Improving output.exclusive.overrides settings to ensure gapless playback

2024-12-28 01:36:10

Hi,

When playing consecutive tracks with different sample rate, I miss the 3-4 first secs of music of the starting track because my DAC requires a significant delay (3-4 secs) to change sampling rate. My setup is Kodi + WASAPI exclusive.
I implemented a workaround for Kodi which basically tracks sampling rate change between consecutive tracks. In such case, it pauses the playback and mutes to wait for the DAC do its [slow] magic and then restart the playback.
That fixes my issue and playback remains gapless for medias on local libraries (all tracks of one single classical/live album have the same sampling rate). But when playing streamed music, Kodi does not implement gapless playback (Qobuz / Tidal > BubbleUpnp > Kodi Upnp renderer).

So I am setting up Foobar2k to take advantage of its Upnp gapless audio playback. It works great except that I need Foobar to wait for my DAC...

I found one setting (Advanced > Playback > Exclusive output overrides > Silence preroll in milliseconds) which is close to what I need. The max ms is limited to 1000 but I could force it to 3000 by changing the value in config.sqlite.

The point is that Foobar2000 systematically adds that 3000ms delay before playing a track, even if the sampling rate remains the same between tracks.

It would be nice if the logic could be improved (and the max. delay increased) to discard that delay when the sample rate remains the same. That would also ensure gapless playback DACs requiring delay to lock the signal.

Re: Improving output.exclusive.overrides settings to ensure gapless playback

Reply #1 – 2024-12-28 07:56:54

https://foobar.hyv.fi/?view=foo_dsp_pregap

Re: Improving output.exclusive.overrides settings to ensure gapless playback

Reply #2 – 2024-12-28 14:10:54

Quote from: Bogozo on 2024-12-28 07:56:54

https://foobar.hyv.fi/?view=foo_dsp_pregap

Thanks! I'll give it a try

Re: Improving output.exclusive.overrides settings to ensure gapless playback

Reply #3 – 2024-12-28 15:23:40

I use pregap for starting playback. As for your DAC changing sample rate, honestly the best way I've found around it is to just resample everything to the same fixed rate, far above what is needed. Obviously it won't be bit-perfect anymore, but it beats a gap or a click in the audio, and it definitely beats paying a lot of money for a faster-switching DAC for me personally.

Re: Improving output.exclusive.overrides settings to ensure gapless playback

Reply #4 – 2024-12-28 17:14:00

Quote from: wawa79 on 2024-12-28 14:10:54

Quote from: Bogozo on 2024-12-28 07:56:54

https://foobar.hyv.fi/?view=foo_dsp_pregap

Thanks! I'll give it a try

It took me some time to realize that I had not enabled foo_dsp_pregap in DSP manager. Once done, it does exactly what I expected. Thank you a lot!
I reviewed the list of Foobar components without finding it. I did not have the 'pregap' word for googling a feature that many DAC/AVR owners need...