Windows 7 - Audio Processing

[Biomorphic]

I've been using Windows XP since long now and the reason I didn't move to Windows Vista was because the latter had software based audio processing.

However, I am very excited about Windows 7 and I just wanted to know if audio processing has been reverted back to hardware or is it still software based?

 

[Somniferum]

I believe it's software-based like Vista. But you can get around that (on Creative sound cards at least) by installing ALchemy. I'm using the Creative beta drivers for Windows 7 with ALchemy and so far it seems to work fine. I skipped Vista as well, for that and other reasons. Sound seems just as good as it was under XP Pro.

 

[chrisf6969]

I have clicking / popping problems when playing music and when the OS does something intensive.

Its been a problem on Win XP ever since I "upgraded" to Windows Media Player 9.
I rolled back to 8 from it temporarily to verify WMP9 was the culprit and it did stop popping, but eventually I needed WMP9 for something... I think p0rn? :-/ So I reinstalled it and there went my sound quality.

I've had the same problem with Win7, so far.

e8400 @ 3.6Ghz
Asus P5K-E
Creative Blaster PCIe card

 

[Nothinman]

I've been using Windows XP since long now and the reason I didn't move to Windows Vista was because the latter had software based audio processing.

And you think the software processing will directly affect you how?

 

[Biomorphic]

When you've been listening to your music, movies (with Dolby or DTS encoded soundtracks) and games via the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeMusic audio card and Logitech Z-5500 Digital speakers for years you notice that when sound is processed through hardware it sounds much better than when processed through software.

I'm not talking about a big difference but sound lovers and audiophiles will surely notice it.

Also, you should bear in mind that when sound is processed through software it can affect your CPU performance between 5% - 20%.

 

[Nothinman]

I'm not talking about a big difference but sound lovers and audiophiles will surely notice it.

Maybe, I'll have to take your word for that because I don't really care that much.

Also, you should bear in mind that when sound is processed through software it can affect your CPU performance between 5% - 20%.

And with dual and quad core CPUs being pretty standard, especially with gamers and audiophiles, I can't see this having any real affects.

 

[Modelworks]

You can install asio in windows 7 to bypass the windows mixer and output straight to spdif if you like. It is what I do .
Realize that when you do that none of the windows based controls in the mixer work.
It is a straight stream from sound app to spdif out port.

 

[Biomorphic]

Should I take it as a confirmation that Windows 7 has native software based audio processing?

 

[Scotteq]

Originally posted by: Biomorphic
Should I take it as a confirmation that Windows 7 has native software based audio processing?

Reading the thread, I think it means "We Don't Know".


I'll post a question on Technet for you. See does that get an answer.

 

[Nothinman]

Reading the thread, I think it means "We Don't Know".

Actually I would take it as "Yes, unless you install Alchemy". There's absolutely no reason for MS to pull out the audio subsystem that they rewrote only a few years ago for Vista. Moving as much of audio and video into userspace is a good thing.

 

[Scotteq]

Yah, Nothing - Just that my understanding is that Vista doesn't support the former hardware-level APIs. Rather, it handles most of the processing itself before handing off the final output to the sound card. Which I believe this is the crux of the OP's question.


http://compreviews.about.com/o...media/a/VistaAudio.htm


Perhaps I have it backwards, (wouldn't be the first time), but I believe Creative's approach with Alchemy is to leverage OpenAL and make alternative .dll's available so supported games can bypass Vista's ausio stack and go directly to the sound card.

 

[BD2003]

The reason that your X-Fi sounds "better" is because the hardware based processing (like CMSS or crystalizer) futzes with the sound in ways that might sound nice but would make any real audiophile cringe (and so would those speakers).

There's nothing inferior about the software sound processing in Vista or 7.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: BD2003
The reason that your X-Fi sounds "better" is because the hardware based processing (like CMSS or crystalizer) futzes with the sound in ways that might sound nice but would make any real audiophile cringe (and so would those speakers).

There's nothing inferior about the software sound processing in Vista or 7.

As I understand it the resampler used in the Vista audio stack is inferior to that of the X-Fi and pro-level audio cards, but I would never be able to tell you the difference in a blind test.

CMSS-3D sure is swank for headphones though, I'm glad Creative has that implemented in software for the audio stack.

 

[Biomorphic]

I never use CMSS or Crystalizer and from a listening point of view, I can assure you that sound on Windows Vista is inferior to the sound on Windows XP. However, this is not what we are supposed to discuss here.

My questions are:

[*]Is sound processing done through hardware or software on Windows 7?
[*]Is the sound on Windows 7 better than that of Windows Vista from a listening point of view?

 

[Lepard]

Originally posted by: Biomorphic
I never use CMSS or Crystalizer and from a listening point of view, I can assure you that sound on Windows Vista is inferior to the sound on Windows XP. However, this is not what we are supposed to discuss here.

My questions are:

[*]Is sound processing done through hardware or software on Windows 7?
[*]Is the sound on Windows 7 better than that of Windows Vista from a listening point of view?

It is the same as Vista.

Better is subjective, that is why no one is giving their opinion on if it is better or not. To me personally, it sounds the same.

 

[MrChad]

No "audiophile" would be using a Creative sound card and Logitech speakers anyway.

 

[tk421storm]

Uh-oh.... as an owner of an HT-Omega Claro and two powered monitors, should I be worried about Vista/Window 7 mucking with my sound? I honestly never even considered they'd be screwing it all up like this.

Is there a way I can bypass the windows audio engine and have all the decoding done on the card?

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: tk421storm
Uh-oh.... as an owner of an HT-Omega Claro and two powered monitors, should I be worried about Vista/Window 7 mucking with my sound? I honestly never even considered they'd be screwing it all up like this.

Is there a way I can bypass the windows audio engine and have all the decoding done on the card?

Install ASIO drivers.

 

[Scotteq]

Update to my earlier post: No Replies on Technet

 

[Scotteq]

Originally posted by: tk421storm
Uh-oh.... as an owner of an HT-Omega Claro and two powered monitors, should I be worried about Vista/Window 7 mucking with my sound? I honestly never even considered they'd be screwing it all up like this.

Is there a way I can bypass the windows audio engine and have all the decoding done on the card?

I am currently using an Asus Xonar D2, into an NAD T775, and out through a set of Polk LSi9 speakers. While I'll freely admit it may not be quite what you might get from an Omega Claro, I'm pretty sure it's more than adequate to say with confidence that it certainly doesn't muck any audio up.

 

[BD2003]

Originally posted by: Biomorphic
I never use CMSS or Crystalizer and from a listening point of view, I can assure you that sound on Windows Vista is inferior to the sound on Windows XP. However, this is not what we are supposed to discuss here.

My questions are:

[*]Is sound processing done through hardware or software on Windows 7?
[*]Is the sound on Windows 7 better than that of Windows Vista from a listening point of view?

It's exactly the same as vista, mainly through software with the exception of OpenAL for games that support it, and ASIO for music production software that supports it. AFAIK, there's absolutely absolutely no difference between the sound quality of Vista and 7.

Even without CMSS or Crystalizer, the limiting factor for you here is your speakers by miles. There is absolutely no way on earth you are going to be able to tell the difference in sound quality between software and hardware sound on those speakers. I have the same speakers - theyre good for booms and bangs, but theyre so far from high quality it's not even funny.

I suspect I'd even have an extremely difficult time, if not and entirely impossible time of noticing the sound quality difference of the audio stacks on even the highest end of speakers. It's all in your head, but youve got your answer. Its software, and theres nothing you can do about.

 

[bsobel]

Also, you should bear in mind that when sound is processed through software it can affect your CPU performance between 5% - 20%.

That was true when a 486 was the dominate processesor. There is no truth to this claim now.

 

[Biomorphic]

Anyway, what if I install a Virtual Windows XP on Windows 7? Will hardware audio processing be restored on the virtual OS?

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Biomorphic
Anyway, what if I install a Virtual Windows XP on Windows 7? Will hardware audio processing be restored on the virtual OS?

No.

 

[Nothinman]

Anyway, what if I install a Virtual Windows XP on Windows 7? Will hardware audio processing be restored on the virtual OS?

No, the VM doesn't get direct access to any hardware. If anything it'll be going through 2 levels of software because it's now gotta go through the emulated sound card in the VM and through Vista's software stack.