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Can the media player affect sound fidelity?

post #1 of 7
12/27/11 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 

In terms of audio fidelity, is one media player better than another?  I noticed that Foobar is a popular player here.  I use VLC, and it seems to do everything I need it to do (plays all file types).  From a fidelity perspective, is there anything to be gained by switching?  Can ASIO compatibility really make a difference.  When you download the ASIO plugin for Foobar it says to use ASIO only as a last resort.  I use a Xonar D1 sound card.  It supports ASIO.   I guess what I'm asking is, can Foobar actually sound better than VLC?

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post #2 of 7
12/28/11 at 3:10am

I do not think there has been any real testing of this. People do report hearing differences, but that does not necessarily mean the difference is inherant in the media player. I am sure I can hear differences between Spotify, itunes and WMP. But since that is all in the digital domain, it should be the same untill it is converted to an analogue signal and that reaches your speaker.

 

But, since testing of file sizes and codecs suggest there are audible differences which are inherant in the file size and codec, I would suggest that that is what is important. So the media player is not the issue, the type of file size and codec it uses is.

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post #3 of 7
12/28/11 at 4:25am

If you do “nothing”, you are using DS, the Win default audio driver.

All output is routed through the Win mixer and the output is dithered.

All audio is resampled to the settings in the audio control panel.

 

If you use drivers like ASIO or WASAPI you bypass the mixer effectively skipping the dither.

This might yield a more transparent sound.

Likewise resampling can have an impact on sound quality.

Automatic sample rate switching allows you to play all audio at its native sample rate.

 

Obvious the driver used can have an impact on sound quality.

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post #4 of 7
12/28/11 at 4:34am

I'm pretty sure there is a difference between WMP and Foobar, maybe not in quality but in the sound signature (no better word comes to mind)... With everything at 0 i find WMP much more bass-heavy than Foobar (or VLC).

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post #5 of 7
12/28/11 at 5:57am
Playing the same file in two different players should yield the same results as long as they're both in exclusive mode (WASAPI, ASIO, etc.), not EQ'd or using DSPs, and the decoders are implemented correctly.
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post #6 of 7
12/28/11 at 6:40am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the input guys.  I'm going to implement the ASIO settings in Foobar, and give it a try.  Only way I'm going to know for sure......right?

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post #7 of 7
12/28/11 at 9:42am
Yep with nothing enabled, and in WASAPI/ASIO modes, no differences should be heard.
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