TOPIC:

hi Guys,
I'm a bit shocked discovering, that I can still adjust volume through Windows sound management (using SHD Studio as room correction device between my PC-MediaCenter and DAC) although I've selected ASIO driver in JRiver. The same issue in Windows10 Tidal App. Though I'm selecting 'Exclusive Mode', the sound still clearly goes through Windows sound system. Am I doing something wrong here? Or MiniDSP developers didn't bother about bit perfect USB interface?

This worries me seriously. I hope I haven't just wasted 1000 EUR on a brick which has nothing to do with HiFi. Room correction without bit perfect I can easily do in Windows APO.

That sounds wrong because ASIO is plumbed in at a level below the normal Windows sound system. I haven't actually used USB for so long though that I can't comment further.

what exactly sounds wrong? should my sound control be disabled? or you suggest that the driver is faulty?

are there any MiniDSP developers on this forum?

Something seems wrong with your setup. Developers rarely comment in this forum, you need to contact them through the Support menu at the top of the page if you think your SHD/software/firmware is faulty.

I contacted MiniDSP support but they are completly uncompetent. Their solution to the problem is to set PC master volume to 100% and don't touch it...
I am lost now. Don't even know how to talk to them. I hope there are people in MiniDSP who understand bit-perfect idea otherwise I'll have to return the unit...

They promised ASIO and they didn't deliver.

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

The SHD is intended to use with ethernet input. Using Dirac is never bit perfect. Sound quality of SHD is very good.

entripy wrote:

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

do you have it working in Windows 10? Could you check if the volume of playback changes when you adjust volume in Windows? It shuldn't if you use ASIO

jaaptina wrote:

The SHD is intended to use with ethernet input. Using Dirac is never bit perfect. Sound quality of SHD is very good.

SHD has multiple inputs, including USB. In my system it is intended to use with USB input.

I know that DSP isn't bit perfect, but there is no reason why I should add terrible Windows sound management to the equation. I bought it with expectation that ASIO will actually work. It doesn't. But what is really sad in the story, that MiniDSP support team doesn't understand the issue.

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

do you have it working in Windows 10? Could you check if the volume of playback changes when you adjust volume in Windows? It shuldn't if you use ASIO

Oh yes, Windows can change the volume. That must be a Windows 10 feature, having writen ASIO drivers I'm confident ASIO is a bit perfect interface. I had Windows volume at the default 100% which I assume maintains bit-perfect.

I doubt there's anything minidsp can do about that, it must be a result of Windows complicated audio architecture after they dumped KMixer.

entripy wrote:

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

do you have it working in Windows 10? Could you check if the volume of playback changes when you adjust volume in Windows? It shuldn't if you use ASIO

Oh yes, Windows can change the volume. That must be a Windows 10 feature, having writen ASIO drivers I'm confident ASIO is a bit perfect interface. I had Windows volume at the default 100% which I assume maintains bit-perfect.

I doubt there's anything minidsp can do about that, it must be a result of Windows complicated audio architecture after they dumped KMixer.

that means it's not real ASIO. Real ASIO outputs directly to USB bypassing windows sound system and there is nothing Windows can do about it. Try out with any ASIO / WASAPI compatible DAC.

I hope their R&D can issue the proper drivers promptly. I'll keep you posted how this story develops. Bottom line, this device without ASIO makes not much sense for room correction.

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

do you have it working in Windows 10? Could you check if the volume of playback changes when you adjust volume in Windows? It shuldn't if you use ASIO

Oh yes, Windows can change the volume. That must be a Windows 10 feature, having writen ASIO drivers I'm confident ASIO is a bit perfect interface. I had Windows volume at the default 100% which I assume maintains bit-perfect.

I doubt there's anything minidsp can do about that, it must be a result of Windows complicated audio architecture after they dumped KMixer.

that means it's not real ASIO. Real ASIO outputs directly to USB bypassing windows sound system and there is nothing Windows can do about it. Try out with any ASIO / WASAPI compatible DAC.

I hope their R&D can issue the proper drivers promptly. I'll keep you posted how this story develops. Bottom line, this device without ASIO makes not much sense for room correction.

From what I recall that may not be a driver issue. If an application opens the ASIO driver in exclusive mode Windows should bypass its volume control. The minidsp audo driver defaults to allowing applications to request exclusive mode but maybe Traktor 3 doesn't request exclusive mode. Or maybe its a Windows bug. tomorrow I must try another PC with RME audio hardware and see what that does.

entripy wrote:

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

czupet wrote:

entripy wrote:

ASIO works fine here with SHD from the supplied audio driver

do you have it working in Windows 10? Could you check if the volume of playback changes when you adjust volume in Windows? It shuldn't if you use ASIO

Oh yes, Windows can change the volume. That must be a Windows 10 feature, having writen ASIO drivers I'm confident ASIO is a bit perfect interface. I had Windows volume at the default 100% which I assume maintains bit-perfect.

I doubt there's anything minidsp can do about that, it must be a result of Windows complicated audio architecture after they dumped KMixer.

that means it's not real ASIO. Real ASIO outputs directly to USB bypassing windows sound system and there is nothing Windows can do about it. Try out with any ASIO / WASAPI compatible DAC.

I hope their R&D can issue the proper drivers promptly. I'll keep you posted how this story develops. Bottom line, this device without ASIO makes not much sense for room correction.

From what I recall that may not be a driver issue. If an application opens the ASIO driver in exclusive mode Windows should bypass its volume control. The minidsp audo driver defaults to allowing applications to request exclusive mode but maybe Traktor 3 doesn't request exclusive mode. Or maybe its a Windows bug. tomorrow I must try another PC with RME audio hardware and see what that does.

thanks. I'll also try out with another PC and Tidal app. Maybe it's an error in driver instalation. What is the "Traktor 3"?

Traktor 3 is a DJ application I use with the SHD ASIO driver