Matt,
I wouldn't mind hearing from you if Alex B's comments on bit perfect ASIO playback (sending via digital to an external DAC) are accurate:
"At least these options need to be disabled for bit perfect output: everything in DSP Studio, Internal Volume (maxed out = bit perfect), Cross-fade and Do not play silence (leading and trailing)."
This, to avoid MC jumping in with 32bit dsp....
Myron tested MC for bit-perfect playback but I am wondering if a user really needs to disable the useful DSP features that Alex B mentioned: remove leading trailing silence, crossfade, etc.
Myron said:
"As for the audibility of differences between ASIO and other output modes I personally have not yet made the comparison. However, I can say with 100% certainty that ASIO in MC passes the DTS and AC3 'bit-perfect' test. Direct Sound and Wave Out do not. I've tried this with two different M-Audio cards on two different machines.
In case you're not familiar with this test, it involves playing a DTS or AC3 encoded WAV file out via the digital output of a sound card to see if an external processor can decode the audio. Any manipulation of the data, such as volume control, will result in the processor not being able to decode the audio."
v/r
DC