Find Your Essence

Essence III

Flagship beauty that loves living-room systems,
computers and performance headphones
  • Native DSD (Direct Stream Digital) support
  • Fully balanced headphone amplifier: Capable of driving headphones in balanced or single ended configuration
  • Remote-controlled, relay based stepped attenuator - the ultimate volume control
  • Ultra-low jitter via high precision TCXO clock sources and asynchronous USB
  • Independent left/right channel power supplies
  • Separate boards for analog, digital, and power circuitry to minimize interference
  • True balanced design with dual mono AD 1955 DACs
  • Premium AD 827SQ and MUSES 02 op-amps deliver profoundly musical audio experience
  • Linear power supply with multi-rail toroidal transformer

Essence One MKII Series

True to the original with DSD support
  • Native Direct-Stream Digital (DSD) support via DSD over PCM (DoP)
  • Top-class headphone amplifier drives up to 600ohm-impedance headphones with a dedicated gain jumper
  • Ultra-fidelity 120dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) with true balanced design
  • Jitter-free precision clock via asynchronous USB audio
  • Linear power supply with toroidal transformer to ensure clean power to all circuits
  • 8X symmetrical upsampling technology restores lossless audio

Essence One Series

Create perfect tonal characteristics — just how you want them
  • Eleven swappable op-amps for user-tunable tone characteristics
  • 8X symmetrical upsampling technology restores lossless audio
  • Built-in 600ohm headphone amplifier drives all headphones on the market
  • Ultra-high 120dB SNR for the purest sound
  • Linear power supply with multi-rail toroidal transformer
  • True balanced design with dual mono TI 1795 DACs

Essence STU

Turn your laptop into a high-end Hi-Fi
  • Excellent audio quality as inherited from acclaimed Essence ST/STX
  • Precision Clock Tuning technology and asynchronous USB transfer ensure jitter-free fidelity
  • 120dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) delivers high definition audio clarity
  • Integrated 600ohm headphone amplifier optimizes sound detail with two gain settings
  • Dedicated jumper switch allows audio signal being delivered to your power amplifier by-passing volume control
  • Three swappable op-amps enable tone character tuning based on personal taste

Essence STX II 7.1

Rediscover your music
  • Industry-leading 124dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) audio quality inherited from the revolutionary and widely-acclaimed Xonar Essence ST/STX
  • Ultra-low jitter from premium TCXO clock source
  • Clean and consistent power supply thanks to high-fidelity low-dropout (LDO) regulators and WIMA® capacitors for uncompromising sound
  • Top-notch headphone amplifier supports up to 600ohm-headphone impedance with additional gain for in-ear monitors (IEMs)
  • Exclusive op-amp swap kit includes three op-amps and tool for easy tone tuning
  • Celebrated MUSES op-amps deliver true-to-life musicality
  • Ultra-fidelity (120dB SNR) 7.1-channel output via the exclusive daughterboard

Essence STX II

Rediscover your music
  • Industry-leading 124dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) audio quality inherited from the revolutionary and widely-acclaimed Xonar Essence ST/STX
  • Ultra-low jitter from premium TCXO clock source
  • Clean and consistent power supply thanks to high-fidelity low-dropout (LDO) regulators and WIMA® capacitors for uncompromising sound
  • Top-notch headphone amplifier supports up to 600ohm-headphone impedance with additional gain for in-ear monitors (IEMs)
  • Exclusive op-amp swap kit includes three op-amps and tool for easy tone tuning
  • Celebrated MUSES op-amps deliver true-to-life musicality

Essence STX/ST

Turn your PC into a high-end Hi-Fi system
  • Industry-leading 124dB SNR
  • Built-in headphone amp drives every available headphone with <0.001% distortion
  • Nichicon “Fine Gold” capacitors offer great dynamic performance
  • Perfectly shielded EMI-free analog output path
  • Customize your sound color effortlessly via swappable op-amp socket
  • Precision clock tuning technology for ultra-low jitter (Essence STX only)

The Spirit of Essence

  • Meticulous
    Design

    Essence is energized by an eclectic group of visionaries and acoustic engineers who live, breathe and dream audio — just like you. Every product delivers the essence of sound because the Essence design team carefully selects each component and adheres to tolerances that are far more stringent than industry norms.

  • Quintessential
    Performance

    Essence designs are examined and tested intensively for compatibility, reliability and safety. Our manufacturing process uses state-of-the-art techniques governed by exacting rules to ensure quality and consistency. Finished products undergo an exhaustive screening and calibration regimen that only the very best will pass — so you are assured quintessential performance.

  • Profound
    Musicality

    The final say is left to the world’s finest audio judges – human ears. The Essence listening panel is made up of opinionated audiophiles, professional musicians and experienced audio engineers. We apply a blind-test approach to determine the purest sonic characteristics. They listen, digest, and decide.

Acclaimed by Masters

"An honest and compelling sound that puts many traditional hi-fi marques to shame!"

- Extracted from the citation of the EISA jury, Aug 2014

No.1 position in Head-Fi.org's users in Computer Audio and Sound Cards categories

- Essence STX, Head-Fi.org

"Well made design, rich equipment interfaces. Very comfortable and well-balanced sound."

- Essence One MUSES Edition review, AudioVideo (Russia), February 2013

“Discreet and elegant, hardcore components and an original approach.”

- Essence STU review, Haute-Fidélité (France), July 2013

“Asus joins the revolution in a unique way, entering the area reserved for specialized, small manufacturers. Its DACs, both those inexpensive models and the flagship Essence III are unique, as they seem to be fulfilling audiophiles’ wishes. Their functionality is amazing, as is their sound. Bravo for the courage and the consistent pursuit of the goal of high fidelity sound!”

- Essence series, Special Award 2013, High Fidelity (Poland), Dec 2013
Best Product 2014-2015 (USB DAC)
Essence III
EISA (Portugal) Aug 2014
Special Award 2013
Essence series
High Fidelity (Poland) Dec 2013 Learn more
5 out of 6 stars
Essence III
Watt Magazine
(Norway) May 2014
Audio Video Recommendation award
Essence III
Audio Video (Poland) Jan 2014
We Recommend
Essence One MUSES Edition
Hifimaailma (Finland) Oct 2013
Quobuzissime
Essence STU
Qobuz (France) Aug 2013
Editor’s Choice
Essence One
AudioVideo (Poland) Jan 2012
Best Buy
Essence STU
AudioVideo (Russia) Feb 2013
CES 2012 Innovations Award
Essence One
CES (US) Jan 2012
Realsization Award
Essence One
6moons.com (US) Nov 2012 Learn more
Editor’s Choice
Essence STX
Hi-Fi.ru (Russia) Feb 2013 Learn more
Recommended
Essence One
AVForums (UK) Feb 2013
Ljud & Bild
Essence One
Ljud & Blid (Sweden) Feb 2013
Choice of the Expert
Essence One MUSES Edition
AudioVideo (Russia) Feb 2013 Learn more
VGP2013 SUMMER Award
Essence One MUSES Edition
Phileweb (Japan) Feb 2013 Learn more
VGP2014 Award
Essence STU
Phileweb (Japan) Nov 2013 Learn more

Discover The Essence

What is the essence of sound? It means different things to different people. The one certainty is that there’s always something new and interesting behind the melody — if you know how to listen. To get so much more from your audio, enjoy our ever-evolving collection of advice and listening guides.

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