I recently buy a m-audio sonica that can output 24-bit PCM. How can I listen to music (mp3 & mpc) with 24- bit output using winamp 5 ? All I have to do is using the MAD plugin with 24-bit output? And what about the output plugin what should I use waveout or directsound? I know there´s mppdec24 that can output mpc at 24-bit but is a command line, is there a plugin for winamp that can output mpc´s at 24-bit ? My system is a windows XP.
Thanx for answers

i have an m-audio sonica aswell... i haven't used winamp in a long time, but i'm pretty sure if you use 24bit input, and don't specify any conversion in the output plugin (like DS) you should be good to go...

i use foobar, though... and i just set it to output 24bit fixed point...

I use Winamp v5.01 with the plugin waveOut output v2.0.2a SSRC (out_wave_ssrc.dll). I've used this with Winamp since v5-prealpha, but it should be compatible with any v2.xx version of Winamp as well.

In the plugin configuration, set target bits-per-sample to "24".

What about mpc does anyone knows if exists a 24-bit plugin for winamp? when I use the command line mppdec24 I can´t listen to the file and the program reports that the format is not supported. It´s sure that the sonica can output 24-bit pcm? the extigy also claimed that but was proved to be a fake... and by the way is there a quality difference between using direct sound or waveout in winamp 5 ? thx for answers

In order to get 24 bit output to work in foobar I had to engage Directsound output... but my reciever does not indicate bitdepth, so I don't know if it is passing true 24bit. Both Wav-out and kernal modes produced noise though.

I am curious about AC3 and DTS though, so far I haven't had either pass successfully to my reciever. PowerDVD blanks out the SPDIF option, and WinDVD does as well. I got media player classic to pass with DivX files + AC3, but it came across as pops and clicks with my reciever (Yamaha DSP-AX440). Unfortunately I have no other equipment to test this on, so I have no clue if this is the fault of the sonica (I suspect) or the amplifier.

Anyone had success?

-CTB