• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

ASIO, WASAPI, Direct Sound... is there any difference in sound quality?

Aerith Gainsborough

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
853
Likes
1,280
I think it's time to update your foobar2000. It's very outdated. Maybe it will fix the issue.
I also don't have these clicks, using wasapi event output with D10s. Never had them with E10k too.
Clicks are still there but I can activate the fade option on all output modi to remove them now.
Unfortunately, ASIO seems to be exclusive, so not really usable in every day operation when I have music running in the background.
Default-WASAPI shared it is then.

And Foobar still cannot handle multichannel playback via HDMI. <_<
 

highpurityusbcable

Active Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2020
Messages
196
Likes
279
Clicks are still there but I can activate the fade option on all output modi to remove them now.
Unfortunately, ASIO seems to be exclusive, so not really usable in every day operation when I have music running in the background.
Default-WASAPI shared it is then.

And Foobar still cannot handle multichannel playback via HDMI. <_<
I can only suggest uninstalling foobar2000 completely, including config files, and make a clean install. At some point, maybe a year ago, there was a new version and I also updated like always but encountered some bugs. Something major was reworked in that release, as it seems, but clean install fixed everything.
 

Aerith Gainsborough

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
853
Likes
1,280
Something major was reworked in that release, as it seems, but clean install fixed everything.
Oh boy. You were spot on, it seems.
I installed a new portable version as a test and multichannel works w/o hiccup.

Now I have to import my settings and addons step by step in order to figure out which one breaks it... though with my shiny new RME I can probably ditch most of them.

Thanks! And sorry for the off topic.
 

krabapple

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
3,168
Likes
3,712
I wonder if they fixed multichannel too...

?

Multichannel from foobar2k has worked for ages. It has never 'not' worked for me, as far back as I can recall...initially using S/PDIF out plugins to send raw 5.1 DTS/DD bitstreams to an AVR, and then later, WASAPI plugin + HDMI for outputting all manner of surround content bit-perfectly.


And never any clicking issues. The only 'ticks' at start of a track I ever experienced was when the track was created buy splitting it incorrectly from a longer track, i.e., not splitting at a 'zero crossing' of the waveform. A newbie mistake.
 

krabapple

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
3,168
Likes
3,712
And Foobar still cannot handle multichannel playback via HDMI. <_<


Again, every multichannel file I have...it's gotta be well over 1000 at this point...is played via foobar2k + HDMI, and has been for years now.

1) install WASAPI plugin (here's a current one)
2) connect computer to AVR via HDMI and choose that input for playback on the AVR
3) restart foobar2k
4) locate AVR driver in foobar: File-->Preferences-->Playback--->Output-->Devices and select 'WASAPI [AVR] event' (or push, it likely doesn't matter)

Done.

This assumes you are playing ripped files, not discs, via foobar. For discs you will also need a dedicated decoder plugin for the format, e.g for DVDA)
 
Last edited:

Aerith Gainsborough

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
853
Likes
1,280
It was some impossible to find bug (probably an outdated plugin I DL'd ages ago and forgot about) that caused the issue.
I started from scratch with a fresh install and Multichannel is working like a charm now.

Only plugins I now have are Foobar Controller for Android (wee remote control) and Musical spectrum.
 

MC_RME

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Technical Expert
Audio Company
Joined
May 15, 2019
Messages
854
Likes
3,564
Hmm I get an audible click when I pause playback while using ASIO on the RME. Not as bad as WASAPI on my old soundcard but still there.

Look at the unit's status bar. Does the sample rate change when you hit Pause? I see no change and hear no click on Pause or start/stop.
 

Jose Hidalgo

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
961
Likes
1,032
Location
France
Hi guys, I have a question about WASAPI. Maybe stupid, I don't know.

Currently I'm using ASIO4ALL to aggregate 2 stereo DACs into 1 virtual 4-channel DAC. It works very well with the right settings.
So I'm using foobar2000 (4 channel audio) > ASIO output > ASIO4ALL (output device) > Ch1-2 to DAC1 + Ch3-4 to DAC2.
Again, it works very well, with no sync issues or anything. ASIO4ALL buffers set to max seem to do the trick.
Of course that forces me to use ASIO since ASIO4ALL only works with ASIO.
ASIO and WASAPI are supposed to be equal, but what if I wanted to use WASAPI anyway ?

So my (maybe stupid) question is : is there a WASAPI tool that would allow a similar function as ASIO4ALL for me ?
I would then do this : foobar2000 (4 channel audio) > WASAPI output > WASAPI tool (output device) > Ch1-2 to DAC1 + Ch3-4 to DAC2.

Thanks !
 

bennetng

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
1,634
Likes
1,692
Not at all. I can run Foobar ASIO and YouTube etc simultaneously without a problem.
Even the 20+ years old Sound Blaster Live supports hardware multiclient ASIO, can concurrently receive up to 16 channels from GigaStudio via GSIF, and it still can playback and record from other sources when doing this.
https://web.archive.org/web/20181105190002/http://www.geocities.jp/anothergs/kXTut/GsifAsio.html
The notion that ASIO is exclusive is mostly due to the use of non-DAW orientated products or products with limited hardware/driver support. Some years ago in another forum someone asked why his Onkyo X-Fi soundcard can still play other sources when using ASIO, and thought it was a bug, I answered him that the RME Multiface II in a studio I was working for can also do this, he was relieved, LMAO.
 

Aerith Gainsborough

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
853
Likes
1,280
Look at the unit's status bar. Does the sample rate change when you hit Pause? I see no change and hear no click on Pause or start/stop.
I think it did change the sample rate but it may be my memory playing tricks on me.
However, music playback and YT video playback did not work at the same time (video was silent), perhaps a limitation of an outdated plugin.

New Foobar does not have ASIO capabilities anymore, and I won't install any plugins I don't need, since I am happy it works now.
Sorry.
 
Last edited:

krabapple

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
3,168
Likes
3,712
You are getting multichannel out without installing any plugins? I'd like to know how.
 

Aerith Gainsborough

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 4, 2020
Messages
853
Likes
1,280
You are getting multichannel out without installing any plugins? I'd like to know how.
Assuming you have configured the receiving device as multichannel in the Windows sound settings:
Drop Multichannel FLAC into the playlist -> press the big triangle button -> enjoy the sound.

I tried EVERYTHING in my old version, it never worked. Then the user highpurityusbcable suggested a clean re-install of the most current version -> boom all problems evaporated.

I send the signal to Voicemeeter Potato (5.1) that sends it into Elements where it gets downmixed to 4.0 and Dirac'd after which it is relayed back to voicemeeter and output via HDMI to my AVR.
 
Last edited:

krabapple

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
3,168
Likes
3,712
Assuming you have configured the receiving device as multichannel in the Windows sound settings:
Drop Multichannel FLAC into the playlist -> press the big triangle button -> enjoy the sound.


OK, thanks. This goes through the Windows mixer/resampler and works if you aren't playing any raw (nondecoded) DTS /Dolby Digital 5.1 files. To play those I need bit perfect bitstreaming (thus a WASAPI plugin)
 

DJuan2022

New Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2022
Messages
4
Likes
0
....
My take is that WASAPI has nothing to do with "bit perfect".
It is a protocol and this protocol does nothing except transporting faithfully the audio from source (media player) to audio endpoint (the buffer of the audio device).
It doesn't alter a single bit nor does it alter the sample rate.
.....

CONCLUSION: Using ASIO or WASAPI will not alter the sound quality?

I do not notice a difference, but I would like to confirm the above conclusion because if I use ASIO in RadioBoss with my Behringer U-PHORIA UMC202HD interface (with updated drivers for Windows 11) the RadioBoss application disappears from the Windows volume mixer.

rb_asio.png


volume_mixer.png


But if I use WASAPI RadioBoss it appears again in the volume mixer, and for me it is important that it appears to have better control and mute it to monitor myself on the web if I so desire.

rb_wasapi.png


rb_appear_WASAPI.png
 

mightycicadalord

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Nov 10, 2021
Messages
542
Likes
555
Even the 20+ years old Sound Blaster Live supports hardware multiclient ASIO, can concurrently receive up to 16 channels from GigaStudio via GSIF, and it still can playback and record from other sources when doing this.
https://web.archive.org/web/20181105190002/http://www.geocities.jp/anothergs/kXTut/GsifAsio.html
The notion that ASIO is exclusive is mostly due to the use of non-DAW orientated products or products with limited hardware/driver support. Some years ago in another forum someone asked why his Onkyo X-Fi soundcard can still play other sources when using ASIO, and thought it was a bug, I answered him that the RME Multiface II in a studio I was working for can also do this, he was relieved, LMAO.

Worth noting multiclient asio is different from simultaneous ASIO + WDM playback. Multiclient allows the user to run multiple applications that utilize ASIO at the same time, I commonly do this with Ableton + Reaper, with reaper being a dedicated recording of multitracks and Ableton.

I'd argue the notion that ASIO is exclusive comes from endless users having the sample rate of their cards control panel differ from that of windows sound settings only allowing one playback method to work at a time. The fix is to set them to match.
 

bennetng

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
1,634
Likes
1,692
Worth noting multiclient asio is different from simultaneous ASIO + WDM playback. Multiclient allows the user to run multiple applications that utilize ASIO at the same time, I commonly do this with Ableton + Reaper, with reaper being a dedicated recording of multitracks and Ableton.

I'd argue the notion that ASIO is exclusive comes from endless users having the sample rate of their cards control panel differ from that of windows sound settings only allowing one playback method to work at a time. The fix is to set them to match.
Yes I mentioned that point in another post too:
Those soundblasters with the EMU10k chips indeed support multiclient ASIO, as well as the ones based on CA20k chips.
 
OP
daftcombo

daftcombo

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 5, 2019
Messages
3,687
Likes
4,068
what does shared mode do that people claim it has worse sound?
don't tell me resampling as the resampler is transparent
Because of those potential issues with Windows:

But in that post you'll also find the solution.
 
Top Bottom