Schiit (MultiBit) Bifrost

Hey guys. I found out something pretty great today. If you are using windows and use foobar this is a good thing for you! First what you want to do is download and install foobar2000 here!

Next up you want to get the two plugins used to bypass the windows sound, you can get the sweet ASIO plugin here and the WASAPI plugin here!

Now that we have foobar installed what we wanna do is open up the settings menu by pressing ctrl + p or by clicking on File then clicking preferences. Now that we have this screen open, you want to click on Components on the top of the column on the left. Once you have done that, click on the install button on the bottom right, it's above the OK button! When you do this, it will open up a navigation menu. Use this menu to find where you downloaded those two plugins to and click open. Once you have done this for both plugins click on the apply button in the bottom right, it's below the Get Updates button. This will prompt you to restart foobar. You must do this.

After foobar has restarted, go ahead and open that preferences menu back up. If you are using ASIO, you need to click on the Playback tab in the left column then click on Output. Once you have reached this page you want to click on Device and choose from the list either WASAPI (event) [Insert Schiit Driver name here] or ASIO [Insert Schiit Driver name here].

If you chose ASIO, you need to go back to the Preferences page and click on the ASIO tab under Output and check the box that says "Run with high process priority".
If you chose WASAPI, you will need to scroll down to the Advanced tab and click on it. In the right column you will need to click on the Playback tab, then the WASAPI tab and check the box that says "High worker process priority".

Let me know if you need any pictures/help! This has made a huge difference in sound to me. Everything sounds much airer and less compressed.

 

@Ryu If you're playing with Foobar advanced settings, also check out the MMCSS mode setting. The default mode is "Audio", but the documentation suggests that there is a higher priority "Pro Audio": https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms684247(v=vs.85).aspx. There are some other settings in there as well that could do things if fiddled with.

 

I appreciate the tip about "High worker process priority". I was unaware of this setting. Thanks!

 

you can also "preload" the whole track into the ram and let it play from there. I think it's a wasapi only feature.

 

Not WASAPI only, but increasing it too high makes foobar 'lag' when you change songs etc. Not really needed unless you want to let your local hard disk spin down for a song/using unreliable networks. Even then Windows now does intelligent read ahead caching.

Also: http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_ramdisk

 

How do you actually change the setting from the default to "pro audio"? Do I need to do it through a registry editor program?

 

Negative, cap'n. You expand the Threading section in the Foobar Advanced settings and type it into the mode box.

 

I'm more of a visual learner, like this?

 

^ Yes

You can't increase thread priority (beyond 7) though, which is what differentiates Pro Audio from Audio, so not sure how useful changing the mode will be.

 

My guess is that thread priority applies if MMCSS is unchecked and is ignored otherwise.

 

I can choose the wasapi (event) device

But when I go to the playback tab there is no WASAPI tab there to get to the "high worker process priority" area... So I cannot check box it.

 

If it makes you feel better, I heard precisely zero difference from checking that box.

 

Then your system isn't resolving enough, etc.

 

Hmm. Wonder if it has to do with the connection. I noticed that USB into my Bifrost Multibit sounds collapsed (like going from a large room to nearly a point in space) * compared to using the mini toslink. I've heard gaps in music playback when my computer was in use through USB; never with the optical out. But checking that box definitely didn't have any effect for me using optical.

* FWIW the USB on my laptop is legitimately glitchy, it's probably not indicative of other people's experiences.

 

Not really: http://imgur.com/a/k7Bdo

 

Thanks, I was hoping someone would get some info with process explorer. I'm too lazy for that sort of thing.

I have no idea then what, if anything, MMCSS does or does not do here. Proof is in the pudding.

It's entirely possible that it is simply unnecessary on your system. Changing the priority of a process/thread will not necessarily cause the operating system to treat it any differently if there isn't a shortage of resources to begin with.

 

Well I worked out how to enable foobar wasapi and mmccs pro audio all that jazz. Just followed that picture. Thanks Yeskey.

The sound through wasapi is more detailed but I lost some body to the sound... I guess they call that thinner. Also with the extra detail and loss of body it becomes more glasslike, digital.

I notice a few people on the net like audivarna and have complained that at least jriver is more glassy than audivarna. Is there a media player for windows that people recommend?

 

Bits are bits man.When you bypass windows audio filter you are using the DACs filter instead. So whatever you hear is what the DAC sounds like. Theoretically all media players should sound the same. If they don't then there is some form of codec or filter being applied by that player. I could be wrong since I don't do programing but that is my point of view and what common sense should dictate. I've been told that foobar equalizes sound slightly but I can not deny nor confirm that statement.

Why not just download a bunch of media players and try it yourself? A huge portion of them are free and if they aren't pirating them is always an option.

 

I hear the bug head emperor is highly recommended, but that is going deep down the rabbit hole. I'm happy with my foobar2000 + WASAPI, and would rather spend more tlime listening to new music than chasing the last 1% difference that may or may not exist.

 

Just got a Bifrost Multibit to replace my (admittedly bad and too-long lived) TubeMagic D1 Plus.

I am flabberghasted. I used to be in the "all DACs are +/- the same" camp but Jesus ever loving Christ this isn't even the same goddamn f'ing music. I could tell that immediately from bringing it in from the 50F outside.

Now we wait for it to warm up...