Wasapi Event Style

Alan

Got around to a new install of Foobar today, along with a nice looking skin. It's been a good while since my office system was up 'n running, and I see Wasapi event is now a component. This is great, as the previous Wasapi components periodically scared me with a burst of white noize every hour or so - I stuck wiv da old skool Asio for ages. Here it is:



Now I find the office system sounding a lot nicer than before (and I can still compare the older configuration with an Asio component). I have been surprised several times today by how good Foobar now sounds with Wasapi event, rather like the improvement Audirvana+ gives over iTunes. Very similar, in fact.

Wassup to you all!

Docfoster

In my digital rig I find WASAPI event style to be second only to ASIO IMHO.

Stupinder

Wasapi has been on my Foobar a while now and I love it. Just having a play with JPlay which on first listen sounds great.

Docfoster

Get it on Asio! :-)

Brumjam

Alan do you know if you can use JPlay v5 with Foobar? I'm using a demo version with JRiver and it's really rather nice sounding.  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts versus Wasssssup!!!!!

Alan

Dunno James, I never used JPlay. My Windoze setup is an office system, replete with laptop & fan noise...

May well go to a custom Windoze based server on the main system one day, but not yet.

Stupinder

Yes you can use JPLAY with Foobar. Reviewing at the moment after using WASAPI for a while
http://jplay.eu/manual/

Brumjam

Yes you can use JPLAY with Foobar. Reviewing at the moment after using WASAPI for a while
http://jplay.eu/manual/

I tried Foobar with JPlay today but kept getting dropouts every few seconds.  That' a step further that I managed with JRiver which for some reason didn't want to play with JPlay today - kept getting an error about the JPlay server not being available.

For the first time today I remembered why I switched to Apple devices in the first place - too much faff with Windoze, although I suspect with a dedicated stripped down server there would be less to go wrong.

uglymusic

Yes you can use JPLAY with Foobar. Reviewing at the moment after using WASAPI for a while
http://jplay.eu/manual/

I tried Foobar with JPlay today but kept getting dropouts every few seconds.  That' a step further that I managed with JRiver which for some reason didn't want to play with JPlay today - kept getting an error about the JPlay server not being available.

For the first time today I remembered why I switched to Apple devices in the first place - too much faff with Windoze, although I suspect with a dedicated stripped down server there would be less to go wrong.

I keep feeling that I want to build a Windoze server just to see how good it can be, but like you, I keep having doubts thrown at me!

There is that deep, deep crater of faff waiting to open up.

Alan

The deep crater of faff is the thing, stare long enough into the deep crater of faff and the deep crater of faff stares back into your soul.

The only conceivable reason to build a windoze server is in the pursuit of outright performance IMO. The ability to optimise software and BIOS (though I wouldn't have a scooby...), select appropriate hardware and configure it (mainly with multiple power supplies) is all something that locked down fruits don't let you do.

Regarding faffing with players, drivers, and 'stuff', I suspect it would be worse than Apple but not by much. Apple is far from perfect, especially if you're not content to just plug 'n play (because improvements are available). If recent experiences with Apple programs and updates are anything to go by, they are on a downwards (read: 'Microsoft-ward in the nineties') trend, and in a few years there may be no pragmatic reason to prefer Apples to oranges.

The thing to remember with a dedicated music computer is once you get through the pain (setting up, configuration), it ought to be able to be left well alone indefinately, with flawless, non compromised performance, all accessed remotely with a tablet. In the event, it matters not what fruit is on the tin.

My 2c, all IMHO.

Docfoster

The thing to remember with a dedicated music computer is once you get through the pain (setting up, configuration), it ought to be able to be left well alone indefinately, with flawless, non compromised performance, all accessed remotely with a tablet.

I have this.



In my case, to build a successful relationship with my music PC has required an enormous amount of technical expertise, support and good will from Jason. All qualities sadly lacking in the IT world.

figlet108

I've been researching this area (ASIO, WASAPI etc) tonight since getting the Young DAC.

The Young doesn't have native ASIO drivers which is a shame as that's always the best option if it exists.

I thought that ASIO4ALL was a genuine ASIO driver, but it turns out it's just a Kernel Streaming implementation with an ASIO wrapper. So in effect you may as well use Kernel Streaming directly in JRiver instead of bothering with ASIO4ALL.

So, it looks like the best option for a Young DAC on a PC with JRiver is to use WASAPI (event)

Docfoster

I've been researching this area (ASIO, WASAPI etc) tonight since getting the Young DAC.

The Young doesn't have native ASIO drivers which is a shame as that's always the best option if it exists.

I thought that ASIO4ALL was a genuine ASIO driver, but it turns out it's just a Kernel Streaming implementation with an ASIO wrapper. So in effect you may as well use Kernel Streaming directly in JRiver instead of bothering with ASIO4ALL.

So, it looks like the best option for a Young DAC on a PC with JRiver is to use WASAPI (event)

I read something along those lines on the JRiver website recently. ASIO4ALL...? The bloody cheek.
I notice that my current version of JRiver doesn't have event style WASAPI as an option in the usual place. What's the story there...?

figlet108

No, it does - it's just that there is only one WASAPI now and event style is the default. And there's an option in there to turn off event. You'll see what I mean if you go into the WASAPI options.

Docfoster

The thing to remember with a dedicated music computer is once you get through the pain (setting up, configuration), it ought to be able to be left well alone indefinately, with flawless, non compromised performance, all accessed remotely with a tablet.

I have this.

WTF was this post...?
Jesus, I post some crap sometimes.

uglymusic

Yup!

figlet108

No, I get it. Basically when you have a problem with your music computer you touch a sawn-off tree stump with your (frankly quite effeminate) left hand, and err... all your problems vanish. That's quite normal in the IT support world and I often recommend it.

figlet108

And in fact, it's at about this time of night when I've seen a naked stump that I like to listen to this classic (but quite rude!) lo-fi track by the Moldy Peaches: (seriously there's NO WAY you're not going to like to hate this)

Docfoster

Well well well.
I was playing in a band a couple of years ago and our female vocalist liked the Moldy Peaches (I'd never heard of them before). She actually persuaded us to do one of their tunes, and (worse) me (yes me) to join her in singing it. I can't for the life of me remember what it was called. It wasn't this one. I may have a (very rough) demo of it somewhere...
[-X

figlet108

So, the Moldy Peaches came to fame with the movie Juno. The main song on there and the one sung in duet at the end by the 2 young lovebirds was this one:

Is this the one you sang Ben?

Adam Green, one half of the Moldy Peaches recently collaborated with Binki Shapiro, of Little Joy fame, and produced a beautifully crafted duet album with a nod to the good 'ol days of Frank and Nancy but with a very modern and fresh feel. The sweet melodies are juxtaposed to the harsh and cutting lyrics.

Carol really likes this as well and we saw them live in Manchester earlier on in the year - probably the most fun gig we've been to all year - Adam insisted on stage diving the crowd in the middle of the odd song, and how he got back to the stage before the instrumental break finished I have no idea! I'm sure we all enjoyed grabbing his leather clad arse on the way through :-S

Anyway, onto the youtube vid:

figlet108

Right, back to the topic in hand - WASAPI and such...

So the Young doesn't have native ASIO drivers which is a bit disappointing as I do prefer it to the other protocols on Jriver when I've tried it with other DACs that do have ASIO.

However, m'colleague Gaz points out that JPlay delivers an ASIO driver which seems to work beautifully with JRiver and the Young. I don't know if it's a proper native implementation or not, and I don't know if it's JPlay itself or the ASIOness that's doing it, but it's the best sound I've got so far with JRiver and Young.

The other nice thing about JPlay is that when you marry it with Fidelify you can play bit perfect (albeit compressed) Spotify through JPlay's ASIO interface.

Obviously the downside is the £85 pricetag for JPlay, but for lifetime upgrades and whole family license I think its purchase is imminent...

Thanks Gary for costing me more money 8-|

Docfoster

Jason,
Yes it was that first one. It really suited our singer's voice. I'm still looking for a song that does the same for mine. :-&
Unfortunately the band collapsed very acrimoniously, and the singer deleted the shared Dropbox folder with all our demos in (bloody diva). I don't appear to have the original recording (The guitarist may still have it), but I think in the case of "Anyone else" I'm not too bothered to be without it. So count yourselves lucky.

Gazjam

Jason,
Your welcome!
First the Young now Jplay..sorry!

Seriously though, Jplay works really well with the Young, the only possible snag is that using it in the Jplay Win8 specific XStream mode, you can only adjust the registry value for it down from its default 250 to about (in my case) about 160.
It's Dac dependant and lower the better.
Its the Young driver that puts the brakes on getting any lower.

I looked on the Young site to see if there was a separate new driver for their new Vaughn Dac which might have been used on the Young...but as its the same driver Im guessing its the same USB/SPDIF chipset onboard.

I really feel that an upgrade path for the Young might be in getting a good USB/SPDIF adapter (not the Vlink 192 but summit better) to beat the Young's onboard conversion.
That way (hopefully) Jplay registry settings can be turned right down to nearer the minimum of 20.
Most folk report no difference in the Young's inputs so I don't feel going SPDIF in would be a disadvantage personally.

Some software things work, some don't but Jplay and adjusting this registry value absolutely does. I can hear the Improvement going from the default of 250 to 200 never mind going any lower.
Getting it down to 20 or 30 like those with different Dacs can would be...a bit special I think.

I know the Young's USB input is said to be it's "raision d'être", but a fair few folk have commented on the SPDIF being better IF you have some top level off board USB conversion going on, thinking the likes of e Bel Canto converters around £500.

That's a possibility for the future for me...need to get one on loan though from a friendly Bel Canto dealer to test it first though.