Windows resampling issue on soundcards

Hi!
A few days ago I was told that windows re samples all Audio to 48kHz to be able to set levels at the integrated mixer and again back to 41kHz output.
I tried to find out more about that issue but somehow google can' help me out right now.
Is there a way around it so I can play my audio files directly to the SPDIF output going to my converter without the signal being re sampled?

Thank you!
Regards,
Stefan

Hi Stefan,

There is a fair bit of misinformation about this issue. Windows in and of itself should not resample your audio unless you (a) try and play things at two different sample rates at the same time or (b) use a sample rate which your sound card does not support. See:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms790051.aspx

However, this is all by the by if you are sending your audio stream to your soundcard using either ASIO or Kernel Streaming, since then you bypass the Windows mixer entirely. It is now up to your soundcard's drivers whether your audio gets passed unmolested. Any well-designed sound card should be capable of doing this -- what are you using?

Richard

Hallo!

Thanks for the reply!
I thought as my soundcard (btw a on board type so nothing fancy) has SPDIF INs and OUTs I hoped I could check my mixes at home with my external converters as the one's on the soundcard are noisy and don't behave to well.
I'm using cubase at home and I noticed that I can still use th windows mixer to set the overall output volume. So audio shouldn't pass the windows mixer untouched, right?
I was told that windows resamples to 48kHz not matter what sampling rate the source is as the mixer can only work with one sampling rate...
Maybe something like this http://www.thomann.de/gb/maudio_transit_usb_audiointerface.htm
should be a good way around as I could still use my better external converters with it...
What do you think?

Hi Stefan,
[quote author="steppenwolf"]
I'm using cubase at home and I noticed that I can still use th windows mixer to set the overall output volume. So audio shouldn't pass the windows mixer untouched, right?
[/quote]
Right, but this is the case with any sound card. If you can find the 0db point then it should not be touching the audio passing through it. Note that the 0db point may not be 100% volume, it could also be at 50% for instance.

[quote author="steppenwolf"]
I was told that windows resamples to 48kHz not matter what sampling rate the source is as the mixer can only work with one sampling rate...
[/quote]
This is false unless you are still stuck on windows 98. See the MSDN link above.

[quote author="steppenwolf"]
Maybe something like this http://www.thomann.de/gb/maudio_transit_usb_audiointerface.htm
should be a good way around as I could still use my better external converters with it...
What do you think?[/quote]
Well possibly, but you should do some loopback tests first. Record the spdif output back through the spdif input and monkey around with the volume levels and see if you can get it to null. If you can then you have saved yourself 75 euro (unless you make a feedback loop and blow up your speakers...)

Thanks for the advise.
I just connected both SPDIF INs and OUTs and within the Right Mark Audio Software I can get -1dB max Level with both input and output at 0dB...
I'm getting something around 0,13% THD and 0,345% THD+N at this level.
Isn't that a bit too much?
I'm just wondering where that comes from as there is no analog equipment involved...(stupid question?)