[Rajkmr21]

Hi guys, I just bought a Meridian Explorer DAC to use with my PC. After installing the driver and playing FLACs with different sample rates in VLC player i noticed the led lights for sample rates are not changing in the DAC and is stuck on 44.1K, I tried MPC but still no luck. Is there anything that I need to change/set in the Windows Audio settings so the player reads and outputs different sample rates in real-time?
Please advice. Thanks in advance.

 

[amirm]

Yes and no. If the application uses the standard Windows audio pipeline, the sample rate and sample depth will always convert to a fixed setting in Windows Sound control panel.

If the app supports WASAPI then it can set the sample rate and not be affected by that setting. Foobar, Jriver, etc. support these alternate interfaces. It is selected through a simple settings change. I don't use VLC often but did a quick search and it seems to support the same using a plug-in. See https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=112216

 

[Rajkmr21]

Yes and no. If the application uses the standard Windows audio pipeline, the sample rate and sample depth will always convert to a fixed setting in Windows Sound control panel.

If the app supports WASAPI then it can set the sample rate and not be affected by that setting. Foobar, Jriver, etc. support these alternate interfaces. It is selected through a simple settings change. I don't use VLC often but did a quick search and it seems to support the same using a plug-in. See https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?t=112216

Thanks Amirm, I m going to try this.
So in a way this will bypass the windows settings? and if I have lets say a playlist with 3 songs and each with different sample rate, will this VLC plugin or Foobar output the respective sample rates of the songs?

 

[amirm]

That's correct.

 

[Yuri Korzunov]

Thanks Amirm, I m going to try this.
So in a way this will bypass the windows settings? and if I have lets say a playlist with 3 songs and each with different sample rate, will this VLC plugin or Foobar output the respective sample rates of the songs?

For foobar will need install additional wasapi plugin.

Other alternative use ASIO driver if your device has one.

Or try use universal driver ASIO4ALL.

For ASIO also need install plugin.

 

[Rajkmr21]

For foobar will need install additional wasapi plugin.

Other alternative use ASIO driver if your device has one.

Or try use universal driver ASIO4ALL.

For ASIO also need install plugin.

Wait, you mean the Foobar app itself wont do it? and if not, should i just install the ASIO4ALL like any windows application or is there any special settings for that too?

 

[amirm]

Wait, you mean the Foobar app itself wont do it? and if not, should i just install the ASIO4ALL like any windows application or is there any special settings for that too?

The plug-in is trivially easy to install. ASIO4ALL on the other hand, can be quite hit and miss. It is hobby tool and may or may not work. In my experience, it doesn't work more often than it does.

 

[Rajkmr21]

Yikes, why things aren't more straight forward in windows.
But thanks anyways guys, I hope I can take it from here, if not I'll be Back!

 

[nvidio]

Also note, if using the WASAPI output method, you need to make sure that the exclusive-mode settings of the playback device have been configured correctly. Refer to the steps described under "To change the exclusive-mode settings of a playback or recording device" on the page linked below (i.e., enable the two checkboxes as explained in steps 4 and 5).
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/dd370844(v=vs.85).aspx


P.S.- If using foobar2000, assuming foobar2000 has already been installed, download and install "WASAPI output support" for foobar2000 ( http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi ). Next, in foobar2000, choose File, Preferences, Output. Change the "Device" to the appropriate playback device (WASAPI). If unsure whether to choose Event-style or Push-style, choose Event. Click on Apply / OK. If experiencing playback issues (shouldn't happen on most modern playback devices), choose Push. Apply / OK.

 

[Rajkmr21]

You guys are pros, really appreciate every bit of info.

 

[hdtv00]

I almost died when I read you were using VLC player in first post. But yea what everyones said. Foobar + wasapi is THE way to go. Beyond easy to setup and flawless.

 

[fatbottom]

yup use foobar and wasapi to get bit perfect PCM playback. If I play a DTS encoded 2 channel PCM, the DTS light on the AV pre lights up. If Windows was re-sampling, you'd hear static noise. 44.1khz is shown as 44.1khz on the AV pre.

Check your AV is playing back original sampling rate too.

VLC isn't great I use it for damaged video files.

 

[Rajkmr21]

I almost died when I read you were using VLC player in first post. But yea what everyones said. Foobar + wasapi is THE way to go. Beyond easy to setup and flawless.

Haha