Question for the PC Audiophiles out there

[djpete]

Kernel Streaming Output Plugin V3.6
http://www.stevenmonks.pwp.blueyonde..*****plugin.html
Does anyone use it?
Are there benefits to the sound?
What's your experience with it?

More about it here
http://hifi-advice.com/kernel-streaming-info.html

Thanks

[Aminifu]

I don't consider myself a true audiophile, but I do try to have my music sound as good as possible (given the limitations of my audio hardware and source files).

This plug-in appears to work as advertised (it provides bit-perfect exclusive mode output of a source file directly to my sound card driver), but the final sound from my speakers doesn't sound any better to my ears than my regular setup (using my best source files).

It will undoubtedly sound best when used with files encoded with lossless formats at the highest possible quality level. Due to buffering latencies, this output plug-in with not work with other plug-ins in the processing chain between it and the input plug-in (without dropouts and clicks).

Given high quality source files, a high end sound card and a high end speaker system, this plug-in would allow for a simple direct processing chain from input to output delivering excellent sound, imo.

Many of my files are not encoded at the highest quality, so I like to apply a subtle DSP enhancement to most of them, especially the mp3s. I also prefer to custom up-mix the source material from 2 to 6 channels to match my 5.1 speaker system.

The downside of using high end audio hardware is that it makes it very easy to hear any limitations in the source files. So I settle for very good instead of spending the time and money trying to achieve the best.

[djpete]

Nice summary. Appreciated.
I DO have a good Asus Xonar DX Audio sound card and Klipch 2.1 speakers so will play with this and see if I hear anything. I have most my music at 320kps but not lossless. This does not even have any fade on stop so really is for the true audiophile. Not sure I can live with that but interesting to try.

So without this, when I choose my sound card instead of Microsoft Sound Mapper in OUTPUT DEVICE that is not bypassing kmix? I thought it did.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by djpete1959

So without this, when I choose my sound card instead of Microsoft Sound Mapper in OUTPUT DEVICE that is not bypassing kmix? I thought it did.

If you can hear sound from other apps and/or the system OS sound effects at the same time as the Winamp output then kmix is being used. Some exclusive mode output plug-ins I've tried also used kmix, but this one does not (according to the module tracking I've done).

[djpete]

good one. Thanks!