HQ Player

[Chodi]

I downloaded the HQplayer trial for Windows. Its seems complicated. I keep getting error messages. I can't get a DSF file to play on My laptop? Is this supposed to be possible without an external DAC?

 

 

The short answer is no. If you are trying to play this through the analogue output of your laptop--not going to happen. The software is designed to be used with an outboard dac preferably one with DSD 128-256 ability.

[Miska]

I downloaded the HQplayer trial for Windows. Its seems complicated. I keep getting error messages. I can't get a DSF file to play on My laptop? Is this supposed to be possible without an external DAC?

 

What kind of error message you get?

[ted_b]

I downloaded the HQplayer trial for Windows. Its seems complicated. I keep getting error messages. I can't get a DSF file to play on My laptop? Is this supposed to be possible without an external DAC?

 

In what way without a DAC? Converted to a PCM sample rate your laptop soundcard will accept maybe?

[Chodi]

From technical performance point of view, -2s filters are similar with the non-2s variants, but since the filters and the structure are somewhat different, there may be slight sonic differences. But this may also depend on platform.

 

On my windows computer I get much better results at DSD 256 using the basic polysinc not the 2s. I agree with Bogi the 2s is a noticeable step down in sq. Of course, other hardware may have different results.

[tranz]

Thanks bogi.

It really is crazy how all these things add up to causing so many different experiences. There really is no such thing as the perfect settings. I am sure that if I tried a linux box the preferred settings would change yet again. An NAA that did look interesting was SMS100.

Cheers

[labjr]

What kind of error message you get?

 

At first I was getting "Error :Access violation 0X00394" or something like that when I first opened the program. Then that stopped. Don't know why. And now get Error : Access violation 0X02E7987..." Then HQplayer crashes. This is frustrating!!

[Miska]

At first I was getting "Error :Access violation 0X00394" or something like that when I first opened the program. Then that stopped. Don't know why. And now get Error : Access violation 0X02E7987..." Then HQplayer crashes. This is frustrating!!

 

I assume this is 32-bit version of Windows? I know this happens for some on 32-bit Windows while not for others, including me. I haven't got reports of this kind of behavior on 64-bit version.

[labjr]

Yes it's 32 bit Windows 7. I really wanted to hear PCM and DSD upsampled on my Geek Out DAC. I'll have to try it on 64 bit Windows some other time. I wish JRiver or Foobar2000 had some good DSD upsampling too.

[jabbr]

Thanks for the info. Your i7-4930 still cannot handle up sampling to DSD512 with polysinc? Jabbr seems to suggest that his i7-4930k system is more than capable of doing that. Maybe he is over-clocking and he is using a different filters configuration. Just checked on cpubenchmark.net, the 4930k is actually scoring a bit higher than the 5820k, interesting.

 

If you search back you'll see that I had to check PipelineSDM (and Miska enabled this for OS X). I've used ifferent verions of polysinc ... usually polysinc-mp-2s. Various filters no problem ADSM7. Overclocking is not necessary. Again this uses ~50% of my CPU. I'm also reading files on a NAS and outputting to NAA ... gotta love those Ethernet switches.

[bogi]

Linux doesn't need ASIO drivers, since it has even better audio API of it's own. If USB interface in your DAC is XMOS based and supports ASIO DSD (non-DoP), it could be possible to easily support the same DSD mode on Linux too. Assuming it uses the same method as number of other XMOS based interfaces.

 

Thanks for this information. I'm using driver from other XMOS device with modified config files for Gustard, so I'm sure the standard XMOS way works.

 

I know how setting USB Streaming Mode in Windows XMOS driver settings affects sound. From more detailed with more air to more smooth but less detailed with less air. Together 6 levels exist in Win driver settings. I'm not sure such thing is available in Linux too.

 

I would like to have the possibility to test NAA without the need to buy it, but in the case of NAA that doesn't seem to be possible.

[bogi]

Yet one thing, Miska.

 

If USB interface in your DAC is XMOS based and supports ASIO DSD (non-DoP)

 

ASIO and DoP are not mutually exclusive. My DAC supports only DoP, but I can still benefit from advantages of ASIO driver settings.

[bogi]

Thanks bogi.

It really is crazy how all these things add up to causing so many different experiences. There really is no such thing as the perfect settings. I am sure that if I tried a linux box the preferred settings would change yet again. An NAA that did look interesting was SMS100.

Cheers

 

Additionally, when you experience too bright sound, it can be related to the rest of your sound chain - DAC model, preamp, amp, speakers (or DAC, preamp/headamp and headphones). You can influence many things at the source, but not all. My approach is that source has to provide as high detail level as it can because once it is lost already at the source, it will never return into the chain later. So the logic of my small improvements is to retrieve as much detail as possible from the music source. Tonality aspects can be solved by the following components of the chain.

[Miska]

ASIO and DoP are not mutually exclusive. My DAC supports only DoP, but I can still benefit from advantages of ASIO driver settings.

 

Sure, my point was that with ASIO, DoP shouldn't be needed at all...

[Miska]

I would like to have the possibility to test NAA without the need to buy it, but in the case of NAA that doesn't seem to be possible.

 

You cannot buy NAA, you only need a HQPlayer license and that grants you right to use any number of NAAs you like.

[bogi]

I know NAA SW license is included with HQPlayer. To buy NAA - I meant to buy HW for it. I cannot test it without hardware. The price of suitable HW + LPS isn't so small in comparison with my DAC price (I bought it for 450 EUR yet before EUR/USD dropped). Therefore I'm not tuned for "try after buy".

[zaumator]

Is it possible to upsampling to DSD256 or DSD512 with Max OS X driving an Amanerro board?

[jabbr]

]

 

I would like to have the possibility to test NAA without the need to buy it, but in the case of NAA that doesn't seem to be possible.

 

NAA could be a raspberry-pi type box (i.e. ARM) which can cost ~$35. It also could be a celeron or atom board. Does not need to be expensive. In any case it does require more infrastructure but allows the audio signal to be better separated from the CPU horsepower needed to upsample to DSD512

[Miska]

Is it possible to upsampling to DSD256 or DSD512 with Max OS X driving an Amanerro board?

 

Not at the moment, because DoP is needed on OS X.

[sig8]

Can someone help me with the setup. I intend to spend sometime over the weekend, if I can get some answers.

 

I do not understand all the settings yet. I cannot upsample PCM to SDM. I have to switch the Sample Format on the main screen to match the file type (PCM or DSD).

 

What and how oversampling filter work? What is Modulator Type means?

 

 

Here is what I have:

 

CAPS v3 Lagoon with JCAT USB Card

DirectStream DAC

My collection is 70% CD Rips, 20% DSD from SACD's, 10% other downloads PCM at 88, 176, 96, 192, etc.

 

I would like to know what is a good starting point with the settings.

 

Thanks.

[Pocobear]

Look here: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/hqplayer-resampling-filter-setup-guide-ordinary-person-13298/#post177180

[jabbr]

Not at the moment, because DoP is needed on OS X.

 

Hmm... this might answer several questions above:

 

What about running NAA as a VMWare linux image? (OS X host, linux guest)

[iestynrw]

Is native DSD supported with the Amanero USB board under Linux, with the Signalyst kernel and alsa patches applied?

 

I built an NAA based on Ubuntu 14.04 and applied the patches, but it only seems to work using DoP. I'm wondering if I messed something up with the build.

 

Thanks.

[ted_b]

Just a friendly reminder that DoP is native DSD, too. It's not raw or direct but it is native (i.e never converted to PCM).

[sig8]

Look here: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/hqplayer-resampling-filter-setup-guide-ordinary-person-13298/#post177180

 

Thanks Pocobear; this is what I was looking for, for last couple of days.

 

Why am I not able to up-sample PCM to DSD? What I am I doing wrong?

[jabbr]

Just a friendly reminder that DoP is native DSD, too. It's not raw or direct but it is native (i.e never converted to PCM).

 

Won't do DSD512...