bendrummonf

Been using the latest KX Drivers (3538m) for the last week, they are absolutely fantastic and far superior to anything Creative could muster.

However I have one query regarding using P16V/Wave HQ to route 2 channel PCM to the external SPDIF.

Current Setup
---------------
Audigy 4 Pro [SB0380]
Windows Media Player 16/44.1 PCM -> ffdshow SRC 32/48 -> Reclock (Kernal Streaming on) -> Wave HQ -> SPDIF 24/48

KX Driver (3528m) with 10k2 outputs disabled in 24/96 Router
DSP Router totally blank
No visible volume control in mixer

Sound quality is fantastic as expected to very high quality audiophile 2 channel DAC.

However the question is this, I can still control the overall volume control using the remote control, or knob on the break out box. How is this possible if the DSP is bypassed ?

Am I correct in assuming that there is another mixing/SRC stage that combines DSP signal with the P16V before the audio/digital outputs . Is this the same stage that performs SRC for the SPDIF out as well. I am only asking because I am confused at what sample rate i should passing through the P16V because the SPDIF status window seems to suggest that 24/48 signals are bypassed and 24/44.1 & 24/96 are resampled - is this correct.

The other strange thing is that when I pass a 32/96 signal through the P16V to the spdif with SR set at 96000 the sound is not as clear and coherent as a 32/48.

Is this last stage where the DSP & P16V actually the Cirrus Logic DAC and in actually fact people saying that you should pass 32/96 signals through the P16V are actually missing a trick because the DAC resamples these signals to 24/48 to mix with the DSP outputs, where as a 24/48 signal from the P16V is processed untouched as the SPDIF status windows suggests.

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated as this makes logical sense to me but then again there is nothing really logically about the Audigy's architecture.

Maddogg6

1) p16v can have its volume controlled with 'master' volume if the option:
'p16v volume follows 10k2 epilog' in 'Driver Compatibility' settings - is enabled - but this is disabled by default.
2) the LD headphone out - is not disconnected from 10k2 in kx 24/96 router - until the 10k2 > SPDIF connection is 'RED'.
3) Wave HQ playback only comes out of 'logical' FRONT outputs (for analog this is true anyway - I don't have digital speakers to verify otherwise). You are supposed to be able to choose which output to use, in the kX 24/96 Router with the drop down menu - but it doesn't work.
Multi-channel audio will still use multiple outputs - for say - Ac3 decoding, or Directional Direct sound in say a game set to use WaveHQ.
So - you have more likely actually been hearing output from the DSP if you can hear the headphones and the volume knob (which btw, adjusts a headphone amplifier - and is separate from anything the driver can control or 'read' a setting from) controls it. AFAIK - you are hearing 10k2 output. Unless your card model works - and mine does not - which I have doubts. But..??

Dont clear kX DSP and assume there will be no DSP output - it seems a 'default' DSP config gets loaded... to hear true wavehq 24/96 - I need to disconnect the 10k2 > outputs in kX 24/96 router and listen through the logical front outputs - as this also follows the 'Swap Front <> Rear' Switch int the kX Mixer Master Page.

I also find unexpected behavior with 24/96 and re-sampling...it seems there isnt any when recording (recording a 24/48 SPDIF stream @ 24/96 - will play back @ 2x speed) I made a thread in the bug reports forum... looking... here:
WAVE HQ and SPDIF recording

bendrummonf

The 10k2 outputs are definately disconnected (read) and tested them with a simple dsp configuration to check i had switched them off.

Also the 'p16v volume follows 10k2 epilog' flag in the settings is definately disabled as well.

I am definately hearing P16V output through the SPDIF and the master volume control has dissapeared from the mixer control panel, but i can still adjust the volume via remote control and get the volume control meter appear across the bottom of the screen which makes me wonder how 'direct' the p16V to SPDIF route actually is.

Obviously unless someone has an audigy with remote and break out box, it is impossible to verify this.

On your last point i am not convinced the output ADC runs at 24/96, I have a sneaky feeling it runs at 24/48 to be more compatible with the DSP output which it mixes with the P16V but i could be totally wrong.

igormusic

I have an Audigy Platinum 4 Pro w/ breakout box. I had been playing music from Winamp ->HQwav (HQsoft 24bit/48000)-> Kernal Stream -> Analog out into my external PC speakers. I'm pretty sure this set up bypassed the DSP.

I recently purchased a Toslink cable and decided to go from the breakout box to my receiver. I can play music from Winamp if I choose wav8/9, but not if I choose WavHQ. So I think now I am set up to play through 10k2. In fact I verified this by disabling the 10k2 in the 24/96 Router display and the music went off.

I would really like to go straight from the P16v to optical out. I have a suspicion that it's just a matter of connecting a few lines in the DSP display but have no idea which ones.

Did you have to make any mods to the DSP display to get your setup to work? Is there a simple way to do get wav outputs straight to the optical out?

If I continue to use the 10k2 is my music being converted from digital to analog, then back to digital and out the optical out?

Will it sound better using the P16v or 10k2?

If I can get the P16v to work with optical out I will verify if the volume control on the breakout box is working. Currently it does not work with the 10k2.

Thanks

Eugene Gavrilov

WaveHQ should play directly, bypassing the DSP
however, make sure you turn off 'Swap front and Rear' option, because otherwise your optical out gets =rear= output, not =front= one

E.

igormusic

Eugene,

You da man!!!. Thanks that worked. I thought I had hit all the buttons but must have missed that one.

Bendrummonf - my external breakout box also does the same as yours. It controls the master volume. I can't explain why but I think this is the way it should work as it worked this way when I was using P16v (using Audigy DAC converters) to pipe music to my PC speakers. What I mean is that I have always been able to control the music volume by using the Master Volume Control whether using P16v or not. I can say however that the volume control on my Winamp does not work when WavHQ. But again I think this is the way it should be.

I am using HQSoftProc (Winamp plugin) to do my resampling. My settings are - 32bit for Output Resolution, 48000 for Target Samplerate. Is this what I should be using?

Thanks

EDIT : I have since changed to 24/96k after reading some of the forums.