Volume Lock (solved with Plugin)

[cciss]

When playing DSD or Sacd (.dsf files) output to a external DAC the volume has to be at 100%, otherwise it just comes out as noise, very loud noise.
So if the mouse moves at all, the volume control drops and you get a rude awakening in the middle of your best songs.

I see no-one has asked for a way to lock volume at 100% for a few years, (nearly 3,000 views on last request). https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=35237.msg194299#msg194299

The really loud "pink" noise and clicks when DSD and SACD output to DAC is really annoying, (I worry for my speakers also).
Hi_Res files are much more common now, any way/chance of locking the volume control.

Thanks Steven, great app...

[hiccup]

I see no-one has asked for a way to lock volume at 100% for a few years, (nearly 3,000 views on last request).

To me that suggests that none of the members that read that post deems that a useful or needed option.

How would locking the volume at maximum level solve your 'loud noise' problem?

[cciss]

Sorry, the other request from 2021, explained it more fully.
When playing DSD or Sacd (.dsf files) output to a external DAC the volume has to be at 100%, otherwise it just comes out as noise, very loud noise.
So if the mouse moves at all, the volume control drops and you get a rude awakening in the middle of your best songs.
I found the original solution elsewhere on the internet, when I started using Hi-Res files.

To me that suggests that none of the members that read that post deems that a useful or needed option.

I would think that 3,000 reads was at least some interest, and would guess most users are not using .dsf files, but that will change as they are much more common now, and can even be affordable, while being audibly better.

It's a great app with one tiny glitch and I realize it is free, but I don't think it would be a huge amount of code (maybe a plugin).
I would do it myself but I've never used those languages or built a plug in. And it's not that big a deal just a major annoyance.

[phred]

I would think that 3,000 reads was at least some interest

Not necessarily. 3,000 views means nothing. How many -replies- are there on that thread? Simply clicking on a topic, whether or not the user reads what's there, increases the view count by one. I look at every single thread that appears. Sometimes I read all the way through. Sometimes I see I have no interest in the topic and move on. But that thread now has one additional view.

So the question is, how many replies were there? That's what shows how much interest there is.

[hiccup]

Sorry, the other request from 2021, explained it more fully.
When playing DSD or Sacd (.dsf files) output to a external DAC the volume has to be at 100%, otherwise it just comes out as noise, very loud noise.
So if the mouse moves at all, the volume control drops and you get a rude awakening in the middle of your best songs.
I found the original solution elsewhere on the internet, when I started using Hi-Res files.

Ah, I see. Thanks for explaining.

Just in case MusicBee's developer has a habit of mostly reading the start post of a wish, and not going through all replies, it might be good for you to edit your start post and add this information to make it more clear why this would be a useful option.

[cciss]

sorry,
there was only 2 replies (but that was back in 2021), but 4,000 clicks on the topic
https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=35237.msg194299#msg194299

So how hard is it to build?

[hiccup]

So how hard is it to build?

That's not very relevant.
Luckily, us mortals don't have to worry if something is 'difficult' to implement. That's only of concern to the developer.

The most relevant thing is if MusicBee's developer considers a wish to be a valuable addition to MusicBee that would benefit more than one user.

All you can do is state your case with good arguments, and perhaps some links to related posts or discussions, and then await feedback/support from other users, or the developer himself.
As long as the latter stays silent on it, it is not going to happen.

[cciss]

Fair enough, so he does all development by himself? Nice job..
Could it be done as a plugin?

[hiccup]

Fair enough, so he does all development by himself? Nice job..

That's probably an understatement ;-)

Could it be done as a plugin?

I have no idea.

Another question:
Does the noise issue also occur if you have things such as the equaliser, or other audio plugins active?
The reason for me asking:
A wish that I would support myself, is having some 'bitperfect' button.
If you activate it, anything in the audio path that can interfere with bitperfect playback gets disabled.
E.g. volume is set at 100%, eq. and any audio plugins are disabled, fading gets disabled, output mode is set to WASAPI exclusive, etc.

[cciss]

yes the equalizer also effects the output, (I had to check that), but they mentioned it in the original solution I found.
I had my output set to ASIO, I don't completely understand the differences but it was working.

Yes it is a great application, and I only use the basics.

[hiccup]

I had my output set to ASIO, I don't completely understand the differences but it was working.

Does the noise issue also occur when using WASAPI exclusive?
(assuming that your 'hires' files play when using WASAPI exclusive)

[cciss]

just checked, and they also play fine when using WASAPI exclusive.

[hiccup]

just checked, and they also play fine when using WASAPI exclusive.

Does that solve your noise issue?

[cciss]

just checked, and they also play fine when using WASAPI exclusive.

Does that solve your noise issue?

I just realized that when I changed it to "WASAPI exclusive" the dac doesn't recognize it as a DSD file so there is no issue as it just decodes as a standard file.
It seems to have to be output as ASIO to be recognised by the dac.

[hiccup]

I just realized that when I changed it to "WASAPI exclusive" the dac doesn't recognize it as a DSD file so there is no issue as it just decodes as a standard file.
It seems to have to be output as ASIO to be recognised by the dac.

That's a pity.
I'll bow out of this wishlist topic now. I hope there will be some solution in the future for you.

(personally I don't care about so called 'hi-res' formats at all, and if I happen to run into them, the very first thing I do is converting them to 16/44 or 16/48)