[internethandle]

Trying to be as bit-perfect as possible over here, and this tutorial, as it has done for many, has helped me out to achieving as much greatly.

One small thing, though - since getting my USB DAC (KECES DA-151 Mk. 1), I went ahead with the suggestion of this tutorial and made my crappy desktop speakers the default audio system, and not my DAC, as well as made the sound scheme "No Sounds." However, for the past few days or so now, Windows will randomly turn the volume going out to my DAC about half-way down, independent of Foobar's volume attenuation setting. I have to go into Control Panel, make my DAC the default audio device again, and then turn it back up with the Master Volume panel.

This seems less than bit-perfect if Windows is messing with my DAC's volume output like this - any suggestions on how to keep it from doing so?

 

[Kpalsm]

To me that sounds like a driver issue, like your DAC isn't getting recognized right away by Windows. Does it happen after you restart your computer, or turn on your computer for the day? If so, there's probably not much you can do about it other than try uninstalling the drivers, clean the drivers completely from your system using some sort of program to do so (can't recommend one, haven't ever done it) then reinstalling the drivers for the DAC the way the manufacturer recommends you do so (probably install the drivers before plugging it in, but may be different). If that doesn't work try doing it again and install the drivers the way I would, before plugging in the DAC if that's not how the manufacturer instructs.

If this isn't your problem I'm not sure, perhaps provide a few relevant details about your setup - your PC and it's operating system would be awesome. I know this tutorial says to not make the bit-perfect device the default Windows device, but I had success doing that. Try doing it anyway. Disable every other audio device within Windows except the DAC you're using ASIO with if possible. If you're using Windows 7 as I am, it's easy to do. If you don't know how to disable them post here again and let me know.

Slightly OT: Sorry, I realize this reply is 17 days late. I was fairly busy around that time, and I've been struggling with a dislocated elbow since about three days after you posted this and haven't been able to type very well. Only recently have I been able to reply to emails/threads, etc. Also, I'm not the original poster, I'm just the man who asked the OP if I could take over/maintain this thread and place a link to it in my signature after he was banned. This is a thread people need, and it needs someone watching it who can answer people's questions. I don't know nearly as much as the OP did, but I do as much as I can while trying not to give incorrect advice. My knowledge is limited, my own ASIO setup is very specific and this guide was helpful but I had to modify a lot of the settings to get it to work properly for me. The posts which contained my questions and their answers from the OP are probably still somewhere in this thread, in fact.

 

[oldson]

sorry if this has already been discussed.
on the preferences/playback/output page on vers0.9.6.9 there is no "save all" button.
how do i know if the alterations i make have taken affect?

 

[Kpalsm]

The changes don't need to be "saved", they take effect in real time, as soon as you change the setting, unless otherwise stated. You may need to restart Foobar in order for some changes to take effect, but they will stick.

 

[oldson]

cheers

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kpalsm /img/forum/go_quote.gif The changes don't need to be "saved", they take effect in real time, as soon as you change the setting, unless otherwise stated. You may need to restart Foobar in order for some changes to take effect, but they will stick.

 

[braindrift]

I am following the guide on the first page. (w/ Audio GD compass USB & windows xp)

I applied settings to AISO4All Off-line Settings.
And I put the asio support file in components folder.

When I get to the Foobar Output Settings part...
AISO: AISO4ALL USB does not appear as an option, instead DS : USB Audio DAC is the only USB option, I have been using this setting for over an year.

please help - thanks

edit

It wasn't registering AISO as an option until I configured the channels in AISO Virtual Device Editor...

sound is significantly better...
can't believe I waited an year to do this

 

[donunus]

should wasapi even make a difference on windows 7 at all? I used to think I could tell the difference between wasapi and directsound on vista but now on windows 7... nada... Something in my gut is even telling me that DS is ever so slightly better sounding... very little difference though

 

[braindrift]

i have xp

proof
i have always have trouble hearing the really low bass in THE DARK KNIGHT OST - why so serious, with asio4all/foobar settings i can now hear the whole really low bass part clearly.

 

[donunus]

aaaahhh then I think windows 7 might be closer to bitperfect than xp "as is" before using wasapi then because were talking if there is a difference its waaaaaaaayyy smaller than comparing 320 mp3 vs flac for example on windows 7. Like I said, I felt the difference was bigger when I was using Vista

 

[Chri5peed]

^You do realise you might just prefer DS versus WASAPI on Windows 7.
Just like turning on a DSP might improve it to your ears, but it is not bit-perfect.

 

[donunus]

All Im saying is that directsound is way closer sounding to wasapi on w7 than it was on vista. I could tell a bigger difference back then. It was only a bonus that I felt that ds was more musical. Its probably placebo though because like I said they are very similar on windows 7

 

[Chri5peed]

I use WASAPI entirely for its exclusivity to music playback.

 

[jasonwc]

Forgive me if this question has been answered earlier in the thread-

I use the WASAPI plugin in foobar2000 to output over a Coax SPDIF connection. I currently have the bit depth set to 16 as 99.6% of my music is 16/44.1 (Redbook CD) sourced. I read elsewhere that the conversion from 16 to 24 can incur data loss. Since my source is 16 bit, and my Compass DAC/Amp already upconverts from 16 to 24 bits, I was wondering whether the setting upconverts 16 bit to 24 bit audio, or simply outputs at the source bit depth, up to the maximum bit depth allowed.

In other words, will it output 16 bit sourced audio at 16 or 24 bits, and if it does so at 24 bits, wouldn't it be better to have this conversion done on my Compass DAC than on my crappy onboard soundcard?

 

[deaf-hi]

I am wondering the exact same thing. If I set the foobar Preferences - Output - Output Format to 24-bit and play a 16-bit file, will foobar upsample it or send it as-is in 16-bit?
 
Quote:

I use the WASAPI plugin in foobar2000 to output over a Coax SPDIF connection. I currently have the bit depth set to 16 as 99.6% of my music is 16/44.1 (Redbook CD) sourced. I read elsewhere that the conversion from 16 to 24 can incur data loss. Since my source is 16 bit, and my Compass DAC/Amp already upconverts from 16 to 24 bits, I was wondering whether the setting upconverts 16 bit to 24 bit audio, or simply outputs at the source bit depth, up to the maximum bit depth allowed.

 

[Pericles77]

Greetings,
 
I will be using my just-acquired Nuforce uDAC-2 with my computer setup and WASAPI. The guide on page one of this thread states: "USB should be set at 16bit and the Foobar buffer set at less than 1000."
Because the uDAC-2 offers 24/96 through USB, I assume it's safe to set WASAPI at 24bit? Will it therefore upconvert my 16bit files? I actually don't have many 24bit files, so please advise as to whether it's worth it to set it to 24bit (assuming I can indeed do so).
 
Thank you kindly in advance.