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Topic: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S (Read 8008 times) previous topic - next topic
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How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

I'm trying to ascertain how in my particular home stereo setup I am able to hear all parts/passages of a 5.1 song, whereas the same file played on my DAP (Hidizs AP100) through HO and I am missing sections etc (ie only getting left and right coming through). On my pc set-up I expected the same results, but I'm not getting that, instead I am (to my delight) hearing all the information of the song coming through on stereo headphones, and the results are kinda cool, a nice '3d' surround spatial experience.

Ok, so without further ado let's talk about my PC setup.

Have a look at these screen grabs;
 
1) The first one is confirming that I am using the sound device Fiio E9+E7 USB DAC combo as USB Audio for the test. My Samson SR950 cans are connected to them. See here.
 
2) Confirms that it's Stereo and not 5.1 passing through a headset. See here.
 
3) This part shows Foobar and the configuration that is set up for sound playback, here it is 'Primary Sound Driver' which means whatever I have set in Windows 8, in this case it's step 1 above. You can also pull that menu down and select the Fiio 'USB DAC' if you prefer but the results are the same. See here.
 
4) This screen grab shows the mediainfo of the FLAC file in question, and I highlight that it's 5.1 (6 channels) etc, there is no second audiostream in the file being 2.0 etc. (this can be the case with movie files etc, 2 audio streams, a 5.1 and 2.0 is pretty common, I was just double checking here that the file didn't contain 2 streams). See here.
 
So I'm at a loss, as to how these 5.1 FLAC files are playing 'properly' through stereo headphones on the above setup. I would have thought I would hear a similar result to my AP100, that is omitting parts of the song, and that by only changing my Windows 8 Sound Control Panel to being 5.1 (instead of the Fiio USB DAC stereo setup as outlined above) would I actually hear the songs in their entirety on a 5.1 system. I'm trying to see whereabouts along the chain of audio it might be supporting 5.1 in a 2.0 environment.
 
FWIW, I am not a high res guy, I purely came by a couple of SACD 5.1 FLAC files recently and thought I'd give them ago. I have done a fair bit of ABX testing and am none the wiser when it comes to higher bit rates etc, but 5.1 channel songs do seem to offer something different from the whole high res thing for me.

If anyone would like a file to try for themselves that can be arranged, I already have one file uploaded that you can grab here if you like. Around the 1:55 mark things get more 'spacial and echoey' compared to it's regular 2.0 FLAC that exists out there. Be warned... the track is 278mb!

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #1 –
It's related to drivers and possibly the hardware.

Anyway.  Set Windows to Stereo output in configure speakers and use the DSP "downmix all channels to Stereo" in Foobar2000 as safeguards.  Sometimes the headphone out on devices erroneous takes audio from the front left and right instead of downmixing it to stereo.

With the onboard Via codec on my computer (disabled because of discrete sound card), you can select the parts of a 5.1 stream as pairs (kind of a useless feature).
 

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Chibisteven on
It's related to drivers and possibly the hardware.

Anyway.  Set Windows to Stereo output in configure speakers and use the DSP "downmix all channels to Stereo" in Foobar2000 as safeguards.  Sometimes the headphone out on devices erroneous takes audio from the front left and right instead of downmixing it to stereo.

With the onboard Via codec on my computer (disabled because of discrete sound card), you can select the parts of a 5.1 stream as pairs (kind of a useless feature).

Windows already is in Stereo as per my screen grabs showing. I'm not looking for a 'solution', it already works as stated above, I am simply trying to see where along the chain of paths how it is able to be working.

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the hardware inside my Fiio E9+E7 USB DAC combo, which leaves it to drivers? Which drivers?

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #3 –
Quote from: BruceBanner on
Windows already is in Stereo as per my screen grabs showing. I'm not looking for a 'solution', it already works as stated above, I am simply trying to see where along the chain of paths how it is able to be working.

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with the hardware inside my Fiio E9+E7 USB DAC combo, which leaves it to drivers? Which drivers?

Process of elimination.  The FiiO X1 digital audio player I have actually has a similar issue with 5.1 FLACs.  Find out which device has this issue and focus on getting better drivers for it or use a different device.  You can also try generic drivers too.

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #4 –
Wait what issue with yer X1? That it CAN play 5.1 successfully through the HO (or is it like my AP100 and just left right channels coming through and some notes/passages are omitted)?

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #5 –
Quote from: BruceBanner on
Wait what issue with yer X1? That it CAN play 5.1 successfully through the HO (or is it like my AP100 and just left right channels coming through and some notes/passages are omitted)?

Just the front left and right channels.  Meaning missing notes and passages.  Also this player cannot be used as DAC.  It only plays music stored on it and cannot be used as a DAC for your computer.

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #6 –
I'm still at a loss where along the way I'm managing to hear 5.1 through stereo cans via foobar and my pc setup. :S

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #7 –
Do you have any DSP or virtualization surround effects enabled on your PC?  Is your driver doing it for you?  Have you checked the effects tab to make sure no effects are checked under properties for headphones or speakers?  You can also check "disable all effects".

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #8 –
Windows is simply downmixing the multichannel into stereo. This is standard behavior. Your player is the one not working as it should. BTW if you want people to easily see (or actually see) your screenshots, you may want to use one of the myriad free image hosts that aren't file lockers. imgur.com is a popular one.

Re: How is my foobar successfully playing back 5.1 FLAC files in a stereo setup :S

Reply #9 –
Quote from: andy o on
BTW if you want people to easily see (or actually see) your screenshots, you may want to use one of the myriad free image hosts that aren't file lockers. imgur.com is a popular one.

I can't even see the screenshots and I'm not paying for a premium scription to see it nor wait 30 seconds to see one then waiting another 3 hours to see the next.  Glad someone mentioned it.

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Quote from: andy o on
Windows is simply downmixing the multichannel into stereo. This is standard behavior. Your player is the one not working as it should.

He / she does describe it in a confusing manner.  Leaving me to believe he has some sort of headphone virtualization is turned on.
Quote from: BruceBanner on
the results are kinda cool, a nice '3d' surround spatial experience.