CMP2 / cPlay and asio4all / Foobar2000 and Kernel Streaming

Thought I'd write up my experiments over the last few days comparing CMP2/cPlay to Foobar2000. In writing this I am fully cognescent of the fact that comparing software players is even MORE complicated than writing about the relative merits of pieces of HiFi!

In HiFi you have a fixed point in the article itself, this is then complicated by everything from the quality of the mains to the interconnects that string things together.

In software you also have everything from the PC hosting the software to the layers of services that interface the program to the underlying hardware! Not to mention HOW you decide to rip your media!

This is one of the reasons why I really like the theory of the relative purity of CMP2.

CMP2 can be found here:

cPlay

The 'Enjoy The Music' computer audio software of the year in 2008; but does it make any difference?


Foobar2000 + Kernel Streaming

Very easy install and configuration. Double click the exe, download the KS dll and place it in the described directory. Set the output options and you're off and running.

FB is VERY configurable, but my aim was sound quality and so I am running the graphics in minimal mode.

Setting up the playlists is easy. The files appear to be streamed out at the recorded rates - but I have NOT tested this.

As mentioned in my thread 'Digital Front Ends: Thoughts and the HiFace.' I used the procedure for stripping down XP to a minimal install, this is what I loaded Foobar2000 + Kernal Streaming onto, and was very impressed; beats my Naim DVD5 into a pummelled mess.

Using 'Les Miserables' as an example:
I have always loved this musical and have the double CD of the 10 year anniversary that was held at the Royal Albert Hall. The music is full of multiple singers singing different lyrics off one another. In listening via Foobar2000 two things struck me IMMEDIATELY:

1. The quality of the bass, in terms of depth and control, had leapt forward; and
2. The separation of the musical threads had increased - I could follow the competing lyrics with ease.

BUT, I still had the feeling that I was listening to a HiFi, and these are very HiFi observations - not simply getting into the MUSIC; which is what I feel with my LP12.

So, how about cPlay?


cPlay + Asio4all

I didn't think cPlay was an option AT ALL. Using the M2Tech HiFace you use bespoke drivers, and so asio appears to be off the menu, but then I read this:

HiFace and asio4all

Encouraged I loaded up asio4all and cPlay - and got action!

The install is as easy as Foobar2000, but the interface is more primitive. cPlay relies on cue files, that is text files that list files in a special format, these are generated automatically by many ripping pieces of software - such as rubyripper.

To assist cics has written to java based programs for generating and managing cue files, and so I had to install Java as well. Once installed both programs functioned as promised.

Things to note:
Cue files generated by rubyripper live within the directory where the files reside, and so do NOT have an absolute file path.
Cics programs can generate cue files to a central cue file repositary, these do have the FULL file path.
Cics programs can generate cue files with no name, e.g. ' - .cue', these then over-write each other - be mindful.

The CMP2 website has advice about cPlay setup, one thing that is NOT explicitley stated:
You select an OUTPUT rate, from 44.1 to 192.
If the file you play is of this rate it is just passed through. If it is lower it is UPSAMPLED.

Again, what is NOT stated is what happens when you play a file of a HIGHER rate. Is it DOWN-SAMPLED? I have posted a question to clarify, I hope it is passed through unaltered. This is important for me for reasons explained in my example review below.

cPlay offers a number of schemes for upsampling, depending on the processing power available. I have NOT tried all the variations, but I have a feel for what is on offer.

Using 'Diana Krall - A Night in Paris' and 'Led Zepplin - IV' as examples:
I am NOT a fan of Diana Krall, but I do enjoy this album as she sticks to the great American songbook, and does it with aplomb.
I had selected an output of 192KHz, and the rip was of my CD, and so at 44.1KHz 16bit.
I select the VHQ upsampling.
This will then have been handled within the Benchmark DAC1 I use.

I really was VERY taken with the analogue sound that was produced - excellent, at least in some ways.

I then played the Led Zep, and could here what the upsampling was doing, but it was removing BITE. It all sounded a bit, well, BORING.

I moved back to Foobar, which was very good, in the ways described above.

I then moved back to cPlay, but set the output to 44.1 - and so avoided upsampling, and matched Foobar2000.

Upsampling definitely is interesting, and I can hear why it could be excellent when applied to the right music in the right way - but I am wary that the effect may need to be managed on a case-by-case basis.

So, what is I load up CMP2?


CMP2 + cPlay + Asio4all

Even stripping down Windoze you are left with certain processes that the OS needs to fulfill its generalist requirement, such as explorer - try killing it and see what happens.

Cics wrote CMP2 as a minimalist Windoze shell. This shell has only ONE purpose, present a minimal window for listing cue files, and feed these into cPlay. It kills explorer, and allows you to optionally do the same to svchost and lsass.

Now here is where I ran into a few blue screens of death, normally pointing at the USB drivers. However, I don't think that was really the cause.

I had turned off the Windows audio service - that is the integrated soundcard. However, starting cPlay via CMP2 I noticed that it hadn't picked up my stand-alone cPlay configuration.

After my third blue screen I started digging around the ini files, hoping that I might find the CMP2 settings, and edit the relevant file - I failed.

I booted the laptop with the HiFace in situ. Opend CMP2 and selected a cue file. Opening cPlay I went to the advanced menu and turned off the auto detected internal soundcard.

Things now are working fine - but I am concerned that this setup may be somewhat delicate. But what about the sound?


Using my choir carol service and Jools Holland - Best of Friends:
Bottom line is that this is the BEST digital I have ever heard.
This has all the HiFi aspects described above, but also the organic feel introduced by upsampling - but without over-egging it. Iam running with an output of 44.1, to avoid upsampling - but I will be experimenting further.


Conclusion

Foobar2000 and Kernel Streaming produce some great music, and have a simple interface that can be honed by the user.
cPlay and Asio4all has a clunkier interface, but more options for shaping the sound.
CMP2 plus cPlay and asio4all has it all. As long as you have a PC you can dedicate to music, and you are not after bells and whistles in terms of internet access, streaming etc.

Been working my way through a lot of files over the last two days. In fact ripping all my CDs to flac, and re-organsing the file structure, and generating and manually editing cue files.

M