[Chris Tch]

I have a question. I have Foobar/ASIO4All and I am able to control the output volume to my DAC with the volume buttons. Is this bad? I thought bitperfect output wouldn't be affected by this.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Tch /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have a question. I have Foobar/ASIO4All and I am able to control the output volume to my DAC with the volume buttons. Is this bad? I thought bitperfect output wouldn't be affected by this.

You can do it if you cant tell the difference and its conveinient. But I think it does affect the bitstream in a way that disables bit perfect.

 

[Chris Tch]

No no, I don't want to use the volume control. I'm just wondering if simply the fact that I can control the volume means that it isn't bitperfect. It seems like something would have to be interfering in order to let me adjust the volume. I leave it at 100% all the time.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Tch /img/forum/go_quote.gif No no, I don't want to use the volume control. I'm just wondering if simply the fact that I can control the volume means that it isn't bitperfect. It seems like something would have to be interfering in order to let me adjust the volume. I leave it at 100% all the time.

Some will be greyed out and some will not. I use Vista, you?

BTW, the main Foobar volume slider at the top, it will work.

 

[Chris Tch]

I use Windows 7 beta. I know the Foobar volume works, but the Windows volume itself works. I've found that if I disable the DAC in the sound menu, it still plays, but is no longer accessible by Windows. I think I'll keep it that way.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Tch /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use Windows 7 beta. I know the Foobar volume works, but the Windows volume itself works. I've found that if I disable the DAC in the sound menu, it still plays, but is no longer accessible by Windows. I think I'll keep it that way.

That is what you want so that windows is not trying to access the dac when Foobar is using it.

 

[denydog]

I got my ASIO setup working tonight. It took a bit of trial & error, but it was like I thought, just a matter of getting the USB Audio codec to show up in the right places and enabled.

Here's the ASIO4all/Foobar settings currently.

Attachment 15317

Attachment 15318

I downloaded the free 24/96 music sampler from HDTracks, and will give it a listen using the Foobar re-sampler since the Grace's USB input only handles 16/44-48.

I'll probably end up eventualy getting the Bel Canto USB Link 24/96 to be able to play hi-res files using the Grace's S/PDIF input (24/192).

 

[olblueyez]

Glad to hear its working for you.

 

[schnack]

and what i'm stuck at right now is the dsp question. I'm running a S/PDIF from my Asus Xonar D2 into my receiver. Am I to understand that I can't use any of the features on the Xonar menu (EQ, Dolby Digital Live, DTS Interactive, FlexBass [for setting crossover frequency], Dolby Pro Logic IIx, DTS NeoC, Dolby Headphone) if I want bit perfect playback? Right now I have the S/PDIF option checked so it's on, and I have it set to PCM (as opposed to DDL and DTSint). Is this how it has to be? I didn't realize I was giving up all this stuff when I decided to give the ASIO drivers a go. Same question for the Foobar2k EQ, is using it no good if I want bit perfect? Thanks for any help. I'm spending waaaaaaay too much time on this.

here's my setup just in case it helps.

win xp sp3 > foobar2k > asio4all > Asus Xonar d2 > Toslink > receiver

 

[olblueyez]

Depends on your set up and taste, usually bit-perfect will sound best, its will sound dynamic, clean, not colored, not rolled off, very detailed. Sometimes depending on your equipment you may want to use a DSP. I have used the the cross-feed DSP in Foobar and for some older recordings where the piano is coming out of the left ear and the vocals coming out of the right, then you may find it desirable to use a plug-in like that. I did notice when using the cross-feed that th music was a tad rolled off but thats how it goes. Start with bit-perfect and try some stuff and see how it goes. You may have better results using some of the different processors in your receiver too, instead of altering the signal before it is decoded.

 

[schnack]

thanks so much for your response. My main question was that if I have any of these things enabled, can I still acheive bit perfect sound? I'm assuming from your response that the answer is no.

As far as testing bit perfect playback with DTS files, does it make a difference if you burn the files to a cd and then play them back on your cd/dvd drive as opposed to listening to the tracks off the hdd?

Also, I'm assuming to get bit perfect I need to have the S/PDIF output set to "PCM". I just wanted to be completely sure that this is the case.

Thanks for helping all of us Blue Eyez, it's much appreciated.

 

[olblueyez]

Quote:

Originally Posted by schnack /img/forum/go_quote.gif thanks so much for your response. My main question was that if I have any of these things enabled, can I still acheive bit perfect sound? I'm assuming from your response that the answer is no. As far as testing bit perfect playback with DTS files, does it make a difference if you burn the files to a cd and then play them back on your cd/dvd drive as opposed to listening to the tracks off the hdd? Also, I'm assuming to get bit perfect I need to have the S/PDIF output set to "PCM". I just wanted to be completely sure that this is the case. Thanks for helping all of us Blue Eyez, it's much appreciated.

To be honest I tried a few recommendations on how to test for bit-perfect but I came to the conclusion that unless you can run your digital stream through an AVR receiver than you cant preform that test and I was unwilling to try that. Yes, if you alter the digital stream before it is decoded then it is not bit perfect. I'm glad my guide was helpful, I had a hard time getting mine going at first as I had to take info from a few old threads and then not having the pictorial made it even more convoluted, so I decided to lay it out so it would be as easy as I could make it for people to understand. Maybe if you figure an easy way to test for bit-perfect then you can share it with us.

 

[dukja]

Thanks a lot for this thread. I just got the 24-bit MF V-DAC. I installed the ASIO plug to my foobar's components director, then I saw the DS: USB Audio DAC output available with 24-bit depth.

Then, I installed ASIO4ALL and configured it. I saw there are three numbers: in the output menu the 24-bit is grayed out, then in the ASIO4ALL virtual device menu, I saw "32-bit" format, and then if I click "Configure" in another ASIO4ALL configure menu I saw USB Audio DAC Out: 2x 32-48kHz, 16Bits.

After done the config, I can change between DS: USB DAC and ASIO4ALL but did not hear much difference. I "feel like" ASIO4ALL give more high extension and more open but not 100% sure it is real or not.

Did I configure it right? I saw some snapshots shows SPDIF with 24-bit out. Does USB out limits to 16-bit max?

BTW, I wonder if the FALC is 16-bit, why we need to bother buy 24-bit DAC?

Thanks for the help!

 

[olblueyez]

There are a few exceptions but 99 percent of the USB Dac's out there are 16 bit. The extended highs are probably in indicator you have bit-perfect working.

 

[holdendebeans]

Follow Up

Per my earlier post I am using: Vista 64 bit / Conexant / Foobar2000 with WASAPI / s/pdif optical out to DAC1 / headphones. I am struggling to get bit-perfect playback.

I think I've discovered the problem. In Foobar2000 under Preferences/Components/Playback/Output - in the Output Devises: dropdown menu I have the following options

Null Output
DS: Primary Sound Driver
DS: SPDIF Interface (Conexant High Definition Audio)
DS: Speakers (Conexant High Definition Audio)
WASAPI: SPDIF Interface (Conexant High Definition Audio)
WASAPI: Speakers (Conexant High Definition Audio)

Using option 5 I get errors (that's the previous problem).

Using option 3 I can play 24/96 FLAC files that sound great. Bit-perfect I believe.

Hope others can learn from my ignorance.