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Does Voicemeeter degrade SQ?

Zoomer

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Lately I've come across several remarks in other threads that Voicemeeter degrades SQ.
Why would that be?
I run VM (without sample rate conversion) and to me it sounds transparent.
 

jmaz87

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Bump for interest.
I also have used VM for a long time for my PC mixer IDK how you get away with no conversion, I have music saved in all sorts of different rates as well as some DSD etc. and voice meeter doesn't change on the fly since it's tied to the A1 Output device.
I could only do that with a single source, and set output to match which for my use case defeats the purpose of a digital mixer.

I settled with 24/96 since it's the limit of the Virtual Cables and probably 1% of my music is above that. So in theory everything from PC games, Voice chat, and Music is sampled at 24/96 once with no more conversions other than @ my DAC I assume.

I also do this for digital volume control since from my limited understanding the upscale to 24-bit provides more dynamic headroom for volume attenuation before digital noise might affect SQ audibly

anybody have more info regarding using VM in regards to SQ or volume control?
 

bigjacko

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I set my VM with 44.1 sample rate, whenever I play other sample rate there will be error which I assume is because I set 44.1 in VM. How did you guys able to play other sample rates when VM set to some arbitrary sample rate?

I assume if there is no sample rate conversion and everything is bit perfect in and out, the SQ should not degrade.
 
OP
Zoomer

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I do the SR conversion in the player (mostly Foobar or JRiver), so VM always gets 24/96.
 

Atanasi

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I assume if there is no sample rate conversion and everything is bit perfect in and out, the SQ should not degrade.
VoiceMeeter is not bit-perfect. For example, trying the bit test to ADI-2 DAC passes only to 16 bits if VoiceMeeter is in the middle. It probably adds at least dither.
 

jmaz87

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Ya I don't see how it could be "bit perfect" since it's creating a mix with multiple potential conversions on the fly depending on each source which could be anything...

It is very convenient on the other hand to use as a mixer. It would be nice to know if there are audible differences. when everything is working it's definitely "good enough" to my ears but who knows what that means...

How do you do the conversion in Foobar? I haven't been to happy with the included dsp plugin so i sample every source within VM at 24/96 which prevents me from using the asio VAIO as mentioned above its will error out if source SR changes from VM's config...

I also use it to control my volume for active monitors bc with asio tidal/pc has zero volume control and I'm too cheap to buy a 3rd xlr - amp for just preamp volume control... might have to just bite the bullet but nothing really appeals to me
 

MakeMineVinyl

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I can't speak to Voicemeeter degrading sound quality, but it does mess with the other sound drivers on my Windows 10 machine. In fact it messed up everything so badly that I had to uninstall all sound drivers and Voicemeeter and re-install the sound drivers in order to be able to use all my other sound devices.

Windows isn't all that great with managing multiple sound cards/DACS/interfaces anyway, and Voicemeeter blew up everything to the point of being useless. I would stay away from it.
 

bigjacko

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I am not sure about the bit perfect part, but when the bit or sample rate are not set to the same as input, my VM gets error. VM does control other sound device when you set it as input or output in VM. If winddows want to access the sound device there will be error. It is kind frustrating when you get error and don't know where it came from, but if you set everything well and no controdiction, everything should work out. It has not mess up the sound device drivers for me.
 

bigjacko

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How do you do the conversion in Foobar? I haven't been to happy with the included dsp plugin so i sample every source within VM at 24/96 which prevents me from using the asio VAIO as mentioned above its will error out if source SR changes from VM's config...
There are a lot of plug ins for foobar, some sample rate conversion has already been built in. i don't understand how you input to VM and how you output, did you use asio VAIO input and then output to whatever device you use?
 
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Zoomer

Zoomer

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How do you do the conversion in Foobar?

There are several resampler plugins available. I use "Resampler (SoX) mod" which sets a target sample rate and lets you exlude sample rates.
"Resampler (SoX) mod2" works the other way around by defining the specific sample rates you want to convert.
 

MakeMineVinyl

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It has not mess up the sound device drivers for me.

In my setup I switch from very frequently between various sound devices, enabling and disabling them in my relatively complex system, and this is where VoiceMeeter messes things up (and Windows alone doesn't work all that well either). In a systems where the setup does not change, it would probably not cause problems.
 

jmaz87

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I can't speak to Voicemeeter degrading sound quality, but it does mess with the other sound drivers on my Windows 10 machine. In fact it messed up everything so badly that I had to uninstall all sound drivers and Voicemeeter and re-install the sound drivers in order to be able to use all my other sound devices.

Windows isn't all that great with managing multiple sound cards/DACS/interfaces anyway, and Voicemeeter blew up everything to the point of being useless. I would stay away from it.
As mentioned above that is likely your specific setup. It has issues but not the ones u mention for most use cases. I'm happy with it overall
 

jmaz87

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There are a lot of plug ins for foobar, some sample rate conversion has already been built in. i don't understand how you input to VM and how you output, did you use asio VAIO input and then output to whatever device you use?
At work, I can screen shot VM tonight. U can set VM to do the conversion as mentioned above so as long as u set foobar to output 24/96 or whatever VM is set to its fine. Or u set foobar to the non asio VAIO with no conversion and it won't care what VM is set to since VM or VAC will do the conversion.

When I look at foobar plug-ins SOX isn't there is it something I have to find on github? I know a lot of people use it. I even played with converting to dsd but then I can't use VM
 

jmaz87

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In my setup I switch from very frequently between various sound devices, enabling and disabling them in my relatively complex system, and this is where VoiceMeeter messes things up (and Windows alone doesn't work all that well either). In a systems where the setup does not change, it would probably not cause problems.

My setup changes constantly and VM handles adding/removing hardware and virtual sources or output devices on the fly. Is ur setup right its a non issue. So either u can't adapt your setup for VM or setup is wrong
 

jmaz87

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Hardware Inputs include 2 USB mics and capture card
Virtual inputs: discord, PC games, alerts, normal windows sounds, and music apps

I use multiple dacs as output which is really convenient since I can route any source to any output. All of these change when not in use and VM only freaks if u turn off A1 device since it uses it for main configuration
 

MakeMineVinyl

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My setup changes constantly and VM handles adding/removing hardware and virtual sources or output devices on the fly. Is ur setup right its a non issue. So either u can't adapt your setup for VM or setup is wrong

I believe a Firewire multi-channel interface device I am using (Focusrite Saffire Pro-40) was the one which got its driver and control panel corrupted. Either way, VoiceMeeter is off my computer, never to return.
 

jmaz87

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firewire in 2021... how old are those drivers...
 

jmaz87

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Capture.JPG

10 seconds on google
 

MakeMineVinyl

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