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[red86]

J River:
Running the latest MC13 and Logitech Z Cinema speakers on my system (Vista 64 bit)...  Audio chip is onboard Realtek HD Audio.  Works great under Direct Sound as my playback option in MC13.

Changed MC13 output in Playback settings to WASAPI since I hear it's better (no pun intended) and got the following error when trying to play a file.

"Playback could not be started on the output 'Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI)' using the format '44100 Hz, 16 Bits Per Sample, 2 Channels.'

The output format may not be supported by your hardware (yada yada.)

Is there something I can do to get things to play in WASAPI (e.g. changing output Hz in Windows)

Please advise.

Thanks.

[Frobozz]

WASAPI playback doesn't do any sample rate conversion so the sample rate sent out must match a sample rate that the Realtek audio interface can accept.

First thing to try is to set WASAPI to use exclusive mode.  Tools >> Options >> Playback >> Output mode settings
That should allow the Realtek to change sample rates as needed.  I'm not sure what sample rates the Realtek supports.

Right now you probably have the Realtek set in shared mode and locked to 24-bit 48kHz.  That's the typical setting for audio mixing in Windows.   When you set exclusive mode you bypass the windows mixer and allow the Realtek to select its own sample rate.

In exclusive mode no other applications will be able to output sound to the Realtek while Media Center is running.  That's why it's exclusive.  MC is able to take exclusive use of the audio interface.

Alternatively you can leave WASAPI in non-exclusive mode and use Media Center's DSP Studio to do a sample rate conversion to 24-bit 48kHz (or whatever the Realtek has defaulted to).  Then the Realtek should be happy and other applications will be able to make sounds while MC is running.

[red86]

Thanks for the clarification on WASAPI...  I think the situation is a little more complicated because the speakers don't use my motherboard's audio chip (they are USB and have their own or something to that effect).

I will see what I can do to match the outputs on the speakers and MC13 -- thanks.

EDIT:  did some Googling and many seem to have had success using ASIO with these speakers using a freeware driver called ASIO4ALL...  up and running at 24 bit, 48k...  Not an audiophile so it's hard to tell the difference, but pleased.