[Jd007]

Hey all:
 
I've been experience a problem with my ASUS Xonar Essence ST in foobar2000, output through WASAPI. If any other application tries to make a sound when I'm playing music with foobar2000 through WASAPI, there would be a popping sound.
 
For example when I browse my files in Windows Explorer, opening a folder and going back a level would make a popping sound, since Windows is trying to play the navigation sound. Same thing happens with chat notification sounds - the sound won't be played but a crack/pop would be heard. I've tried playing many files (all EAC FLAC), same problem.
 
Otherwise there is no problem with my output at all. If nothing tries to play any sound while foobar's playing, I get great audio. Does anybody else have the same problem?
 
I'm on Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, running the latest non-beta Xonar Essence ST driver (7.12.8.1777). This happens with both headphone and speaker/RCA output. I have HiFi mode on in the Xonar control panel, which is supposed to turn off all sound processing (turning HiFi mode off doesn't solve the problem). Sample rate is set to 192 kHz in Xonar control panel; I tried changing it to other values, problem persists. foobar is at v1.0.3, buffer length of 1000ms, output format is 24-bit. I tried lowering the buffer length and changing the output format down to 16-bit, problem again persists.
 
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[gurubhai]

Try checking DPI latency ofy our system :
 
DPI Latency checker

 

[Jd007]

I used the tool you linked and checked my DPC latency. The result is fine. The program says "This machine should be able to handle real-time streaming of audio and/or video data without drop-outs." 
 
Test interval is 1000us
When playing audio absolute maximum is 262us (with WASAPI and without are the same)
When not playing anything absolute maximum drops to about half that, 122us
 
So I don't think that's the problem. Thanks for your help though.

 

[gurubhai]

Try using asio/ KS

 

[ROBSCIX]

If you have any buffer settings try increasing the buffer.

 

[Jd007]

I tried ASIO before, and since it doesn't block other system sounds, it doesn't help with my problem (I don't want to be interrupted by other sounds when listening to music).
 
Also I tried lowering the buffer setting in foobar to 200, increasing it to 2000, problem still there. This is very weird. I think it should be a software issue though I'm not sure what exactly is causing it. I don't have many background processes running.
 
Edit: I just tried KS output, problem still there.

 

[Jd007]

OK I found that others are having the same problem on the ASUS forum, affecting both the ST and STX cards. Seems to be a driver issue in the 7.x drivers, as the 6.x drivers worked fine. Hopefully they will release a fix for it soon. Thanks for the help.

 

[makasin]

Im experiencing the same exact problem. I just updated to the newly released 1792 drivers and ive been getting that. I didnt used to have it before. hmm. I guess its directsound for me

. ASIO is now bit perfect so i cant use the volume control which makes it useless. KS and WASAPI crackles. my DPC isnt amazing but it stays under 0.1msec (1000usec) most of the time and occasionally gets up to 1093usec randomly. No other problems that I notice

 

[sonci]

Why don`t you just set Windows sound scheme to NO SOUNDS,
as this way in theory Wasapi can do the wasapi job or whatever it does,
 
Strange, but  Asus has started to build audiophille drivers,
in fact this should be the correct behavior of windows while using wasapi..
 

 

[makasin]

yeah i suppose that makes sense. thanks for the suggestion, I didnt think about that

 

[chicostein]

Hi, I have a related problem, while using the Essence ST, optical out and J River Media Center 15. ASIO mode. (I use the latest non-beta driver from Asus, Windows 7 64bit). 
When the playlist goes from a mp3 file to a iTunes purchased m4a file, I hear some very very weird "purely digital" noises for the 6 seconds or so of default buffer/crossfade.
There were pops, jerking screeches etc. and they were quite loud and unconfortable. I was even worried for the safety of my brand new T1 and worried they might be clipping or something like that.
I also can hear the music slowing down when I scroll a long list etc. but this does not me worry so much.
 
1) Did somebody have already had this problem? Heard the kind of really weird pops I am talking about?
2) What should be the best fix? I read a lot about latency checks, universal drivers, beta drivers, etc. no sure what to try first.
3) Last but not least, is there any chance than some very weird 6 seconds of digital noise (the amp volume was at 40%, high gain) might in any way damage my Beyer T1?
 
thanks a lot

 

[drez]

has anyone found a good workaround or fix for this yet?  I got same problem - is change drivers the only fix?

 

[bambadoo]

There is no workaraound. Maybe roll back to the v6 drivers? This has now become a well known problem. I have it also. Irritating. Using the latest "unified" drivers.
Using spdif from stx to Audio Note dac. (spdif out is much better than usb out (bypassing the stx) )

Sincerely

 

[schicktdesdich]

Same problem here, any solutions up to now? 
 
greetings

 

[kalston]

Removing Windows sounds worked for me.