Configuring foobar 2k

[AgentWei]

I have an SB Live! card. Will I even notice a difference between foobar and winamp... meaning is it worth for me to switch?

[XP1800]

Originally posted by AgentWei
I have an SB Live! card. Will I even notice a difference between foobar and winamp... meaning is it worth for me to switch?

Might as well give it a try at least, hell what's the worst that can happen?

[groutyzoob]

AgentWei,
Have you tried installing the Audigy 2 EMU101K drivers for your SBLive? People have said they're better than the real SBLive drivers. I ran this for a month and then I ended up switching to a full fledged A2ZS.

Everyone else,
Is there a reason why I would get static switching between tracks when I have the resampler set at 192000? I have it on 24 bit padded to 32 bit, Kernel Streaming, 4ms buffer.

[BlueOval]

Since Foobar's been getting so much press here I decided to give it a try. Although I'm concerned with CPU usage since I normally listen to music on the PC at the same time I browse the forums, write email, and Fold.

I set it pretty much how XP said to do it, although I don't have an Audigy and use the onboard Soundstorm instead. Hey XP, should I adjust any settings due to this?

On a related note, where do you guys go to download mp3's?? I never have and find a confusing amount of sites - some of which want you to pay to download 'for free'.

[Zemo]

Sweet, you guys are into foobar! That's awesome! Foobar is capable of sound quality far surpassing that of any other player out there with powerful tools built right into the software. This means there is no need for external plugins.
Because of foobar’s highly customizable nature, setting it up correctly can prove to be a daunting task, hence this guide.
Despite foobars steep learning curve, it’s well worth it…you’re ears will thank you!Well, I read over this thread (Thanks XP1800) and I found some configuration things that you guys are going to want to do...hence:




The Ultimate Guide To Foobar

Step 1: Download the foobar installer: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze559m7/f....2_special.exe

Step 2: Run the installation and accept the default associations, assuming you’ve never installed foobar before. If you have, just make sure that the Kernal Streaming component gets installed. (try to do a FULL install)

Step 3: Download the ID3V2 tag support component: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze559m7/foo_id3v2.zip
-extract the .dll file to your C:\program files\foobar2000\components folder.

Step 4: Open foobar, checking that 0.8.2 does load and select Foobar2000 > Preferences

Starting at the top… (I’m only gonna tell you which ones to edit, so try to keep up!)

>Album List
-click “add new” (its up in the top right in the Views area)
-type “By Zemo” and copy/paste this code into the window:

$directory(%_path%)|$if2([$num(%tracknumber%,2). ]$ifgreater($strstr($directory(%_path%),[%artist%]),0,,[%artist% - ])[%title%],%_filename%)


>Core
>Keyboard Shortcuts
-Remove all entries in the upper pane
-find these commands and set a global hotkey to them of your choice by highlighting the command, entering in the key or key combination in the window below, checking the “global” box, and hitting the “add” button:

[main] components/album list
[main] playback/next or random
[main] playback/play or pause
[main] playback/previous
[main] playback/stop

I use:
Ctrl+F7 [g] [main] components/album list
Ctrl+alt+F7 [g] [main] Foobar2000/activate or hide
F5 [g] [main] playback/previous
F6 [g] [main] playback/next or random
F7 [g] [main] playback/play or pause
F8 [g] [main] playback/stop
Ctrl+F8 [g] [main] playlist/clear

(feel free to add other keyboard shortcuts if you so desire)

>Database
-check the “Database Enabled” box
-in the “restrict directories to” box, type in your music filled folders, separating pathnames with a semi-colon. i.e. (no quotes) “D:\Uberized Downloads;E:\Uberized Rips”

-in the “restrict file types to” box, type in “*.mp3”

>Playback
-set “output data format” to the highest your card will support. If you don’t know, set it to 24bit. If sound doesn’t work when you hit play, change it to 16bit.
-check the “Dither” box, and set it to whichever sounds best (FIY – Strong ATH sounds best…)

>DSP Manager
-Remove all components from the left pane
-Move “resampler (ssrc)” to the left pane
-Move “advanced limiter” to the left pane
(as was suggested earlier in this thread, feel free to use the crossfeed DSP if you're using headphones. It may help spacial positioning, but I don't like it...my amp accounts for that!)

>Resampler
-set target sample rate to 48000Hz
(NOT to 192000 or anything like that. The reasoning is that all 10k2 based cards (as all creative cards are...audigy, audigy 2, etc, as well as all AC'97 cards, wich include nearly everything onboard, etc) resample EVERYTHING to 48000Hz in the hardware. So it wouldn't matter what samplerate you set it to, it's all being turned to 48000Hz. BUT, a problem arises....the hardware resampler does a crappy job. The solution is to set a GOOD software resampler (like the SSRC algorithm....included in foobar) to resample to 48000Hz, therefore bypassing the hardware resampler.

>Playback
>Input
>Standard Inputs
-set “tag type to write” to ID3V2 and ID3V1 (VERY IMPORTANT)
>Output
-Select Kernal Streaming


Step 5: drag and drop some mp3 into the main window. Hit play. Foobar will warn you that kernel streaming is experimental. Hide that window, and hit play again. If it still won’t play, lower your format type to 16bit (preferences > playback)

Step 6: drag and drop your mp3 folders into foobar’s main window. It will take a while if you have large folders.

Step 7: Close foobar and re-open. Go to components > album list (or use the hotkey you assigned), and select “by Zemo” at the bottom.

Step 8: highlight some album or track or whatever, and click “send to playlist” to erase the current playlist and begin playing the new selection immediately. Click “add to playlist” to append the selection to the end of the current playlist.


Now to do something about that fugly foobar look…

-visit http://pelit.koillismaa.fi/fb2k/index.php and find a look that suits your taste.

-Go to preferences > Default user interface, and set the fonts and colors like the formatting page tells you to.

-Go to “title formatting” and overwrite the code on each tab with the ones from the formatting page (it should be fairly obvious)

-if you want to use “foo_looks” (like winamp skins) check out http://www.btinternet.com/~sean.m.kelly/foo_looks/, and follow the guide at http://www.btinternet.com/%7esean.m....s/install.htm. (skins are at http://www.btinternet.com/~sean.m.ke...ks/gallery.htm)


Congratulations, you now have access to the most powerful audio player known to man!


Time to go all the way.....

If you're going to use foobar, you obviously care about sound. What's the next step in making your setup sound better? Ditch those bloated, bug ridden, and dorky creative supplied drivers or stock drivers!!! There is a 3rd party set of drivers for all 10k2 based cards (a list of supported cards is at http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/faq.php?language=en#Q15)

The Kx drivers will make your sound clearer, more punchy, tighter bass, etc...plus they'll give you a LOT more control over your sound. The one drawback I can see is that they don't currently (as far as I know) have EAX support...so for you people who live for the sound of guitars played underwater, I'm sorry. Also, they are a little tricky to learn at first....

You can get 'em here: http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?language=en

I can't really help you any further than that with Kx drivers, as I don't use them myself (my soundcard is beyond needing them).



This guide is in it’s very initial, very rough, very draft stage. If you spot an error, or run into a problem, feel free to PM, AIM, or email me!

[Ignitionator]

Originally posted by Zemo
Sweet, you guys are into foobar! That's awesome! Foobar is capable of sound quality far surpassing that of any other player out there with powerful tools built right into the software. This means there is no need for external plugins.
Because of foobar’s highly customizable nature, setting it up correctly can prove to be a daunting task, hence this guide.
Despite foobars steep learning curve, it’s well worth it…you’re ears will thank you!Well, I read over this thread (Thanks XP1800) and I found some configuration things that you guys are going to want to do...hence:




The Ultimate Guide To Foobar

Step 1: Download the foobar installer: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze559m7/f....1_special.exe

Step 2: Run the installation and accept the default associations, assuming you’ve never installed foobar before. If you have, just make sure that the Kernal Streaming component gets installed. (try to do a FULL install)

Step 3: Download the ID3V2 tag support component: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze559m7/foo_id3v2.zip
-extract the .dll file to your C:\program files\foobar2000\components folder.

Step 4: Open foobar, checking that 0.8.1 does load and select Foobar2000 > Preferences

Starting at the top… (I’m only gonna tell you which ones to edit, so try to keep up!)

>Album List
-click “add new” (its up in the top right in the Views area)
-type “By Zemo” and copy/paste this code into the window:

$directory(%_path%)|$if2([$num(%tracknumber%,2). ]$ifgreater($strstr($directory(%_path%),[%artist%]),0,,[%artist% - ])[%title%],%_filename%)


>Core
>Keyboard Shortcuts
-Remove all entries in the upper pane
-find these commands and set a global hotkey to them of your choice by highlighting the command, entering in the key or key combination in the window below, checking the “global” box, and hitting the “add” button:

[main] components/album list
[main] playback/next or random
[main] playback/play or pause
[main] playback/previous
[main] playback/stop

I use:
Ctrl+F7 [g] [main] components/album list
Ctrl+alt+F7 [g] [main] Foobar2000/activate or hide
F5 [g] [main] playback/previous
F6 [g] [main] playback/next or random
F7 [g] [main] playback/play or pause
F8 [g] [main] playback/stop
Ctrl+F8 [g] [main] playlist/clear

(feel free to add other keyboard shortcuts if you so desire)

>Database
-check the “Database Enabled” box
-in the “restrict directories to” box, type in your music filled folders, separating pathnames with a semi-colon. i.e. (no quotes) “D:\Uberized Downloads;E:\Uberized Rips”

-in the “restrict file types to” box, type in “*.mp3”

>Playback
-set “output data format” to the highest your card will support. If you don’t know, set it to 24bit. If sound doesn’t work when you hit play, change it to 16bit.
-check the “Dither” box, and set it to whichever sounds best (FIY – Strong ATH sounds best…)

>DSP Manager
-Remove all components from the left pane
-Move “resampler (ssrc)” to the left pane
-Move “advanced limiter” to the left pane
(as was suggested earlier in this thread, feel free to use the crossfeed DSP if you're using headphones. It may help spacial positioning, but I don't like it...my amp accounts for that!)

>Resampler
-set target sample rate to 48000Hz
(NOT to 192000 or anything like that. The reasoning is that all 10k2 based cards (as all creative cards are...audigy, audigy 2, etc, as well as all AC'97 cards, wich include nearly everything onboard, etc) resample EVERYTHING to 48000Hz in the hardware. So it wouldn't matter what samplerate you set it to, it's all being turned to 48000Hz. BUT, a problem arises....the hardware resampler does a crappy job. The solution is to set a GOOD software resampler (like the SSRC algorithm....included in foobar) to resample to 48000Hz, therefore bypassing the hardware resampler.

>Playback
>Input
>Standard Inputs
-set “tag type to write” to ID3V2 and ID3V1 (VERY IMPORTANT)
>Output
-Select Kernal Streaming


Step 5: drag and drop some mp3 into the main window. Hit play. Foobar will warn you that kernel streaming is experimental. Hide that window, and hit play again. If it still won’t play, lower your format type to 16bit (preferences > playback)

Step 6: drag and drop your mp3 folders into foobar’s main window. It will take a while if you have large folders.

Step 7: Close foobar and re-open. Go to components > album list (or use the hotkey you assigned), and select “by Zemo” at the bottom.

Step 8: highlight some album or track or whatever, and click “send to playlist” to erase the current playlist and begin playing the new selection immediately. Click “add to playlist” to append the selection to the end of the current playlist.


Now to do something about that fugly foobar look…

-visit http://pelit.koillismaa.fi/fb2k/index.php and find a look that suits your taste.

-Go to preferences > Default user interface, and set the fonts and colors like the formatting page tells you to.

-Go to “title formatting” and overwrite the code on each tab with the ones from the formatting page (it should be fairly obvious)

-if you want to use “foo_looks” (like winamp skins) check out http://www.btinternet.com/~sean.m.kelly/foo_looks/, and follow the guide at http://www.btinternet.com/%7esean.m....s/install.htm. (skins are at http://www.btinternet.com/~sean.m.ke...ks/gallery.htm)


Congratulations, you now have access to the most powerful audio player known to man!


Time to go all the way.....

If you're going to use foobar, you obviously care about sound. What's the next step in making your setup sound better? Ditch those bloated, bug ridden, and dorky creative supplied drivers or stock drivers!!! There is a 3rd party set of drivers for all 10k2 based cards (a list of supported cards is at http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/faq.php?language=en#Q15)

The Kx drivers will make your sound clearer, more punchy, tighter bass, etc...plus they'll give you a LOT more control over your sound. The one drawback I can see is that they don't currently (as far as I know) have EAX support...so for you people who live for the sound of guitars played underwater, I'm sorry. Also, they are a little tricky to learn at first....

You can get 'em here: http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?language=en

I can't really help you any further than that with Kx drivers, as I don't use them myself (my soundcard is beyond needing them).



This guide is in it’s very initial, very rough, very draft stage. If you spot an error, or run into a problem, feel free to PM, AIM, or email me!

wow

[Terry]

Hmm, I don't have Kernel Streaming? How come?

I use v0.8

[soupnazi]

When you install it, you have to make sure you install EVERYTHING. I had the exact same problem.

[Terry]

Humbug, I thought I did.

[soupnazi]

So did I...I reinstalled it 3 times and then noticed that I didn't "tick" everything on the install menu.

Any more pops on you A2 NX?

[XP1800]

Is there any way a mod can make Zemo's post a sticky? He covered everything I can think of, so it would be a good idea for people who want to configure Foobar the right way

[number1sixerfan]

I have v0.8. Where can I get v7xxx?

[XP1800]

Originally posted by number1sixerfan
I have v0.8. Where can I get v7xxx?

Google search will turn it up, but according to our newest member Zemo the newest version is better.

Choose what you like

[Zemo]

yeah, the latest is the greatest...no point in using anything less.

Make sure you install foobar from the special installer (link in my guide). And just read everything and tick all the little boxes.

[Terry]

Originally posted by soupnazi

Any more pops on you A2 NX?

Yeah, in fact, one just came up.
I believe it's when you are switching from high frequency (that lasted for a while) to low one all of a sudden.
But it's not all the time, seems pretty random.

edit: I tried just jumping around on a track and it pops every single time. Hmm, is this suppose to happen?