Not a computer guy!! HELP PLEASE !! New Issue

[mshump]

I am newer to this digital domain so I hope someone that understands computers better can help me.

I have a couple year old Dell XPS Desktop running Windows Vista, that I have installed Media Monkey on.

My computer has sigma tell Audio (if that means anything) and there is an optical output and the standard speaker output

I would like to run my Windows etc. sound through the standard desktop speakers, and my Media Monkey ONLY through the optical port to my stereo. Currently if I get an email etc it bings or whatever noise it likes to make through my stereo also and is quite annoying when I am trying listen to music.

I understand I can shut down all apps other than Media Monkey but would prefer not to.

Is it possible to have all computer/Window sounds come through my desktop speakers and Media Monkey play through the Optical?

On a seperate issue (kinda), I was originally going to run my Itunes this way but it won't play through the optical at all. Any ideas??


Thanks for the help

[Boomzilla]

Alas - I'm a Mac guy & don't know how to do what you want on a PC. If it isn't possible via standard Windows drivers, I'm virtually POSITIVE that someone makes an inexpensive (or free) utility that will do what you want. Once installed, I'm predicting that it will also allow your iTunes to tango with the optical output.

Good luck!

[Chuck Elliot]

XPS-420?

[mshump]

Yes XPS 420

[Chuck Elliot]

A XPS420 is my main music system driving my XDA-1.

Let me give you my history.

When I got my XPS-420 it came with Vista. I lasted 4 days with Vista before I re-built the system with XP. Vista just had too many driver issues. I pulled the original disk drive and installed a new one as to not invalidate the warranty. Later I rebuilt the system with Windows 7.

I have no issues playing any type of audio through the optical out with this system. This includes iTunes and J River.

Although I know it's a PITA I strongly suggest re-builting your system with at least Windows 7. Vista is a piece of crap and you will get a nice performance boost with 7 or 8.

[garbulky]

Yes you can. However, you would need two sound devices. Or (easier way) you can mute all windows sounds.

Mute all windows sounds: www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000923.htm

Harder way. What you would be doing is basically buying a second sound device that media monkey would play through.

1.So you would purchase this
www.amazon.com/Converter-Decoder-PCM2704-Black-Cable/dp/B008YD36J2/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1368971353&sr=1-5&keywords=USB+to+spdif
It has stunning literature like this "All components are produced by a fever-level components, the resistance to the Japanese KOA colored ring precision resistors, electrolytic capacitors are audio-specific fever ELNA capacitors, non-polar capacitors for Siemens MKT series, analog output, and gold-plated coaxial output port, the first use of optical fiber The protective door with automatic model, the use of more convenient."
;D


Or if you want to go even cheaper
this:
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812186171&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-USB+Converters-_-N82E16812186171&gclid=CKbYzemmorcCFRJp7AodbCAAEw

Anyway, what this thing does is create a second soundcard for you.

2. Then what you would do is after you install either one of these and hook up your DAC to the optical output of one of the soundcards so in this instance say the USB SPDIF Converter.

3. Then you would go to windows sound control panel (using control panel, sound, sound devices and select your signma tel sound card as the default playback device).

4. You would go to media monkey and select WASAPI output and select the USB SPDIF CONVERTER.
That's it. It should now play only the windows sound through your sigma tel sound card. And play your media monkey to your DAC through the optical output of the USB SPDIF Converter.
This will only work if all you want to hear out of your DAC is media monkey.

[Chuck Elliot]

I got cut off writing my previous message as I have company at my house.

+1 garbulky

One of the cheapest ways to add the second USB device is a pair of USB headphones.

An issue with iTunes is that it always uses the default sound device.

J River allow me to select the sound device as I think Media Monkey does.

[audiofile]

You need two different sound devices to make this work. One for music, one for all the rest of your PC functions.

X2 on garbulky's suggestion!

[GreenKiwi]

Another option is looking to see if media monkey has an "exclusive" mode. Or "hog" mode.

I know that jriver media center has this mode and when you are using it, it prevents all other sounds from playing out to the device.

You might also have to install different drivers. I think that they at Asio or waspi or something along those lines. I don't think I spelled that last one correctly.

[garbulky]

WASAPI mode in the media monkey won't allow other sounds to play.

[ausman]

from memory the last time I windows on a pc you had to select output it was either/or principle you can't have your cake and eat it too, pc's in general are very linear when it comes to audio..

personally the best audio sound you will get from a pc whether you use onboard or daughter board will be sp/dif digital, anything using 3.5mm-rca will produce a earthing hum given the fact that the rca side the connection isn't grounded...

this is what i've found after playing around with pc based audio in regards to connecting to stereos and pre-amps for close on 20 years..

unless you can pick up a rca based soundcard the chances are you'll be stuck with sp/dif digital..

to change audio connections look through audio setting in control panel that will likely give you a connection option with the onboard audio utility drivers..

you will likely fid yo will need to use a codec pack if the program in question doesn't support the audio file format you wish to play...

personally i use winamp to play music and itunes to copy music, dl content can be a pain when the program itself doesn't support the audio format...

main reason i use winamp is the fact it has its own graphic eq that is adjustable, though either programs will conform too playing music in chat programs like paltalk and so forth..

also note if you use hdmi on the video card, it is possible than audio might be config to it, from what i've seen through my laptop if hdmi is connected all audio will default through hdmi, so you may have 3 options for audio a. 3.5mm, b. sp/dif digital or c. hdmi and hdmi will rule as king all the time for audio if connected..

[mshump]

I got it to work the way I was hoping. Took awhile and some rants and words children should not hear!!
I downloaded the newer free version of Media Monkey and after lots of searching and hair pulling i found where I could enable WASAPI to the SPD/IF output. I then re enabled my windows regular output and the computer speakers puts out the computer sounds and Media Monkey only comes out the optical. I appreciate all the help !!!
@cfelliott Yes W7 is on my radar, just need the intestinal fortitude and a day or 2 of patience to do it

Ok 1 more question I see JRiver and Media Monkey listed throughout posts. Is there any differences worth having one over the other ??

[Deleted]

FYI, upgrading from XP to W7 is not very painful, especially using MS's Easy Transfer program. You could do it in 5-6 hours....

-RW-

[yves]

May 19, 2013 14:31:21 GMT -5 mshump said:

Ok 1 more question I see JRiver and Media Monkey listed throughout posts. Is there any differences worth having one over the other ??

It's only a matter of personal preference IMO. I use foobar2000 because I think all other players are a PITA. Agreed, it looks awful but there are skins for it that are free to download. It can be customized more extensively than any other player can be.

[mshump]

Sorry to be a PIA, I have more questions please

So I have my computer up and running my music digitally the path is Media Monkey (FLAC) through the computer via windows (vista for now) SPD/IF out via opticaal to XDA-2(set at 80%)-rotel pre-amp-UMC-200-Focal Chorus 714

I went into the computer and found where I can change my output settings 16/44.1 16/96 16/192 24/44.1 24/96 24/192 Etc.

I have noticed a distinct difference in sound on all the different settings.

I really like the 24 or 16 /44.1 setting the sound seems more rounded and a slight veil or smoothness of the Highs

On the 96 The music seems more articulate but the highs will break the eardrums, at low volume I have really nice sound but I like volume a little higher

on 192 The music almost sounds Choppy as in my wifes opinion (and we all know the Wifes opinion is gospel !!) but yes I understand what she is saying but I don't know how to say it in proper terms. All the music is there it just doesn't seem smooth ?

So my questions are:

1. Can someone explain the settings some? I think I have an idea but I would like to be educated so I know what I am talking about or better know that I understand.

2. Are the frequency settings a personal taste or are we trying to achieve something with higher settings ?

3. Should I connect the XDA-2 to the amp and take out the Rotel. The only loss is my tuner. (I can live without it)

Thanks
Hump

[garbulky]

If it is indeed coming out in WASAPI mode via media monkey, there should be no difference. Try playing a high definition sound file. But obviously you hear it, so I have no explanation for that. However, if media monkey has a "dither" option, you can try that and see if there is an improvement in sound. You are using the XDA-2 right?
To confirm that you are indeed getting a bit perfect signal try this.
Download a free high definition audio track at 96khz from here:
www.lessloss.com/bach-sonatas-in-st-martins-church-p-197.html
Then play that in wasapi mode on media monkey. See if the xda-2 says 96khz on its input...
If it doesn't that means you are not in wasapi mode and windows is resampling all sounds to 44 or 48khz and generally mucking things up.

[mshump]

garbulky

When I change the output in windows the bit rate on the XDA-2 does change to correspond to that setting.

Media Mokey is set to WASAPI mode

For some reason the High Def track won't play I hit play it turns right back to pause, will play more (still new to this)

[garbulky]

Okay that may be the issue.... but I just woke up from a nap too hard to think about it! It may be that windows is re sampling all sound to 24 bit (still NOT what you want - don't trust windows ;D ) whether it is 16 bit 44 khz or 24/96. Try putting it back to the default like 16 bit 48khz under sound options and check the allow devices to take exclusive control button and replay the hd track via media monkey via WASAPI.
The high definition file I linked is a FLAC file right?

[mshump]

garbulky
So I went into windows and changed the settings so now the XDA says 44.1 on every song. I did check the box for devices take exclusive control.(this was not checked earlier)
So I guess what I was doing was taking a 44.1 Khz file from media monkey and reading it at the wrong freq thereby as you said earlier mucking up the sound?
The file I tried downloading was a WAV it wont convert it to FLAc either. I see the file etc but still won't
play maybe I need to research I am using the free version, maybe if I pay for the other version it will be easier for files like this.

[mshump]

I downloaded some free HD tracks. When i play them they only come up at 44.1Khz on the XDA-2.