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[twodutys]

Hi All,
Just now trying JRiver MC and must say I'm impressed with the sound quality. Now if I can just figure out how to avoid having to switch several setting everytime I want to watch a streaming source on Kodi or a video in Chrome.

Here is my Setup and Problems

Auzentech X-Meridan with Burr Brown OP amps. Running Multi-Channel HiRez Flac into 4.1 Channels. And of course Auzentech doesn't have provisions for this setup. JRiver does thru WASAPI. So now I would like to be able to Watch Kodi Streaming and Chrome videos thru JRiver DSP so I don't have to change my setup back and forth between Analog 4.1 (used by JRiver) and SPDIF used by Kodi and Chrome to Harmon Kardon AVR235 which I use as a Pre-Amp Processor and it also has provisions to run 4.1 however doesn't sound as good as the Auzentech with the JRiver DSP. And I have to switch The Auzentech and the Harmon Kardon back and forth from Analog to SPDIF which is a pain.

Can anyone help with recommendations?
Thank You

[JimH]

Welcome to the forum.  You can use Zones to alternate between two or more settings.  The wiki has a topic.

[twodutys]

And Zones will allow me to add Kodi and Chrome?

[RoderickGI]

I may be misunderstanding, I'm not seeing a JRiver audio problem here. I'm seeing a Default System Audio setting problem.

In MC, set your audio device in "Option>Audio>Audio Device" to the analogue output of the Auzentech X-Meridian. I don't have that sound card, but on just plain old Realtek motherboard audio, that device would be "Realtek High Definition Audio", or plain "Speakers". MC will then always play out through the analogue outputs, set to 4.1 via MC in your case.

Now in your PC's System Playback Devices (Windows), set your default audio device to the equivalent of the "Realtek Digital Output (Optical)", which is the S/PDIF output on the Auzentech X-Meridian. The when you play using Kodi, output to the default device, or set it specifically to output to the S/PDIF port. Chrome should be the same or similar, but as I don't use one, I don't know for sure.


Of course it could be more complex if you are trying to capture the audio from Kodi and Chrome, and send it to the JRiver WDM Driver, to be played through MC. But it doesn't sound like you are trying to do that. You are trying to direct audio out to two different ports (or sets of ports in the case of analogue), and the above should do that for you.

PS: I was going to suggest the Wiki topic on Zones as well, then realised it probably doesn't apply. You should read that Wiki article anyway, as it will give you some more insight into what MC can do.

[twodutys]

If I select SPDIF in windows it doesn't work. I have to Apply it in the Auzentech options which then turns off my Audio Out on the sound card for JRiver MC.

I guess what I'm trying to find since JRiver MC does't have plugins for Chrome and Kodi would be a Stand Alone JRiver DSP for running other apps the JRiver doesn't have in its media center that way I can keep the same Audio settings on both my Sound Card and Harmon Kardon as I have when using JRiver MC and still have a phantom center and sub working when I do use the other programs on my HTPC. Other wise I'm doing a whole lot of switching. Sorry about the rambling on sentence.

My setup is very unusual because I hate center channels and love the sound quality of the Auzentech. Very few sound cards if any will do multi-channel in 24bit 192khz rez. Most of them only do stereo at that rate and the 24bit 96khz rate on multi-channel. I have Flac's that are at the higher rate that I have purchased. So going to something like Creative is out of the question.

[RoderickGI]

If I select SPDIF in windows it doesn't work. I have to Apply it in the Auzentech options which then turns off my Audio Out on the sound card for JRiver MC.

The bolded bit seems like the problem then. JRiver and MC aren't going to solve that, only Auzentech can.

JRiver MC is never going to have a plugin for Kodi, given that it is a competitive product. However people have sent the output from Kodi to JRiver for playback though, via the WDM Driver. Read the Wiki article about the WDM Driver, and see if you can get all playback to go through JRiver, and hence output via analogue 4.1

I am assuming by Chrome that you mean Chromecast? There are some threads around here discussing how to use MC with Chromecast, so search for and read those as well.

[twodutys]

Thanks for the heads up on the possible fix for my Kodi Stream!

Chrome is a Browser from Google which is used and needs sound for whatever videos I watch on that as well. Sound quality for both really isn't that important since both will be for streaming from low quality sources. I just need the phantom center and sub to work without switching from analog out to fiber.

 Without analog out you may as well run onboard sound anyway. So if I use a different computer for the browser and use your suggestion for Kodi that should fix my problems. The family just won't be able to use the basement HTPC for a browser.

And yes you are correct that the problem is with the software that controls the chipset for Auzentech. I guess if you want a good sounding sound card you have to put up with a piss poor DSP controls. What a shame that no company has both and good card and good software. At least nothing that fits into a PC.

Thanks again for your help 

[RoderickGI]

Happy to help.

As you mean Chrome the browser, using the JRiver WDM Driver should work for that as well. Just set the JRiver WDM Driver as the default audio Playback Device in Windows, then all sound in Windows and Windows applications will go through MC, including Chrome and Kodi. Then select the Auzentech as the audio output in MC, with it set up as 4.1 as you wish.

But do read up on the WDM Driver, as it isn't perfect, and you will need to configure buffers and such to avoid lag. But it sounds like exactly what you want.

[twodutys]

WOW RoderickGI you are a Genius! All I have to do now is make sure that JRiver MC starts when I boot up my PC and I'm good to go! WOW this is incredible! I'm using the Auzentech WASAPI in JRiver MC and the JRiver MC21 WDM in windows set as default and as long as JRiver is up and running EVERYTHING WORKS! Can you tell I'm a happy camper?
THANK YOU!