Faulty dac or faulty files?

[zakblue]

I don't know if this is it but I have noticed a problem with Wasapi in Foobar erroneously adding in a distorted like sound occasionally.

Setting output in Foobar to WASAPI (event) I've heard this many times, like a fuzzyness and weird distorted sound. Switching over to Directsound whist playing the file actually seems to fix the issue (can hear it instantly) but I would prefer to be using a bit perfect mode like WASAPI/ASIO.

Anyway good luck.

 

[steve_1979]

I think I have read somewhere that when you decrase the sound (digitaly) by -4 db you indeed decrease the bitdepth by 2 bits so when you are listening to a 16bit file and you do that you are actually get 14bits resolution.But I dont really know if that is true and of course I dont really know how that could effect the quality of the music I am listening.I have notice than when I am going 75% in foobar some bass and some dynamics are lost but yet again....maby it was too much in the begining!

What you're hearing is just a trick of your ears. It's normal when lowering the volume of music for it to sound like it has less bass and dynamics. This is quite normal and is just a side effect caused by the way your hearing works.

Lowering the volume digitally doesn't reduce the relative amount to bass or dynamic ranage compared to the rest of the sound. The only two effects it has is reducing the volume and increasing the noise floor. If you reduce the digital volume on your computer but increase the volume on your speakers so that the resulting volume is still at the same level as before you will find that it still sounds exactly the same as before with the same amount of bass and dynamic range.

I dont really have much experience with lots of setus so I cant say,I am just trying to get the maximum out of my humble setup.As for the noise floor...my soundcard is listed as 120 snr if this is what you mean...I Guess thats a good number (my previous was listed as 114snr).Sometimes even without the clipping I am reducing the volume with some recodrings becaouse they sound to forward and too '''overloaded'' like they are strugling to be heared in a way...with some other recordings its just perfect and it becomes worst when I am lowering the volume...maby its about the file and the frequecnies of the songs...but in the end the problem is being solved when I am lowering the digital volume so it must be it. I guess further tests with different speakers,players,files and volume level are nessecery...but if I have to go by 75-80% volume...it would be ok too!

The sound floor basically means the volume of added distortion (which will usually sound like background hiss) relative to the volume of rest of the music. At 75% volume the noise floor is slightly louder than at 100% volume but it's still going to be so quiet compared to the rest of the music it will be totally inaudible. Leaving the digital volume at 75% and turning the volume up on your speakers to compensate won't have any effect on the sound quality (although the hiss caused by the electronics in your speakers will be a bit louder now but I suspect that this will still be quiet enough to be inaudible too whenever there is any music playing).

 

[maxpain]

Oh I see...so basicaly when I am lowering the volume can degrade the quality but at 75% the degration would be inaudible.Maby the reason that movies and games are not making any distoring sounds is that they are not recorded in such a dynamic range so the sound is more ''flat'' and thus they cant overload the pre amp? It is the only conclusion I got thinking all of your advices...even so...the x-meridian its an outstanding card for its price and can really deliver a very good sound (again for the money). Thank you all for your effort in helping me and giving me some pretty good advice and ideas! Keep enjoying the music! :cheers:

 

[steve_1979]

Oh I see...so basicaly when I am lowering the volume can degrade the quality but at 75% the degration would be inaudible.Maby the reason that movies and games are not making any distoring sounds is that they are not recorded in such a dynamic range so the sound is more ''flat'' and thus they cant overload the pre amp? It is the only conclusion I got thinking all of your advices

You've probably got a point there. On my computer I do find that movies and games are usually quieter than music.

...even so...the x-meridian its an outstanding card for its price and can really deliver a very good sound (again for the money). Thank you all for your effort in helping me and giving me some pretty good advice and ideas! Keep enjoying the music! :cheers:

I'm sure that it is very good quality. Almost certainly as good as a proper hifi DAC. I've done a few comparisons in the past and IME a good quality PC soundcard sounds identical to hifi DAC's.

You may find this thread of interest. Clicky

:cheers:

 

[davedotco]

Points of order.

Your post suggests that you soundcard outputs 5 volts rms. That is outrageously high by hi-fi standards and it is not remotely surprising that it is over loading the next item in the chain. It is two and a half times the output of a CD player and perhaps ten times the output of of some other source components. Suggest you can contact the manufacturers and see if it can be reduced. (In hardware rather than software)

Turn it down to a level that allows the volume control on you amplifier to be used at normal levels, that is as good a guide as any.

Digital volume controls lose 1 bit of resolution for each 6dB of attenuation.

Most processors run at 24, 32 or even more bits, this is irrespective of the number of bits in the signal. Thus, worse case, for CD standard digital, you can lose 8 bits, ie 48dB (6dB x 8bits) below full output before you affect the signal at all.

In general terms it means that if you use the digital volume on a software player, and set up so it's volume level is even reasonably close to maximum for serious listening, then you will not hear it.

 

[maxpain]

Oh I know...soundcards have made serious progress in terms of hi fi and there are some card out there that make wonders similar to devices with 5 times the price! Some soundcards that cost 150-200 euros have dac's that you can find in amplifiers that cost over 1000 euros and more or in external dac's in the ragne of 500 euros.They also have very good (not allways) suportive software and capabilitys letting you use your pc like the center of all your media not just music but movies and games too.It is very interesting..the thread that you mentioned and I am going to read it for sure! :cheers:

 

[maxpain]

When this clipping apprears I have to turn down the digital volume control on foobar.Foobar processing with 64bit I think. From what I understand by what you said about the bits and the digital volume is that when I am using the foobar to reduce the volume level I am loosing bits but it would be inaudible so I am not going to notice anything regarding the quality of the sound? I cant contact the manufacture couse auzentech company doesent exist anymore and their site and customer service is dead for months now.I cant say if they are going to re open anytime soon hehe.

 

[strikelucky]

Hi maxpain

How did you solve the problem? Was it dac or something else? I have exactly the same problem.