Welcome

This website covers the basics of using a computer as an audio source.
When I started in 2007, I was completely blank.

Yes, I knew that you can download a MP3 and play it over a pair of fancy desktop speakers. But I didn't realize that a computer could be a source for high quality audio too.

 

I entered the world of ID3, FLAC, WAV, MP3, MP4, AAC, AIFF, APE, WMAL, Codec, Cue sheet, CBR, VBR, WASAPI, DS, ASIO, Kernel, DS, DSP, UPnP, DLNA, Airplay, Freedb, AMG, Gracenotes, cover art, DAC, NAS, Router, adaptive USB, asynchronous USB, Toslink, AES/EBU, SPDIF, I2S, WMP, Foobar, dBpoweramp, EAC, bit depth, sample rate, Nyquist, SRC, ASRC, 16/44, 16/48, 24/88, 24/96, 24/172, 24/192, PCM, DSD, DoP, CDtext, EMI, RFI, Transcoding, VST, DPC Lantency, PCI and a couple of other things you need to know.

A fascinating world but it takes some time to find your way.

 

Of course I didn't know all this when I started.

But I found out how to do it.

As I tend to forget these things, I take notes.

As I forget where I have left my notes, I put them all into this website.

This is simply my notebook and you are welcome to it too.

Enjoy.

Updates

2023

• Android 14 supports bit perfect USB audio
• Needledrop: a turntable style interface to play Youtube muisc.
• Automatic sample rate switching using Apple Music on OSX
• Onkyo HF player
• HiByMusic
• Foobar Mobile revisited

 

2022

• USB-C Bluetooth transmitters
• Impedance, damping and sensitivity
• Measuring headphones
• (Un)balanced wiring
• Create your own ABXtest
• hard of hearing
• Single sided hearing
• Ever heard of Matter?
• Update of ASIO
• Update of WASAPI

 

2021

• How to EQ your headphone
• Windows in mono
• Update of the Windows audio section
• Bit perfect playback revisited
• Balance (Android)
• EQ Software
• Windows resampling and how to improve on it
• Update of the CUE sheet section

 

2020

• Added some hearing tests.
• Slight update of the I2S page.

• What makes digital so insensitive to noise.

• A revision of Operating systems and sound quality

• A little bit about damping
• Active speaker by GGNTKT
• A short impression of Foobar for Android.

• Expanded the headphones DSP section a little.

• Audiophile Ethernet switches
• Freedb will be closed per 31 march 2020.

• Bluetooth receivers supporting LDAC are a bit rare

• Headphone measurements (februari 2020)
• sample rate conversion and its impact on sound quality
• Bluetooth on Android
• Bluetooth audio, why SBC is not bad at all.
• Sending Win audio to a Chromecast
• Buchardt A500: active speaker with a plethora of inputs.
• Better Bluetooth audio quality?
• Bit more about Chromecast

2019

• If your phone comes without a 3.5 audio jack, USB-C audio is an the answer.
• Affordable headphone amps
• Null testing, a new kid on the block (februari 2019)

• Do USB cables matter? (februari 2019)