Foobar toslink output device with all bit and rate options

Reply #25 – 2013-04-10 12:36:05

Wouldn't Dolby Digital Live try to convert the 4 channel LPCM to AC3 first? I thought that was the whole point of it. Unless the player tries to directly bitstream the LPCM to the receiver and skipping DDL.
AC3Filter should also be able to do LPCM to AC3 conversion, but only certain media players support it.

Foobar toslink output device with all bit and rate options

Reply #26 – 2013-04-10 20:04:10

All this talk about "lossy format" has me checking the page banner to be sure its still Hydrogenaudio. Is there any doubt that basic SPdif or DTS is audibly transparent? ***

Any connection between the ground of the PC and the AVR generates a strong hum, perhaps strong hum doesn't bother everybody, but with Klipsch Forte"s its annoying. Coax or analog, anything with a common ground. I could rewire my house, or relocate the PC to the same circuit either physically or with a 30 foot extension cord, but this is NOT desirable, and it forces a totally unnecessary DAC ADC pair of conversions. Those conversions "might" be transparent, usually transparent, transparent unless some connection or other issue arises, but being unnecessary I think they should be avoided.

The Xonar DS I ordered from newegg is showing as out for delivery, so it should be in the system tonight. No point in speculating much more with hard data hours away.

BTW some files are ripped 88.2k, apparently Microsoft doesn't support that sampling rate so it won't appear as an option in the setup dialog for windows.

*** Just making a point on the audibility thing, I post on many a audiophile dominated forum where mention of blind testing gets a post removed, so I am happy to have a contrast here.

Foobar toslink output device with all bit and rate options

Reply #27 – 2013-04-11 08:20:46

What's wrong with lossy formats?

You still haven't said what file you're playing or what software you're trying to play it with. I'll quit trying to help.

Foobar toslink output device with all bit and rate options

Reply #28 – 2013-04-11 11:13:10

Xonar DS was sitting outside my front door when I left for dinner, but once I got home very little time to mess with it before my audio curfew.

Reasonably sure I removed and uninstalled all the old audio drivers, and installed the latest from Asus.

Cars Moving in Quadio played! Initially at half speed using WASAPI event to the digital out, I reset all Foobar prefs and selected DS digital out (ASUS Xonar DS audio device) and got sound, but channel assignment may be wrong, work on that later. Tried a few other files and got sound, but ...

My receiver is showing PCM or DTS 3/2.1, no 5.1 yet.
Windows setup I get no sound from DTS, DDL works, WMA isn't supported on my receiver, and only getting sound from 48k setting during test. This is weird as Xonar DS is DTS not DDL, but I expect more driver cleaning or reboots or something "windows" may sort it out without explanation.

I'm not going to worry further about it until I have time to carefully go over all of the setup to see what I have possibly done wrong. By setup I am including all three camps, Xonar card, Foobar, and windows.

BTW headphones on the Xonar DS seem very nice.

Sorry not to offer more specific files, but I don't see myself at that stage of troubleshooting, still on the setup basics.