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Xonar SE Souncard Problems. Any Ideas?

quexos
Level 7
I've found very little info about this Xonar SE card on the internet, so I'll just list the problems (and solutions) I have run into with it and hopefully I can sort at least some of it out. I am currently running it in 2 channel stereo via analog from rear output (green) to my receiver. I would prefer to use the optical (spdif) output, the entire reason I bought the card (my mainboard has no digital outputs at all), but the #1 problem below prevents it.

...all versions of Windows:

1. Using SPDIF (optical) output cuts off the first 1-2 seconds of EVERY audio stream it plays and stutters/dropouts randomly.
Short Windows sounds, for example only play the trailing end of the sound or are not even heard at all. So a "kabliiiiiiiing" sound is just "iing", and "biiing" is not even heard at all. Here is a workaround: http://veg.by/en/projects/soundkeeper but I am not willing to use it because it causes other issues like changing bit rates causes error about it being in use, not to mention running a random exe from the internet 24/7? Nah!

...so I switch to analog output Windows LTSC 2019 (1809):

2. Analog output has short dropouts/hiccups/stutters every few minutes or so...and also cuts off a bit of the start of audio.
This was bad on Win10 LTSC 2019 (1809, my preferred build), and is less severe/fixed on 1903 or 1607. No idea why but the onboard Realtek and my usb headset (probably the same/similar c-media chip in it) never do this on the exact same builds.

...so I switch to Windows LTSB 2016 (1607):

3. When using analog output to receiver (Speakers), the default device is reset to Optical, and if I disable that, 'Headphones (USB)' (with Speakers greyed out) every time the PC is shut down and restarted.
If I do a driver only (preferred method) install without the Asus Control Panel, Speakers can not be selected at all, ever. Only Optical or Headphones. Come on Asus, this is the most basic function of a sound card driver!

So to summarize, I want to use Optical output to my receiver, but cannot due to #1, on Windows LTSC 2019 (1809), but cannot due to #2, and strike 3, going back to Windows LTSB 1607 or 1903 and analog to avoid #1 and #2 causes #3. :mad:

Notes: The driver package contains a driver for the asmedia usb2 controller but it is not installed by default. Installing it before or after the sound card driver, does not fix any of the above problems. I run my PC very "lean and clean". There is no virus scanner or "start with windows" type software on it other than the Nvidia graphics driver.
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28 REPLIES 28

quexos
Level 7
Some more info:

Running Windows 10 1809 or newer has a Microsoft default driver v10.0.17763.592 (1607 has none). Using that driver there are no audio dropouts/stutters. Of course there are no effects, stereo mix input, or anything else either. Just proof it is a driver problem though.

Optical/SPDIF output still has delays though not as severe as the Asus driver.

...and more info. Since I can't use the Xonar SE analog out, even for my studio headphones, I switched back to my old faithful stand-alone USB headset...and now that is even stuttering when (and only when) the Asus drivers are installed for the Xonar SE. What a mess! :mad:

Well, after a month of back and forth with Asus 'support', here is their solution for the two different receivers (Yamaha and Sony) I have available...

Asus: "Please be advised that Optical out cut is because there will be some noise when start output in some situation to, so we mute about 0.x second.
We suggest if you want to connect to Yamaha RX-V375, you can use HDMI.
"

Cool, so buy a bunch of HDMI cables and use my Video Card for audio and have no monitor display unless my receiver is on to pass it through...IE: don't use the Asus Xonar I just bought.

Asus: "If you want to connect SONY STR-DE945, you can use analog output or use your Realtek optical output.
And about the driver reset when boot, it should be only happen he close the sleep of win10 (the default shut down is hibernate )
Did you close the sleep in power option?
Xonar SE use the same connect for Headphone/speaker , and default is Headphone.
If your win10 sleep when shutdown, the driver will not detect again, the setting will be the same.
If your win10 does not sleep when shutdown, the driver will detect every boot.
"

I do a full shut down without sleep or hibernate. The driver resets to things that are not even connected (SPDIF/Headphes, or my other USB Headphone) rather than what is connected "Speakers". Solution? Use onboard Realtek audio. IE: don't use the Asus Xonar I just bought.

More Info: I recently got a new motherboard ASRock B450 Gaming K4, a Ryzen 5 2600, and some DDR4 3200. On the new board, I no longer get audio stuttering in analog output on WIN10 LTSC 1809, so maybe the PCIe ports are wonky on my older MSI B450 Gaming Plus board.

The other digital output delay and problems 'remembering' the default device remain. If I do a driver only (preferred method) install, I can not select Speakers as output at all, only headphones.

Please fix your drivers Asus! They are ruining a perfectly good sound card.

I'm using plain old stereo, but the sound drops out during playback for a few seconds and returns. tried uninstalling and using the Microsoft drivers - same result. any ideas?

...using analog outputs or the optical? My analog dropouts were very short, more like frequent stutters, not seconds long but more like 200 miliseconds. The only thing I can think of to try to reduce it would be to:

1. Install/uninstall (whichever has not been done) the ASMedia USB driver, though I tried this and it did not help for me.
2. Locate Device Manager > Universal Serial bus Controllers > USB Root Hub (Properties - the one with location = "on asmedia something something" ) and under Power Management tab, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". Also did not help for me.
3. Move the card to a different PCIe port if possible. Also did not help for me.
4. System > Advanced System Settings > Performance 'Settings Button' > Advanced Tab > Processor Scheduling > Adjust For Best Performance of: Background Services. Also did not help for me.
5. Wait for Asus to fix their broken drivers...but yeah, I doubt that will ever happen. I have been waiting over a year.

Best thing to do if possible would be return it and get your money back honestly.

My MSI B450 motherboard was bad with the analog stutters, but my ASRock B450 Gaming K4 has reduced stutter, so some very similar hardware is more finicky about it than others. Maybe a BIOS/UEFI update would help on your board?

I appreciate the help. I have already tried a thing or two of your list. Not going to do no.4, or 5. changed PCI-e slots already twice. No change.
The thing is a sound card should ALWAYS be plug and play. If it isn't working properly with the built in MS drivers (which do exist for this model), then there is a serious issue with it. I've already opened a ticket with Asus. See what they say. I cannot get a refund. It is under warranty, but I bought it second hand, and the seller refuses to refund.

I'll keep the thread updated once there is something to update about.

Thanks.

quexos wrote:
...using analog outputs or the optical? My analog dropouts were very short, more like frequent stutters, not seconds long but more like 200 miliseconds. The only thing I can think of to try to reduce it would be to:

1. Install/uninstall (whichever has not been done) the ASMedia USB driver, though I tried this and it did not help for me.
2. Locate Device Manager > Universal Serial bus Controllers > USB Root Hub (Properties - the one with location = "on asmedia something something" ) and under Power Management tab, uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power". Also did not help for me.
3. Move the card to a different PCIe port if possible. Also did not help for me.
4. System > Advanced System Settings > Performance 'Settings Button' > Advanced Tab > Processor Scheduling > Adjust For Best Performance of: Background Services. Also did not help for me.
5. Wait for Asus to fix their broken drivers...but yeah, I doubt that will ever happen. I have been waiting over a year.

Best thing to do if possible would be return it and get your money back honestly.

My MSI B450 motherboard was bad with the analog stutters, but my ASRock B450 Gaming K4 has much, much reduced stutter, almost non-existant, so some very similar hardware is more finicky about it than others. Maybe a BIOS/UEFI update would help on your board?

mekler22 wrote:
I've already opened a ticket with Asus. See what they say.


I totally agree, and none of that crap worked for me either. The whole USB audio chip on a PCIe card is just a bad design.

Scroll up to see the results of my ticket. Short version was: Asus: "If you want it to work, use something else".

quexos wrote:
I totally agree, and none of that crap worked for me either. The whole USB audio chip on a PCIe card is just a bad design.

Scroll up to see the results of my ticket. Short version was: Asus: "If you want it to work, use something else".


:mad: I want to use a facepalm emoji, but no luck there.
I am actually worried that since the discrete sound card industry is a dying breed, I cannot even be sure that if I get a creative card (only other option other than no-name chinese cards) - it will work as it should.. I do know that their software is not great either.