Problem with Win7 64bit, can't play hi-res tracks

[Dead Goon]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and kinda new to the whole concept of playing music through a computer. I've been reading the forum for a while though but have not gotten an account until now because I have felt I have not had anything to contribute.

 

I still don't but humbly ask for your assistance with a small problem. I'm running Win7 64bit through a Chord Chordette Gem, I'm running MediaMonkey with mostly FLAC and AIFF files. The problem is that any time i try to play anything with a higher sample rate than 48 kHz the application freezes.

 

This happens every time and i have tried MM with ASIO4All. I have also tried Foobar with no change in behavior and I have tried running through a Musical Fidelity V-Dac both through USB and through a M2Tech HiFace (USB to coax adapter said to output 192/24 via kernel streaming)

 

I can get the files (that are in FLAC btw) to play using the normal output on MM so i think the problem is with kernel streaming. When i get them to play via the normal output drivers I get no change in sound quality from normal 44.1 files.

 

I suspect that the problem is with windows and have heard through a friend that win7 64bit never does anything in real time, ever. I also have a problem with a loud clicking noise in my speakers when the software changes sample rates and I think that this is because my DAC has a built in clock which wants to work in real time and is fighting windows. This problem does not appear with the MuFi V-Dac which I strengthens my suspicions that this is the case.

 

Does anyone know what this could depend on, is this fixable and in what case how?

 

I've been thinking of changing Operating system to Fedora 13 with "Planet CCRMA at home", but since I've been a Windows guy all my life I suspect that my very limited experience of Linux is not enough by far for me to do anything right with Fedora. Therefore I would like to find another solution.

 

Any feedback is very appreciated.

 

BTW, keep in mind that english is not my first language and I have some trouble expressing myself in it.

 

 

 

[weib]

Asio4all doesn't take much for high res files - 24/96 is the max i think.

 

I tried 24/96 was still okay but anything higher than that causes it to hang - via foobar2000

 

Have you tried say kernel streaming or Wasapi?

I believe you should give Jriver media center a go and play around with it.

 

So far it accepts up to 24/192 via KS/Wasapi i believe.

 

I understand the frustration however linux is abit more confusing as it is esp. for a user migrating from windows.

 

I've been researching on high res linux audio but have only scratched the surface with very little information on how to integrate a box for purely causal internet browsing and solid music play back.

 

So I'd advise you to stick to windows for now, at least you won't be scratching your head and pulling your hairs out.

 

[Audio_ELF]

Some of your problems may be down to hardware limits...

 

The Chordette Gem is limited to 16/48 via USB. The V-DAC is limited to 24/96 via SPDIF and 16/48 via USB.

 

Eloise

 

[PeterSt]

Dead Goon - Hi. Here is my english, watch out :

 

Not to talk you into anything you maybe don't want, but XXHighEnd plays WASAPI and Kernel Streaming up to 32/768 and it does that glitchless. But more importantly, I will be able to help you when things don't work.

Also, the HiFace is supported for both WASAPI and Kernel Streaming for both 24 and 32 bits throughput.

 

I can't promise that your DAC won't click at changing sample rates, but software wise (XXHighEnd) I never heard of the problem.

 

And in general : W7 not real time eh ? what about a latency of 2 samples (@ 32/192) then ?

:-)

 

Regards,

Peter

 

[Dead Goon]

Thanks for the input.

 

I have not tried Wasapi, although i have tried kernel streaming through the M2Tech HiFace output to the V-Dac. The V-Dac is as far as I know capable of 192/24 through the coax input, which was the one i used. That made every program freeze and was the basis for my concern that it was Windows related.

 

The problem was hardware related after all though, yesterday I got the oppertunity to play around with the North Star Design USB dac32 and it worked like a charm. I used MM w. Asio, tried a 176.4/24 file and it worked right away.

 

I own a Chordette Gem and I know that it's limited to 96/24 on USB, so my main concern at the moment is not being able to play 192/24, rather my fear that Win7 might degrade the sound quality. Everytime I have a noticeable problem with it I start thinking about how many problems I have that I do not notice.

 

My feeling is that one should not use Windows unless with some kind of asynchronous DAC. But I see that many here use Win and my guess is that you guys are way more competent in this field than I am.

 

Many thanks for your help guys! I will try Jriver and see if that improves anything, always on the lookout for that extra percent.

 

[Audio_ELF]

DeadGoon, not that it should affect and cause your freezing, but just a couple of corrections...

 

The Musical Fidelity V-DAC is only capable of playing back 24/96 - if you feed 24/192 from a HiFace or similar you'll not ear anything.

 

The Chord Chordette Gem is only capable of 16/44.1 and 16/48 via USB.

 

Eloise

 

[firedog]

Hi-

 

Your problem isn't Windows per se, I also use 64 bit and have no problem.

 

Suggestion:

I agree, try WASAPI or another driver, kernel streaming can be a little problematic with some software/hardware combinations.

 

 

 

 

 

[mgs]

Dead Goon,

 

What is your impression regarding the SQ of the North Star Design USB dac32 from its USB input?

 

By the way, I have only found one review online (http://www.avmentor.gr/reviews/group_test_dacs_13.htm). It is in Greek but you can use Google Translate or I can help, if needed. Overall, they liked the sound and placed it in the top 3 in the group but, although it has the second highest SNR from all the DACs in the comparison, it also seems to have high intermodulation distortion and not very good jitter rejection (though they do not say from which input).

 

Thanks in advance for any input you can provide. As this is really off topic, I will also start a separate thread on this so other people can weigh in.

 

Michael