Topic: WASAPI

[kindms]

I have been scrolling through threads on head-fi.org as well as others recently and kept coming across wasapi in peoples playback lineage in regards to foobar2000 etc. I use foobar pretty extensively so was curious what this was all about.

The wiki link is here if you are interested in the windows vista / windows 7 audio stack that was rewritten.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_features_new_to_Windows_Vista

Also here is the link to the foobar plugin which enables the feautre.
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Components_0.9/WASAPI_output_support_%28foo_out_wasapi%29

http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi

I was surprised that i didn't read it here first. I did a quick search on the board and didn't find anything. I figured some of you would find this interesting. I switched my foobar playback to use this and I think there is some improvement.

windows vista 32bit > foobar2000 > WASAPI > coax > music hall mambo > vr-2's

[Jimna]

i use foobar almost all the time too, so this caught me off guard, but then i realized why i hadnt heard about this sooner, im still rocking the XP.

[spyder9]

What do you guys use as an optimum Buffer Length in foobar2000?  500?  750?  What is the sweet spot for Buffer Length?

[Gutbucket]

I'm a Foobarist still rockin' the XP too.

AFAIK buffer settings are machine dependant.  A smaller buffer speeds interface responsiveness and is preferable as long as everything can keep up so the buffer doesn't emply and stutter.  But a bigger buffer shouldn't cause an audible difference, just increase the audio playback delay slightly along with the interface responsiveness.  Buffer size becomes an issue when you were syncing to video (lipsync problems), or doing something like monitoring while recording tracks where the delay becomes a problem.  For audio playback only a bigger buffer setting is pretty much a non-issue.

But correct me if there is something I'm overlooking.

[spyder9]

I can definitely tell the difference between 500 and 1500.  High Hats on the drums are a big giveaway.  The issue is saturation when playing with Buffer Length.  Right now, it looks like somewhere around 1500 is the sweet spot for my ears.  Just wondering what other folks use. 

[Gutbucket]

Hmm.  I'll have to mess with it and listen (currently default 1000ms as loaded on this machine last week).  It shouldn't change the sound, except for stuttering if the buffer runs out, if it does otherwise then something is wrong.  Maybe you are getting & hearing jitter effects at lower settings?

[Jimna]

^^I was thinking the same thing, but i am no expert on this either.

[Gutbucket]

Now playing with it.. & hearing it too.  A sharpning of the high-hat at lower settings?  See if the change is only below a certain setting.

[larrysellers]

This has been integrated in the newer builds of XMBC and it has increased playback quality exponentially.

[spyder9]

Update Today for WASAPI component for foobar2000.  They added another version of WASAPI: WASAPI Event. 

I run this on J. River Media Center and absolutely love it!  Super easy to configure and spot on.  Thought I'd never see the day FB2k would have it.  I never liked ASIO with FB2k.  I never could dial it in.  WASAPI Event is the schnitz!  Best thing to happen to FB2k.  Check it out.

http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_wasapi