k mixer

[simon c]

thanks everyone for your answers and support to my previous questions.

 

i beleive i have to bypass the k mixer. with media monkey loaded and the output plug in: out_wave.dll loaded, has this bypassed the k mixer?, i have tried to follow several threads including the microsoft site and have lent up getting more confused.

 

if anyone has a 'peter and jane' or 'janet and john's' guide to bypassing the kmixer, i would really appreciate it.

 

i suspect i may not have as under : control panel/ sound & audio/volume/advanced/wave, i can still alter the volume from the fader/mute controls.

 

at this point, i am outputiing via usb to my dac. i will utilise my maudio card when my new cable arrives at horrendous costs!!

 

p.s. does anyone know of any cheap lynx cards in the uk

 

many thanks,

 

simon c.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike19]

Hi simon -

 

You need to download ASIO software. I use the free ASIO4ALL. Google it. There is a $50 program that's supposed to be better than ASIO4ALL, but I can't recall its name.

 

Or, you can unmap. Steve N or someone else needs to explain how to do this.

 

Mike M.

 

[Suteetat]

Since you use Mediamonkey, as far as I know, out_wave.dll plugin will also bypass Kmixer.

You can follow link in Mediamonkey "adding plugin" option which will get to you a Japanese site with Asio plugin as well. I tried that and I like MM out_wave.dll plugin better. Tried to install asio4all but have no idea how to get it to work with MM. I tried putting it dll in MM plugin folder like other plugin but that did not work.

 

[BEEMB]

 

I believe that Chris has measured and confirmed wave out to be bit perfect on XP. Make sure you disable the volume control and system sounds too; anything that may cause the k-Mixer to resample.

 

ASIO, we know for sure, definately passes the K-Mixer. Give them both a try and see what you think. Maybe you'll hear a difference, maybe you won't.

 

Your audio card has an impact here too. What are you using ?

 

[BEEMB]

 

Which program are you referring to ?

Not come across it before.

 

[BobH]

try this : http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_XP_Audio_Playback_-_Setup_Guide

 

Best thing is to print it off, it makes it easier to do a step-by-step.

 

After you've done that, run MediaMonkey and do the following :

 

Tools......Options........Output Plugins........

Make sure that the out_wave.dll is selected...

then click on the 'Configure' button. This will open up the 'waveOut Settings' window.

Make sure that nothing in the 'Volume Control' area is selected.

 

Ok your way out of everything and you're done.

 

Here in the UK I think you would be better off either sticking with your m-audio or looking at something like the ESI Juli@, depending on what output connections/resolutions you need. We do seem to suffer sometimes when it comes to $/£ conversions and some products don't come through the process very well. I'm afraid Lynx cards are one of those products that seem to end up twice the price over here.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[BobH]

I'll be presumptuous and say I think Mike is referring to this site : http://www.usb-audio.com/ A version of their driver shipped with my Tascam soundcard and it is very stable. Once the soundcard drivers have been loaded, the Asio driver is available to anything that can use it.

 

I still preferred MM running the out_wave, though.

 

[Roseval]

There is a nice post by Juergen about the impact of various drivers: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Tagging-AIFF-MS-Windows-world#comment-13946

 

Juli@ has a good reputation, RME is probably the European equivalent of the Lynx

 

[BobH]

Interesting stuff - I missed that first time around so thanks for the link.

 

[PeterSt]

KMixer from Windows XP is never bit perfect. Kernel Streaming or ASIO just avoid KMixer though.

The one exception are special (unsigned) drivers, like the MME drivers from RME.

 

No matter what you do and shut off, KMixer always dithers. So the only way of getting bit perfect, is avoid KMixer (like those special drivers do).

 

If you don't believe it ... I'm fine. :-) If in your case it *is* bit perfect, you'll be having those drivers.

Peter

 

 

PS: Those drivers cannot exist for Vista, unless highly "illegal" (Dogber's CMedia is an example), but it is said that when output at 24/96 Vista is bit perfect. I never tested that, but I do believe it. There too, special implementations (emulations) of Kernel Streaming are bit perfect, as is ASIO, as is WASAPI (the latter is dedicated to Vista).

 

Edit : My post crossed with Roseval's, but what Juergen says is pretty much the same.

 

[Roseval]

That’s why I hang around at forums to long and to often, now and then there is a little gem, a guy who measures instead of talking opinions.

 

[BobH]

If you're still around!

 

You may have gathered that some of this stuff can get very techy very quickly! Bearing in mind you were asking for a 'by-the-numbers' guide, my overall advice would be to not get too hung up on it! Do the easy stuff, sit back and enjoy it! Get used to it for a while then come back and ask again - there are a lot of very knowledgeable folk around here that will be only too happy to help if you fancy a play!

 

[PeterSt]

my overall advice would be to not get too hung up on it!

 

Aha ! but that sure is true IMO.

 

When you have shut off everything (and this is doable), the only thing left is dither on the last bit. I think this is audible, but at a blind test I probably will not be able to discern.

Mind you, I try to squeeze out the best of PC playback, and I am just honest here. It-is-not-the-most-important !

 

It feels wrong though, when we're doing our best to get the best playback possible. Hence, we start off with something that could be better. But if it cannot, don't get obessed by it !!

 

Peter

 

[BEEMB]

Bob - well said; let's let Simon try that step by step guide and provide us with some feedback.

 

Simon, let us know how you get on. I think you'll be rather happy. Once you've followed that and feel brave, try ASIO too within the same software. Post back if you need any further setup directions or help.

 

Roseval - you're as much a geek as I ;-) ..

 

In Jeurgen still posting on here .. ? I have some questions for him ..