I have been using Foobar as my player for years and it works really well managing my large library, plays all format and rez types on my NAS (it can point to any storage anywhere on you network or PC). There are even plugins to play SACD ISOs… And it is FREE. It uses the PSAudio driver no problem bypassing the Windows destructive stuff (passes PSAudio bit-for-bit test files fine) and can use the NAS-to-Bridge ethernet link although I have not used this - I use the USB to DSJ and loving it. I plan on tinkering with the NAS-to-Bridge Foobar plugin, but just haven’t got around to it. It has tons of plugins for all kinds of digital file manipulation if you are into that sort of thing. And the interface is configurable.
I believe Ted primarily uses Foobar2000. I used it (along with the MonkeyMote iPad control app) for awhile way back when because it could play gapless to Bridge 1 when nothing else would. Things may have changed but in the past it would not play DSD files over the Bridge. I think one issue is that it is so customizable that it can be intimidating.
I just have a tabbed window for the main area with some different main views and a playlist organizer as the main panel. (Note that I’m playing an SACD but still getting all of the various display goodies.) And yes, DSD to the bridge isn’t perfect, but there are at least two sets of addons to get it there and at least one of them limps getting DSD to the bridge. It can be a UPnP Media Server, Controller and/or Renderer, but I use USB because I like the interface possibilities so much better. I like running WinAMP’s Milkdrop visualizations full screen with foobar2000 when I’m just vedging.
I cannot get a MCE receiver to work. Otherwise I feel this is the best software and go figure it is free. Most likely I overlooked some setting. Which can be daunting with this. No need to use EventGhost etc. All I want is ‘play’ and ‘stop’ lol. I have spent too much time on this. Once you figure something out you are like ah-ha. It was right in your face but you did not realize it. If anyone knows how I can get it working under keyboard shortcuts I would e really happy.
Hi,
Has anyone encountered this problem with DSD playback with Foobar ?
I use foobar latest version via Bridge II (both Direct stream & Bridge II are at latest firmware).
There is no problem with PCM files.
But for DSD (of course DsD64 max for Bridge II & DsD128 max for Usb input), after the first DsD track, the playback stops & foobar close automatically.
(Same situation when playing through usb).
Component installed are:
foo dsd professor ( to upsampling DSD>64 to DsD64 to fit with BridgeII capability).
foo input sacd
foo out upnp (to play via BridgeII).
The output data format set at 24-bit; the buffer length set at 2000ms.
I’m looking to hearing your wise advice if any to fix this issue.
Many thanks.
Which version of foo_input_sacd are you using - version 1.1.0 is probably what you should be using. (FWIW I’m using 1.0 beta 18 of foo_out_upnp, but I haven’t tested foobar2000 with the bridge recently.)
I use foo_dsd_processor to downsample DSD > DSD128 to DSD128 for my USB connection. With foo_out_upnp I don’t know if you can do a bigger buffer length, but I use > 10000 for USB (and others) just so that drives have time to spin up, etc. between tracks.
Just to be clear: by “Same situation when playing through usb” do you mean that you have exactly the same problem (foobar closing) when using USB? Which output is selected when that happens? and are you using the PS Audio USB drivers?
Yes, “same situation” means foobar also closing after first Dsd track both using BridgeII & Usb . (I faced foobar closing after 1st DsD track through BridgeII, so I tested with usb input to compair but same problem).
I installed PS USB driver, updated one. All components are updated one. (foo_input_sacd v1.1.0).
For foo input sacd, foobar continue play next DsD track if I set output mode is PCM.
(Reference: https://diyaudioheaven.wordpress.com/digital/pc-software/foobar-2000-for-dummies-part-3-new-experimental-sacd-plugin-v-0-9-x/)
I tried bigger buffer length (to 3000ms) but it still closing.
I will try > 10000 & report later.
Thank for your quick reply.
Any other advice, please do not hesitate.
One question I tried to ask was what the selected output device in foobar2000 was. For example I regularly use “DSD: ASIO : PS Audio USB Driver” and have used most of the other “DSD: xxx: PS Audio xxx” modes successfully (tho only one of “WASAPI (event)” or “WASAPI (push)” seems to work reliably with the PS Audio USB drivers and the other with the newer Windows 10 USB Audio 2.0 drivers.)
I’ve not seen anything like that. Is there a chance that the DSD files are corrupted in some way? If you haven’t you might try some of the test files at 2L.no in the “HiRes Test Bench” (http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html)
I regularly play tracks from .iso’s, .dff’s, and .dsf’s from a wide variety of sources with no problems.
Wow Ted, thanx for that link! I am having fun in there. I am comparing the CD 16/44 with DSD 128 of the exact same recording!!! … and then some… Just what I was looking for. Lots more “air” in those DSD 128 files for sure!
Anywho, Foobar plays these DSD 128 files perfectly (although I get some slight cracking/pop in the first few moments of a new DSD file … it seems to happen when going from a16/44 to a DSD file.)
NAS to Windows 10 PC via wired Ethernet thru some Asus hub, all Gig Ethernet (no wireless at all)
Foobar to Junior via USB (generic crap cable from my big stack… the fattest one I think)
Output Device: “DSD : KS : PS Audio USB Audio 2.0 Output”
Buffer length: 26400 ms
Output format: 24-bit
Junior screen: “DSD128 1Bit *”
Fabulous fun… and I suspect I will find some new music too. I love that Vivaldi tune from Bellezza Crudel (maybe just cause I am in a good mood)… gonna buy that one.
Regarding the crackling popping of the DSD 128 files in Foobar… I think I am on to something… I got it to stop by making the Buffer Length SMALLER… ! I had it set at 26400 and got some crackling, particularly when I jump around the files… so I set it to the max at 30000 and it was crackle hell. I restarted Foobar just to see and it didn’t make a difference… the larger buffer made things worse.
I set it now at 12030 and NO CRACKLING… Why?
I have Windows 10 with 32GB RAM, a big SSD drive, a CPU Intel Core i7-3930K processor (still around $600 for this processor)… I built this machine and it is a fast one. I have wired gig-Ethernet throughout (I always thought wireless sucked). NAS->PC->USB->JR
What gives? Why does a smaller buffer work better with Foobar and DSD 128? Again, no popping or crackling now.
I had the buffer set high because I have my NAS set to spin down its 4 big RAID X (RAID 5) drives after two hours of non-use. When the thing spins up, delivery of data is choppy… it takes about 15 seconds to quiesce. A bigger buffer in Foobar seems to grab more data faster and avoids the chop. … but then I get crackles.
It’s very system specific (and unfortunately Windows 10 version specific.) My setup works with virtually any buffer sizes. Graphics interrupts or networking drivers are often the root of crackles and they vary widely across systems. If you are playing DST compressed DSD bigger buffers can be a problem (and to a lesser extent DSD128) since about a buffer length before the end of a track or on each seek, file jump, etc. foobar2000 will try to refill the buffer quickly. That means more work with bigger buffers. If your system has any timeouts to spin discs down, put network cards to sleep, put USB connections in a lower power state, etc. then exceeding those timeouts can drastically change the timing of various interrupts and system calls. I like my buffer sizes to be big enough that I can spin up a different USB drive in time for a track change.
Also in foobar2000 if you are using a waveform seekbar then track or file changes can also involve reading and possibly calculating a new waveform as quickly as possible.
I also had small glitches when playing with each Windows 10 release starting with the first “Creators update” until the update a few months ago. There seemed to be nothing I could do to reliably fix them.
FWIW I always thought wireless networking was a horrible problem for digital audio, but now I have a wireless network connection with greater than a gigabit bandwidth to my NAS so reading audio over the wireless connection better than if I used wires…
Most of the time I can be ripping CDs, doing replay gain scans, precalculating waveform buffer displays, and playing audio in foobar2000 (or JRiver) with no glitches even with all of those operations going wireless to the NAS or to local USB drives.
I installed ASIO plugin to play with usb input, I choose “DSD: ASIO : PS Audio USB Driver”, buffer 12000ms, I have no problem to play DsD64 & DsD128 original files. But when I set DSD professor to downsample 128 to 64, foobar still stop after first track.
I guess some problems with DsD Professor & SACD plugin.
Now I use BridgeII for PCM & DsD64 files & Usb input for DsD128 file originally.
I hope I can play all files through Bridge II with foobar soon.
Still could not get foobar playing DsD128, (using DsD professor), through Bridge II.
No problem with PCM as well as DsD64. But more than DsD64, foobar stopped after first track.
Anyone with experience, please advise!
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It can be a UPnP Media Server, Controller and/or Renderer, but I use USB because I like the interface possibilities so much better. I like running WinAMP’s Milkdrop visualizations full screen with foobar2000 when I’m just vedging.
