Chaintech AV-710 Setup Thread, Including True 44.1kHz Wolfson Output in XP

[Guest5]

For a long time now I've been using the 473b drivers, but I never figured out how to configure the foobar2000 in one spot.

Can you please look at the screen-shot and tell me what setting should I use in the "Output Data Format" when using Wolfson DAC to 44.1/48kHz. I was using 16bit all along, but the default specs of the Wolfson DAC is 24bit/96Khz isn't it?, so I really don't know how it is correct and I would like to know.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Set it to 24-bit or 32-bit. Padding to a higher bit-depth will avoid the use of dither, and it will allow non-resampled playback of 24-bit files. But realistically, if you're only playing music from CDs, it will make no difference.

 

[Guest5]

I've got one more question. How do I use the true/clean line-out from Wolfson DAC when using through the green jack(for use with a dedicated amp)? I think I need to switch some jumpers on the board, but I don't know what are those and where to move them. Can you help?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got one more question. How do I use the true/clean line-out from Wolfson DAC when using through the green jack(for use with a dedicated amp)? I think I need to switch some jumpers on the board, but I don't know what are those and where to move them. Can you help?

You can't use the Wolfson DAC with the green output jack. As far as I know, only the VIA DACs play through the green jack. If you're using a dedicated headphone amp, you'll want to use the black jack anyway; it's a line output, whereas the green jack / VIA DACs have built-in headphone amplification.

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can't use the Wolfson DAC with the green output jack. As far as I know, only the VIA DACs play through the green jack. If you're using a dedicated headphone amp, you'll want to use the black jack anyway; it's a line output, whereas the green jack / VIA DACs have built-in headphone amplification.

I thought that using 473 drivers I could get the wolfson DAC to play via the green jack. That's because I want it to sound 44.1Khz naturally. The sound is great and I never thought that was actually the VIA DAC. I am planing to get an amp very soon, thank you for the info. The problem is whenever I use the black output on XP the sound tends to disappear and never gets back on. That's with the new drivers. With 473b the channels are not balanced if I move the volume slider, that's frustrating. Thank you VIA.

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought that using 473 drivers I could get the wolfson DAC to play via the green jack. That's because I want it to sound 44.1Khz naturally. The sound is great and I never thought that was actually the VIA DAC. I am planing to get an amp very soon, thank you for the info. The problem is whenever I use the black output on XP the sound tends to disappear and never gets back on. That's with the new drivers. With 473b the channels are not balanced if I move the volume slider, that's frustrating. Thank you VIA.

Uhm... black output jack - Wolfson DAC, all others are VIA. It's not a matter of being able to play it, it's a fact of the Wolfson DAC being connecting physically to that one jack while VIA chips are connected to others.

 

[Guest5]

I think I got it. The black jack sounds surprisingly!! weak indeed, yet there is sterility and easy flow. I don't need to touch the volume slider on it anyway since I'll be using an amp. I'll get my amp in a couple of days and see if my expectations meet, according to many audio enthusiasts the AV710 should sound wonderful when amped properly.

 

[MCC]

Just a note- if you're using Vista, use the WASAPI plugin instead of KS/ASIO. WASAPI is an official Microsoft interface that allows Foobar to take control of the soundcard, bypassing the mixer for bit-perfect output. It works similarly to KS but in a much less hackish way.

Edit: WASAPI adds some lag to the volume control but you should never use a digital volume anyways (unless you're padding with 0s- aka 16bit to 24bit)

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just a note- if you're using Vista, use the WASAPI plugin instead of KS/ASIO. WASAPI is an official Microsoft interface that allows Foobar to take control of the soundcard, bypassing the mixer for bit-perfect output. It works similarly to KS but in a much less hackish way. Edit: WASAPI adds some lag to the volume control but you should never use a digital volume anyways (unless you're padding with 0s- aka 16bit to 24bit)

Is 16-bit/44.1 kHz via Wolfson DAC possible when using Foobar's WASAPI plug-in?

 

[MCC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is 16-bit/44.1 kHz via Wolfson DAC possible when using Foobar's WASAPI plug-in?

I don't think it is. The driver only seems to want to provide a 96/192KHz interface for that chip.

 

[TehNomad]

Anyone have success installing the 5.40a drivers on Windows 7? I can install it under Vista compatibility mode, but it doesn't playback sound.

 

[Guest5]

If I want to play games using chaintech what settings should I use in the driver CP? I know onboard sound takes power from the CPU for sound processing, what about chaintech, does it process the sound itself like the creative cards, or does it rely on CPU as well(in games)? What does AC3 only setting do?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guest5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I want to play games using chaintech what settings should I use in the driver CP? I know onboard sound takes power from the CPU for sound processing, what about chaintech, does it process the sound itself like the creative cards, or does it rely on CPU as well(in games)? What does AC3 only setting do?

Use the settings from the OP unless you want surround-sound, but if that's the case you won't be able to use the Wolfson DAC. The AV-710 has minimal EAX support, so most of the processing is done via software (CPU). The overhead for this is minimal, and most people who switch to something like a X-Fi only see a few FPS of improvement.

AC-3 is another name for Dolby Digital. I think that setting only applies to the digital output.

 

[Guest5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Use the settings from the OP unless you want surround-sound, but if that's the case you won't be able to use the Wolfson DAC. The AV-710 has minimal EAX support, so most of the processing is done via software (CPU). The overhead for this is minimal, and most people who switch to something like a X-Fi only see a few FPS of improvement.

I thought EAX is something that has to do with Creative cards only(maybe I am mistaken). Chaintech doesn't have any EAX, at least I who am familiar with it(audigy 2 user in the past) don't see/hear it in the chaintech card. Still I logically think that if Chaintech has a standalone chip on it(VIA Envy24) it does all the job processing anysound whatsoever in videogames.

I don't have a creative card now, but I am sure that with AV710 I gain few fps in games, like Far Cry 2 and is most noticeable when a lot of sounds are being played at once. But there is a downside... the onboard(alc888 in my case) has a bit better 3d sound in games in my opinion. But I like the sound quality of the AV710 much and the extra fps, too bad I was starting using it just now(I was keeping it only for music as a second card). Time to unwind and put on there some fresh sound into my videogames. Thanks for the help..

 

[infinitesymphony]

Oh, yes, having a dedicated sound card versus onboard will help--the sound card will always do the basic processing. I was just referring to the EAX portion, which is hardware-accelerated on Creative cards. You're right that Creative is mostly responsible for EAX these days, but many other cards support some of the more primitive EAX modes like 1 or 2 via software, which is reliant on the CPU.