The X-Meridian 7.1 Thread - Page 65

Just recently installed the OPA637AUs replacing the LM4562NAs.

My system includes a powerful subwoofer with extension down to 21 hz. My music listening tastes are generally new hard rock including artists like Seether, Theory of a Deadman etc. As well I listen to Pop,Dance and R&B being J.Timberlake, Rihanna and others.

I find that the OPA637s excel in clarity, smoothness, being more refined in the vocal and upper frequency range of the scale. As well, the presentation is much more musical bringing warmer fluid harmonic textures not to mention better separation of the instruments. Bass seems to be more limited between the 30-75 hz(after numerous hours of usage) and not as controlled, defined or extended. Upper range fine details are all there but with more palpability, not as faint, subtle or thin. ( Possibley due to the opamp cap bypass making it just as revealing )

In comparison the LM4562s are much harsher, thinner and as said before more metallic in the upper range. Bass is much more extended, more grip and definitive than the 637s. Overall the presentaion is somewhat sterile but more dynamic or punchy. The OPA637s are somewhat laidback.

I could easily live with the OPA637s but I do miss the bass extension, definition and dynamics, rythmic pace, attack or slam factor. Between these opamps I would pick the Burr Brown OPA637s.

There will always be trade offs between opamps. No opamp is perfect. Its just finding the one that can cover the most bases in your sonic requirements for your own musical tastes.

With these 2 opamps I believe I've achieved the best of both worlds...............

i had asked them directly about the difference in their 637 models, the $70 vs the $250, and heres what i was emailed back about the product codes-

"The first letter, A','B','S' means OPAMP Grade' and the quality is better in following order.
A' < B' < S'
The second letter, U','M','P' means package type'.
P: DIP type
U: SMD(SOIC-8) type
M: Metal Can type(It protects against the noise and electricity)
The 637 line's feature is similar, but the quality is different.
Therefore the OPA637SM type is the highst price as the best sound quality."

so i have the 637au which came out two months ago, and this past week they have the new 637sm now for 4x the price. i wonder who will ever be able to compare the two with a good system. i run my prelude into the rotel 1085 5ch digital amp and wonder if there would be any difference.

Well, I'd believe the parts manufacturer before the marketeers at Auzentech... check it out yourself Here

OBTW, they show the SM parts manufacturing status as:
NRND: Not recommended for new designs. Device is in production to support existing customers, but TI does not recommend using this part in a new design.

That's data-sheet-speak for soon to be obsoleted.

I was thinking of RCA's but the spacing is quite large and I would of needed two pci slots for the RCA's. I spaced them far enough for any high end 3.5mm end to plug into.

The Xmeridian with the mod has been working flawlessly for the past couple months, and the increased sound quality is excellent, as well as the lowered output voltage is a real piece of mind knowing that I will not be clipping my preamp.

The wire I used between the card and the mod was 22 awg silver/teflon, but I would suggest a high quality 33awg tonearm wire if I was going to do it again, and lift the output pins of the DAC and solder the wire direct to them.

Thanks.

that sucks, so we will never get speaker levels in vista for the x-merid?!?

so weird, on my non-modded card, the OPA627 have way better bass than the LM4562's, everything is similar to what you say. Maybe the OPA637 do need something more than this card can provide while the OPA627 are ok in it? But I surely don't lack bass. Weird thing is when I had LM4562's in the bass seemed very thin to me.

What's the deal with Auzentech's download of the "newest" X-Meridian driver? All I get is an empty zipped folder.

I'm sure the problem is your download. It downloads fine for me. Also, the driver isn't really new. All they didn't was made some changes to the installation process.

Thanks. I might try again later but it sounds like there isn't any good reason to if there aren't any improvements over the one from last July.

If you haven't updated it since last July then you might as well download it again because there was an update last Aug, which is pretty much the same as the one posted now. There won't be anymore updates now that Cmedia no longer exists.

The download worked and installed perfectly this morning. I went from 5.12.1.8 to 6.12.8.1731 2/13/2008. The new driver looks the same and the LM4562 modded XM sounds the same on my Vista HTPC which is as good as SQ gets AFAIC.

I never stated that the 637s lack bass, just sonic characteristics in bass that I've become accustomed to with the 4562s that are lacking which I've described.

Depending on your playback equipment should detemine the differences that I hear.

The bass is more smeared and bloated than definitive, contolled and tight, as well not as deep or punchy.

First hello all!

Im looking for an x-meridian & its difficult to find.
Is there someone here who could be interested in selling??

Thanks in advance

Hmm...I have 3. One is in use, one is used for "experimentation", and one is a spare. Make me an offer north of $200, and I might consider it.

Well, are you talking seriously? I could reach near $160 but no higher.

That's pretty much the going rate from what I've read here. There's no other card out there that can compete in terms of performance and features / expandability. It's shocking especially that it's not made anymore, used and you would think competitors would have made something better by now.

Will this card decode DD5.1 and DTS over an optical input from a cable TV box? Will it do it using AC3 filter 'seamlessly incorporated' into Win Vista 64?

Does anyone know what adaptor people use for their metal can type opamps?
What are they called? Like those Auzen singles to dual opamp metal can adaptors.
Where can I buy some online?

http://www.auzentech.com/site/products/opamp_adapt.php

Is there an online store that I can buy similar ones?

Please could you tell me if this card works well with Windows Vista?
Is it fully compatible?
Thanks

This is a crosspost from the Asus Xonar HDMI thread, but the deluxe version of the new Asus Xonar HDAV card also will have upgradeable, socketed OpAmps as well, just like the X-Meridian did!

From Anandtech.com:

http://anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=3324

" The Xonar HDAV1.3 is the first in the Xonar family to utilize opamp sockets to allow simple, solder-less modifications for user-customized sound..."

Here's the official press release from Asus:

http://www.asus.com.tw/news_show.aspx?id=11638

Mine seems to be, but I probably haven't tried every single feature there is. Working like a charm for me on home ultimate SP1 but I am using the Toslink output. The last driver update seemed to get rid of the last of the low level hissing and popping I was experiencing.

Forgive me, but I find this very confounding. WHY would you use a $200 sound card, if all you wanna do is pass DD/DTS over Toslink/SPDIF??? That signal is the EXACT same signal that your motherboard Toslink can pass..for free. (You know what I mean). I don't get it. The X-Meridian's strength is it's analog capabilities, not digital.

And you're confusing me even more, when you say you were getting "low level hissing and popping" OVER TOSLINK??? And it got FIXED by a driver update??

Either I have lost my marbles, or I'm missing something too obvious here.

My motherboard SPDIF, can't remember the chipset model off the top of my head, sucks. It will up/down sample everything to 48KHz on the output, don't even get me started on the input data rate options. Besides who said all I want to do is pass DTS/DD over it? I'm now waiting with baited breath for the HDMI card addon to be released. You really oughta investigate the digital features of the card. It's not a bad choice. Mine has been doing 96kHz 24bit out in Vista since I built this machine. The few times I have felt the need to calibrate the system I have done so using the 96kHz 24bit digital input coming off my 24/96 bit ADC being driven by my calibration mic.


I happen to disagree. I picked up my Meridian with the intent of never ever using the analog sections it has. In fact, I would go so far as saying the analog outs are quite compromised compared to what can be had in an external DAC. Besides, whoopee ding opamp sockets where you can replace output stage opamps. I hope you know there is a slight bit more involved in getting a truly high end analog section like for example using a power supply of higher quality than what comes preloaded in any random PC these cards could be installed to. I would beg to differ and suggest that signs point to the Meridian having a decent analog section not best analog section. The options for SPDIF are best in class at the time of purchase AFAIK.


What's to be confused about. A hiss sounds like someone peeing in a toilet and a pop sounds like someone clapping thier hands. A driver update lessened the problem to nearly inaudible. I can't get much clearer than this. Oh and BTW Auzen tech support readily admitted to the issue before suggesting the driver upate would help with it as it did, so it will be really funny if you continue to try and convince the forum otherwise. So, because YOU are/were unaware of the issue means about zilch since after all who the F**k are you?


No comment.

I guess I missed something obvious here.....

And easy with the tone my friend, no offense was meant or inferred.

Here's an "xm killer" for sale...
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