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[Philippe75]

Hi everyone,

I do face a strange issue with a Windows 8.1 laptop that I use as a music player. I first thought this could be because of an inapropriate JRiver setup but it is not. If anyone can help, I would be very gratefull.


I am using a recent ASUS laptop (intel Core i3) with Windows 8.1 to listen to my FLAC library or Web radios. The laptop is connected to a DAC using a SPDIF to USB Bridge or a Tascam 144 MK2 sound card. Whatever the player is (JRiver or Windows Media Player or ...), 3 or 4 first seconds of a song is playing with a fade-in like effect. I do not face the same issue when I use the internal soundcard and speakers, no fade-in but direct playing at correl sound level.

As mentionned, I first thought this as due to the USD to SPDIF bridge. I purchased a Tascam 144 card but I do have the same issue. Then I thought it was because of JRiver, but I do have the same issue with a different media player. And finally, after testing, I found that I have no problem when playing through the internal soundcard and speakers.

I tried to optimize the laptop for best music playing, i.e. energy saving is Off, energy performance is setup at Maximum and all USB ports can not be turned off for energy saving purposes. Nothing changed...


As we say in France, "I am loosing my latin...". I know this have nothing to do with JRiver, but I am pretty shure experts are here !!!
Thanks again for your help !!!

Regards,
Philippe

[Matt]

It's probably a hardware issue.  You could play leading silence: Options > Audio > Settings > Play silence at startup for hardware synchronization and it might help.

[Vincent Kars]

As both JRiver and WMP do this, it looks like a setting in the Win audio panel.
A simple trick is using the USB to SDIF to select WASAPI as a driver.
This should bypass the Win audio stack.
Does this help?
http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MC14/MC_Wasapi.htm

[Philippe75]

Thanks for your first 2 quick answers.

Unfortunately, I do have the same issue in Kernel Streaming, Direct Sound and Wasapi modes.

I also tried the Play silence at startup, but the issue occurs at first song played and then in between songs of the same album or different albums (shuffle mode). It really seems to me that the volume is leveled down each time a new song is starting to play, as if the audio flow was reseted. During playing, no problem: perfect 

I found that there could be an issue with Windows Communication panel setup. I selected the "Do nothing" option, but no change...
Very odd and weird.....

[Vincent Kars]

If you select the audio device in JRiver:
Using WASAPI is under device settings Exclusive enabled?
In the same panel, what is the setting of Track Change? Try gapless, no Fade

Strange this won't happen when using the mobo audio.
If you go to the win audio panel, is in Advanced > Allow exclusive access checked?

I'm afraid this is the end of my Latin

[Philippe75]

Yes, I did several testing with WASAPI (all modes), Kernel Streaming and even ASIO without success. But as I mentionned, the probleme is not related to JRiver as I do have the same issue with a different media player with an USB interface (sound card, Halide Bridge and M2Tech). No problem when using the internal laptop sound card.

The fade-in is short (2 to 3 seconds max) but annoying, even if sound is not totally 0 at beginning. I tried to remove unwanted but pre-installed sound or USB related software packages (e.g. Realtek HD), but no or very limited effect. I setup a 1 or 2 seconds delay at synchronization but again no effect (as if the system was waiting for a real signal to start fade-in). I also planned to do a full Window install from scratch but due to ASUS OEM contract with Microsoft, I can only re-start from recovery (i.e. with the full software package) ... or buy a new Windows 8 licence. Nice......

I will analyse the remaining running software package related to sound (software, services) to try to correct this issue. I will also test with my (heavy) desktop if I have the same issue (Windows 7).

Really strange...

[Vincent Kars]

Very dark indeed.
Maybe Control Panel > Device Manager > Sound, Video and game controllers
Maybe there is a driver responsible for this.
Try disabling or removing (jot down the version first!). Removing forces Win to install its standard drivers

[Philippe75]

Thanks to all for your help, but the PC is not the problem! I finally found that my digital crossover, which is used in between Pre and Amps, is the issue. When I directly connect the Pre to one of the Amp, no fade in. But when I use back the crossover, fade-in re-appears.

I checked the various parameters to see if there was any "protection" setup but I haven't found any. I think the crossover is "tired" as I had several issues last months...

I will have to change it, not a good news.