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Topic: Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One (Read 5044 times) previous topic - next topic
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Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Hi all,

I am with Windows 8.1, latest versions of Foobar2000 and the ASIO support component.

I bought the DAC in the subject just to listen bit-perfect songs with foobar.

But there's a problem: with ASIO, when I skip to another song or just when I press STOP or skip inside a song (forward or backward)
I hear a bad small "click/pop" from the speakers.

This happen only with ASIO; with the other outputs everything is perfect.

Can someone help?

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Pipppero on
Hi all,

I am with Windows 8.1, latest versions of Foobar2000 and the ASIO support component.

I bought the DAC in the subject just to listen bit-perfect songs with foobar.

But there's a problem: with ASIO, when I skip to another song or just when I press STOP or skip inside a song (forward or backward)
I hear a bad small "click/pop" from the speakers.

This happen only with ASIO; with the other outputs everything is perfect.

Can someone help?


What driver are you using with your Xonar?

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Marcus Vinicus on
Quote from: Pipppero on
Hi all,

I am with Windows 8.1, latest versions of Foobar2000 and the ASIO support component.

I bought the DAC in the subject just to listen bit-perfect songs with foobar.

But there's a problem: with ASIO, when I skip to another song or just when I press STOP or skip inside a song (forward or backward)
I hear a bad small "click/pop" from the speakers.

This happen only with ASIO; with the other outputs everything is perfect.

Can someone help?


What driver are you using with your Xonar?


Asus Xonar Essence One 8.1.11.11 for Windows 8.1 64 bit.

I want to tell you that I even tried to put "ASIOHOST64.EXE" in real-time priority mode without any results
(same short "clicks/pops" when manual skip tracks).

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #3 –
This is because the ASIO output closes and reopens the device whenever you skip within a track, stop playback, or skip to another track. The only way to prevent popping on seek or skip is to keep the device open, buffer separately, and flush those separate buffers only. The only way to prevent popping on stop is to not actually close the device on stop.

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Pipppero on
to listen bit-perfect songs with foobar.
Why?

Quote from: Pipppero on
This happen only with ASIO; with the other outputs everything is perfect.
Don't use ASIO, use those other outputs.

In case someone on another forum told you to use ASIO output to improve sound quality, he or she lied.
It's only audiophile if it's inconvenient.

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Kohlrabi on
Quote from: Pipppero on
to listen bit-perfect songs with foobar.
Why?

Quote from: Pipppero on
This happen only with ASIO; with the other outputs everything is perfect.
Don't use ASIO, use those other outputs.

In case someone on another forum told you to use ASIO output to improve sound quality, he or she lied.


Hi,

I want to use ASIO to make the bit-perfect led turn on.

I want to use it because it's well written in the E1 overview: "ASIO SUPPORTS!".

I definitely bought this E1 just for bit-perfect to have the perfect listening of my flacs.

So now I assume to use other methods... I am confused 

But if this is the situation for everybody, and considering that in the ASUS website it's written how to use ASIO with foobar,
why no people complain that issue (of clicks in seek or start-stop the songs)?

As you explain me, it's not my problem, it's naturally happening (connect to the device-disconnect the device=clicks/pops).

Thank you very much

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Pipppero on
So now I assume to use other methods... I am confused
You can use WASAPI output which is/can be also bit-perfect. Generally the only point where you would want bit-perfect reproduction is when you pass the signal to an external decoder (for example a DTS signal). In all other cases it offers no benefit at all, and you might only run into problems pursuing that bit-perfect goal (as you have seen).
It's only audiophile if it's inconvenient.

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #7 –
Why WASAPI doesn't turn on the bit-perfect led?

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #8 –
Quote from: kode54 on
The only way to prevent popping on seek or skip is to keep the device open, buffer separately, and flush those separate buffers only. The only way to prevent popping on stop is to not actually close the device on stop.


Can I do those things with foobar2000?

Foobar2000, ASIO and Asus Xonar Essence One

Reply #9 –
It's possible your sound card drivers do not respect the rules and will employ a mixer with WASAPI. Hint towards that is the sound you describe, it could come from the device changing its operating mode. WASAPI is designed to be bit-perfect as it bypasses all OS mixers and gives the signal unmodified to the sound card drivers. The card is then supposed to play it back as-is. If the device had digital output its bit-perfectness could be verified with an external receiver or with a loopback test.

If you can hear sounds from other programs while foobar2000 is playing with WASAPI output, then it's a clear indicator that the drivers are doing something bad and WASAPI isn't bit perfect for you.

I believe the pop would disappear if you change the default output format for the device to match the frequency of the files you most often play. If your files are mostly from CD select "24-bit, 44100 Hz (Studio quality)" mode.

Anyway, as Kohlrabi said, with analog output only there's zero point to requiring bit-perfect output. The error in the signal that Windows mixer causes is at least 100 dB quieter than the music you play making it inaudible for both human and bat ears. It's only required for passing digital data for later decoding by a receiver.
DirectSound output is the optimal output for playback. It's most compatible and it's the only output that eliminates all nasty glitches. With the other outputs if you happen to seek, pause or stop playback and the signal level before transition doesn't match the target level, there will be a click or pop. DirectSound doesn't suffer from these because it fades all these transitions eliminating sudden changes. Of course users can disable these in the Preferences if they prefer.