Asus Xonar Essence One Muse Edition

Flagship USB DAC and headphone amplifier uses premium MUSES 01 Op-Amps for high-fidelity audio reproduction

• Powered by six top-notch MUSES 01 Op-Amp for crystal clear and spacious sound
• MUSES 01 is the first ever oxygen-free copper interconnect and custom layout Op-Amp for truthful sound reproduction
• 8x symmetrical upsampling technology for ultra-low sound distortion
• Dedicated 600ohm headphone amplifier for clearest detail
• Ultra-high 120dB SNR for purest sound

They improve tone and timbre detail and dynamic range extension even from low-power sources. The Xonar Essence One includes a dedicated 600 ohm-optimized audiophile-class headphone amplifier to drive your headphones, making sure you hear every detail.

Ultra-high 120dB SNR
The average SNR of other USB DACs is about 110dB.

With its extremely high SNR (120dB), the Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition provides audiophiles clearer sounds with every detail retained while significantly reducing noise levels.

ASUS-exclusive Hyper Grounding technology
Hyper Grounding technology utilizes a multi-layer PCB for the purest sound possible.

By applying this design, sensitive analogue signals are neatly separated from digital signals to reduce cross-talk and other unwanted effects. Twin grounding layers also form a shield to block interference. Therefore, Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition outperforms market standards to provide truly pure sound thanks to top quality components and years of board layout expertise, a combination only ASUS delivers. 

Bit-perfect audio and ASIO support
The Essence One supports Audio Stream Input/Output 2.2 drivers, known as ASIO 2.2.

One of the most renowned audio protocols for bit-perfection, it allows digital signals to bypass Windows audio layers to avoid redundant processing. ASIO 2.2 provides full 64-bit Windows compatibility, supporting variable bit depth, sample rate, multi-channel operation, and synchronization. With easy setup, it allows you to quickly enjoy high fidelity and stable bit-perfect audio. 

Balanced XLR output
The Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition features balanced (XLR) outputs, which offer higher quality output and unwanted noise and interference elimination.

Properly balanced lines integrate two signal-carrying conductors of equal magnitude but opposite polarity, causing noise along the cable to cancel out by the time it reaches the destination load. Balanced lines are therefore ideal for professional applications where longer cable length noise could be an issue.

XLR connectors are typically wired in a Pin 1- Ground, Pin 2- Hot (in-phase), Pin 3- Cold (phase-inverted) configuration.

WIMA capacitor
The Xonar Essence One MUSES Edition uses a premium WIMA capacitor (made in Germany), one of the most highly-regarded parts among audio enthusiasts for its warmer, cleaner, and more balanced sound image.