Foobar, Windows 7 & Wasapi

[Stratmangler]

Playing with the above this afternoon, and find that I've got issues with flac files @ 88.2kHz and 192kHz.
They come up as an unrecognised file type.
The files play just fine when I disable the Wasapi drivers.

Anyone else found any issues with the same?

[Vincent Kars]

If you don’t use WASAPI you are probably using the Win default, Direct Sound (DS)
All audio is resampled to the setting in the audio panel of the audio device.
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Pictures/Software/Win7/SPDIF_advanced.jpg
What you can try:
Set the default to 24/88 and check if anything plays at all (there are problems with 88 in Win)
If nothing plays I suspect it is the Win audio driver used in combination with the DAC.

Set the default to 24/192 and check if anything plays.
If not it is probably a sample rate not supported by the DAC or in excess of the audio hardware in the PC

In cases like this it helps to how you have connected the PC and the DAC

[Stratmangler]

When I use the onboard drivers all files play.
My MoBo can handle 24/96 natively, so there's some downsampling taking place.
When I use the Wasapi drivers things fall down.

It's not a big issue - I stream to a Squeezebox Touch normally.

[Vincent Kars]

That is how WASAPI works.
If you send 24/192 over DS it will be down sampled according to the settings in the sound panel.
If you send 24/192 using WASAPI, it sends it straight, unaltered to the sound card.
As it can’t handle 24/192 it will not play.

[technobear]

Forget WASAPI!

Just use ASIO4All :)

Problem solved :cool:

[Stratmangler]

Forget WASAPI!

Just use ASIO4All :)

Problem solved :cool:

No it ain't :(
ASIO4All refuses to cooperate.

Like I said, it's not mission critical - I stream using a Squeezebox Touch.
That at least is trouble free.
All the guys who insist on playing directly off the computer must have a masochistic streak :eyebrows:

[Welder]

I don't think asio4all can handle 24/192.

[Stratmangler]

I don't think asio4all can handle 24/192.

It doesn't work with Foobar on my machine at all.

[Welder]

All these driver/compatibility problems over USB was what in the end drove me to Linux, apart from I think it sounds better.

I think Tim has a Win7 machine and runs foobar. Maybe he can help out?

[technobear]

It doesn't work with Foobar on my machine at all.

This must surely be a simple setup issue.

[Stratmangler]

All these driver/compatibility problems over USB was what in the end drove me to Linux, apart from I think it sounds better.

I think Tim has a Win7 machine and runs foobar. Maybe he can help out?


This must surely be a simple setup issue.

I'm not trying to get the data off the machine - I'm just trying to get it to work to the outputs of the built in audio (Realtek High Definition Audio).

[technobear]

In foobar preferences, you should see an ASIO window which looks like this:

http://www.technobear.btinternet.co.uk/images/asio1.jpg

If you click 'Edit' you should see a window like this one:

http://www.technobear.btinternet.co.uk/images/asio2.jpg

If, instead of 'Left' and 'Right' it says '<none>' and '<none>', this would explain your problem. Click each entry and select 'Left' or 'Right' from the list which appears.

If you click 'Configure', you should see this window:

http://www.technobear.btinternet.co.uk/images/asio3.jpg

Ensure that there is a green glowing switch next to your DAC by clicking it.

[technobear]

I'm not trying to get the data off the machine - I'm just trying to get it to work to the outputs of the built in audio (Realtek High Definition Audio).

Do you have the specs for your Realtek hardware?

Is it supposed to handle higher bitrates and sampling frequencies?

It will handle up to 24/48 as this is needed for DVDs and videos but it may not handle higher sampling frequencies.

[technobear]

OK, just read back to where you said these play fine without WASAPI.

Thinking cap back on...

[Stratmangler]

I'm not trying to get the data off the machine - I'm just trying to get it to work to the outputs of the built in audio (Realtek High Definition Audio).

Just to add a bit more.
I've just been playing with settings, and with Foobar/Asio4all it will play 16/44.1 and 24/44.1 files fine.
Any other sample rate forget about it.

And yes I get the icon in the task bar.

With Foobar/Wasapi I can play both 16 and 24 bit files, at 44.1, 44 & 96 kHz sample rates.
If I want to play 24/88.2 files it doesn't work - why, it's only twice the CD sample frequency?
Also 24/192 won't play because the Mobo can only handle 24/96 and Wasapi doesn't downsample.

I'm OK with the last point about Wasapi, because that is logical.

When I use the default Windows drivers everything plays.

The MoBo can handle up to 24/96, so there must be downsampling taking place in order to play 24/192 files.

[technobear]

This suggests to me that your mobo can't handle 88.2k.

[Welder]

I’m not sure if I’ve understood what you are trying to achieve.

Windows (any flavour) wont play more than 24/96 over USB.
I imagine if you’re routing through Realtek then it downsamples to Win default.

Asio4all will play 24/96 over USB on a Windows machine but it isn’t always happy about it.
Increasing asio4all buffer size helps, but more often than not you have to disable some services if your machine isn’t particularly powerful.

[Stratmangler]

This suggests to me that your mobo can't handle 88.2k.

88.2 kHz files play using the Windows drivers.

[Stratmangler]

I’m not sure if I’ve understood what you are trying to achieve.

Windows (any flavour) wont play more than 24/96 over USB.
I imagine if you’re routing through Realtek then it downsamples to Win default.

Asio4all will play 24/96 over USB on a Windows machine but it isn’t always happy about it.
Increasing asio4all buffer size helps, but more often than not you have to disable some services if your machine isn’t particularly powerful.

I'm not trying to get things playing to an external device over USB.

[technobear]

88.2 kHz files play using the Windows drivers.

Yes, because Windows is adjusting the sample rate on the fly to something the mobo can use.

[Welder]

Okay, then I don’t understand what it is you are trying to do ;)

[bobbasrah]

Ok, maybe I am thick (quiet lads...) but i thought the purpose of Asio and Wasapi (always reminds me of wassup...) was to give exclusive routing to an external device (my only use of the process) not the onboard sound device, obviously wrong there then... Again....

I guess when you default to Win7 it is the default mixer, so sampling conversion may be taking place perhaps ?

[Stratmangler]

Ok, maybe I am thick (quiet lads...) but i thought the purpose of Asio and Wasapi (always reminds me of wassup...) was to give exclusive routing to an external device (my only use of the process) not the onboard sound device, obviously wrong there then... Again....

I guess when you default to Win7 it is the default mixer, so sampling conversion may be taking place perhaps ?

From Microsoft's site

The Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI) enables client applications to manage the flow of audio data between the application and an audio endpoint device.

My endpoint is the built in audio.

[Stratmangler]

Yes, because Windows is adjusting the sample rate on the fly to something the mobo can use.

Which means that the MoBo probably can't play 44.1kHz files natively either.

[technobear]

Which means that the MoBo probably can't play 44.1kHz files natively either.

But you've already said that these will play through WASAPI and ASIO so the mobo can handle them.

[bobbasrah]

Hmmm, tis strangely strange right enough....
Not sure how old your machine is but on Realtek HD blurb "All DACs support 44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate"
88???

[technobear]

Can I ask where this 88k content came from? It's not a common format methinks.

[Stratmangler]

Can I ask where this 88k content came from? It's not a common format methinks.

You can get 88.1 content from Linn Records, HD Tracks and one or two other places.

[Stratmangler]

Hmmm, tis strangely strange right enough....
Not sure how old your machine is but on Realtek HD blurb "All DACs support 44.1k/48k/96k/192kHz sample rate"
88???

The machine in question is a very recent one http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compaq-cq110uk-desktop-pc-11264359-pdt.html bought because my old desktop decided to commit suicide.

I believe the MoBo is Foxconn.

[bobbasrah]

Mine says Lian-Li on the outside, and that tells you SFA what is in it.
You should open it up and write doen the make model and version of the motherboard, then google for further info on the Realtek chip for that board Chris, or the manual online.
From that you should be able to figure out what your board onboard chip is capable of.

[synsei]

Or rather than take your PC to bits, download a free copy of Belarc Advisor (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html). It gives you a complete audit of the hardware and software in your PC. It does much more than that however, it also checks whether your system is secure, whether your hard drive is healthy or not, the state of your memory etc, etc. It outputs all this data as a webpage on your browser. It really is a very useful utility. Incidentally, this works with any version of Windows and is as safe as houses. I've used it for ages without any issues :cool:

p.s. Eeee, I feel reet at 'ome on this thread, t'is all soundin' so familiar like. I'll go put kettle on... :eyebrows: :lolsign:

[bobbasrah]

Ah, modern technology.... From the earlier link for the PC it is a desktop, so take the side off it, have pen, paper, and torch to hand, then read the info off the mobo...
I used to have Autocad 1, known as a pencil.....

[Alex_UK]

Chris (Technobear) - I owe you a beer - I never worked out the "configure" option on ASIO4ALL through Foobar to get it to work with my Caiman - thanks for that, I'm now all ASIO'd up - and it does seem to be an improvement.

Sorry - back to the thread... :)

[Stratmangler]

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but I've just had the same issue crop up with another machine (my laptop this time).

Having had the problem before I knew what had to be done to hear the music (the music is a free track from Linn Records - a different one each day for December), but it's a pain having to change things.

The soundcard on the motherboard doesn't like WASAPI and 24/88.2 files.
Plug my HiFace2 in and select that as the playback device with WASAPI and the track plays fine.
Seems to be a common theme with motherboard residing soundcards :scratch:

[Floyddroid]

WTF This is a hifi forum is it not?

[Stratmangler]

WTF This is a hifi forum is it not?

Certainly is.
Are you trying to perpetuate the bollocks that computer audio can't be hifi?