I'm currently using a VLink with JRiver 19 as of yesterday.
So, if I understand right the 'best' setting is Wasapi / exclusive access. That seems to be one of the few settings that I can't seem to get to work. I believe the VLink can't do 16 bit, and that is one factor in general at play here.
Here are some combinations I've tried:
When I say 96 I mean 'all set to 96'. When I say 44.1->96, I mean below 44.1 'use 44.1', then 'keep', then after 96 'use 96'.
kHz / bits / channels / exclusive access Result
96/32/2/no Sound
96/32/2/yes Error Message #1
96/24/2/no Sound
96/24/2/yes Silence
96/auto/2/no Sound
44.1->96/auto/2/no Error Message #2
44.1->96/auto/2/yes Silence
Error Message #1: Playback could not be started on output wasapi using 96/16/2. (Note that in no cases was bit depth set to 16 suggesting that something is making the requested bit depth change in JRiver not work.)
Error Message #2: Couldn't use 44.1/16/2, mixing format of hardware doesn't support... Use 96/32/2 instead. (Note that this was very interesting first as again JRiver isn't respecting my bit depth choice, but here it suggests what should work, and thus my emphasis on 32 above, though on JRiver 17 I used 24 all the time.).
So a lot of those settings do work, and it seems more like it doesn't work with 'exclusive access' than anything else. However, I read from this page that I can only get rid of the windows mixer if I use wasapi *and* exclusive access.
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_ModesSo, going to the next lower set of settings according to that page:
Kernel Streaming
44.1->96/24/2/NA Sound
That seems to be the best I can come up with.
So here are my questions:
#1 Why is JRiver not respecting my bit-depth choices? (Assuming I'm correctly interpreting what is going on above where the error message says the VLink is getting 16 even thought I've set it to 24)
#2 Why does exclusive access not work with a VLink?
#3 Does a VLink need exclusive access - maybe it take control of the USB port anyhow?
#4 Is Kernel Streaming better than wasapi with exclusive access off, because as you can see I can choose from these two choices assuming the software as-is is my only choice:
wasapi / 44.1->96/24/2/no
kernel streaming / 44.1->96/24/2/NA
I will eventually get a new dac and asynch device or use another connector but for now the VLink is going to be there, so I'd like to figure this out.
Thanks!