[Kpalsm]

If you want bit-perfect playback out of F2k on Windows XP, the only ways I know of are ASIO and kernel streaming, but I'm unfamiliar with the latter. It's not exactly necessary, but a lot of people (myself included) say it helps you get the most out of your setup.

Windows has something called "kmixer" which is basically a program that takes all the different sounds that are playing on your computer (could be different types of sounds) and "mixes" them all into one stream of sound which is then sent to your sound card. This is accomplished by something called "re-sampling", and if the re-sampler is of poor quality (not sure what people say about the stock Windows re-sampler), the sound quality will suffer.

The purpose of ASIO, kernel streaming and other solutions (such as WASAPI which only works in Windows Vista or later) is to bypass any Windows meddling with the sound from whatever you have ASIO or whatever set up with (in this case, F2k) and sends the stream straight to your sound card, unadulterated. In the case of WASAPI, all other sounds on your computer are muted and all your computer will be outputting is the sound from your player.

So, it's not really necessary (well, some people might say it is

) but it is quite helpful and depending on your equipment and how well you can tell the difference between poor and good sound quality, the difference may be significant.

Hope that was helpful

 

[Electrolith]

Where is the supern00b forum?!

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but searches are yielding me nothing at this point. Anyway, I'm extremely new to listening to music in any other way than just plugging my crappy headphones into my iPod and jamming away. Recently though, I bought a pair of HD-595s and an amp that will be here shortly. While I've been waiting, I decided to up my music quality, and somehow managed to rip some CDs into foobar2000 using EAC and FLAC. When I plug my headphones in, though, I get a rather large amount of static and crackling that I would really not prefer... Anyway, I may be way over my head here, but is there anything I can do to fix this?

Thanks, and bear with me; I'm slow!

 

[Bloodoath]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif Where is the supern00b forum?! I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but searches are yielding me nothing at this point. Anyway, I'm extremely new to listening to music in any other way than just plugging my crappy headphones into my iPod and jamming away. Recently though, I bought a pair of HD-595s and an amp that will be here shortly. While I've been waiting, I decided to up my music quality, and somehow managed to rip some CDs into foobar2000 using EAC and FLAC. When I plug my headphones in, though, I get a rather large amount of static and crackling that I would really not prefer... Anyway, I may be way over my head here, but is there anything I can do to fix this? Thanks, and bear with me; I'm slow!

How you set up Foobar? Some screen shots of the audio setup might help. Are you using ASIO, WASAPI, what? If ASIO how was that setup? Need details.

 

[oatmeal769]

Also, what are you using in your PC or elsewhere to convert the digital information to sound? There might be something going on with bitrates, the conversion process, etc.

 

[oatmeal769]

Oh, and Bloodoath, LOVE that avatar! I'm going to snag it for my facebook posts, if you don't mind, LOL

 

[Bloodoath]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oatmeal769 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh, and Bloodoath, LOVE that avatar! I'm going to snag it for my facebook posts, if you don't mind, LOL

It's not mine. Got it from DeviantArt. It was prefect for the times.

 

[azncookiecutter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrolith /img/forum/go_quote.gif Where is the supern00b forum?! I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but searches are yielding me nothing at this point. Anyway, I'm extremely new to listening to music in any other way than just plugging my crappy headphones into my iPod and jamming away. Recently though, I bought a pair of HD-595s and an amp that will be here shortly. While I've been waiting, I decided to up my music quality, and somehow managed to rip some CDs into foobar2000 using EAC and FLAC. When I plug my headphones in, though, I get a rather large amount of static and crackling that I would really not prefer... Anyway, I may be way over my head here, but is there anything I can do to fix this? Thanks, and bear with me; I'm slow!

Could just be the headphone jack being really really bad to begin with. Get an external DAC along with the amp, should help.

 

[3K weave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by holdendebeans /img/forum/go_quote.gif 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.

I have the same problem with foobar2000 wasapi + dac1, using direct sound output does not give bit 4 bit transfer i though it did when i tryed it, but then i went to test it on my other dac and sent a 88.2k rate to it the 96k indicator lit up It was using the sound settings on the conexant sound card on my laptop. I dont understand i though wasapi would just send bit transparent. It looks like it can only do it if the sample rate is suppoted by the conexant sound card which is 44.1 48, 96 on mine. cheers

 

[regal]

You can have ASIO, KS, or WASAPI and still not be bit perfect under a windoes environment.

I can't believe no one has reported any DTS testing. Its the only way to know if you are bit perfect.

Without doing the test it is analogous to saying you have a fever but don't have a thermometer.

I can tell you for a fact that WIN XP KS is rarely bit-perfect.

I have recently upgraded to Win 7-64 and am interested to know if WASAPI is truly bit-perfect, I have heard it is not. I'm using an EMU0404 ASIO but am putting together a laptop with a USB transport, so I need some real data on WASAPI.

 

[oatmeal769]

Only way to know FOR SURE is to do the DTS decoding test as you said. One would use a .WAV or other lossless audio recording of a DTS data track played back in music player software. It will be nothing but noise and static if you just try to listen to it through your regular system.

Hook your PC's SPDIF data line to the input of a home receiver. If it is bit perfect, the recording will be decoded into DTS sound. If not, you will hear static, or nothing at all.

I did the test just last week. Foobar with Vista and the WASAPI plug in with the foobar volume at 100% achieves bit perfect playback for me.

I can guarantee that WASAPI via Foobar in Vista can export a bit perfect data signal.

 

[J.Pocalypse]

I was under the impression that all of your run-of-the-mill CDs (purchased at Best Buy, etc.), were at 16bit.. I guess I'm just not understanding what putting the ripping settings to 24bit would do. o.O

 

[Kpalsm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.Pocalypse /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was under the impression that all of your run-of-the-mill CDs (purchased at Best Buy, etc.), were at 16bit.. I guess I'm just not understanding what putting the ripping settings to 24bit would do. o.O

This is true, but there are recordings available in 24bit, or even 32bit. Usually from high-quality internet based vendors. The point of setting it as high as your system can handle is to make sure that if/when you do rip a 24bit/32bit recording it won't be altered if everything else is set up properly.

 

[regal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oatmeal769 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I did the test just last week. Foobar with Vista and the WASAPI plug in with the foobar volume at 100% achieves bit perfect playback for me. I can guarantee that WASAPI via Foobar in Vista can export a bit perfect data signal.

Great info

Thanks

 

[oatmeal769]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal /img/forum/go_quote.gif Great info. Thanks

N.P.,
In fact the two files I used were downloaded -

HERE and HERE


They are both .wav's of DTS files, so be sure the home receiver can decode DTS, and not just Dolby, etc.

I've been after a prove-able 'bit perfect' or 'bit transparent' solution for a couple years. While I was always 90% sure I had it, I like knowing I can prove and test it for myself any time.

 

[oatmeal769]

Quote:

Originally Posted by regal /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm using an EMU0404 ASIO but am putting together a laptop with a USB transport, so I need some real data on WASAPI.

Oh, BTW - Interestingly, the only way I got the files to successfully decode, was by using my motherboard's on-board SPDIF / COAX output. I also have an E-Mu 1212m sound card, and could not get bit perfect output from it.

My semi-educated guess is that anything that is controlled by a driver or software in addition to or outside of what is provided with Vista / Windows 7, will insert another layer into the audio stack / chain with which a WASAPI / ASIO plug in won't be able to work correctly.

Unfortunately also, I was unable to test with XP, as I no longer have any PC's running it.