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blargh4 t1_iu10g0u wrote

I'm not aware that Windows lets you see this directly.

Unless they are outputting in "exclusive mode" all your programs' audio output goes through the windows mixer. Windows sound settings -> device properties -> additional device properties -> advanced -> default format will let you change the default sample rate/bit depth of the windows mixer, out of what Windows detects your audio hardware supports.

If you're paranoid, you can use a player that supports outputting in exclusive mode. That should in theory send bit-perfect output from the app to your audio hardware, but as the name suggests, only that app gets to output sound, which may cause various issues when other programs try to do so.

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Osoa_ t1_iu112yr wrote

the highest my hardware supports is 48000z 16bit according to the sound settings. should I look into getting an external DAC to get that higher?

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blargh4 t1_iu12slz wrote

Well, you certainly can but don't expect any major differences. Assuming your computer's audio chip is competently implemented, and the source material isn't mastered by idiots, the limitations of 48000hz/16bit are generally considered below the threshold of even best-case frequency range of human hearing, and most adults are well below that. Some people claim windows's resampler can audibly degrade quality, I don't personally hear it but my hearing tops out around 13KHz, YMMV.

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Osoa_ t1_iu1349n wrote

ah ok. i'll do some research then decide. thanks for the help

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vext01 t1_iu1kava wrote

Don't worry about it. You are highly unlikely to hear a difference.

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