Setup advice for audiophile WASAPI and USB (or SPDIF) DAC's

[windcrest77]

Hello,

I want to take the fullest advantage of the MM WASAPI output plug in in my high-end audio system and large lossless music collection. I understand that WASAPI will negotiate and pass the stream bit-perfect-as-is to a device that can accept the bit depth and rate of the data. I specifically am using a USB DAC that DOES NOT do any form of sample rate conversion, by Shiit audio:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.as ... ROST%20STD

I want WASAPI to send the data bit perfect with no sample rate conversion processing in the computer simply because my DAC is able to handle any bit depth or sample rate you give it. Also I selected a DAC that specifically does not do sample rate conversion up front into its own DA. My goal is to have no sample rate conversions from file to speakers, bit perfect as-is DA conversion, and discreet componets buffering the analog into my amplifier.

What is the best configuration for WASAPI in MM? Is there anywhere else in Windows 7(8) that I need to configure WASAPI?

Specifically I am confused on using exclusive or shared mode, event model or non-event, buffer sizes, etc.

How can I be assured the WASAPI configuration I choose is not doing sample rate conversion in the computer?

I do notice that foobar sounds better than MM out of the box on my system, but I do believe I can get the same sound quality level in MM using the WASAPI plugin. Because foobar cant hold a candle to the database and convenience capabilities of MM I want to use MM.

I know audiophile questions seem to release a flood of comments like "you wont hear the difference between MP3 and FLAC" or "after 50 years old your ears cant hear above 14K anyway" or "why do you need that?". But I can also ask you why you drive a Lexus instead of a Chevy, and you would wonder why I ask that, please understand "because you like it" should be good enough. I would appreciate any comments or experiences from serious audiophiles dabbling in WASAPI and external DAC devices using either USB or SPDIF to clarify how this all works.


Thanks
Rick

[MusicBringer]

Hello, I do notice that foobar sounds better than MM out of the box on my system, but I do believe I can get the same sound quality level in MM using the WASAPI plugin. Because foobar cant hold a candle to the database and convenience capabilities of MM I want to use MM. ... please understand "because you like it" should be good enough.

I would appreciate any comments or experiences from serious audiophiles dabbling in WASAPI and external DAC devices using either USB or SPDIF to clarify how this all works.

Rick, a great question.
I am in exactly the same boat as you.
This question has been asked before. I have never seen an answer from someone with "experiences from serious audiophiles dabbling in WASAPI and external DAC devices"

Plus your comment about "I do notice that foobar sounds better than MM out of the box" is always thrown at me by my local HiFi music shop.
They insist that MM cannot cope with our scenario.
I am told I will never achieve with MM, the sound quality that either foobar or JRiver can produce.
Dunno.

What is the answer folks...