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Author Topic: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)  (Read 7430 times)

centai

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Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« on: July 04, 2014, 07:29:05 am »

I use JRiver Media Center 19 with Windows 8.1 64-Bit and an ASUS Xonar Essence One soundcard.

I read that generally the WASAPI output is recommended. However I have also installed the native ASIO driver from ASUS.
When I choose WASAPI as audio output, it is working fine and I have no problems. But when I switch to native ASIO the playback sometimes hungs or does not even start. I have to power off and on the soundcard then and after that it usually works again. I also noticed problems when I switch from ASIO playback in JRiver to normal Windows playback (Webbrowser) and then back to JRiver again.

From the stability point of view the WASAPI is much better, BUT in ASIO mode the sound quality is much better. Everything sounds clearer and more precise and I am 100% sure that this is not just my imagination.
I am a bit confused now, because I thought WASAPI delivers the audio material also 1:1 to the sound card with not other processing in between.

Can anybody explain me, why there are such big differences in playback between WASAPI and native ASIO?
Also does anybody know how the stability of native ASIO can be improved?

Thank you in advance
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Matt

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2014, 07:39:21 am »

It's totally device specific if ASIO or WASAPI is better.  Devices do different things with the audio data that is delivered.

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Vincent Kars

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2014, 02:00:24 pm »

Funny, most of the time discrete sound cards and WASAPI don't get along.
Might it be that the audio is resampled when using WASAPI
Do you use it in exclusive mode?
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spiggytopes

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2014, 11:06:00 pm »

Sorry to be negative but ASUS drivers are just awful ..... do a little research and you will see.

I junked mine.

To be positive, open the Asus control panel and by pass their mixer (can't remember which button)

The you will have ASIO pure and simple.
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kroser8

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2014, 03:36:45 am »

Sorry to be negative but ASUS drivers are just awful ..... do a little research and you will see.

I junked mine.

To be positive, open the Asus control panel and by pass their mixer (can't remember which button)

The you will have ASIO pure and simple.


You can try to disable the ASIO driver in the components JRiver.
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centai

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2014, 05:23:29 am »

I cannot find any options in the ASUS driver to disable the mixer.

I also noticed that the "Bit-perfect" LED is only on, when I use the ASIO playback option.
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ken-tajalli

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2014, 05:39:17 am »

I have the Essence one and windows 7 x64.
I do not have such issues, both WASAPI and ASIO work fine, with a difference that the "Bit Perfect" led will not light under WASAPI.
Neither does the correct bitrate leds.
To my ears, the two are very similar sounding, but different enough to tell.
Perhaps Essence one is fussy about how it recieves the data.
To my ears, WASAPI sounds more raw and punchy, while ASIO is smoother and politer.
As said before, it is hardware dependent.
Get your computer checked out.
-Set the default playback device , your on-board soundcard.
-under Essence one properties > advanced , make sure exclusive modes are ticked.
-In JRiver, while in WASAPI, click device settings, and tick "open device for exclusive access".
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glynor

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Re: Recommended audio setting (WASAPI / ASIO)
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2014, 06:40:22 am »

You can try to disable the ASIO driver in the components JRiver.

This is unrelated.
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