[turokrocks]

Quote:

 


Yes, it did! By this moment I've got an idea about the Aplayer functionality, yet testing it though.
Ok, let me tell about its functionality in general.
 
1.Interface
-This is album oriented player, it's dedicated to play albums. Multiple albums can be downloaded and then chosen for playback. Not a single track download is possible,however, you can choose separate tracks to play within an album chosen for the playback.
- It provides track timebar for navigation within the length of the track being played.
- It provides play, stop, pause, fast forward, back forward, next/previous track selection.
 
2. Input/Output
-It provides support of wasapi and asio output plugins (plugins come with player)
- It provides NULL output option for direct output using external driver. In my case I use VIA ASIO from audio-gd under NULL output option. It means that no output plugins are used but the DAC asio driver (VIA ASIO). Developer says that this option gives the best quality of the playback.
 
3. Formats
-It supports all lossless formats: wav, flac, ape, mp4
-It supports DVD-A ISO
-It supports SACD formats (dff) with convertion to PCM. As to SACD dff, I cannot make work it properly, when switching to the next track, player stops working. But I think I need to dig it deeper to resolve the problem. DVD-A ISO works with no problems.
-It supports Hi-Res audio flac files with no problems detected.

Thanks for the headsup, now will need a comparison between it and Cplay and which you preferred?
Gapless mode!!! Now I am interested.

 

[Allek]

Quote:

Thanks for the headsup, now will need a comparison between it and Cplay and which you preferred?
Gapless mode!!! Now I am interested.

Well, actually, I could not catch a difference in sound between Cplay and Aplayer so far. Probably, my speakers (AE Neo One) will not allow to hear the difference.
I've read reviews (on russian-speaking forums) from some people which believe that CPlay sounds a little bit harsher on highs unlike Aplayer but I cannot buy it as I cannot hear any difference on my setup.
I think that the difference, if it exists, is negligible as both players use the same design philosophy which provides "direct output of sound stream from sound format decoder into output device" unlike players like foobar. So I'm staying on Aplayer so far as I can't find a difference in sound and Aplayer gives extended functionality compared to Cplay.  

 

[turokrocks]

..

 

[Warrax]

I've tried Cplay too, and I must admit, that I have feeling, it has better sound in some aspects than Foobar. I'm not sucessful too to run it with VIA DirectKS ASIO format, so need to use ASIO4all, but even with ASIO4all, it sounds suprisingly good.
I'm using only basic configuration of CPlay, maybe when someone will tune it a little bit more (and same those Windows functions mentioned before), the sound will be even better.
But right now, I am unable to play with CPlay:
-Monkey Audio or CD format (only wav, cue or flac)
-Anything higher than 44100 Hz. Asio4all works with foobar with any sample rate, but with CPlay, only with 44100.
-I don't see there option to make even playlists, and many usefull features, which is anoying for enjoyable listening.
 
So, it seems, I give a try to APlayer too, maybe it will be good gold journey between foobar and CPlay.
 
Btw, I am curious, which from this really long list of optimization of Windows are most worth to make, to improve sound quality:
http://www.cicsmemoryplayer.com/index.php?n=CMP.07Optimisations
 
The best would be really to have notebook specially made only for running music files, but in reality, one is using same computer for anything, so I was thinking about copy of Windows, that would be made only for playing music files, would be good compromise.

 

[HeatFan12]

Since various players are being discussed, don't know if you guys have tried uLilith (Lilith).  Another no frills, just sound player.  Give it a whirl if you haven't.  Curious on impressions.
 
Don't remember if I posted these in this thread or in the 15.1 thread-
 

 
 

 

[hfsub]

2. Input/Output
-It provides support of wasapi and asio output plugins (plugins come with player)
- It provides NULL output option for direct output using external driver. In my case I use VIA ASIO from audio-gd under NULL output option. It means that no output plugins are used but the DAC asio driver (VIA ASIO). Developer says that this option gives the best quality of the playback.
 

Thanks for the great player. It indeed plays very well!
I managed to use VIA ASIO under ASIO output format only. How do I try out Null output? I cannot configure anything under Null output and it cannot play with Null output either.

 

[hfsub]

Figured it out how to use Null output. Use the plugin dll under the EXTRA folder. After replacing the dlls, go into File formats, then WAV settings, choose an appropriate ASIO driver. I have not listened to it. Only tried that on a working computer with no DAC and headphones. I don't know if it works with WAV only.

 

[hfsub]

Regarding null output, I can confirm that once I set WAV settings of Files formats, it will work for flac, ape, cue.

 

[koonyue]

Guys,
 
After such a long time, finally someone understand the beauty of cPlay !
 
I have a LONG conversation with KingWa try to deal with the problem of VIA ASIO under cPlay, seems no one care about cPlay and of course, KingWa can't help either.
 
I am a firm believer of cPlay (now switch to Linux), it is such a pity we cannot make VIA ASIO work under cPlay, ASIO4ALL is "nothing" compare to a real ASIO driver, at least under cPlay.
 
To KingWa, please, try give cPlay a look and make VIA ASIO work under it, Foobar is not really up to the standard compare to cPlay.
 
To others, from cPlay website, there have a lots of tweaks you can carry out, from my exp, the most important are the following:
 
1. CMP, it is a Windows shell, to make it easy to understand, you are "booting" into CMP, rather than Windows. Once into CMP, the layout is not like anything in Windows, you don't have taskbar, start button, recycle bin etc ... it do a single job only, play music !
 
2. minlogon, once you did it, the Windows login process will slim into minimal, e.g. all domain login, password management are gone, by doing this, you can at least gaining 20% sound quality upgrade, a must do
 
btw, cPlay work with single WAV/Flac file, or CUE sheet only, a CUE sheet is just a basic text file which contain a list of WAV/Flac to play along, like an album
 
Thanks

 

[turokrocks]

Quote:

 

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 
Guys,
 
After such a long time, finally someone understand the beauty of cPlay !
 
I have a LONG conversation with KingWa try to deal with the problem of VIA ASIO under cPlay, seems no one care about cPlay and of course, KingWa can't help either.
 
I am a firm believer of cPlay (now switch to Linux), it is such a pity we cannot make VIA ASIO work under cPlay, ASIO4ALL is "nothing" compare to a real ASIO driver, at least under cPlay.
 
To KingWa, please, try give cPlay a look and make VIA ASIO work under it, Foobar is not really up to the standard compare to cPlay.
 
To others, from cPlay website, there have a lots of tweaks you can carry out, from my exp, the most important are the following:
 
1. CMP, it is a Windows shell, to make it easy to understand, you are "booting" into CMP, rather than Windows. Once into CMP, the layout is not like anything in Windows, you don't have taskbar, start button, recycle bin etc ... it do a single job only, play music !
 
2. minlogon, once you did it, the Windows login process will slim into minimal, e.g. all domain login, password management are gone, by doing this, you can at least gaining 20% sound quality upgrade, a must do
 
btw, cPlay work with single WAV/Flac file, or CUE sheet only, a CUE sheet is just a basic text file which contain a list of WAV/Flac to play along, like an album
 
Thanks
 

 

Kingwa, I have decided to get the NFB-27 but I only use cPlay to play my music, and since the USB asio driver is not compatible with cplay (Strangely all my other dacs with their asio driver worked flawlessly with cplay), I will have to forgo the Audio-gd for now , at least until they fix the asio driver!! Any comments?

 

[Eryk]

[size=medium]Hi Kingwa,[/size]
 
[size=medium]reading about usb audio standard I think I know now where lies a problem with firmware #4.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Here for example is not too technical explanation about usb audio:[/size]
[size=medium]  http://www.edn.com/design/consumer/4376143/Fundamentals-of-USB-Audio?page=2[/size]
[size=medium]and you can read that feedback format should be 16.16.[/size]
 
[size=medium]This lead me to usb 2.0 specification and in point 5.12.4.2 you have:[/size]
[size=medium]“For high-speed endpoints, the value shall be encoded in an unsigned 12.13 format which fits into four bytes.[/size]
[size=medium] The value shall be aligned into these four bytes so that the binary point is located between the second and[/size]
[size=medium] the third byte so that it has a 16.16 format.”[/size]
 
[size=medium]Firmware #4 uses 14.18 feedback format. This must lead to incorrect calculation of momentary frequency,[/size]
[size=medium]when to send next portion of data. This is why Linux try to send 44.1kHz audio stream with frequency of  48kHz.[/size]
[size=medium]And this must cause buffer overflow in DAC.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Can someone check firmware #4 under Mac OS? Mac should expect standard 16.16 format too. [/size]
 
[size=medium]Kingwa could you prepare firmware #5 with standard implementation of usb audio with 16.16 feedback format?[/size]
[size=medium]Then we will be able to test it.[/size]

 

[Saraguie]

Quote:

[size=medium]Hi Kingwa,[/size]
 
[size=medium]reading about usb audio standard I think I know now where lies a problem with firmware #4.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Here for example is not too technical explanation about usb audio:[/size]
[size=medium]  http://www.edn.com/design/consumer/4376143/Fundamentals-of-USB-Audio?page=2[/size]
[size=medium]and you can read that feedback format should be 16.16.[/size]
 
[size=medium]This lead me to usb 2.0 specification and in point 5.12.4.2 you have:[/size]
[size=medium]“For high-speed endpoints, the value shall be encoded in an unsigned 12.13 format which fits into four bytes.[/size]
[size=medium] The value shall be aligned into these four bytes so that the binary point is located between the second and[/size]
[size=medium] the third byte so that it has a 16.16 format.”[/size]
 
[size=medium]Firmware #4 uses 14.18 feedback format. This must lead to incorrect calculation of momentary frequency,[/size]
[size=medium]when to send next portion of data. This is why Linux try to send 44.1kHz audio stream with frequency of  48kHz.[/size]
[size=medium]And this must cause buffer overflow in DAC.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Can someone check firmware #4 under Mac OS? Mac should expect standard 16.16 format too. [/size]
 
[size=medium]Kingwa could you prepare firmware #5 with standard implementation of usb audio with 16.16 feedback format?[/size]
[size=medium]Then we will be able to test it.[/size]

I'd be willing to test it. How do I update from firmware #3 to #4 on my MAC?

 

[hfsub]

I am a firm believer of cPlay (now switch to Linux), it is such a pity we cannot make VIA ASIO work under cPlay, ASIO4ALL is "nothing" compare to a real ASIO driver, at least under cPlay.

 
I tried last night, cPlay (also downloaded and installed last night) works with VIA DirectKS ASIO (firmware #4, driver 1.22, Win7 HomePrem 64). I have only tried 44.1/16. It played well.

 

[FredG]

Quote:

 
I tried last night, cPlay (also downloaded and installed last night) works with VIA DirectKS ASIO (firmware #4, driver 1.22, Win7 HomePrem 64). I have only tried 44.1/16. It played well.

 
Not for me : "No valid ASIO drivers found!" when starting cPlay...
 
Firmware #4, driver 1.22, Win7 HomePrem 64

 

[Saraguie]

Quote:

I'd be willing to test it. How do I update from firmware #3 to #4 on my MAC?

Have directions and will be updating over the weekend. Will post after wards.