foobar2000-WASAPI Settings

[prepress]

Today got my DAC 24Bit/96kHz (AUDIOTRAK PRODIGY CUBE -Wolfson 8776). It's a basic DAC but the reviews were good so thought to give it a try. I was already using Foobar2000 with Wasapi but now I want to make things more organized.

I have huge collection of uncompressed music (.wav 16Bit/44.1kHz) copied from my ACDs (around 600) to easy access.

So I have couple of questions, I hope I will get some help from FMs.

1. As the DAC supports 24Bit/96kHz, should I change the settings in windows?

Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices > Advanced (16Bit to 24Bit)?

2. What Wasapi setting I should use? Event or Push?

I need accuracy. However I have used both and found Push sounds flat and neutral but Event sounds a bit colored and felt very slight delay (not sure if it is because of Buffer Length)

3. What is the best Buffer Length? Tried few (say 50-1000ms) but could decide what should I keep.

4. If I use Wasapi Event, the visualization spectrum frame rate becomes slow but it works fine in Push mode. (It was working fine but I guess I did something wrong )

5. Components > Advanced > Playback > Wasapi
By Default Hardware Buffer MS for Push is 200 and for Event it is 25, I have tried it 200-250 for Event.

6. As my whole collection is 16Bit/44.1kHz, I am not sure I should change the output format to 24 Bit [Dither Unchecked] or keep it default 16Bit.
(Components > Output)

If anybody already did some R&Ds on it and share his experience, would be great help.

 

[manniraj]

You should get almost all your answers from this thread. Also there is a thread in the forum I am not able to find but just google it regarding the diff of Event and Push and also FMs posted there feedback on which sounds good and personal opinions.

 

[prepress]

^ Thanks, already searched for Event/Push on Google but got mixed reviews. So thought to get more from our HFV FMs

 

[prepress]

That thread could help much because the Benchmark link is not working

 

[manniraj]

Here is one thread albeit few posts about the differences of Event and Push in WASAPI setup.

Also look at the hydrogenaudio site for the detailed discussion on the Foobar settings.

 

[prepress]

Thanks! Yes, got the same info from the google. So I can say I have got the answer for my question no. 2. Which is EVENT

For question 1 and 6, I guess I should keep it 16Bit ( any comments? )

Still looking for satisfactory answers for Questions 3, 4 and 5

 

[prepress]

^ No answers for 3,4 and 5?

Anyway, recent update is;
When I am using Event mode, I have noticed a kind of clicking say once or twice in ONE MINUTE but it works very fine in Push mode.

 

[prepress]

Update : By Default Hardware Buffer MS for Push is 200 and for Event it is 25, I have made it 200 and checked High Worker Process Priority. Now Clicking gone

 

[quad_core]

Please keep updating us with your findings with different settings . I am also trying to play with different settings.

 

[Kannan]

I have been using WASAPI for quite a while with foobar2000. I had played around with the settings but ultimately settled for the default settings. I use event now.
I use the xonar U7 USB soundcard and use its coaxial out to connect to my amplifier.

You can also try out ASIO in place of WASAPI. If your hardware has no proprietory ASIO drivers, you can try this out
ASIO4ALL - Universal ASIO Driver

 

[kvandhi]

Would like to clarify regarding how to control volume when you using computer based Audio setup
( Laptop -> Foobar -> Dac -> Amp )

There are totally 4 volume control.

Laptop volume control and Foobar volume control
External DAC volume control
Stereo Amplifier Volume control.

Which one of the above volume control should be used as main control for volume.
and what other volume control to be set ( for example 100% or 50%).

 

[Kannan]

If you are using an integrated amplifier with a remote, set the others to max and use the amplifier pot, else you can preset the max volume in your amplifier pot and reduce the volume in foobar when required.
However I would ideally suggest a power amp in your setup.

 

[manniraj]

Would like to clarify regarding how to control volume when you using computer based Audio setup
( Laptop -> Foobar -> Dac -> Amp )

There are totally 4 volume control.

Laptop volume control and Foobar volume control
External DAC volume control
Stereo Amplifier Volume control.

Which one of the above volume control should be used as main control for volume.
and what other volume control to be set ( for example 100% or 50%).

One of the FMs in another thread (unable to recollect the name of the thread) recommended to set the max volume on software players (PC/Foobar/JRiver etc.) and control the volume only through the amplifier. He suggested that when you try to control the volume on say Foobar it might actually do some EQ in the background and may not be a good idea.

 

[prepress]

^Yes, I always keep all full except amp.
Foobar2000 : Full
Windows : Full
DAC : Full
Volume control from Amplifier only.

But for some very high gain songs I control the gain from DAC and keep that (for particular song) at 90-95% (4 o'clock).

 

[Kannan]

i agree it is best on the amplifier, however for someone wanting to keep on changing it, becomes cumbersome without a remote.
Ideally speaking the volume should be controlled on the DAC and the amp should be a power amp in this kind of a setup.

 

[manniraj]

i agree it is best on the amplifier, however for someone wanting to keep on changing it, becomes cumbersome without a remote.
Ideally speaking the volume should be controlled on the DAC and the amp should be a power amp in this kind of a setup.

Yes even I do that most of the times (being very lazy or no other way as I use the DCB1+ACA hence no remote), hence keep the volume on amp to the medium and adjust on the Foobar volume using the mobile app

 

[prepress]

Integrated amplifier as power amp make sense to me. We can control the volume from DAC as well. But I prefer to use it from amplifier. I am using Yamaha Amp so loudness control is very useful for me. I keep the volume at listening level and adjust the loudness control as required. But as I mentioned I control the over-gain from DAC.