Topic: ASIO vs. WASAPI (WASAPI performs "better" with Zodiac Gold & Auralic Vega) (Read 10857 times)

HiFiTubes · « **on:** October 20, 2013, 04:58:48 am »

1. I reported that I was hearing a little glitch when switching tracks doing SACD ISO polyback to PCM at 352kHz.

This was using the Antelope USB ASIO driver.

Switching to WASAPI fixed it.

2. Auralic Vega would get dropouts on Exact clock setting (need low jitter source) until I switched to WASAPI. DoP works great up to 2x and PCM ok.

Is this simply an ASIO + Windows 7 x64 issue, or could there be something in JRMC19? In both cases, readily apparent artifacts were observed until switching to the default WASAPI [Event] mode.

I tweaked ASIO setting a bit and nothing helped until WASAPI.

mykillk · « **Reply #1 on:** October 20, 2013, 06:10:18 pm »

I've always preferred WASAPI over ASIO as well. ASIO is more appropriate for music production systems where lowest latency is the highest priority and all the content tends to have same samplerate. But it requires too much tweaking of buffer sizes or else you can get the issues you describe. ASIO over USB especially is problematic as you saw for yourself. And whereas WASAPI is a native Windows interface, ASIO is not and requires drivers from the manufacturer which can be of questionable quality.

WASAPI seems much much better for general purpose home theater stuff. It handles everything without having to change the default buffer settings...

Regnad · « **Reply #2 on:** October 20, 2013, 10:28:12 pm »

@HiFiTubes, what computer and JRiver benchmark do you have?

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #3 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:32:01 pm »

I have an i7 with 16GB, IIRC I think the JMARK is just shy of 5000.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:32:44 pm »

I also have a Lynx Hilo here I could test with but needs to go back shortly.

mojave · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:41:32 pm »

Member Paul W returned his Antelope Orion because it wasn't stable enough. Maybe Antelope is having trouble with good ASIO drivers.

I use ASIO on two different computers with different hardware and have no issues.

Regnad · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2013, 11:57:44 pm »

With a CAPS Zuma (16GB), I occasionally get initial dropouts with the Auralic which completely disappear after re-starting MC19.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #7 on:** October 21, 2013, 12:10:40 am »

I know what you are talking about. Can you post or pm some of your transport details and WASAPI settings. What USB mode in vega control?

I think I switched to low while on exact clock and heard a few issues.

Sometimes I hear DSD as white noise but short burst soon after playback.

PCM upon first start I do get like a dropout before initial playback.

Might need to throw some silence in from MC.

Regnad · « **Reply #8 on:** October 21, 2013, 10:15:31 am »

Using Auralic's suggested options for JRiver, so ASIO with USB driver mode set for minimum latency.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #9 on:** October 21, 2013, 10:55:48 am »

DSDx2 for PCM2DSD doesn't work for me with the Vega ASIO USB driver; does it for you?

PCM2DSD with DSD64 works ok. I didn't know MC had this limitation.

No problem playing native DSD at DSD128.

Matt · « **Reply #10 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:13:04 am »

At the risk of stating the obvious, the reason we support multiple output modes is that different modes work better with different hardware.

So if WASAPI works best, I would use it and be happy

Regnad · « **Reply #11 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:17:39 am »

Yes, I am listening to 16/44 right now upped to 2xDSD, shows DSD128 on the Vega. MC Audio Path says 44k up-sampled to 192K and then encoded as 2XDSD.

Just had a dropout, only one in 1/2 hour.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #12 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:29:31 am »

I'm glad you support multiple output modes, trying to find one to be happy with. ASIO seems the way to go at this point although I can't get PCM2DSD to 2XDSD.

You are doing that here?

And leaving the DoP settings alone?

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #13 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:35:35 am »

Quote from: Regnad on October 21, 2013, 11:17:39 am

Yes, I am listening to 16/44 right now upped to 2xDSD, shows DSD128 on the Vega. MC Audio Path says 44k up-sampled to 192K and then encoded as 2XDSD.

Just had a dropout, only one in 1/2 hour.

Doesn't work for me.

Regnad · « **Reply #14 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:42:40 am »

64 bit? Probably nothing to do with it but how do you get that as an input?

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #15 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:44:20 am »

Isn't MC 64bit internally? I have volume disabled but have set DSDx2 in the Output Section shown upthread...

Hmmm, but yeah I see it showing 16bit and 24bit for other stuff. Not sure what's up.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #16 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:49:02 am »

It's not even attempting to upsample to DSDx2 it seems

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #17 on:** October 21, 2013, 11:52:31 am »

I guess MC is not compatible with 2XDSD on the fly PCM2DSD, at least with this DAC. Thanks to Mike G. for some clarity:

Quote

The VEGA needs DoP and does support DSD128 via DoP, it doesn't accept raw DSD, so the on the fly conversion to DSD128 doesn't work. However, if you use the foo ASIO proxy as outlined on Archimago's page on doing this with the Teac US-501 it works perfectly, at least in my system. The VEGA reports DSD128 if using this method and I find the results quite nice. I have demoed this for a few folks are most all are surprised at the difference.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2013, 02:55:35 am »

So in turns out FooBar ASIO will allow JRMC19 to do PCM2DSD at DSD128.

HiFiTubes · « **Reply #19 on:** March 06, 2014, 04:34:49 am »

Quote from: Regnad on October 20, 2013, 11:57:44 pm

With a CAPS Zuma (16GB), I occasionally get initial dropouts with the Auralic which completely disappear after re-starting MC19.

How's your DAC behaving lately? I tried PCM2DSD again and I get a lot of white noise in Exact clock mode.

I can play DSD or 352kHz PCM all day with no issues in Exact though.

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Author Topic: ASIO vs. WASAPI (WASAPI performs "better" with Zodiac Gold & Auralic Vega) (Read 10857 times)