HQPlayer's Network Audio Adapter

[Forehaven]

To run HQPlayer's filtering and conversion it helps to have a machine with considerable resources, particularly CPU (for the most recent builds, a reasonably high-powered CUDA-capable GPU is nice as well). To keep this high-powered machine separate from potentially sensitive DAC inputs, an NAA (Network Audio Appliance) is used. This is a low-powered machine (e.g., Cubox-i) running a stripped-down distro (e.g., headless server Ubuntu/Lubuntu/Debian) with the network audio daemon (networkaudiod) that makes itself known to the machine running HQPlayer as a place to direct HQPlayer's output via wired or wireless Ethernet. The NAA is then connected to the DAC, typically via USB. The NAA is specifically an output for HQPlayer, not a separate audio player on its own.

 

Thus the actual player to be supported would be HQPlayer. This can run on a box directly connected to the DAC, or via an NAA as described above. Miska has already talked about his thinking regarding support of multiple distros, but of course I don't speak for him and you are certainly free to see if you can persuade him differently.

 

Hi Jud,

 

I haven't tried following this thread as I was simply unable to understand the concept and implementation. So this post was Really Good for me!

 

So a $100 Cubox (never heard of this...it's So cute! lol) acts as a simple 'buffer' b/w my M.Mini and my DAC? And you said it wasn't hard to setup? Seems like an affordable way of keeping the SI as clean as possible.

[Forehaven]

I personally prefer the Windows route cuz you can first optimize with AudioPhil's magical Audiophile Optimizer, then run a simple RDC to go headless. My i7 3770S does DSD256 upsampling in 2 channel without effort and handles up to DSD256 5.1 in multichannel (although in mch I do not upsample any DSD format, i.e I run DirectSDM, and for PCM i upsample to DXD 24/352).

 

I have a bigger issue with the NAA choiuces ONLY because there are some dacs that will not be candidates (like exaSound). Running a Windows NAA allows for easy ASIO non-DOP DSD512 capability (realizing, of course, that if you are Linux/ALSA competent you are likely less concerned).

 

Hi Ted,

 

I'm curious about the possible use of using Windows on a Mac Mini. Do you know if there would be any SQ improvement if I partitioned my OS to accommodate Win10?

[Forehaven]

No idea, never done it. Sorry.

 

Thx Ted. It's a thought...

[Forehaven]

Interesting idea for driver compatibility issues. I'm starting to worry that when my Auralic Vega eventually gets upgraded to DSD256 that I won't be able to use it with my linux NAA's because of driver issues.

 

I have a 2012 mac mini that I'm currently only using for roon control and when I rip vinyl. Any idea how easy it is to get one to dual boot with windows 10? Eventually I'm guessing it could do AO...but that might be tricky given the foreign hardware.

 

Robert

 

No idea..let's ask Kal

 

I do not know what a 2012 MacMini is but I have installed BootCamp/Win7 on my MacMini (purchased 2014) and it was pretty simple. Just follow Apple's instructions. It has functioned fine ever since.

 

Well Kal, can you share your experience if any with any audible difference between OSX and Bootcamp/Win7? Can you use different drivers like ASIO?

[Forehaven]

I cannot say. I changed to Win7 because I could not tolerate operations with JRiver under OSX any longer. Problems included limitations in resolution of MCH playback, the need to designate DAC and DiracLive after every system activation and inconsistencies with ClassicsOnlineHD. Others have had better results with OSX but, even after multiple engagements with Apple help, I ran out of patience. All my apps simple work with Win7.

 

Sure. It's now a Win machine. I have not tried HQPlayer with it because, while I love the performance of HQP, its user interface is not acceptable to me. When Roon goes MCH, I may try running it with HQP for output as that seems to work well in my other system.

 

Thanks Kal, I appreciate the information. I'm still having occas. dropouts with HQP/Roon that I'm wondering, is it a OSX problem and I too am getting tired of these small gremlins that keep popping up. Seems there are less headaches with Windows.

[Forehaven]

Hi,

 

I have spent over an hour trying to find an earlier post I read that explains how to set up a Mac (Mini) as a NAA. I have an Amanero USB DAC that I have been feeding bits from a Linux system for almost a year and want to hear DSD 256 on my system. Can someone send me a link that can help me out with this. Thanks upfront!!

 

Good question. I wonder how much SQ improvement of using something like the Microrenderer vs a M. Mini as NAA?

[Forehaven]

The NAA machine should now be pretty isolated from any noise etc, produced by the server machine because of the network connection

 

 

First off, that's a fantastic post firedog about NAA basics! Very succinct and easy to understand. This should be pasted on the Sonore website imo.

 

So does "pretty isolated" totally eliminate the need as well for a LPS, and optical network isolation and their LPSs? So really, just a fast computer? But prob a LPS for the microrendu.

[Forehaven]

I'm hedging on this one on purpose. Others may chime in. My experience with the SMS-100 as an NAA is that upgrading the power supply makes a big difference. I assume that this will be true for the microRendu or Sonic Orbiter SE or other such devices.

 

My limited experience tells me that the power improvements on the server itself make much less of a difference in this kind of setup. But I haven't experimented much. Ted_b has a lot more experience with me with this stuff - including external power supplies for server HDs - and can probably give you a better answer.

 

I'd guess that part of the answer depends on how much noise gets put back into your electrical system from your server and arrives to your other components. In my case, the server is fairly well isolated from the rest of the system by my isolator/filter power device.

 

I'm going to experiment a bit more with this after the microRendu arrives....

 

Good point about the ac quality which assume is pretty bad in this old 1905 house with old ac supply lines in the house...the old kind with wire inside a bendable metal ext. housing.

 

So funny about CA, it seems as soon as I'm just starting to grasp a concept, it is changed/improved. Def. 2 steps forward, one step back for me lol

Thanks firedog

Chris

[Forehaven]

Chris,

I had a co-worker/dear friend coin a phrase: I'm learning something new every day...and I'm SICK OF IT!

 

So Funny Ted!!!

[Forehaven]

Lead outer shield? That protects to some extent against EMI/RFI, so old stuff is not necessarily bad compared to new one...

 

I had to look, and no idea. Looks kinda like lead, but didn't den't when hit with hard with a screwdriver so who knows. Good info though!

[Forehaven]

I want to try this out on a mac mini, what exact image am I supposed to use? And do I have this right: load to SD card and boot off this?

 

Index of /bins/naa/v3/images/

 

../ 04-Jan-2016 23:10 -

foss-src/ 15-Mar-2016 00:01 -

naa-311-beaglebone.zip 04-Jan-2016 23:46 10964994

naa-311-cubox-i.zip 04-Jan-2016 23:46 13001710

naa-311-raspberrypi.zip 04-Jan-2016 23:46 34120640

naa-311-raspberrypi2.zip 04-Jan-2016 23:46 34510873

naa-321-beaglebone.zip 15-Mar-2016 00:02 22323996

naa-321-cubox-i.zip 15-Mar-2016 00:02 27157870

[Forehaven]

Then even if I boot off USB on the Mini, none of those will work at all?

[Forehaven]

I don't think it is worth using a Mac Mini for NAA. If you like to boot from microSD and want to have x86 platform, something like MinnowBoard MAX is much cheaper and more suitable.

MinnowBoard Wiki

 

Jabbr pretty much told me the exact same thing regarding m Mini. Pretty unfortunate.

Thanks, that board is pretty cool, so much on so little