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How do I optimize J.River with quality sound card

I've been doing a bunch of reading on this site and it's been very informative. I'm trying to wade into the PC audio arena and I would like to do so initially on a small budget.

I currently have a two channel setup with a Rotel CD/integrated amp and Linn speakers. I do not have a stand alone DAC and I would like to set up my PC using a quality sound card initially. I read a good article in the Absolute Sound on the subject and the author used an Echo/Mia Midi soundcard and Foobar2000.

I purchased an Echo Gina sound card which has an internal PCI card with a breakout cable to an external box. The external box has a DAC and both analog and digital I/O connections.

After messing around with Foobar, I find the user interface a little lacking. I think J.River is easier to use and I would like to use that as my software.

So, the question is what steps must I take to use J.River and bypass the KMixer in WinXP. Most of the other posts on this subject reference setup with USB DACs. I may go that route one day, but not yet.

Thanks to all in advance. This is a great site.
bmdduck
bmdduck OP
99 posts
 
Thanks for the clarification. I think the media center is around 39.95 so I think I'll just purchase that version.

I was reading some info on Benchmark's site and it sounds like you can defeat the KMixer by optimizing WinXP settings (turning sound off, volume full, setting word length and sample rate, etc).

If you make those settings you might not need the ASIO driver. Something to experiment with, I guess.
One other question, I added the Echo Gina, should I also remove the original sound card? Or does setting ASIO for output on J.River know to use the Echo?

Thanks
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
Your Echo should show up in the ASIO4all off line window. The difference in Juke box and the full version is the option to select different views. Like theater view ..which is VERY cool! Also you get the TV tuner capabilities with the full version.

From what I've seen so far you need the ASIO4ll or another ASIO driver to select ASIO in J.River. I haven't tried the mapping as yet. I use both USB-AUDIO ASIO and ASIO4all with very good results.The USB-AUDIO driver is close to $80 though.
bmdduck OP
99 posts
 
Is there any way to bypass the KMixer in iTunes like in J.River? Or can anyone provide more detail on how to bypass the KMixer in the Windows control panel?

Is seems like if you can bypass the KMixer in the control panel then you are free to use iTunes or any other program. It seems like that would eleviate a major limitation of Windows vs Mac.
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
Hi I think you're making this more complicated than it has to be. Just rip your CDs with DbPoweramp using Apple Lossless.

The J.River recognizes apple lossless files and pretty much any other format out there. The only other player I've seen that can do this is Foobar. Not even Itunes has the versatility of J.River.

So my advice is to rip AIFF or Apple lossless and allow J.River to import the files. That way when and if you go to a Mac your files are ready to go.

Itunes sounds like garbage on PC..I would avoid it at all cost! Even though the full blown version of J.River isn't free. Pound for pound it is the best of the available playback softwares on the market right now IMO.

You may find that the PC in fact has more versatility in the real scheme of things when it comes to software choices and availability. Don't get me wrong Mac sounds just fine when it is setup properly..but no better than PC in the end.
bigamp
219 posts
 
If you're not using an ASIO device, which you're not, you shouldn't need an ASIO driver. ASIO drivers are used when you have an ASIO device. A lot of people use them because they have the added side benefit of bypassing kmixer. But you can bypass kmixer in control panel, so you shouldn't need an ASIO driver.

If your dac or usb device works with Direct Sound, then I recommend using that option and no ASIO driver. Direct Sound does not modify the bits during playback, unlike most ASIO drivers which will modify the bits. If you do need to use an ASIO driver, I recommend using Jriver's built in ASIO driver because it doesn't modify the bits (you don't need another driver like ASIO4all in addition.)
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