I am having a problem with Exclusive Mode producing white noise from both digital out and speaker zones when playing back 24 bit 96k or 192k files.
Toggling Event Driven Mode makes no difference.
All files play fine through foobar2000 (using WASAPI plugin).
Both locally stored and Tidal streamed 16 bit 44.1k files play fine in Exclusive Mode (WASAPI).
Hi res files play fine when Exclusive Mode is not selected (OS MIxer).
I am running version 1.0 (Build 30) Roon on a 64-bit Windows 8.1. PC with i5-4590 and 16GB RAM. Files are stored on local SSD and hard disk in the PC or streaming from Tidal through Roon.
Output Zones are:
Realtek High Definition Audio - Digital Output (SPDIF from motherboard)
Digital Output goes by RCA coaxial to an Auralic Vega (Exact clock locks on)
Realtek High Definition Audio - Speakers (RCA outs from motherboard)
Speakers connect to a Logitech amp and desktop satellites
Hey @Andybob, the issue, I believe, is with the RealTek drivers and Windows 8.1 Pro 64 bit going out through an optical S/PDIF connection. My DAC was different but in this instance it is not the DAC. I had this issue over a month ago and I got it resolved.
PM for a more complete step by step of what I found in my personal testing and what I did to correct. I’m at work now and need to look at my notes so I don’t say something off the rails.
Thanks @Rugby, have sent PM and look forward to hearing what worked for you.
I’ve installed ASIO4ALL and Roon is playing back all files correctly using ASIO4ALL as the zone output. Output to different devices is now controlled through the system “Playback devices”.
The solution advised by @Rugby worked for me too, so I’ll set it out here in case anyone else has a similar issue.
The problem seems to be with the RealTek HD Audio device driver.
You can uninstall that driver in the device manager under “Sound, video and game controllers”.
If you check the box to delete the driver software upon uninstall, then Windows will restart and automatically install the native Windows HD Audio device driver.
You should then be able to use exclusive mode in Roon for hi res files, without the white noise !
If you decide that you want to re-install the RealTek HD audio device for any reason, you can find the latest version at: http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/
I am hearing a crackle using this to listen to hi-res in Exclusive mode. Will post back if I can track down how to get rid of it.
Edit: Crackle disappeared after I toggled Event Mode off and on. Just gremlins.
Thanks Rugby, now officially cooking with gas and no need for ASIO4ALL at all at all.
Great to hear it worked! That will give the Devs (@mike) some additional reference points. In the process of working on my issues I revisited using AISO4ALL. I had not really investigated what is was doing when I first set it up, or, even other alternatives.
So, part of my looking into things with the Roon issue was revisiting all pieces of the audio chain and I found this quote,
“Asio4All does nothing for your audio-quality since it isn’t a “real” ASIO driver. It’s merely a low-ish latency bridge to your WDM audio driver.” Which seemed to make sense to me when I thought about it, so I decided to not use it and see if there was any difference.
How is your sound, better/worse/no different?
I heard a definite SQ improvement between OS mixer and WASAPI (initially just for Redbook, but now hi res as well). I was listening on the computer satellite speakers at the time. It was easy to hear and there was a big improvement in the width of the stereo image.I said wow.
Changing from Asio4All to WASAPI didn’t make me say wow. I haven’t listened to it carefully enough to say whether I hear a difference, but any difference is more subtle than getting out of OS mixer.