WASAPI + iTunes 10.6 + Windows 7
Apr 24, 2012 at 2:01 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 9

hodgjy

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I apologize if the answer has been posted elsewhere, but my searches thus far have yielded no results.
 
After resisting long enough, I finally got a new computer with enough hard drive space to go lossless.  I'm getting an external dac to play Apple Lossless through iTunes.
 
Since iTunes 10.5, they've taken Quicktime integration away.  So, how do I enable WASAPI now that Quicktime is no longer linked to iTunes?  I want to make sure I feed the usb dac with the best quality signal from iTunes.
 
Thanks.
 
Apr 25, 2012 at 4:46 PM Post #3 of 9
P.S.  I didn't explicitly say it in the text (just in the title), but it's a Windows 7 PC.  64-bit Windows Home Premium.
 
 
Apr 27, 2012 at 6:01 PM Post #4 of 9
I've been curious about Itunes and wasapi. My pc shows me that wasapi  appears not to be working and when I use Foobar alls good. Ihave most of my music in itunes and want to get a Dac to go to my stereo. Looking forward to find out what the hell is going on.
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 6:54 PM Post #5 of 9
I've got the  latest iTunes. My laptop is a Dell Inspiron 14 running Windows 7 Home Edition. I run USB output to Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD external sound card and from there, Toslink to S/PDIF DVD input on the back of my Sony TA-E9000ES Control Amp. The Sound Blaster is set for 24/96 in shared mode. I do not think Windows Audio Session has anything to do with what I am listening to from iTunes or any other program I may occasionally use. I do not perceive that there is any process, procedure, or upgrade in electronics/programs which would yield a better stereo sound with managed bass than that which I am experiencing now. My computer music library just sounds great.
 
Apr 28, 2012 at 7:38 PM Post #6 of 9
I've done lots of tinkering with the audio settings on my computer, and I've concluded it is running at optimal performance.  I think iTunes uses WASAPI by default now, but just not in exclusive mode.  I can only detect ever so slight difference between my dac's usage of an optical signal from a dedicated transport and the usb signal from iTunes.  So, I'm content to call it a day and just plan to get lost in the music.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 9:18 AM Post #7 of 9
 
Quote:
I've done lots of tinkering with the audio settings on my computer, and I've concluded it is running at optimal performance.  I think iTunes uses WASAPI by default now, but just not in exclusive mode.  I can only detect ever so slight difference between my dac's usage of an optical signal from a dedicated transport and the usb signal from iTunes.  So, I'm content to call it a day and just plan to get lost in the music.

 
I'm content too. Interestingly, if I set Quicktime to Windows Audio Secession it will revert to "direct sound" when using the Sound Blaster X-FI HD device. BTW, regarding exclusive mode, I've checked the box to allow applications to take exclusive control of device. I've also checked the box to give exclusive mode applications priority. I'm wondering now what that's all about, that's to say, I really don't know what checking those boxes means to my music enjoyment.
 
Apr 29, 2012 at 3:12 PM Post #8 of 9
 
Quote:
 I think iTunes uses WASAPI by default now, but just not in exclusive mode. 

 
WASAPI comes with 2 modes.
Shared: the audio is send to the mixer. The output is dithered.
Exclusive: the mixer is bypassed, the audio is send straight to the audio device.
 
There is a possibility that using Exclusive mode yields a slight increase in transparency as dither at -96 dBFS can be audible (but it is very soft).
 
A simple test: set your media player to use WASAPI and play.
Start another audio stream.
If you hear 2 streams playing it is shared mode (the mixer)
If the second stream doesn’t play it is WASAPI exclusive as indeed exclusive means excluding all other streams to use the audio device.
 
 

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