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ASIO Driver Query


Iain

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I'm new to this, but I've successfully installed and maintained foobar2000 1.3.8 and JRiver MC20 players over the past month. JRiver MC20 is no more.

 

Currently using the ASIO4ALL ASIO driver as it's the only driver I could find. Not keen of WASAPI, as it sounds inferior to ASIO on my system.

 

I'm now starting to look at the HQPlayer, but when I started to read the documentation, this came up:

"Special ASIO4ALL driver is also known to work, but is not recommended as it doesn't guarantee specific direct access quality."

 

... on this page:

Signalyst

 

Running latest version of ASIO4ALL. What's wrong with this driver and can someone recommend anything else?

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I'm new to this, but I've successfully installed and maintained foobar2000 1.3.8 and JRiver MC20 players over the past month. JRiver MC20 is no more.

 

Currently using the ASIO4ALL ASIO driver as it's the only driver I could find. Not keen of WASAPI, as it sounds inferior to ASIO on my system.

 

I'm now starting to look at the HQPlayer, but when I started to read the documentation, this came up:

"Special ASIO4ALL driver is also known to work, but is not recommended as it doesn't guarantee specific direct access quality."

 

... on this page:

Signalyst

 

Running latest version of ASIO4ALL. What's wrong with this driver and can someone recommend anything else?

 

 

Evidently I can no longer edit this post, so I have a follow-on query of the ASIO4ALL driver.

 

I'm running Windows 7 Professional X64. When I installed the ASIO4ALL driver, it installed the 32-bit version. How can I get it to install the 64-bit version?

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ASIO4ALL is ASIO driver emulation wrapper on top of WASAPI or KS. It is not a true ASIO driver talking straight to hardware, but a generic one talking to WASAPI/KS driver (so is stacks two driver interfaces).

 

Real ASIO drivers are provided by the hardware device vendor, customized for the specific piece of hardware and typically expose more capabilities than possible through WASAPI or KS.

 

It is mostly useful in some cases where WASAPI support is broken one way or other, but KS works. (and with HQPlayer in cases where device vendor doesn't supply ASIO driver, but one wants to use NAA (networkaudiod) since it only supports ASIO drivers)

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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  • 4 months later...
ASIO4ALL is ASIO driver emulation wrapper on top of WASAPI or KS. It is not a true ASIO driver talking straight to hardware, but a generic one talking to WASAPI/KS driver (so is stacks two driver interfaces).

 

Real ASIO drivers are provided by the hardware device vendor, customized for the specific piece of hardware and typically expose more capabilities than possible through WASAPI or KS.

 

It is mostly useful in some cases where WASAPI support is broken one way or other, but KS works. (and with HQPlayer in cases where device vendor doesn't supply ASIO driver, but one wants to use NAA (networkaudiod) since it only supports ASIO drivers)

 

What is KS?

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Kernel Streaming, it is unofficial way to talk straight to the drivers commonly used on Windows XP before complete Windows audio stack overhaul and WASAPI was introduced in Windows Vista.

 

Thanks.

 

I found this for Foobar2000:

Foobar2000:Components/Kernel Streaming support (foo out ks) - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase

 

It's a plugin for that player. I believe I'll try that to verify operational capabilities, before I start hacking my OS (Win 7 Pro X64).

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I am not familiar with LAN interface to AVR. How do you see that interface in PC? Do you use NAA between PC(HQPlayer) and the AVR?

 

Kernel Streaming Foobar2000 component is OK and worked for me in Win7 as well as Win8.1 (I didn't try with Win10 yet).

Most probably ASIO4ALL gives no better sound than Kernel Streaming, because ASIO4ALL uses Kernel Streaming and emulates ASIO interface (so it is no real ASIO). The only advantage of ASIO4ALL could be it has more settings, which may bring bigger chance to avoid stuttering, if that's the case. But when you are not facing with sound stuttering, most probably ASIO4ALL brings you no advantage.

Simply try which one (KS, WASAPI, ASIO4ALL) sounds for you best and use that one.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I am not familiar with LAN interface to AVR. How do you see that interface in PC? Do you use NAA between PC(HQPlayer) and the AVR?

 

Yes. I use the Signalyst NAA listed in my signature:

"Network Audio Adapter

 

Network audio is especially useful to give freedom from cables when player is run on a tablet or other wireless device.

Processing is performed by the player application and the processed data is then asynchronously streamed over network to a very lightweight network audio adapter interfacing to the DAC. Asynchronous FIFO provides maximum isolation between processing and audio reproduction."

 

network_streaming.png

"

 

Kernel Streaming Foobar2000 component is OK and worked for me in Win7 as well as Win8.1 (I didn't try with Win10 yet).

Most probably ASIO4ALL gives no better sound than Kernel Streaming, because ASIO4ALL uses Kernel Streaming and emulates ASIO interface (so it is no real ASIO). The only advantage of ASIO4ALL could be it has more settings, which may bring bigger chance to avoid stuttering, if that's the case. But when you are not facing with sound stuttering, most probably ASIO4ALL brings you no advantage.

Simply try which one (KS, WASAPI, ASIO4ALL) sounds for you best and use that one.

 

Early on, I extensively compared WASAPI to ASIO over the space of a month. ASIO with ASIO4All driver, proved to have significantly better sound quality than WASAPI. It's now my standard.

 

Sadly, the KS plugin for Foobar2000 doesn't work on my system. According to documentation, it's all down to the Intel audio hardware in my system. Just as well, as I'm chuffed of it as it is. I fail to see how the SQ could get any better.

 

Foobar2000:Components/Kernel Streaming support (foo out ks) - Hydrogenaudio Knowledgebase

"Compatibility

 

Operating Systems

 

This component was originally written for Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It is not guaranteed to cooperate with newer versions of Windows.

 

Kernel Streaming is known to work on certain Windows Vista and Windows 7 configurations, but not with devices having WaveRT drivers such as High Definition Audio Devices integrated with newer motherboards - such devices simply won't be shown on foobar2000's output device list as available KS devices.

 

If you run Windows Vista, you should be using WASAPI instead in most cases.

 

Hardware

 

This component is known not to work at all with certain hardware, such as certain laptop onboard audio devices.

Using Kernel Streaming may expose device driver bugs that can't be triggered otherwise and lead to system instability. Use this component at your own risk. "

 

Text in bold, fits my situation.

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Hi Iain, I know what is NAA. My question was how is your AVR connected (to NAA). You wrote "... via 1000-base-T LAN". I am not familiar with how you see your AVR on the NAA computer, if you had to install some driver ...

 

I also read those warnings about Kernel Streaming. I'm using i5 based computer and I never had troubles with Kernel Streaming component for Foobar2000. Some time ago, yet before I bought my current DAC, I used it with M2Tech hiFace 2. If it does not work for you, don't use it. :)

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Hi Iain, I know what is NAA. My question was how is your AVR connected (to NAA). You wrote "... via 1000-base-T LAN". I am not familiar with how you see your AVR on the NAA computer, if you had to install some driver ...

 

First, ensure all your music files are configured for sharing, then read this:

Computer Audiophile - The Complete Guide To HiFi UPnP / DLNA Network Audio

 

... extensive information there and all quite valid.

 

If I were you, I would install Linn Kazoo server, client and Konfig as an introduction to configuring your system for network playback. Works straight away, but it won't support HQPlayer. For that I use BubbleUpNp Server and BubbleUpNp DLNA/Chromecast installed in Bluestacks Android emulator.

Linn ? Software

 

 

I also read those warnings about Kernel Streaming. I'm using i5 based computer and I never had troubles with Kernel Streaming component for Foobar2000. Some time ago, yet before I bought my current DAC, I used it with M2Tech hiFace 2. If it does not work for you, don't use it. :)

 

Indeed, and I don't as that plugin is inert on Foobar2000.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I'm new to this, but I've successfully installed and maintained foobar2000 1.3.8 and JRiver MC20 players over the past month. JRiver MC20 is no more.

 

Currently using the ASIO4ALL ASIO driver as it's the only driver I could find. Not keen of WASAPI, as it sounds inferior to ASIO on my system.

 

I'm now starting to look at the HQPlayer, but when I started to read the documentation, this came up:

"Special ASIO4ALL driver is also known to work, but is not recommended as it doesn't guarantee specific direct access quality."

 

... on this page:

Signalyst

 

Running latest version of ASIO4ALL. What's wrong with this driver and can someone recommend anything else?

 

It's possible that you might need a device-specific ASIO driver.

 

ASIO4ALL is quite helpful in many cases but it can fail occasionally.

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