|
Computer Audio Asylum Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies. |
|
|
|
Computer Audio Asylum Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies. |
|
In Reply to: ASIO sound quality compared to DirectSound posted by vulcanman on November 29, 2007 at 17:31:09:
Hey Vulcanman.
On my Audio PC, I have an onboard codec (C-media motherboard sound) selected as my Windows default playback and record device - to keep Windows away from my "real" soundcard as much as possible.
So, last night I tried to stream two audio files simultaneously to my "other" (M-Audio) soundcard to see if Directsound 2.0 has exclusive access. It does not. I was able to play two songs AT THE SAME TIME using TWO DIFFERENT players (Foobar 0.8.3 and 0.9.5), both using Directsound.
Of course, since Windows is set to see the C-media card, NO VOLUME CONTROL of Windows is affecting the volume, yet MIXING is still going on! Since the M-audio card does not support hardware mixing, what is doing the mixing then? Kmixer is doing the mixing, and volume control don't have a darned thing to do with anything. The fact my M-audio volume control in it's software mixer works ALSO means nothing, and it's a different volume control than Windows. The only time the M-audio volume control and the Windows volume control act TOGETHER (in tandem) is when I've selected the M-audio as the default audio device in Windows. But like I said, I have the C-media selected as the DAD in Windows.
Further to this experiment, I tried the same thing (playing two songs at once) using Kernel streaming (KS) and ASIO outputs. In both cases, the player start FIRST gets exclusive access to the M-audio, and the second one simply will not start! THis is the behaviour we expect.
So, indeed, (as I've said before) most of the Kmixer "volume control" tests posted on internet forums are either based on total misinformation or are simply not definitive tests (aka - don't prove anything of value, other than how volume controls are programmed to work in specific cases.)
The "simultaneous playback test" is much more definitive IMO.
The fact you like Directsound better could mean that the sonic character invoked by kmixer is actually doing something beneficial - making a very revealing or "bright" speaker sound less forward. I too have owned speakers that are very picky, and sounded harsh, brittle, lean or hard with sources that are supposed to be very accurate.
I've been much happier since I've parted with these speakers! (And one pair in particular was a $3000 DIY labor of LOVE - thank goodness a good friend found them particularly enjoyable FOR HIM. He LOVES the high-end, but likely has hearing damage from being around generators. My "fussy and brittle" high end is his beloved high-end detail. Go figure.
But is lowering resolving power a good way to make a bright sounding speaker or system sound more "analog"? That's for you to decide! Some would sure "sure why not" and others would cry "BLASPHEMY! HERETIC!". I'm not that religious about audio - but I do tend to prefer "bit-perfect", unless I am using a VERY transparent DSP which has function that outweighs any possible "micro-veil".
These days, I find that any time I am using ASIO or Kernel Streaming in ANY player in XP that supports these two output formats I am happy. This excludes Winamp these days because of issues with Winamp's default level settings. In my experience, Winamp ASIO plugins BYPASS the default winamp level setting which happens to be 50% = 0dbFS and goes to 100% = 6dbFS. Some refute this, but I've had this happen on TWO different cards on TWO different computers. I've stopped using Winamp with ASIO or kernel streaming. I have also had clipping issues with Winamp when using Kernel streaming for digital outputs into a Behringer DCX2496 and always wondered why that was. Now I know. There is one ASIO output plugin for Winamp from Christian Budde that includes a level control that permits one to put the level "back to" 50% and get 0dbFS, but it's honestly kind-of buggy, seems like he did not really finish the thing, since this is the only plugin of his that is this way: everything else he's contributed is just awesome stuff. Nothing wrong with a level control - if one knows what it is DOING!
Just my 4 cents on the subject.
Cheers,
Presto
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Follow Ups
- Directsound uses Kmixer - Presto 11:48:52 11/30/07 (0)
Top of Page ]
[ Contact Us ]
[ Support/Wish List ]
[ Copyright © 2025, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]
