Benchmark DAC2 - WASAPI vs ASIO?

[Leica]

Hi,

 

I recently purchased the Benchmark DAC2 HGC. I am using it with a PC running Windows 8.1 with JRiver 19.

 

I have tried both ASIO and WASAPI. Both seem to run fine. So which is the preferred one to choose? I called Benchmark and they said I should choose WASAPI. However I have heard good things about ASIO.

 

Any users here that can help?

 

Thanks.

[russtafarian]

Before I moved to a Linux server (daphile) I used WASAPI with Win 7 and Jriver 19. It worked very well.

[Leica]

Before I moved to a Linux server (daphile) I used WASAPI with Win 7 and Jriver 19. It worked very well.

 

Nice to know. Thank you.

 

Just curious as to why you abandoned JRiver for Daphile?

[russtafarian]

Just curious as to why you abandoned JRiver for Daphile?

 

I've always liked my Squeezebox Touch and only moved to a dedicated Win7/Jriver PC to accommodate DSD playback on the DAC2. When I found out that Daphile does DSD using LMS (Squeezebox server software), I gave it a shot. For whatever reason it sounds better than my Win7/Jriver setup. And since I can run Daphile on an old POS netbook, it freed up the Win 7 laptop for other uses.

[Skeptic]

It shouldn't make a difference to audio quality whether you use ASIO or WASAPI.

I prefer ASIO though as it lets you set the buffer size and streaming type via the TUSBAudio Control Panel app.

 

I have that set to the largest buffer size and "extra safe" streaming mode, and I have yet to have any audio interruptions during playback.

WASAPI seems slightly more susceptible to interruption from high CPU usage in other applications.

 

Using ASIO also means that I won't have other applications complain that the device is already in use, compared to WASAPI Exclusive Mode.

[Leica]

It shouldn't make a difference to audio quality whether you use ASIO or WASAPI.

I prefer ASIO though as it lets you set the buffer size and streaming type via the TUSBAudio Control Panel app.

 

I have that set to the largest buffer size and "extra safe" streaming mode, and I have yet to have any audio interruptions during playback.

WASAPI seems slightly more susceptible to interruption from high CPU usage in other applications.

 

Using ASIO also means that I won't have other applications complain that the device is already in use, compared to WASAPI Exclusive Mode.

 

Very useful information. Thank you.