Couple of questions regarding Foobar2000
Posted by: Hot Rats on 07 June 2010
After some degree of hassle I finally succeeded in getting my Acer Laptop/M2Tech Hiface/Naim DAC/Naim XPS to play digital audio files at all resolutions. I ended up using Foobar2000 software as I couldn't get J.River Media Center 15 to work at higher resolutions.
Couple of questions please ...
I have added Foobar's Components UI plugin. This gives me an austere yet funtional interface that displays the albums and track titles. When I click on an album title, all of the tracks in that album are highlighted. My question is how do I stop Foobar from playing when it has completed playing an album. I have tried different playback settings but it seems to want to continue to the next album and play continuously until I click on the stop button.
Secondly, is there a cheap interface that I can use to control my digital setup from the comfort of an armchair? I think this might be possible through my home network but I don't know how to do it or what the hardware and software requirements are. My amplification is NAC52/Supercap/NAP250.
I have to say that the hassle of getting the digital setup to work was well worth it. It sounds great and 24/192 resolution is just amazing!
Posted on: 07 June 2010 by Jack
In terms of remote control then you can use an iPhone/iTouch to control Foobar, there is a plugin for that allows you to use the Apple Remote application.....is this the sort of thing you are after?
Posted on: 07 June 2010 by pcstockton
DJ,
You can do of couple of things to make playback stop.
Firstly, you could simply make a new playlist with that album only. Highlight songs, right click "Send to New Playlist". Playback will stop after that playlist unless "Repeat" is on.
Or, you could use "Playback Queue" which I love! Highlight all, right click "Add to Playback Queue" It will number them and effectively create a playlist with that queue. The cool thing is you can do this all over your library. In effect making a temporary playlist you dont need to save or create in its own.
Or, you can use "Stop After Current" but I haven't used that before. I am not sure if it applies to a list or only the currently playing track.
Remote...... ah yes. Wintense.com will have a GREAT component that hijacks the native Remote App for iTouch/Phone/Pad and allows it to control Foobar. It is brilliant.
Otherwise, you can use the "http_control" component and control your Foobar from a tablet, laptop, smart phone or other computer.
Good luck to you!
Patrick
Posted on: 07 June 2010 by pcstockton
Posted on: 08 June 2010 by sbilotta
I have a similar setup and use MediaMonkey via HiFace Kernel Streaming; the GUI is much more friendly re Foobar and I find there are many more features as well (including not repeating the play of an album).
If you have Foobar setup you are already 90% of the way to using MM.
Posted on: 08 June 2010 by pcstockton
NOTHING is better than Foobar. Nothing.
You can make an EXACT UI that looks and acts EXACTly like MM if you want in Foobar.
Posted on: 08 June 2010 by sbilotta
Oh... ok
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by DIB
Have you got the WASAPI component for Foobar2000?
I used to be a MediaMonkey but tried Foobar2000 to see what it was like. Once I downloaded the WASAPI component the clear difference and improvement in playback quality was immense.
Not bothered much with changing the looks, I'm more interested in how the music comes out.
.
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by divuk83
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by sbilotta
quote:
Originally posted by DIB:
Have you got the WASAPI component for Foobar2000?
I used to be a MediaMonkey but tried Foobar2000 to see what it was like. Once I downloaded the WASAPI component the clear difference and improvement in playback quality was immense.
Not bothered much with changing the looks, I'm more interested in how the music comes out.
.
No I haven't.
From my initial comparison I can't really tell the difference between MM and Foobar using Hiface via KS. Will give WASAPI a go.
I have also installed Darkone 2.1 on Foobar and indeed the GUI is much better, even though what I miss is the ability to search the music in the laptop's HDD via a tree control, instead of having playlists.
I am not so interested in the GUI per itself but the functionalities that it provides; my last point in particular.
I too agree that it's the SQ that counts, but usability and features help.
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by Aleg
quote:
Originally posted by sbilotta:
...
what I miss is the ability to search the music in the laptop's HDD via a tree control, instead of having playlists.
...
In the bottom right hand corner there are several tabs.
The second one is called AL and will list the HDD contents in a list structure. I believe this is what you are looking for.
-
aleg
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by sbilotta
quote:
Originally posted by Aleg:
quote:
Originally posted by sbilotta:
...
what I miss is the ability to search the music in the laptop's HDD via a tree control, instead of having playlists.
...
In the bottom right hand corner there are several tabs.
The second one is called AL and will list the HDD contents in a list structure. I believe this is what you are looking for.
-
aleg
Many thanks Aleg !
After some trial and error configuration, it is indeed exactly what I missed.
I will post my findings on the Foobar - Hiface KS vs. WASAPI drivers.
Stefano
Posted on: 09 June 2010 by pcstockton
If anyone needs any help with anythin I would be more than happy to help. It is a straight forward "how do i" question, I should be able to help.
Ive also done my fair share of tweaking configurations to suit my personal needs. So I might be of some help with the text formatting language in play.
-Patrick
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by js
quote:
Originally posted by sbilotta:
quote:
Originally posted by Aleg:
quote:
Originally posted by sbilotta:
...
what I miss is the ability to search the music in the laptop's HDD via a tree control, instead of having playlists.
...
In the bottom right hand corner there are several tabs.
The second one is called AL and will list the HDD contents in a list structure. I believe this is what you are looking for.
-
aleg
Many thanks Aleg !
After some trial and error configuration, it is indeed exactly what I missed.
I will post my findings on the Foobar - Hiface KS vs. WASAPI drivers.
Stefano
My understanding is hat WASAPI exclusive should always be best and that ASIO or KS still works through WASAPI. They could be equal but unneeded.
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by sbilotta
I compared WASAPI and KS on W7 using Foobar & Hiface: SQ wise KS wins, but not by much.
The apparent (to me) differentiator is the buffer size config. on the output device: WASAPI supports only 1K ms while with KS I ended up pushing it to 7K ms. The music was slightly more relaxed and just flowed better; don't ask me why, apart from less i/o swapping needed.
Indeed both KS and WASAPI seem to do the same thing --> bypass the Win kernel in exclusive mode, and both sound very good.
Interesting read on Hydrogenaudio of these output drivers(google "hydrogenaudio Differences between WASAPI and ASIO / Kernel Streaming from foobar2000 user's perspective")
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by js
Buffer size does have that effect but 7K ms seems like a lot. I often find levels that high sound too relaxed. Whatever sounds best is obviously what you want to do but perhaps there's some brightness elsewhere that being compensated for. Carefull who you talk to buffers about around here. Every level you choose above 1k is bit perfect.
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by sbilotta
quote:
Originally posted by js:
Buffer size does have that effect but 7K ms seems like a lot. I often find levels that high sound too relaxed. Whatever sounds best is obviously what you want to do but perhaps there's some brightness elsewhere that being compensated for. Carefull who you talk to buffers about around here. Every level you choose above 1k is bit perfect.
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by Hot Rats
I'm now using the DarkOne skin for Foobar. Thanks for the heads up Patrick. It's a really nice interface. I found initially that it took some getting used to but I hope I've managed to learn my way around it.
I was advised that WASAPI was the best output. Is KS considered to be better by Hiface users?
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by pcstockton
DJ,
Great! Cheers.
I wouldnt get hung up on WASAPI vs ASIO vs KS. Ue the one that seems easiest for you.
They shouldn't sound different.
-Patrick
Posted on: 10 June 2010 by Hot Rats
I'm using WASAPI at the moment. I'll stick with it on the basis of your advice.
I've done some more listening with the Naim DAC comparing rips played through the DAC/XPS (New Style) with the original silver disc played through CDS2/XPS (Olive). To my ears the DAC/XPS offers an improvement over the CD player. That is some product as I still rate the CDS2/XPS as a very fine CD player.
On Hi-Res files, the DAC/XPS beats standard res CDs hands down. I have ripped my DVD-A discs of 'Perception' by The Doors and the rips of Grover Washington's 'Winelight' and Steely Dan's 'Everything Must Go' (Both 24-Bit/192kHz)are also pretty special. I also have a 24-Bit/88.2kHz version of Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon'. That is also really good.
Staying up way too late listening to music!
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by gypsykirk
quote:
After some degree of hassle I finally succeeded in getting my Acer Laptop/M2Tech Hiface/Naim DAC/Naim XPS to play digital audio files at all resolutions.
Doctor Jazz....M2 tech hiface?? after a search it seems this little device isn't the easiest little device to obtain. Did you contact them direct??
Worthwhile??
Expensive??
I'm thinking of putting windows 7 on my computer...then going down the whole route again of getting bit perfect WASAPI etc...I only have a few free Linn studio master downloads but if i could get things going i would defo start purchasing more...
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by Aleg
quote:
Originally posted by gypsykirk:
quote:
After some degree of hassle I finally succeeded in getting my Acer Laptop/M2Tech Hiface/Naim DAC/Naim XPS to play digital audio files at all resolutions.
Doctor Jazz....M2 tech hiface?? after a search it seems this little device isn't the easiest little device to obtain. Did you contact them direct??
Worthwhile??
Expensive??
I'm thinking of putting windows 7 on my computer...then going down the whole route again of getting bit perfect WASAPI etc...I only have a few free Linn studio master downloads but if i could get things going i would defo start purchasing more...
From all the users I get the impression this is at the moment one of the best 24/192 USB-to-SPDIF converters available.
On the continent they do for about € 115 (RCA-version) and € 135 (BNC-version).
There is some reference on the Naim forum to a UK-seller, try to use the search function for this, because I can't remember which thread it was on.
One of the sellers gives this overview for compatibility:
quote:
At the moment the HiFace is compatible with the following versions of Windows and Mac OS
Windows 7, Vista and XP
Kernel Streaming-modus using Foobar
WASAPI compliant driver
Direct sound compatibility
Compatible witht 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows
Windows certified driver program
Mac OS 10.6, 10.5 (Leopard, both PPC and Intel) and 10.4 (Tiger)
-
aleg
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by gypsykirk
Thanks for your help....
I'm wondering if simply fitting a cheap/basic soundcard with an optical out may be a more cost effective solution??
My thinking being, if I'm bypassing everything to do with the soundcard anyway and using an external dac, is the soundcard not just a device for passing a digital signal through and nothing more???
Then all i would need would be an optical cable?
I'm not too great with all this.
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by gypsykirk
eg...
I have seen a soundcard for £18 with Digital S/PDIF input and output.
Judging by asio4all WDM device list...when USB Dac is selected, the output of the soundcard seems irrelevant as it's not in use/idle and actually indicating what the dac can handle (see dcs guide pg 46).
Am i right here or am i assuming things and wrong?
It just seems that for substantially less i can have optical, rather than coax, the former i've been led to believe the better!
+ I don't have something sticking out the computer with a cable attached to that!
Cheers.
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by Aleg
quote:
Originally posted by gypsykirk:
eg...
I have seen a soundcard for £18 with Digital S/PDIF input and output.
Judging by asio4all WDM device list...when USB Dac is selected, the output of the soundcard seems irrelevant as it's not in use/idle and actually indicating what the dac can handle (see dcs guide pg 46).
Am i right here or am i assuming things and wrong?
It just seems that for substantially less i can have optical, rather than coax, the former i've been led to believe the better!
+ I don't have something sticking out the computer with a cable attached to that!
Cheers.
That's the big discussion over here.
Andy S might have something to say about that
(Sorry Andy, I just had to say it
)
-
aleg
Posted on: 16 June 2010 by gypsykirk
quote:
That's the big discussion over here.
Andy S might have something to say about that Big Grin (Sorry Andy, I just had to say it Cool )
I'll need to find this discussion
The logic in my mind and the understanding/information i have gathered up to this point would lead me,...sorry almost had me buy this soundcard today....
It comes with an optical cable!!! lol
If my understanding is correct, @£18 it's gotta be worth a go!! ??????
