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[Wungun]

The preferred playback method is thru ASIO, and my Xonar STX has decent ASIO drivers....
However, playback thru ASIO sounds weaker (level) and low end punch is definitely lacking.
WASAPI on the other hand is fuller, with more presence and hotter level and much punchier, solid low end.

Can someone explain to me why this is? Both are hardware direct...?

[mojave]

With the Asus ASIO drivers, the system volume still is in effect. With WASAPI, you can check "maximize device volume during playback." If the system volume is turned down a little, in this case ASIO will have a lower volume than WASAPI.

I think any effects in the Asus drivers will be bypassed with ASIO but may still be in effect with WASAPI. Have you made sure you turned off all DSP in the Asus drivers?

[Wungun]

I think DSP effects are all off. One thing I hate about the Xonar is the stupid control panel.

I would of thought both would bypass Windows volume...?

[mwillems]

I think DSP effects are all off. One thing I hate about the Xonar is the stupid control panel.

I would of thought both would bypass Windows volume...?

The Asus control panel is hard to bypass.  The way to make sure that all DSP is off is to click the HF button in the Asus panel.  That turns off all DSP.  If you haven't already tried it, try the Unified Xonar drivers, they offer an option that bypasses the Asus mixer to the extent possible.  You'll still need to go into it to change between the headphone out and the stereo outs for example, but it will lower your latency.

If the difference in bass you're hearing isn't DSP-related, it may just be a result of the louder signal.  At any given SPL, the perceived loudness of sound varies across the frequency spectrum and both bass and very high frequency become subjectively "louder" as volume increases (even though the actual volume is increasing uniformly across the band). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal-loudness_contour

[Wungun]

The HF button? For Hi-Fi? This should be on?

[mwillems]

The HF button? For Hi-Fi? This should be on?

My understanding is that turning "Hi-Fi" on turns off all DSP/post processing and just passes through the sound unaltered; all other modes do some kind of processing.  From the manual: "This mode is set for Hi-Fidelity playback, where all effects will
be cleared to keep the original digital data and analog output
quality as high as possible"

[Wungun]

Nice, thanks...I'll do that.

But even so, ASIO just doesn't have the "lungs" WASAPI does, regardless of volume.