WASAPI

 

WASAPI is Microsoft’s own ASIO, it talks straight to the soundcard if set to exclusive mode.
In shared mode it still uses the windows audio engine.

WASAPI in exclusive mode allows you to play all audio at its native sample rate (if your audio device supports this rate).

In exclusive mode it bypasses the Windows audio engine entirely, no mixing and no resampling will take place.

As a consequence, only 1 and only 1 audio stream is playing.

Another consequence is that what the media player is sending to the soundcard must exactly match the capabilities of the sound card.

You must configure your media player to use WASAPI in exclusive mode.

Crucial is that you match the bit depth.

16 or 24 depending on the capabilities of the DAC.
If you play 16 bits audio (CD) on a 24 DAC using WASAPI, the media player will append 8 zero's to get the required number of bits.
This won't affect sound quality.
In fact, there is a benefit, you can probably use digital volume control without noticeable impact on sound quality.

MC 14 settings

In Options > Playback choose WASAPI in the Output mode

SPDIF

These settings work on a iMac running Win7 in combination with a Benchmark DAC 1

In Output Mode Settings choose exclusive mode.

If you don't do this, you are still using the audio engine and therefore the mixer.

In this case (SPDIF out) Present 24-bit data as a 32-bit package should be checked.

This probably got nothing to do with the DAC but with the hardware (iMac) I'm using.

From MC 14.0.144 on,I can leave this option unchecked.

 

In the DSP studio, set the bitdepth.

The Benchmark is a 24 bit DAC so the bitdepth must be 24.

USB

Again check exclusive.

In this case the 24-32 option should be left unchecked.

The Benchmark is a 24 bit DAC so the bitdepth must be 24.