CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:06:37 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1] 2 3

Author Topic: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?  (Read 1705 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Golmang

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +5/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 29
Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« on: July 06, 2015, 09:40:19 AM »
If yes, why? I can (in my scientific ineptitude) imagine things like preloading a lot into memory and not relying on the HDD while streaming (just preemptively loading the following files in the playlist to prevent hickups), or task prioritization. Actually I don't have a clue at all so please help me.

Foobar WASAPI EVENT/PUSH, Winamp Wasapi vs. JRIVER. Are there audible differences and how do you technically explain them?
Logged

Azteca X

  • Audio Tlatoani
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +27/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 232
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2015, 01:24:10 PM »
Logged

The Alchemist

  • Tech Admin
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +9000/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 374
  • CHANGSTAR MODERATOR
    • Alchemy Facebook Page
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2015, 01:45:46 PM »
I have done extensive listening with JRiver with WASAPI and with ASIO. I really do not notice much of a difference. I have heard some say WASAPI is best, I have heard ASIO is the best. I know from being a recording artist, AISO is the best when recording, but as far as listening to retail music already mixed/mastered/etc. I cannot tell much of a difference between the two. If you have a fast CPU/SSD I like AISO because you can set the latency to pretty much 0 (at least on my system) - however like I stated, I cannot tell much of a difference between the two with retail music. You would probably want whatever software you are using for music communicate directly with your hardware.

To sum things up, different hardware requires different communication methods to obtain the best possible audio quality and performance. To get the best audio quality, your software should communicate directly with your sound hardware, without Windows or any other layer doing resampling or other processing of the signal.

Core Audio, ASIO, WASAPI, and Kernel Streaming are all hardware direct.


From JRiver Wiki

ASIO

ASIO is a sound card communication system created by Steinberg.

If your soundcard has a native ASIO driver, this is the most direct (and normally best) way to communicate with it.

Please note that ASIO4All is basically Kernel Streaming with an ASIO wrapper. There's no good reason to use ASIO + ASIO4All vs just using Kernel Streaming directly in Media Center.

WASAPI (Windows Audio Session API)

WASAPI is a hardware communication system in Vista, Windows 7, and newer. When used in exclusive mode, the Windows system mixer is bypassed, but other applications cannot simultaneously use the audio device.
Logged
My Bandcamp Alchemy page:
https://jeremydixon.bandcamp.com/

All proceeds are non-profit and go towards financing the production of my album.

Chris F

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +20/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 159
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2015, 01:49:01 PM »
In theory "bit perfect" players with direct access to the hardware should sound exactly the same.  Of course there are always bugs so often it doesn't work out that way.

The thing is, often you don't want "bit perfect" unless you never use things like EQ, software volume control etc....   This is where the software aspect is in full swing.  There is a huuuuge difference between the EQ in iTunes vs something like DMG Equilibrium.
Logged

Golmang

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +5/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 29
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #4 on: July 06, 2015, 02:49:33 PM »
Logged

The Alchemist

  • Tech Admin
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +9000/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 374
  • CHANGSTAR MODERATOR
    • Alchemy Facebook Page
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #5 on: July 06, 2015, 06:39:14 PM »
Brownie point for Azteca X for the links. That was some interesting reading. If sound quality and bit-perfect playback are your only concern, then why not Foobar? I use JRiver because it has all of the qualities of foobar with lots of extras I find useful, and I like being able to use VST plug-ins like iZotope Ozone EQ. I think JRIver is worth the $50 for all of the extra features it offers (I assume the author of that article purchased a JRiver License for the same purpose), but as I said, if it is just plain and simple sound quality you are after and don't need any extras, why not use a free player that is capable of ASIO, WASAPI, Kernel Streaming etc?

Good article, thanks Azteca X - Brownie Point for you!
Logged
My Bandcamp Alchemy page:
https://jeremydixon.bandcamp.com/

All proceeds are non-profit and go towards financing the production of my album.

Yuanathan

  • Powder Monkey
  • *
  • Brownie Points: +3/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 15
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2015, 02:46:34 PM »
I hope this is on topic.

Has anyone ran Tidal with Jriver WDM (/w wasapi) and notice an improve in SQ?
No DSP studio options selected.
Just want to know if it's just my mind playing tricks on me, but it seems to be "better"?  :-Z
Logged

keanex

  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +23/-8
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 241
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2015, 05:13:03 PM »
I honestly can't say I've heard any discernible, at least not immediately, differences between direct sound and wasapi. I've never bothered to go back and forth and I use wasapi out of default, but it's annoying going from listening to music to wanting to watch a YouTube video.
Logged

Anaxilus

  • Phallus Belligerantus Analmorticus
  • Pirate
  • **
  • Brownie Points: +65535/-65535
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3493
  • TRS jacks must die
    • The Claw
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2015, 06:49:28 PM »
There is a noticeable difference between directsound and wasapi. If you don't notice it then don't worry about it, but it is there.
Logged
"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

The Alchemist

  • Tech Admin
  • Master
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +9000/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 374
  • CHANGSTAR MODERATOR
    • Alchemy Facebook Page
Re: Do Mediaplayers sound different when using the same output method (ASIO/WASAPI)?
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2015, 08:22:32 PM »
Quote from: Anaxilus on July 08, 2015, 06:49:28 PM
There is a noticeable difference between directsound and wasapi. If you don't notice it then don't worry about it, but it is there.

Agreed - I know I can definitely notice a difference on my setup. It is always best to use the most direct communication to your hardware (DAC/Soundcard) for best performance/audio quality i.e. WASAPI, AISO.
« Last Edit: July 09, 2015, 06:01:46 PM by TheGame »
Logged
My Bandcamp Alchemy page:
https://jeremydixon.bandcamp.com/

All proceeds are non-profit and go towards financing the production of my album.
Pages: [1] 2 3
« previous next »