HQPlayer's Network Audio Adapter

[rickca]

I'm trying to understand the relative merits of NAA vs UPnP. The Sonore Signature Rendu looks like a very nicely engineered device, but it's strictly UPnP ... so no chance of using it with HQPlayer, is that right? It's very different than something like an SMS-100. Please let me know if I'm wrong about this.

 

I guess I'm trying to decide which architecture is better and why.

[rickca]

I posted this question in the HQPlayer thread, I really should have put it here. For those following both threads, I apologize for the double post. I think I'm more likely to get some user feedback here.

 

What is better to use as NAA, Windows 10 or something like SMS-100 or upcoming Sonore micro Rendu? Are you better off with Windows 10 so you can use ASIO drivers, or a Linux solution which IIRC doesn't need ASIO drivers? What are the key considerations for choosing between Windows 10 vs something like micro Rendu for NAA (sound quality potential, flexibility, manageability, etc).

[rickca]

Would using a wireless bridge between a HQPlayer Windows 10 machine and a remote SMS-100 (attached to the remote end of the wireless bridge with Ethernet cable) mess up the sound quality of a NAA solution? I have two systems in different rooms, and I'd prefer to only have one HQPlayer Windows 10 machine. It isn't practical in my place to run cable (even fiber) between the rooms (it's a rental).

[rickca]

No, not necessarily, it depends on how the wireless is implemented at the NAA side. I'd recommend avoiding any USB-connected wireless devices. Ones connected to PCIe or other high speed bus and properly shielded from RF radiation should be fine.

Miska, I'm talking about using two routers as a wireless bridge. So the main HQplayer machine is Windows 10 connected to router #1 via ethernet. Router #1 (local) and router #2 (remote) form the wireless bridge, and the NAA machine is connected to router #2 via ethernet cable. When I'm listening to music, the routers will essentially be dedicated to this solution, no other traffic. So router #2 is not being used as a wireless access point, just as a wireless bridge. Does this implementation seem OK?

 

I could do this very easily with powerline networking, but that seems like an awful solution for anything involving audio.

[rickca]

I wonder whether it would be viable to spin off the NAA functionality into an optional (paid) virtual-soundcard type product that was separate from the player, which would allow people to communicate with NAA endpoints such as the uRendu using whatever player they wanted. I have no idea about the internal architecture of HQP/NAA or whether that would be easily feasible or not, but it's just a thought...

Love the idea. Assuming it's technically feasible, I wonder if the potential revenue from such a product is sufficient to offset the loss of HQPlayer exclusivity.

 

This would allow me to marry the strengths of something like A+ (library management, iPad remote, Qobuz/TIDAL integration) with an NAA component on the micro rendu. No need for Roon.

[rickca]

The other way would be some way to open all players to feeding HQP directly as Roon does.

I think HQPlayer already provides such an interface. I liked your initial idea better.

[rickca]

I agree with bogi. On my micro iDSD, changing from Safe to Low Latency resulted in a very noticeable increase in clarity. I was just using the Qobuz desktop app streaming 16/44.1 FLAC. It worked well with classical chamber music.

[rickca]

5 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I have not seen that, but I suspect this is one of the typical network infra issues where ethernet flow control is not functional/enabled through a switch. The place to rectify it is to configure the switch correctly or replace it. Roon has workaround hack trying to solve the broken networking problem.

 

So do you recommend getting a managed smart switch that has flow control vs an unmanaged switch?

[rickca]

@Miska thanks for the background on flow control and managed vs unmanaged switches.