[hifi nub]

Few questions.
 
Why should I use wasapi?
Why is the huge hype about this plugin?
I configured winamp and foobar2000 to use wasapi plugins.
Is this plugin for better sound?
I don't understand it.

 

[BeatsWork]

WASAPI or ASIO provide bit perfect output to DAC. Nothing more, nothing less.  Some DACs require ASIO for highest bit/sample rate but otherwise either will do fine.

 

[0xd34db33f]

Windows's mixer resamples played audio to the set sample rate.
If you have, let's say, some 24bit/96kHz files and the sample rate for your audio device is set to 16bit/44.1kHz in the Windows's sound settings, when you play those files without using WASAPI they will get resampled. WASAPI exclusive mode bypasses the Windows mixer, providing bit-perfect output to the DAC.

 

[hifi nub]

Repped both of you, thanks a bunch. They should stamp those laymen terms to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd371455%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
 
I read that link like 8 times and could not understand it for the life of me.
 
Since this is answered, I should have asked another important question.
 
How do I find out if wasapi is working?
 
I already have my sampling rate set as seen below. Thanks to all!

 
Asking admins also if this can be stickied!

 

[sonci]

  Few questions.
 
Why should I use wasapi?
Why is the huge hype about this plugin?
I configured winamp and foobar2000 to use wasapi plugins.
Is this plugin for better sound?
I don't understand it.

http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes

 

[0xd34db33f]

 How do I find out if wasapi is working?

If WASAPI output is enabled in foobar2000 and you hear sound, then it is working.
If you really want to test, you can test by playing some YouTube video while music is playing via foobar2000 with WASAPI enabled. If you do not hear sound from the YouTube video, then WASAPI exclusive mode is working correctly.

 

[hifi nub]

  If WASAPI output is enabled in foobar2000 and you hear sound, then it is working.
If you really want to test, you can test by playing some YouTube video while music is playing via foobar2000 with WASAPI enabled. If you do not hear sound from the YouTube video, then WASAPI exclusive mode is working correctly.

Ok, wasapi is working for foobar200 but not for winamp even though wasapi plugin is showing its icon in the tray.
 
I followed this tut from headfi for winamp.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/588677/a-short-audiophile-guide-to-winamp-w-maiko-wasapi
 
Any idea's? No options are checked under the wasapi plugin.
 

 

[sonci]

   
 
How do I find out if wasapi is working?
 
 

If you want to check that wasapi is doing its magic, you need some Dts or Ac3 wav  files, you can download from here, and a dolby/dts receiver,
then configure Foobar to play through wasapi spidf, Volume 100%, disable every DSP in foobar and be sure that no dts plugins are installed,
connect spidf output of your soundcard to receiver, and play the wav,
normally yo'll see the dts or dolby logo on the receiver, because the wav is played bit perfect to receiver which decode it,
the same it will be for asio, but yo'll just hear static when using direct sound spidf, or with foobar volume at not 100%,
btw keep receiver volume low..
 
too complicated? so just use wasapi or asio and in theory should be better..
btw if you use Creative xfi card or Asus xonar, you should use the native asio, because the wasapi is not bit perfect with these cards, (check note, on the link I posted previously)

 

[0xd34db33f]

  Ok, wasapi is working for foobar200 but not for winamp even though wasapi plugin is showing its icon in the tray.
 
I followed this tut from headfi for winamp.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/588677/a-short-audiophile-guide-to-winamp-w-maiko-wasapi
 
Any idea's? No options are checked under the wasapi plugin.
 
 

You need to enable the exclusive mode option.

 

[hifi nub]

  You need to enable the exclusive mode option.

Yea maiko's plugin is very buggy from what I can tell. With that enabled read below.
 
I went and installed http://adionsoft.net/winampwasapi/ and as you described how to test and see if it is working, its working with winamp!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Sometimes and not with maiko's wasapi winamp plugin, all audio gets cut.
 
Guys, thank you very much for all this wonderful information! It's awesome help!
 
This thread deserves a

Useful Links

 
sticky.

 

[BeatsWork]

It's not free but one really nice feature in Jriver is that it installs a dummy output device which you can select as Windows playback device and then all audio is routed through JR - so even with exclusive mode enabled you don't have to close the app to say listen to streaming audio from browser outside JR.  There are donation ware virtual audio cables which do the same thing with a bit of effort but JR makes it a simple affair.
 
And is Winamp back or still somewhat in Limbo? Haven't used in years and last time I felt nostalgic the page just said "Coming soon". 

 

[hifi nub]

  It's not free but one really nice feature in Jriver is that it installs a dummy output device which you can select as Windows playback device and then all audio is routed through JR - so even with exclusive mode enabled you don't have to close the app to say listen to streaming audio from browser outside JR.  There are donation ware virtual audio cables which do the same thing with a bit of effort but JR makes it a simple affair.
 
And is Winamp back or still somewhat in Limbo? Haven't used in years and last time I felt nostalgic the page just said "Coming soon". 

http://filehippo.com/download_winamp
 
I've been using it for as long as I can recall. I am just use to the shortcut keys, and they become very handy if your hands are tied up on the kboard or in a gaming session. The layout for library is fantastic and again, shortcut keys are nice. In foobar, you need to assign all the shortcut keys, I don't like that. Winamp already has assigned shortcut keys. In fact, there isn't much in foobar I like, nothing actually, interface sucks, theme sucks, no assigned shortcut keys, but this is personal preference.

 

[BeatsWork]

   
In fact, there isn't much in foobar I like, nothing actually, interface sucks, theme sucks, no assigned shortcut keys, but this is personal preference.

 
Foobar does take a bit of work to get it just the way you want it but have you tried themes like DarkOne?  http://tedgo.deviantart.com/art/DarkOne-v4-360862076  
 
And it does have some Shortcuts pre-defined but more can be added (see below).  Not trying to knock Winamp it's just that there's no ongoing development and a MAYBE on a new client in 2015 http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=374929  Would be great to have them back but not betting on that horse until it's in the shoot ...
 

Keyboard Shortcut preferences panel[edit]

The keyboard shortcut preferences panel is where keyboard shortcuts are added, modified, deleted, or simply inspected.

A related option appears on the "Display" preferences panel. A (normally-checked) box specifies whether shortcuts should be displayed in menus. You may wish to uncheck this to prevent menus from becoming unmanageably wide.

“Assigned Shortcuts” portion: lists and defines shortcuts[edit]

The top portion of the keyboard shortcut preferences displays a list of existing shortcuts. The list may be sorted by clicking one of headers.

“Action” portion: menu structure and filter[edit]

This middle portion of the preference panel shows the menu commands available for assignment. This portion of the panel may be ignored if you are simply reviewing keyboard shortcuts already defined.

Finding menu commands containing “stop”.​

​

A filter is available to speed the task of assigning new com­mands. This filter reduces the number of items displayed in the com­mands list, assuming the user enters part of the com­mand name he is looking for. Otherwise, the filter has no effect on foobar2000's operation. Be sure to remove stray char­acters that might be entered in this filter—otherwise you may not be able to see the command you're after!

“Key” portion: assignment of keystroke[edit]

The final portion of the keyboard shortcuts preferences panel shows the keystroke assigned to a given action. To assign a different keystroke, click in the field and press the new keystroke.

Predefined Keyboard Shortcuts[edit]

There are nine predefined shortcuts in a fresh installation of foobar2000 v0.9.5 and later. All predefined shortcuts are “non-global”, or local, shortcuts. These keyboard shortcuts take effect only when foobar2000 is the active window.

	modifier	key	action/menu-command
	Ctrl	F	Edit/Search
	Ctrl	N	File/New Playlist
	Ctrl	O	File/Open...
	Ctrl	P	File/Preferences
	Ctrl	S	File/Save Playlist...
	Ctrl	U	File/Add Location...
	Ctrl	W	File/Remove Playlist
	Alt	Enter	[Context]/Properties
	Alt	A	View/Always on Top

 

[hifi nub]

Was gonna dump winamp but man assigning those keys is to difficult for me. To many options.
 
This is winamps defaults. It's a lot to configure foobar like this. I looked at foobar's configuration and just felt like meh.