XXHighEnd

I read on the forum that if you select Ks output followed by the name of the Dac you can listen in Kernel Streaming. If you select digital output followed by the name of the Dac in which mode do you listen? Is it equally in bit perfect? In the second case on my system (Sansui pre and power amplifier 250 watts per channel, Jbl L220 speakers) the mid-highs are sweeter.
Best regards.

Vincenzo

Hi Vincenzo,

If you can select an other output than one prefixed with KS:, it will be WASAPI. At least, when XXHighEnd produces audible sound.

XXHighEnd does not have any other means for playback than "Bit Perfect" (and yes, KS and WASAPI are equally that).


So if I understand correctly, this should be WASAPI.
Please notice that WASAPI is an additional layer on top of Kernel Streaming. Now :

This is possible (sound sweeter) for very many reasons, all a little hard to explain in the context of your current knowledge of XXHighEnd (that will grow automatically).

One reason would be that you (most probably) did not optimize anything yet. This makes it a bit of a wild guess what will "be" "better" as such ("better" is not really subjective here - it is a measure of accuracy I am referring to).

An other reason will be that Kernel Streaming has many different (and more !) optimization parameters towards the OS itself, which btw are many more for e.g. Windows 10 vs Windows 7. Also, the Q1 parameter works very differently for WASAPI than it does for KS.

So Yes, both are/play Bit Perfect, but both will sound very different with in the end KS as a clear winner (you will see later). How this can happen while both are Bit Perfect is relatively easy to explain : XXHighEnd sounds way better than  e.g. Foobar, because, well, it is XXHighEnd. Foobar too can play in Bit Perfect Mode, but it sounds like ...
So there is a LOT more that can cause better or worse sound. But you wouldn't be able to measure it easily.

Kind regards,
Peter