown list, select one of these formats:
•
•
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation, which is a typical raw audio data format.)
Dolby Digital Live real-time 5.1ch encoding
Dobly Digital Live advanced upmixing option
3
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 ST
21
Audio Channels (For Windows® Vista / Windows® 7 only)
This setting only appears in Windows® Vista / Windows® 7. Windows® Vista /
Windows® 7 delivers 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. Hence, you need to set this in accordance with your audio content before
audio playback. This setting is synchronized with Windows® Vista/7’s system
speaker configuration and changing this setting during playback stops the audio
playback program. You may have to restart the program after changing this setting.
Close all running applications before changing this setting.
1
Audio Channels
1
Recommended settings:
•
•
•
•
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
22
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter
The 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter has the following major features:
•
•
•
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 field
easily without moving physical speakers and wires
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
1
Shifter enable/disable
Tick this checkbox to enable the 7.1 Virtual Speaker Shifter. Click the textbar to
switch the right window to the Speaker Shifter page for manual adjustments.
Settings will be retained even when a different Analog Output is selected.
2
Drag speaker or listener
You can drag each speaker or listener to a different position “virtually” using only
your mouse. The Xonar Xense card will process the sound and reposition the
virtual speakers real-time. The Subwoofer has no directional sounds, and hence
can be moved only closer to or further away from the listener.
3
4
Reset
Reset all Speaker Shifter settings to the default settings.
Increase/decrease volume
Click + to increase volume (move speakers closer); click – to decrease volume
(move speakers further away)
5
Counterclockwise
Click to rotate all speakers, except Subwoofer, counterclockwise
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
23
6
7
8
Clockwise
Click to rotate all speakers, except Subwoofer, clockwise.
Manual Rotation
Manually drag and rotate all speakers, except Subwoofer.
Manual Drag Mode
This is the default mode that allows you to manually drag each speaker or the
listener with your mouse.
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
1
2
Dolby Pro-Logic IIx enable/disable
Tick this checkbox to enable Dolby Pro-Logic IIx. Click the textbar to switch the
right window to the Pro-Logic IIx page for manual adjustments.
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 default settings.
Dimension
The dimension parameter fades sounds to the front or rear of the listener.
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ASUS Xonar Essence ST
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
1
Dolby Headphone enable/disable
Tick this checkbox to enable Dolby Headphone. Click the textbar to switch the
right window to Dolby Headphone page for manual adjusting.
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 filters that may be used with any type
of audio. They differ in the sense of the “spatial dimension” they impart.
DH1—Reference Room: Small, acoustically damped room.
3
4
DH2
DH2—Livelier Room: More acoustically live than DH1
DH3
DH3—Larger Room: Larger room than DH1; more distant and diffused effect.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
25
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 Logic® II processing, delivers a virtual
5.1-channel surround listening experience from any high-quality stereo source.
2
3
1
1
2
Dolby Virtual Speaker enable/disable
Tick this checkbox to enable Dolby Virtual Speaker. Click the text bar to switch the
right window to a Dolby Virtual Speaker page for manual adjusting.
Reference Mode
Dolby Virtual Speaker provides two modes of virtualization: Reference Mode and
Wide Mode.
Reference mode virtualizes the missing speakers as shown below.
3
Wide Mode
Wide mode virtualizes the necessary speakers and enhances the surround
experience as shown below.
26
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Mixer/Volume
The Mixer feature is designed to control the volume for playback and recording on
the Xonar Essence ST. In addition, the Xonar Essence ST 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.
Playback Volume
1
6
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
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.
Volume slider
Drag this slider down to decrease the volume. Drag it up to increase the volume.
The tool-tip displays percentage increments.
4
5
Mute button
Click this button to mute the audio channel. Click this button again to restore the
audio output.
Source / path name including:
• WAVE: All digital audio sources except MIDI files
• SW: Software Synthesizer; control the playback volume of the MIDI files
• CD: CD-ROM digital playback (CD-DA) volume control
• LEFT, RIGHT: the volume control for each speaker/channel
Windows® Vista does not support WAVE, Synthesizer and CD-In volume
controls.
6
Reset
Reset all volume controls to the default settings
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
27
Recording/Monitoring Volume
1
8
2
3
4
5
6
7
Recording Volume Tab
Click this button to show the recording volume page.
1
2
Left/Right balance
This horizontal slider controls the volume between the left and right channels.
Recording volume slider
Drag this slider down to decrease the recording volume. Drag up to increase the
recording volume. The tool-tip displays percentage increments.
3
4
Recording Selector button
Click this button to select the path/source you are going to record. The recording
function on Windows is a one-path selector. Hence, 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.
On Windows® Vista, some programs may allow you to select the recording
device/path in the recording programs themselves.
Microphone-In Advanced Setting
5
Click this button
to open the advanced settings for the Microphone-In.
Enabling “Microphone Boost” increases the volume gain to boost the microphone
input signals. If you connect your microphone to the front panel audio module,
enable “Front Panel Microphone”. For a typical low-cost PC microphone, we
recommend that you enable this function.
28
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Monitoring button
6
Click this button to monitor and loopback recording audio to output speakers.
The recording volume will affect the monitoring signals from the speaker output.
The audio will be mixed into the streams from your PC and all DSP effects will
be applied to the source and the output. A typical application is to apply Dolby
Pro-Logic IIx 7.1-ch spreading to your TV audio, CD, MP3, or stereo game console
audio from a gaming device such as Wii, XBOX360, and PS2/PS3/PSP. To apply
Dolby Virtual Speaker is suitable for a two-speaker setup.
When the monitoring function is enabled, audio output from HDMI output is
disabled.
Source / path name
7
This shows the source name for each volume control slider:
• S/PDIF-In: S/PDIF digital input source.
• Mix: Stereo Mix which will record MIC, AUX, and digital WAVE audio you
are playing on your 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 your PC.
Windows® Vista does not support WAVE recording.
Reset
8
Click to reset all volume controls to the default settings.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
29
Effects
Environment Effects
Use environment effects to create realistic listening experiences that mimic
different environments. There are a total of 27 environment options that can be
applied to all 2D sound sources such as music.
3
1
2
Default environments
1
These four buttons activate Bathroom, Concert hall, Underwater, and Music
Pub environments.
More options
2
3
Click this button to view more environment effects in the dropdown list, which
contains 23 more options.
Environment size
There are three size settings for each environment: Large, Medium, and Small.
30
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
10-Band Equalizer
The equalizer modifies the audio output for different frequencies, and is used to
compensate for deficiencies in your speakers/sound systems. There are 12 default
patterns and you can also customize your own settings.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Default equalizer options
Click an equalizer pattern from the 12 available equalizer patterns.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Equalier slider
Adjust the gain for each band (30~16KHz)
User Defined
Click this button to view your existing customized equalizer setting.
Save name
Key in a name for your own “User Defined” equalizer setting.
Add / save
Click this “+” button to save your customized equalizer setting.
Delete
Click this “–” button to delete a customized setting from the list.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
31
Karaoke
The Xonar Essence ST provides powerful features for Karaoke, including Key-
Shifting, Vocal Cancellation, and Microphone Echo. Key-Shifting changes the pitch
of Karaoke background music, and Vocal Cancellation reduces the original vocal in
songs and keep the music and symphony for karaoke.
5
1
2
3
4
On/Off
1
2
Click the switch to turn on or off the karaoke functions.
Key-Shifting
Tick this checkbox to enable or disable the key shifting feature for music
playback from 4 semitones below, to 4 semitones above.
Vocal Cancellation
3
Tick this checkbox to enable or disable the vocal cancellation function and adjust
the voice cancellation level from 0 to +100. +100 eliminates most original vocals.
The default value is 50.
Mic Echo
4
5
Select the Mic Echo function and adjust the gain for echo signals (30~16KHz).
Reset
Reset all settings to defaults.
32
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
FlexBass
FlexBass, an advanced bass management and enhancement technology, allows
you to select each satellite speaker’s type for optimal sound performance from the
speakers. The Speaker types are:
•
•
Small: common speaker that cannot produce low frequencies.
Large: wide-band speakers that can produce low frequencies well.
FlexBass comes with an adjustable crossover frequency for the boundary of
the bass signals. It filters out the bass signals from small speaker channels and
redirects them all to the subwoofer or Large speakers.
4
1
2
3
On/Off
1
2
Click this switch to turn on or off all FlexBass functions.
Small / Large speaker option
Select the speaker type that you connected. If your speaker type cannot perform
low-frequency signals (bass), select “Small” speaker type and Xonar Essence
ST filters out the bass signals and sends them to the subwoofer channel. If those
speakers are full-range, you can select the “Large” speaker type.
Usually, low-cost computer’s 2-channel speakers are small-type speakers.
Common 2.1 speakers with a subwoofer are categorized as Large speakers
because the subwoofer redirects the bass signals inside the two channels to
the subwoofer speaker automatically.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
33
Picture for Small/Large speaker
Small/large speakers are identified by their colors:
3
4
• Orange: large speakers
• Green: small speakers
LFE Crossover Frequency
Adjusts the cut-off frequency (20~250Hz) for LFE (low-frequency effects) signals.
Xonar Essence ST filters out the bass signals below the crossover frequency
from small speaker channels and forwards them to the subwoofer. The higher the
crossover frequency, the more bass signals are subtracted.
Smart Volume Normalization
Smart Volume NormalizationTM (SVN) automatically keeps all music or video/
TV audio output at a constant level to reduce manual adjustment inherent with
sound sources of different loudness. It allows you to listen to various content, like
MP3, TV program, DVD video and even games at a consistent sound level. The
following graph shows how signals 1 and 2 adjust to the same level (for example,
10dB below full scale) after you turn on SVN. Please note that lower volume music
2 becomes louder when you turn on SVN while higher volume music 1 becomes
quieter.
0dB (Full-scale)
Music 1
T
-10 dB
Music 2
SVN Off
SVN On
- ꢀ
34
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
3
2
1
SVN On/Off
1
2
3
Click this button to enable SVN. When enabled, this button is illuminated by a
blue light.
SVN blue light
When SVN is enabled, the master volume knob is illuminated by a blue light. It is
illuminated by a red light if the volume is muted.
SVN display
When SVN is enabled, “Smart Volume” lights up to display the volume level.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
35
DS3D GX and DSP Modes
Xonar Essence ST introduces an innovative technology – 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 does not require games to
support OpenAL API. All existing games compatible with Microsoft DirectX and
DirectSound 2D/3D are supported with DS3D GX technology. Before you start EAX
and DS3D HW games, enable DS3D GX on the Xonar Audio Center, and disable
the feature after playing.
Supports latest DS3D GX 2.0 for gaming on Windows® Vista and Windows®
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 Windows® 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 ST also
provides quick Digital Sound Processing modes that are configured for typical
applications including Music, Movies, and Games over different output speaker
types. In addition, Xonar Essence ST also offers a Hi-Fi mode for hi-fidelity
playback without any effect processing to keep the original audio fidelity. Every
time you turn on Hi-Fi mode, Xonar HDAV 1 clears all sound effects. 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 do not wish to
know the details of the effect setup.
No sound effects are applied to high-definition 96KHz/192KHz content.
36
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
3
2
4
5
1
GX Mode
1
2
DirectSound 3D Game Extensions mode to support EAX and DirectSound 3D
Hardware extensions for lots of DirectX/DirectSound3D games on Windows®
Vista.
Hi-Fi Mode
This mode is set for Hi-Fidelity playback, where all effects are cleared to keep the
original digital data and analog output quality as high as possible.
Music Mode
This mode is set for Music playback.
3
4
5
Movie Mode
This mode is set for DVD Movie playback.
Game Mode
This mode is set for Games.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
37
VocalFX
VocalFX is an innovative voice processing technology that can immerse your
voice in a realistic game landscape (VoiceEX) or imitate background scenes while
chatting online (ChatEX). It also allows you to change your voice pitch to disguise
who you are (Magic Voice).
3
4
5
1
2
VoiceEX
1
2
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental reverberation for your voice in 3D
gaming communication.
Local VoiceEX
It produces realistic and dynamic environmental reverberation for your voice in 3D
gaming communication.
You can hear your voice from the speakers.
ChatEX
3
4
It emulates different background environment effects while you chat online.
Magic Voice
Changes your voice pitch to different types for disguising your real voice or just for
fun while chatting online.
App List
5
You can add a VOIP application on the VOIP application List.
38
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
For 3D Games
1.
2.
Tick the VoiceEX and Local VoiceEX checkboxes.
Ensure that you and your team member can talk to each other in the game.
For VOIP
1.
2.
Click App List.
If you do not see your VOIP application in the list, click Add.
Ensure that you have installed the latest version of Skype or MSN Messenger.
3.
Navigate to the application then click Open.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
39
4.
Your VOIP application will be added to the list.
5.
Tick the ChatEX and Magic Voice checkboxes to chat online.
When you select any of the VocalFX functions, this message appears:
This message indicates that the recording device is set to microphone. Ensure
that the GX function is enabled. Click OK to accept, or Cancel if you want to
enable it later. Tick the Don’t remind me again checkbox if you do not want to
see this message again.
40
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
Appendix
Troubleshooting and FAQs
Troubleshooting
I cannot install the audio card driver on my computer.
•
•
Ensure that you have properly plugged the audio card in the PCI slot on
your motherboard.
Check that the Windows® hardware device manager has discovered a
multimedia audio device. If no device is found, please try scanning for
new hardware.
•
•
Try rebooting your computer.
Remove the card, plug it into another PCI slot, and try again.
I cannot find the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center.
•
•
Ensure that you have installed the driver.
Locate the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center icon on the taskbar, then.
double-click the icon to launch the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center
utility.
•
•
If the icon is not displayed on the taskbar, click Start > All Programs >
ASUS Xonar Essence ST Audio > Xonar Essence Audio Center to
launch the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center.
Try installing the driver again.
I cannot hear any sound from my analog speakers.
•
•
•
Ensure that the power cable of your power supply unit is properly
connected to the power connector of the audio card.
Ensure that you have connected the speakers properly and that the
speakers are turned on.
Ensure that the device master volume or that the software player is not
on mute mode on the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
41
•
•
Check if you are using a Dolby Digital Live encoder through the S/PDIF
output. If this is the case, the analog output is muted to get rid of any
interference between your digital speaker system and analog speakers
or headphones.
Try rebooting your computer.
I cannot hear any sound from the S/PDIF output.
•
•
•
Ensure that you have enabled S/PDIF output in the Xonar Essence ST
Audio Center.
Ensure that you have connected the correct S/PDIF output jack on the
card to the decoder’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, double-check that the AV receiver
is in that decoding mode.
•
If you are using 192KHz PCM output, ensure your decoder can support
192KHz decoding. Try changing it to 44.1K or 48KHz first.
I cannot hear audio input (Mic, Line-in, or AUX) from my speakers.
•
Go to the Mixer recording page in the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center
and select the correct input as the recording source. If you are using
Windows® Vista, go to the system audio control panel to ensure that the
current default recording/input device is correct.
•
Remember to turn on the digital monitoring button for that recording
source.
I cannot hear the TV tuner audio from my speakers.
•
•
•
If you are using a traditional TV tuner card that has an analog audio
output, 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.
IIf you are using a TV tuner card which has a digital audio output instead
of an analog output, check that the sound is not muted and whether
other applications can play sound out. If you still have problems, read the
TV tuner card’s software user manual.
42
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
I found no sound effects when playing 96K or 192KHz sound sources.
•
Currently, Xonar Essence ST effects including Dolby, supports common
44.1K, 48KHz sound sources processing and provides high-definition
audio (96K/192KHz) in hi-fidelity playback. This is also usually the
behavior that professional audiophiles and musicians prefer.
•
If you still want to add effects to your audio, you can use sound editing
software such as Ableton Live, Cakewalk, CoolEdit, or Soundforge to
convert the sounds into 48KHz files.
3.
Note that the frequency meter on the Xonar Essence ST Audio Center panel
will not take effect when the playback source is using either a 96KHz or
192KHz sample rate to prevent any processing distortion.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does the Xonar Essence ST card support Windows® Vista?
Yes, the Xonar Essence ST driver package supports Windows® Vista 32/64 bit and
most key features are available. In addition, Xonar Essence ST supports unique
DS3D GX on Windows® Vista, which can recover DirectSound 3D hardware and
EAX gaming sound effects on Windows® Vista for many existing DirectX games.
Why does the Xonar Essence ST support Dolby technology?
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.
Why is Xonar Essence ST the best audio card for HTPC and multi-channel
speakers?
The Xonar Essence ST supports Dolby Digital Live, which allows a single digital
connection to your AV receiver to carry Dolby Digital audio. In addition, Xonar
Essence ST also provides Dolby Pro-Logic IIx to upmix TV and other music to
multi-channel surround sound in Home Theater environments. Xonar Essence ST
also has an Ultra High Fidelity SNR at 192K/24bit, which delivers a high quality
audio through an analog connection to your home theater system or high-end
multi-channel speakers.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
43
Does the Xonar Essence ST support EAX on Windows® Vista?
Yes, Xonar Essence ST supports EAX2.0 on both Windows® XP and Vista through
the innovative DirectSound3D Game EXtensions v1.0 (DS3D GX 1.0) technology.
Why do I need Dolby for PC games?
•
Dolby Digital and Pro-Logic IIx are available on the latest game
consoles, like XBOX360, PS3, and Wii. Dolby provides the best gaming
sound experience and compatibility with home theater or TV systems.
•
Dolby Headphone and Dolby Virtual Speaker are the best 3D sound
positioning, spatial modeling and 5.1-channel virtualization technology
for regular stereo headphones, speaker headphones and speakers.
What are the most important benefits of the Xonar Essence ST for
musicians?
•
•
•
Ultimate Fidelity: Xonar Essence ST 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 ST includes an ASIO 2.0 driver for low-latency,
low-distortion music creation application.
Will PCM sound output through S/PDIF be limited to 2 channels even with
different analog output channels?
The S/PDIF protocol specification (IEC-60958) only carries the 2-channel PCM
data or non-PCM AC3/DTS data. Hence, when a user selects PCM output for
S/PDIF, the Xonar sound card always deliver a 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 allows the
Xonar Essence ST to deliver 5.1 surround sound for DVD movies, and even stereo
music.
44
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
When I selected “Digital Output device” as the default audio playback device
on Windows® Vista, the sound effects and UI controls do not work.
For Xonar sound cards on Windows® Vista, there are usually two audio devices:
Speakers and Digital Out Device such as S/PDIF.
Speakers is the default device. Use this device to fully control the sound effects on
the Xonar Audio Center, the driver’s GUI.
Digital Out Device is designed as a pass-through audio path to play stereo Hi-
Fidelity audio contents or encoded audio formats such as Dolby Digital and DTS
Digital Surround bit-stream from DVD or Blu-ray disc titles. The driver does not
process all the audio data that passes through this digital device.
In most software DVD players’ audio settings, you could choose “Use S/PDIF
output” or “HDMI” for HDMI output, such as on HDAV1.3. The player then passes
the audio through the “Digital Output Device” automatically. Some devices require
onboard audio to be disabled first. In this case, you do not even need to change
the system default audio device. In most scenarios, we suggest that you keep the
settings in “Speakers” to enjoy the complete features of the Xonar sound card. You
could actually still get LPCM audio data monitoring from S/PDIF-Out port as analog
Front channel output in this situation.
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
45
ASUS Contact information
ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. (Asia Pacific)
Address
Website
4F, No. 150, Li-Te Road, Peitou, Taipei, Taiwan 11259
Technical Support
Telephone
Support Fax
+886228943447
+886228907698
support.asus.com*
Software download
ASUS COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL (America)
Address
Telephone
Fax
800 Corporate Way, Fremont, CA 94539, USA
+15029550883
+15029338713
Website
usa.asus.com
Software download
support.asus.com*
ASUS COMPUTER GmbH (Germany and Austria)
Address
Telephone
Fax
Harkort Str. 25, D40880 Ratingen, Germany
+49210295990
+492102959911
Online contact
Technical Support
Telephone
+49210295990
Fax
+492102959911
Online support
Website
* Available on this site is an online Technical Inquiry Form that you can fill out to contact
technical support.
46
ASUS Xonar Essence ST
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