A wish for XXHE

[Newk Yuler]

I have an XP based music server using Foobar with the Secret Rabbit Code upsampler, running into an Empirical Audio Off Ramp 3 and usually a modded Valab NOS DAC behind it.  I've been patiently waiting for the release of Windows 7 after which I intended to wipe and reload the music server and purchase XXHE.  I hadn't done much research into XXHE features until recently but I've known for a while that it was the way to go to obtain the best possible audio quality from a Windows (WASAPI) PC.  I understand that particular focus was put into playing MP3s and the latest upsampling features are very desirable additions.

I hit a brick wall when I apparently found that XXHE does not support playing MP3 internet radio (.pls web streams).  Unless I'm missing it, in which case I'll humbly admit I'm blind to seeing it.  I downloaded the demo and loaded it in the XP server to check the features.

I listen to a lot of DI.fm and SKY.fm Premium in 256kb MP3 streams.  They provide a lot of variety in their channels.  I don't need to go into quality issues here but suffice it to say the higher MP3 rates really can do a pretty decent job for non-crucial, ambient audiophile listening when you have a very low jitter system.

Again, if I'm missing it, I'll humbly bow to being corrected.  That will mean I can go ahead and make the changes to my server and purchase XXHE.  Otherwise is there a reason XXHE doesn't support MP3 web radio?  Is it possible support will be added?

Thanks.

[AUDIODIDAKT]

Welcome and nice question,

Really get on with Windows7, works really well and sounds better anyway.
I think xx does MP3, but I never used it, just try.

I see your thing here, I even had some discussions about this with PeterSt (the old Wizz here)
Believe me I see your point, me lucky user of 100MBs internet speed, but if they stream music why not FLAC (LOSSLESS)??

FLAC is so much better, not only SQ wise, but its that whole thing with MP3 its become a marketing name just like Itunes.
MP3 can sound really good, agreed on that, but its just I don't like it.
Why would men use MP3 anyway, MP3 was a smart choice some years ago when there were no TB discs available.
I have 2TB disc's with only FLAC files each containing almost 6000 albums, so its not a question about enough available space, hehe
I let say, use my internet connection rather creative, Why settle for MP3 when there is also FLAC,APE,WAV,WV,TTA,ALAC,AIFF (or just LOSSLESS) available.
XX canot play all of those but you can convert them, to whatever you wish.

Streaming would become interesting when they do LOSSLESS streaming, think big in this, connecting all music there is on the globe to 1 player.(no more onboard HDD's needed)
Streaming will be the future, but not now, the tools ain't right.(yet)

But there is a solution, stream with other player, then output to seperate folder, let play xx from there.
Have to think this thru, but everything is possible.

But we need LOSSLESS streaming and most people need faster and unlimited ratio internet for that.

And most of those stations have bad connections, lots of drop-outs, xx won't deal with that well, I think

Oh and btw, when hearing xx on a dedicated pc with W7, there is no more listen to it as in "ambient" wise.
You will be shocked (impressed), about the SQ and you will understand why it is we are not that font about MP3.

[PeterSt]

Hi there !

I understand that particular focus was put into playing MP3s

Well, indeed it has been so that at the time the support for MP3 emerged I did it the best way I could think of, and at least I am not of the leage that thinks "MP3 is nothing". However, it isn't the best either. Actually I have quite a few (thousands of) MP3 albums, but it must have been well over a year since I played one, because they are very recognizable once you know what to listen for.

The problem is, XXHighEnd is a pure memory player, so it doesn't know from streaming as such ...
In the near future though you may expect that XXHE users stream from eachother, but that uses the same "preload" features as it does normally, and with radio that can't work.

All I can say is Sorry !
Best regards,
Peter


PS: To be honest, I didn't dive into the matter at all. So, may it be so that (one of) the stations you mention allow a kind of full "download" before playback commences, then it is another matter and I'd say it is a nice additional feature (and not much of a problem to implement).

[AUDIODIDAKT]

PS: To be honest, I didn't dive into the matter at all. So, may it be so that (one of) the stations you mention allow a kind of full "download" before playback commences, then it is another matter and I'd say it is a nice additional feature (and not much of a problem to implement).
 
 
 

There are possible means to do so, hehe.
Whatever you stream can be captured and saved!!
And played from that location

 

But expect some time delay in the music, I guess

[Newk Yuler]

Ahhh... I knew XXHE was a memory player but I didn't make the connection.  That logically would eliminate the ability to play web streams.

A separate application would have to read a web radio stream and download it song by song to a place the player could pull the files and play them back to back, nearly seamlessly, then the player would probably need to delete the files as they're loaded into memory.  Some of the web radio sites crossfade the songs but there are points where tags change.  DI/SKY doesn't do that though, I don't think anyway.  Sounds like a headache that isn't worth the trouble.  Oh, well.  It is what it is.

I have hundreds of CDs, some higher res files, and quite a few WAV/FLAC/CUE made for CPlay (another Windows memory player I'm sure you know).  XXHE could be in my future for all of that but I still spend 95% of my listening time with the DI.fm web stream running.  The music server is playing it pretty much the entire time I'm home and even while I'm asleep.  Looks like I'm going to stay with my current setup for a while longer.  I understand there are benefits for using WASAPI but I'm not as motivated to go to all the trouble of reloading a well established machine and then use the same software for playing music.

Thanks guys.