TA100 - new owner queries

[careyw]

Hi - new user and Lounge member, so forgive the newbie questions. I'm still figuring out how Windows audio works.

1. Any plans to support USB class 2 audio?
2. I'm using Foobar2000 to play a variety of formats, but mostly FLAC, and WAV from a laptop (WIN10). I'm still trying to understand what this involves - as in - does the TA100 driver I select in the Foobar output options effectively bypass any part of the WIN10 audio side of things and ship the raw data to the TA100 DAC, or is the laptop sound card still playing a role here? Clearly it would be good to know the Windows parts were out of the picture totally or as much as possible.
3. I have 48khz sample WAV files and 96khz FLAC files. If I don't set anything on the WIN device properties, the TA100 always reports 48khz for both. If I set it to 96khz, the TA100 reports 96khz for both. This suggests Windows is managing this. See question 2. How come two different files report the same sample rate? 

[foggy1956]

May 31, 2020 5:59:50 GMT -5 careyw said:

Hi - new user and Lounge member, so forgive the newbie questions. I'm still figuring out how Windows audio works.

1. Any plans to support USB class 2 audio?
2. I'm using Foobar2000 to play a variety of formats, but mostly FLAC, and WAV from a laptop (WIN10). I'm still trying to understand what this involves - as in - does the TA100 driver I select in the Foobar output options effectively bypass any part of the WIN10 audio side of things and ship the raw data to the TA100 DAC, or is the laptop sound card still playing a role here? Clearly it would be good to know the Windows parts were out of the picture totally or as much as possible.
3. I have 48khz sample WAV files and 96khz FLAC files. If I don't set anything on the WIN device properties, the TA100 always reports 48khz for both. If I set it to 96khz, the TA100 reports 96khz for both. This suggests Windows is managing this. See question 2. How come two different files report the same sample rate? 

Does foobar do wasapi?

[careyw]

Not sure. WASAPI is something I'm also still working out. I have a Micromega MyDac and have used their ASIO driver but no experience with WASAPI. Still reading up.

[KeithL]

The TA-100 and PT-100 use USB Audio Class 1.... which supports up to 24/96k.

This is determined by the USB audio interface chip we use... so it will not be upgraded to UAC2 on that unit.

Without WASAPI Windows will always re-sample whatever you play to the default sample rate you have set.

(Apple computers do something similar... in that case you need a player with "bit-perfect playback" capabilities.)

Foobar2000 does indeed support WASAPI... and it is the preferred mode to use.

However, you WILL have to download and install the free Foobar2000 WASAPI plugin.

(You will find that on the Foobar2000 Components download page.)

Once you install and enable the WASAPI plugin in Foobar2000 you will find WASAPi options in the Output Devices list.

[garbulky]

As KeithL said download and install the WASAPI plugin. Then enable it in Foobar configuration. (So two steps). After that, it should be set and forget

[careyw]

Thanks so much KeithL and garbulky. I'm on it!  Update: done and dusted. Running WASAPI in event mode and can now see the correct  sample rate etc. reported by the TA-100 as I switch tracks. 

Again a naive question, but what options are there to take the laptop 'middle man' out of the equation? i.e. I have a file, how do I throw it at the TA-100's DAC? I'm thinking an SSD that 'sends' files to the optical or coax inputs.

Is this something like I'll get to with Foobar and the WASAPI (so tempted to type wasabi) Plugin?



Any thoughts in my naive question above?

[martindktm]

How do you set the output rate in windows?

[KeithL]

You'd almost think Microsoft was deliberately making it hard to find.....

(And there are several other ways of getting to the exact same spot...)

In Windows 10... (and pretty much the same for Windows 7)

Go to Control Panel...

Click on Hardware And Sound...

Then Manage Audio Devices...

Then highlight the Speaker Output you want to configure...

Then click Properties...

Now click on the Advanced tab...

You will see a pull down box for Default Format (that's the default sample rate and bit depth)...

Setting that sets the default for that device in Windows...

(You even get a test button that will play a tone so you can confirm that your output device supports it.)

REMEMBER.....

- you are setting the default output format for Windows itself... and for Windows programs that use the Windows settings

    (things like Windows Media Player and VLC)

- programs that use WASAPI mode will completely ignore this setting and play the file at its ORIGINAL "native" sample rate

- many programs also have their own settings for this that also override the Windows setting

    (for example: jRiver supports WASAPI mode, but it can also convert files to other sample rates, also ignoring the Windows settings)

- you can do more fun things; for example, you can set your audio player to use your DAC, but leave the default set to the computer speakers

    (if you do that, when you use your audio player it will use the DAC, but Windows beeps and boops will still come from the computer speaker)

Apple computers operate under a similar system... where by default they convert everything to a single sample rate.

You'll find their settings under the MIDI Panel  (that makes perfect sense... right... )

(Apple's answer to WASAPI mode is to pick a player or plugin that supports "bit-perfect".)

Jun 1, 2020 19:38:14 GMT -5 martindktm said:

How do you set the output rate in windows?

[Jean Genie]

So, in jRiver, should the "DSP/Output" setting be toggled to " Bitstreaming (not recommended) "?
Is that the same thing as 'bit perfect'?😕

Jun 1, 2020 22:26:53 GMT -5 KeithL said:

You'd almost think Microsoft was deliberately making it hard to find.....

(And there are several other ways of getting to the exact same spot...)

In Windows 10... (and pretty much the same for Windows 7)

Go to Control Panel...

Click on Hardware And Sound...

Then Manage Audio Devices...

Then highlight the Speaker Output you want to configure...

Then click Properties...

Now click on the Advanced tab...

You will see a pull down box for Default Format (that's the default sample rate and bit depth)...

Setting that sets the default for that device in Windows...

(You even get a test button that will play a tone so you can confirm that your output device supports it.)

REMEMBER.....

- you are setting the default output format for Windows itself... and for Windows programs that use the Windows settings

    (things like Windows Media Player and VLC)

- programs that use WASAPI mode will completely ignore this setting and play the file at its ORIGINAL "native" sample rate

- many programs also have their own settings for this that also override the Windows setting

    (for example: jRiver supports WASAPI mode, but it can also convert files to other sample rates, also ignoring the Windows settings)

- you can do more fun things; for example, you can set your audio player to use your DAC, but leave the default set to the computer speakers

    (if you do that, when you use your audio player it will use the DAC, but Windows beeps and boops will still come from the computer speaker)

[foggy1956]

Jun 2, 2020 7:57:43 GMT -5 Jean Genie said:

So, in jRiver, should the "DSP/Output" setting be toggled to " Bitstreaming (not recommended) "?
Is that the same thing as 'bit perfect'?😕

Jun 1, 2020 22:26:53 GMT -5 KeithL said:

You'd almost think Microsoft was deliberately making it hard to find.....

(And there are several other ways of getting to the exact same spot...)

In Windows 10... (and pretty much the same for Windows 7)

Go to Control Panel...

Click on Hardware And Sound...

Then Manage Audio Devices...

Then highlight the Speaker Output you want to configure...

Then click Properties...

Now click on the Advanced tab...

You will see a pull down box for Default Format (that's the default sample rate and bit depth)...

Setting that sets the default for that device in Windows...

(You even get a test button that will play a tone so you can confirm that your output device supports it.)

REMEMBER.....

- you are setting the default output format for Windows itself... and for Windows programs that use the Windows settings

    (things like Windows Media Player and VLC)

- programs that use WASAPI mode will completely ignore this setting and play the file at its ORIGINAL "native" sample rate

- many programs also have their own settings for this that also override the Windows setting

    (for example: jRiver supports WASAPI mode, but it can also convert files to other sample rates, also ignoring the Windows settings)

- you can do more fun things; for example, you can set your audio player to use your DAC, but leave the default set to the computer speakers

    (if you do that, when you use your audio player it will use the DAC, but Windows beeps and boops will still come from the computer speaker)

Yes

[Jean Genie]

^ Thanks ^