Windows 10 Upsampling? Best settings?

[Sounchasr]

If this program sends at only one fixed rate/depth and does not change it for different content, then you can use the Hi-Fi cable and asio bridge from VB-Audio

https://shop.vb-audio.com/en/win-apps/19-hifi-cable-asio-bridge.html

You set that cable to operate at the one rate and depth you want and it will send only at that rate/depth regardless of what the source comes in as. It will distort anything that is at a different rate/depth rather than do resample. For Deezer, you have to make that device virtual input the default Windows device and suffer the consequences if there is another program on the PC that wants to send to a default device also at a different rate/depth.

Is this different than what Banana is doing or the same thing?

 

[Vasr]

Is this different than what Banana is doing or the same thing?

Banana can do the same thing but in a more complicated way. You have to setup Output A1 to some other sound device where it will do its mixing and rate equalization as default and then use the Virtual Aux input going to the output device you want via A2 as the equivalent of the HiFi cable doing ASIO access and make the Aux virtual input the default Windows sound device. It tries to maintain the same rate/depth of the source in that A2 output but that can create problems if you are sending multiple programs with different sample rates at the same time intentionally or inadvertently. The HiFi Bridge locks down the rate/depth. Pick your poison.

 

[Sounchasr]

Thanks! Time for some tinkering.

 

[whazzup]

So...has anyone heard audible differences between using the default Windows 10 audio resampling / exclusive settings, versus going through the 3rd party apps like Voicemeter?

 

[Vasr]

So...has anyone heard audible differences between using the default Windows 10 audio resampling / exclusive settings, versus going through the 3rd party apps like Voicemeter?

I can't speak for doing hearing tests. The main reason I stay away from Windows Sound Engine as much as possible is predictability. They keep tinkering with it in almost every update and you never know what they are going to do in any one update and when something might break/degrade. Windows 10 is a little better. I remember a time when they updated Windows and simply removed multi-channel capability from all recording devices making them stereo only. Broke a lot of loopback setups. Then they had this bug in a Windows update where the Dolby passthrough via Dolby Live over optical just broke until the next update.

Otherwise, it works fine unless you have exceptionally transparent downstream chain and good ears.

 

[whazzup]

I can't speak for doing hearing tests. The main reason I stay away from Windows Sound Engine as much as possible is predictability. They keep tinkering with it in almost every update and you never know what they are going to do in any one update and when something might break/degrade. Windows 10 is a little better. I remember a time when they updated Windows and simply removed multi-channel capability from all recording devices making them stereo only. Broke a lot of loopback setups. Then they had this bug in a Windows update where the Dolby passthrough via Dolby Live over optical just broke until the next update.

Otherwise, it works fine unless you have exceptionally transparent downstream chain and good ears.

I see, thanks!
Will file this under the 'only attempt when you really, really have nothing better to do' tray then.

 

[jae]

I've been using the "original" Virtual Audio Cable for ages now (https://vac.muzychenko.net/en/download.htm) which can do what you want, although you need the paid version now for full functionality. But it supports up to 32/384k and you can make up to 256 cables which I don't imagine anyone ever needing. I actually only really use it for sending post-processed live audio to voip apps

 

[Sounchasr]

I've been using the "original" Virtual Audio Cable for ages now (https://vac.muzychenko.net/en/download.htm), although you need the paid version now for full functionality. but it supports up to 32/384k and you can make up to 256 cables which I don't imagine anyone ever needing.

What sample rate do you use?

 

[zermak]

Anyway if you just want to avoid Windows resampler while using Deezer you have to set your soundcard/dac output the way the original file is (at least the sample rate and you can use the highest bitdepth available wihtout problems) and well change it on the go according to the source (kinda annoying but there are no better solution unless you want to go through a resampler and use a fixed samplerate; I do it on foobar2000 with SoX VH resampler for the shared mode).

 

[Sounchasr]

Deezer does everything at 16 bit 44khz. So not a big deal. Just gotta figure out how to set up Audio Cable. Always get nervous I'm doing it wrong.

 

[Sounchasr]

Do I need the ASIO bridge or just audio cable?

 

[Vasr]

In your case just set the Windows output device at 16bit 44khz and make it the Windows default device and be done with it. Or since you have Voicemeeter installed set its preferred rate at 44khz (higher bit rate wouldn't necessarily make it resample and if it did, that upsampling wouldn't change anything since it would just be adding leading zeros), set its output to WDM or ASIO for the physical device. You would be avoiding any Windows Engine update issues this way.

Your Deezer sound will go through without resampling even in shared mode. If you have another source with a higher resolution content but able to do direct mode, then you can use WDM or ASIO to the device.

 

[zermak]

If Deeezer audio is only at 44.1kHz 16bit why even consider something like Voicemeeter or VB-cable? Just set your soundcard on windows at 44.1Khz and 24/32bit and be fine with it, no need for resampling and Windows will not mess it at all.

 

[Sounchasr]

If Deeezer audio is only at 44.1kHz 16bit why even consider something like Voicemeeter or VB-cable? Just set your soundcard on windows at 44.1Khz and 24/32bit and be fine with it, no need for resampling and Windows will not mess it at all.

Well, that's an interesting point..... If Windows won't mess with it then that would be great. Why would I use VM or VB-cable.....

Now, if I use a program like Audirvana or Roon that can send directly to the DAC whatever I put in Windows wouldn't matter, correct?

 

[zermak]

It doesn't matter if you use an exclusive mode output (WASAPI exclusive, ASIO or KT) on these programs.

 

[hyperknot]

What is the best Windows 10 sampling setting for non-WASAPI/ASIO programs, like Spotify, Chrome / Youtube, Netflix, Media Player Classic? Audio players have WASAPI/ASIO so it's not a problem.

Spotify is 44100, Youtube / movies are 48000 usually. I don't want to downsample any of them. Would setting it to 192000 in Windows be an OK solution? I definitely don't want to use any of those virtual cable solutions, I'm just looking for the "best comporomise" sampling rate. If possibly, I'd like to bypass the resampling of my DAC and use Windows as I think it's probably a higher quality then a 44100 -> 48000 would

 

[Vasr]

48k is just fine for typical music and HT use.