[mADmAN]

hey guys...im currently using A2ZS with Fubar 2K (v0.9.4) using Kernel Streaming (KS) via analog out.

according to the SPECIFICATIONS PAGE... it states

Quote:

ASIO drivers for low latency(≤2ms) multi-track playback and recording at 16-bit/48kHz

so i was wondering if i could use some sort of ASIO for analog out with my Fubar2K.

since im a noob with Fubar...i was wondering if anyone could help me out with a "step by step guide for dummies" to setup Fubar with the ASIO. what and where to download files etc.

also, which is preferred? ASIO or Kernel?

pls dont ask me to change sources/ soundcard etc etc as i really dont have the finances for that yet...

thanks in advance

EDIT: im an absolute noob when it comes to all these plugins/ foobar etc... so posts like the one below from jiiteepee, althought i DO appreciate it, would be sumthin that i cant understand

so pls pls.. help me in the simplest terms for this

 

[jiiteepee]

The ASIO 16-bit/48kHz mode gives you a bit better FR curve than what you get w/ KS and 16-bit/44.1 kHz. You just need to enable the resampler (44.1->48) plug-in in Foobar DSP settings (if your audio sources are type of std 44.1kHz).

Below mentioned issue has been figured out partly - http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...0&postcount=32

Your card should support ASIO @ 24-bit/96 kHz too so, you could get better results by using this mode (or even w/ 16-bit/96kHz in KS mode) but, what I did some tests w/ Audigy 2 (non Zs) w/ KS 16/24@96, the resampler (PPHS), which comes w/ foobar, gave quite bad resampling results --> >30dB cut down @ 9kHz :

... maybe this phenomenon was related to combination of "VST Host WinAmp DSP Plugin" and "Bridge Plug-in for winamp DSP for Foobar" which both I used for measuring the FR (w/ Voxengo SPAN) or maybe to Foobar output plug-ins (I did try only w/ KS output plug-in)? BTW, the SSRC in Fb2k 0.8.3 cuts down even ~55dB @ 9-10kHz and the Secret Rabbit SRC plugin gives the same results as PPHS. !! The "VST Host WinAmp DSP Plugin" is not the culprit since it works well w/ Winamp when doing same SRC test -> there were no cut offs showing up in Winamp.

For ASIO playback, use 10ms - 50ms latency settings for to get the best (uninterrupted) audio experience from your card.

jiitee

 

[mADmAN]

@jiiteepee

i really appreciate the help...i do...but i cant understand ur post... ive read it over and over but its too technical for my n00bish brain....

ive already edited the first post. so like the first post mentions... id really appreciate sumthin like a "step by step guide for dummies" kinda thing.

thanks

 

[joe_cool]

ASIO is a software interface which is designed to provide low-latency recording and monitoring (this is no help for playback). It can however, be used to bypass the Windows kernel mixer and get better playback performance. Kernel streaming can accomplish the same thing in some situations.

Many Creative sound card drivers automatically re-sample digital audio signals from 44.1 khz to 48 khz for convenience. This hurts the sound quality when playing CD audio.

The way you use ASIO with Foobar is to copy the "foo_out_asio.dll" file to the directory "C:\Program Files\foobar2000\components" on your PC. Then restart foobar and in "Preferences, Playback, Output" you configure and select the ASIO virtual device which works with your software and hardware combination.

I know this sounds complicated but once you understand and configure foobar to meet your needs you will most likely prefer it if you are interested in sound quality above convenience.

When it says in the Creative literature "supports ASIO" that means the Creative driver supports ASIO directly. You may wish to use another option which is the ASIO4ALL program because it was designed to work with sound cards that resample audio data (like some Creative cards and most all AC97 onboard sound devices).

I'm sure you have more questions but see if you can find "foo_out_asio.dll" and copy it to your foobar components directory. This is step 1.

More later...

 

[mADmAN]

MUCH easier to understand...

ok...i downloaded it and now i already have the foo_out_asio.dll in the components directory... so step 1 is complete... thanks joe_cool.

now for step 2

 

[EnOYiN]

Step 2. Go to the thread in my sig.

 

[mADmAN]

@EnoYin

thanks. i already did n ive already tried it. and it works. but thats for ASIO4All. i also read in ur thread that if ur soundcard supports ASIO (which i think mine does), u dont need ASIO4All.

im kinda trying to setup creative ASIO right now. thanks again

 

[joe_cool]

In my opinion there is some advantage to using ASIO4ALL instead of the native ASIO when your sound card driver resamples to 48khz.

By the way this link is dead:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...howtopic=47597

 

[mADmAN]

there is? interesting...

so since my card supports native ASIO.. which should i be going for?

does native ASIO has any advantages over ASIO4All?

dont know if this means anything... but im running a Prescott P4 3.0. which means it runs pretty hot. my work also calls for alot of coding etc etc (CPU intense stuff).

i would like to keep the processes on the CPU as minimal as possible coz when it gets hot...the noise from the HSF just gets friggin annoying.

 

[Rempert]

I would stick to the native ASIO drivers for the A2ZS. There should actually be two such virtual devices: SB Audigy 2 ZS ASIO, and SB Audigy 2 ZS ASIO 24/96. It is probably obvious, but the 24/96 version will require you to resample to 96 khz, and the other one will require you to resample to 48 khz. If you decide to give the 24/96 version a try, it is important that you are not using any kind of Creative DSP (CMSS, EAX, bass management, etc).

 

[mADmAN]

thats what ive decided to do..stick with the native ASIO. or at least try them out first before i decide between the 3 (Native ASIO/ ASIO4All/ Kernel)

but i need help setting up native asio. already got step 1 down...now waiting for Step 2

 

[joe_cool]

When you open "Preferences, Playback, Output, ASIO Virtual Devices" you will see a list box with the configured devices (it may be empty). If you click Edit (or AddNew) you will see another window with a combo (drop down list) box of available drivers (I only have one, the native driver) and below that a list box of available channels for the selected driver.

Tell us what your screens look like and if they are different.

 

[mADmAN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif When you open "Preferences, Playback, Output, ASIO Virtual Devices" you will see a list box with the configured devices (it may be empty). If you click Edit (or AddNew) you will see another window with a combo (drop down list) box of available drivers (I only have one, the native driver) and below that a list box of available channels for the selected driver. Tell us what your screens look like and if they are different.

definitely different....mine has 3 options..

heres a screenie of all 3 and their respective channel map.

 

[joe_cool]

WOA! dude, I thought mine was confusing. I think Rempert is right about the 48khz and 96khz stuff.

I suppose you know that CD audio data has 44,100 samples per second. These samples have 16-bit resolution. That's going to be the main issue with your Audigy card.

Your basic question is how the data is going to get re-sampled to 48khz (or 96khz if you go that way). You can let the Audigy driver do it (the default), you can do it with ASIO4ALL, or you can use some other plug-in like SSRC. I'm not sure you will notice any difference.

If you just want the best sound for your headphones use a different device. Maybe a USB DAC with dedicated headphone amp. That's a good start and costs about $100-200 USD. Or you can get a Chaintech and a CMOY for less money. Use the Audigy card for games and surroud sound.

Now back to the original topic, Audigy and ASIO with Foobar. Set up different virtual devices using the three drivers and see what works and what sounds good. Try not to pull your own leg (wow, that 96/24 upsampled MP3 sounds really good if I use IIRC 2-pole dithering).

Let us know if you have specific questions but remember we can't hear your system so we can't tell you what sounds best.

 

[mADmAN]

LOL!!! tell me about it.... i do plan on a USB DAC in the form of the Firestone Audio Fubar II to match my Firestone Audio Battery Cute II Headamp. was also planning the DAC for Foobar2K and A2ZS for gaming/ movies. but i dont have the finances OR the time to get it yet (what with work and also takes a 5 hour drive to get to the shop). OR mebbe a different DAC which utilizes the SPDIF of my A2ZS (only affordable one ive found so far would be the zhaolu 2.5)

but since thats gonna be a lil while more, i decided to try ASIO with the A2ZS first. and out of curiosity..which would be better for movies? a USB DAC or the A2ZS in 2/2.1 speaker mode??

anyway...i tried all of them by adding them to the ASIO audio devices then selecting them in the output device without changing anything.. and all 3 gave me the same exact error which is...

hence the reason for this topic

should i just stick to the KS or should i just use ASIO4All since that already works?

whats the disadvantages of using ASIO4All compared to native ASIO?