[Alexnova]

Here's my setup (I've included screenshots from both Winamp and foobar2000):
 
CL X-Fi Titanium HD (Using Audio Creation Mode)
Grado PS500 directly plugged into the headphone port on the sound card.
Windows 7.
 
I'm listening to the same music, for example I'm using the Japanese release of Van Morrison's Moondance (ripped from EAC in uncompressed WAV format). It sounds fantastic from Winamp (the bass is just perfect) but I don't see that sort of expansiveness from foobar2000 (here the bass is more subdued, even when at full volume)
 
Here's a screenshot of my Audio Creation Mode:
 

 
 
I downloaded WASAPI for Winamp and running it in Exclusive mode. Here are the screenshots:
 


 
Here are the screenshots from foobar2000:
 


 
What could be going wrong? I have to turn down Winamp quite a bit because it can get really loud, but if I turn foobar2000 all the way up it still doesn't get nearly as loud as Winamp. I feel Winamp provides better bass and a wider soundstage.

 

[beaver316]

A likely reason for the differences in volume may be foobar's replay gain.
 
In Foobar click File > Preferences > Playback. Under ReplayGain change them both to none if they aren't already. Volume should be noticeably higher.
 
As for the differences in quality you mention, try this. In preferences under Output, change it from WASAPI (push), which I noticed you have it set, to WASAPI (event). Many report better sound from WASAPI event.
 
Let me know how it goes!

 

[Alexnova]

Thank you beaver. I sent back my PS500s and waiting for me HE-500s to come in the mail, so all I have at the moment are my Senn 598s. It's hard to really gauge any sonic differences with these headphones than when I had the PS500.
 
Anyway, I get a "Unrecoverable playback error: Invalid argument" when playing a track after switching to WASAPI event. Why is that?

 

[beaver316]

I did some reading and found out somebody else who has the same problem as you with with a Creative sound card. It's from a Russian forum so I won't link here but they mention that the WASAPI Event isn't compatible with the sound card. And looking at the latest change log on Foobar's WASAPI page, it seems that Event mode has better compatibility with USB Dacs, not built in sound cards unfortunately.
 
From here I would suggest playing around with your Sound card's software, you may find something that's causing Event to fail. If that doesn't lead to anything, then give this older version of WASAPI a try:
 
http://www.softpedia.com/dyn-postdownload.php?p=106694&t=4&i=1

 

[OmarCCX]

Quote:

Thank you beaver. I sent back my PS500s and waiting for me HE-500s to come in the mail, so all I have at the moment are my Senn 598s. It's hard to really gauge any sonic differences with these headphones than when I had the PS500.
 
Anyway, I get a "Unrecoverable playback error: Invalid argument" when playing a track after switching to WASAPI event. Why is that?

To fix that error all I had to do was check that Winamp's default audio device was set to my DAC.

 

[beaver316]

Quote:

To fix that error all I had to do was check that Winamp's default audio device was set to my DAC.

 
I believe he got that error in foobar, not winamp. Also in foobar, the very action that causes the error (selecting WASAPI Event) is setting it as the default audio device.