[S3] Audio format information?

[WillBthr]

I would like to know exactly what audio formats S3 can play through Xbox Music and the Intel SST audio system. For example can the S3/Xbox Music correctly play 48k 24 bit WMA Lossless audio files?

 

[johnson_patrickw]

It runs full Windows so I wouldn't worry about Xbox Music itself, because you can run whatever program you like. I don't know how well the Atom would do with 24bit audio though.

 

[WillBthr]

Not a useful response.
Specifically can S3/Intel SST play 48k 24bit wav and WMA 48k 24 bit lossless audio files correctly? Why have I scoured the internet and still don't know the answer?

 

[johnson_patrickw]

Is there a reason you think it wouldn't?

Also not useful? You asked if it could go through Xbox Music, which it doesn't even need to do.

Did you contact Intel to inquire with them?

 

[ClintRo]

Post a link to a file you want to run and one of us can try it.... just don't send me a virus. LOL

 

[johnson_patrickw]

https://mega.nz/#!lx8QiT7S!QfVlgvPd6roRyanHZU0hk4SJJjXoLvBs9rPS1bpuPGw

Thats 24-bit FLAC, I don't have any WMA.

 

[WillBthr]

It will playback both formats that are 24 bit I mentioned above but... is the decoder present to do it properly? Is it just dropping the extra 8 bits because it is limited to 16 bit? Control Panel/Sound/Playback/Properties/Advanced/ "Default Format in Shared mode lists 16 bit 48k" and it is greyed out ie. No options... I am not sure what this refers to.

 

[P_Devil]

The decoder is working properly, that has nothing to do with the hardware limitation of the built-in sound card which is limited to 16-bit, 48KHz playback. So your files are being played back fine, they are just (losslessly) being output at 16-bit, 48KHz. Now, before you get upset, you should know that the process is lossless and unless you've passed a series of blind ABX tests, you aren't going to hear an audible difference.

You can bypass the integrated sound card and use a USB sound card/amp but that would be doing nothing more than fueling placebo at this point. A good USB amp costs around $150-$300 depending on what output you're looking for, they will cost more if you want placebophile (or audiophool, take your pick) standards of 24-bit, 192KHz.

 

[WillBthr]

I am very familiar with external USB Audio interfaces (I have 2 Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) with RME UFX & UCX interfaces) and I record at 48k 24bit.
End of Day: I export a mix to listen to later at home. Mix is a stereo wave file 48k 24b. Using Microsoft Expressions 4 (Free) I create a WMA lossless 48k 24b files, around 40% smaller than the original wav file. Put it on OneDrive. Listen later with high quality headphones on S3 without the files being truncated.

If true that S3 can't natively playback a 48k 24b bit file in 2015 it is too bad.
PS. The S3 audio "enhancements" (Intel) should be turned off for any kind of analysis of audio. I think they are on by default.