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Is there any possibility to run stereo to binaural plugin for headphone listening in HQPlayer?

 

With Foobar2000 or JRiver I can use for example free Bauer stereophonic-to-binaural DSP . It is available in these forms:

 

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Miska, creating a stereo to binaural plugin doesn't seem to be an easy task and others have solved it already.

Do you consider adding support for VST plugins to HQPlayer?

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...
CUE sheets are requested every now and then, but I don't see a point in having entire album as one flat indexed file

CUE sheets are used also in the file-per-track case to store album metadata. This way CUE sheets can be used also for audio file formats, which don't support embedded metadata. I have created CUE sheets for almost all albums in my collection. In Foobar2000 I typically drag&drop a CUE sheet to playlist, then all album tracks are inserted. In JRiver I can do the same. My Rockbox-ed iPod, as well as other portable players, use CUE sheets to access album metadata. CUE sheets can be also used to transfer metadata between different audio file formats. So CUE sheets have more uses than only to index a big file-per-(SA)CD image.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I understand you are focused to new DSP features. I wanted to point that CUE sheets are used for more purposes. The audio formats I use are not only FLAC, WAW and DSD. For example I listen to many DTS albums too. CUE sheets are universal solution regardless on audio file format I use.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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  • 2 months later...
Questions for Miska and for convolution users: can you build some correction filters to mimic the headphones crossfeed? I know there are plugins available for various playback softwares and I'm wondering if the same effect can be achieved using HQPlayer.

Thanks

 

I am also interested in this point. I didn't do more attempt but I am interested if something like this Stereo -> Binaural using impulse responses - Hydrogenaudio Forums could be reached/used in HQPlayer.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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  • 3 weeks later...

Miska, what's the difference between

* setting -3 dB in HQPlayer and 0 dB in DAC digital volume control

* setting 0 dB in HQPlayer and -3 dB in DAC digital volume control

My DAC allows digital volume control 0 to -99 dB by using HW buttons on the DAC.

Can in the 2nd case occur clipping, if in the 1st case didn't occur?

Which of the two cases should (theoretically) lead to less noise?

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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It is better to limit the maximum data values earlier in the player and leave DAC at 0 dB setting. This way it doesn't need to do any adjustment and gives maximum dynamic range, while HQPlayer doesn't try to push it with 0 dBFS data. -3 dBFS setting in HQPlayer is good because it leaves also some headroom for the DAC to operate.

 

But my DAC is 32bit ES9018 based DAC with 32bit USB receiver. I found information about digital volume control, that it shouldn't cause any loss of resolution in such a case. From The Well-Tempered Computer

 

Playing 16 bits audio on a 24 bit DAC sounds like the ideal solution.

If we reduce the volume by -48 dB (8 bits) we still have the full 16 bit signal.

No loss of resolution at all.

Theoretically, it works this way.

Practice is a bit different.

The best DACs can resolve 22 bits max.

 

I understood it so that the same analogy should be valid when using 24bit recording on a 32bit DAC.

My question was, if digital volume control can be used to avoid clipping and which solution is better.

It seems to me that your explanation and the explanation from thewelltemperedcomputer don't match well, so I'm little bit confused and I would like to understand it more.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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  • 2 weeks later...

I am owner of i5-4300M 2.6Ghz based machine and I can do all combinations of filters up to DSD128 (DoP), that's the maximum my DAC supports. I'm using Win8.1.

 

On my previous i5 based notebook (4 years old, Win7 x64) I could do some combinations only with the new '2s' filters and for example minringFIR, which is low on CPU load. So it is also important what for i5 processor generation and clock frequency you use and Win8.1 maybe provides better performance than Win7.

 

When converting PCM to DSD128: I observed, that audio files in multiples of 44.1k is better to upsample to 5644800 than to 6144000.

6144000 would give slightly better sound in this case, but playback isn't continuous with poly-sinc filters if I don't use the '2s' filters. I prefer 5644800 and poly-sinc against 6144000 and poly-sinc-2s, but the difference is very small.

 

My standard setup I like most is poly-sinc for both PCM and SDM and ASDM5. NS5 dithering. 384k and 6144000 as limits of my DAC. This brings me the most natural, "analog" sound.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I have one comment related to the Thesycon XMOS driver.

I found already with my previous hiFace2 converter (XMOS too), that setting the 'USB Streaming mode' (Low Latency, Standard, Reliable, Relaxed, Safe, Extra Safe) to a value appearing more on top leads to higher level of detail. In the direction to bottom, sound becomes more relaxed, but less detailed. With hiFace2, I could not use the uppermost 'Low Latency' setting because of pops, but with Gustard DAC-X10 and my newer notebook even Low Latency is possible. So I am using the most "analytical" Low Latency setting, but I am compensating it with the most "analog" sounding poly-sinc filters.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I don't know what's behind, but setting lower latency USB streaming mode setting in ASIO Control Panel really increases detail level and adds more air. That's my experience both with hiface2 and DAC-X10.

 

With the Low Latency Streaming Mode I have to use buffer size at least 1024 samples for 352.8k. I am using always the maximum 8192 samples.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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With DACs based on Sabre the suitable modulator depends more on the analog stage of the DAC due to type of the on-chip DSD filter.

 

I read it is not so easy to design that analog stage for ES9018. Sound of my DAC-X10 is very neutral and uncolored, rather relaxed than analytically obtrusive, not so usual for Sabre based DAC. This is the discrete analog stage of Gustard DAC-X10:

 

861362317_921.jpg

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Audioclyde:

- try one of the '2s' oversampling filters

- try 5644800 bitrate instead of 6144000 in the player window

- if your DAC has ASIO driver, look if it has some control panel, there may be some settings to experiment with

- try other USB port if previous points don't help

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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You can yet try to set

- Other SDM modulator if you are upsampling from PCM. ASDM5 may be less demanding than DSD7.

- Pipeline SDM

- Higher priority for HQPlayer-desktop.exe through Task Manager

 

My Control Panel of XMOS based digital transport contains not only buffer settings, but also 'USB Streaming Mode'. If something like that is available in your driver Control Panel, try some other value. With hiface2 I could not use the upper value, all other were OK.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Yesterday I compared 3.5.1, 3.6.0 and 3.6.1.1. Reinstallation is very fast, so it went easily.

The only issue was I couldn't go back to 3.6.1, it crashed on each playback start. Maybe some DLL didn't fit with the exe.

 

I am sensitive to brightness/darkness balance. I found 3.5.1 and 3.6.1.1 sounding little bit brighter than 3.6.0 and also 3.6.1, as I remember it. Because of a bit brighter sound I was perceiving more air and slightly higher detail level.

 

I liked 3.6.1 because of that little bit darker, more relaxed sound, but that's very subjective opinion and it depends on all components of audio chain.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I have not decided yet how the software should behave when there are more than one track with same track number metadata or some tracks miss track number in the metadata, or it is for example not a number (most metadata formats don't enforce track numbers to be actually numbers).

 

My first idea is something like this:

  • for tracks with track number metadata present
    • sort on track number metadata

     

    [*]for tracks with track number metadata missing

    • if track title metadata is present, sort on it
    • if track title metadata is missing, sort on alphabetical order of track filenames

     

    [*]for tracks with album title metadata present, sort on it

    [*]for tracks with album title metadata missing, sort on alphabetical order of album titles; use "Unknown Album" where needed

 

So the result shoud see like:

  • tracks with known album title appear before track with unknown album title
  • albums are sorted alphabetically on album titles
  • tracks within albums are sorted on track number metadata if present, otherwise they are sorted alphabetically on track filenames (that is useful if track number is part of filenames)

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Miska, I have the same observation with my DAC-X10 as one LH Labs Geek Out 450 user from Czech/Slovak forum, who is running trial. Both our devices use DoP and max. DSD128. Version 3.6 and also 3.6.11 cause series of pops between DSD tracks of an album in the case of PCM to DSD conversion. Playback of native DSD files in SDM (DSD) mode is without these pops. What's interesting, with 3.5.1 version no pops between tracks occur in the case of PCM to DSD conversion. Would it be please possible to return to 3.5.1 behavior in this aspect?

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I assume this is with WASAPI backend?

 

The common denominators I can see are Windows, DoP and ESS Sabre.

 

It occurs both in ASIO and WASAPI mode.

Yes, DoP and ESS Sabre.

Filters have no effect, I tried different oversampling filters, SDM modulator types, no dither etc.

I upgraded XMOS driver from 2.19 to 2.23 and it did not address the issue.

If you have an idea I can try yet something.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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It is somehow related to end of tracks. The slider yet moves, although not quite continuously and maybe slower. I found the pause between tracks is longer in 3.6.1.1 than in 3.5.1. Those pops seem to be something added on the track end. I clearly hear the track finished and then the series of pops begins. But if transition between 2 tracks is "gapeless" (continuous sound without any real pause), no series of pops occur. I have an album where both situations occur.

Pauses between tracks seem to be the same in 3.5.1 and Foobar2000.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Something that may or may not be related is that when using DoP (with my DAC anyway) the first few notes of a song are dropped or lost (meaning the audio starts playing a second or fraction of a second into the track). Anyone else seeing this?

 

It is surely related to DoP. DAC knows only from the incoming data (and not before), that DSD stream is coming and it has to switch its playback mode to DSD while data stream is already incoming.

 

Interesting is, that in my case I hear all tracks from their beginning in HQPlayer. But in Foobar2000 I was facing your issue. I found solution for Foobar in Pregap DSP plugin. It applies set number of miliseconds 'empty sound' before playback starts (when you press play in Foobar). It allows DAC hardware to initialize before the real track sound is sent to DAC. HQPlayer does not support DSP plugins. Such a configurable 'pregap' could be solution for you, if it would be implemented in HQPlayer.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I am getting something similar with Amanero and Lampizator DSD. Was listening to Josh Groban - Closure yesterday and every track had a pop at the start and end.

 

There are many reports about pops/clicks between tracks with DoP, related to many DACs and playback SW. It was explained in some other thread they can have many reasons. We face with series of pops, which was not present in version 3.5.1. Your issue may be different.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I agree that the issue is with DoP, since I can play PCM384 without any issues. The other thing that I forgot to mention is that the issue is that it does not happen with every album, just some. The initial start and stop of album happens everything in HQPlayer and JRiver.

 

I am using poly-sinc and 2xDSD with DSD7.

 

We discussed that previously on other threads, when I implemented ISO2DSF (see my signature).

Some albums conatin clicks, no matter what you are using for playback. Clicks can also result from bugs in conversion tools, if you are converting SACD ISOs to DFF or DSF. Clicks may depend on DAC firmware. SW player implementation may be also important. The topic isn't easy.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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I've been trying to reproduce this today without success. But on the other hand I don't have any DAC with XMOS+Sabre combo (I'll see if I can get something). If there is a change in sampling rate between the tracks, then there's a short high load peak between the tracks because the DSP engine is being reinitialized. This may cause some dropouts (shouldn't happen), and width DoP this means DAC switching back to PCM for short duration. Using one of the -2s filter variants make this reinitialization quicker.

 

Another possibility is that there is a delay accessing the next track file, for example due to anti-virus software or some delay with NAS or similar. This shouldn't however cause clicking/popping, because silence would be played instead. Playback from RAM disk should certainly be instant switch, unless anti-virus hooks between.

 

Miska, I didn't change anything on my notebook in the last month. If I return to 3.5.1, no pops anymore. Also Foobar didn't cause these pops. I am playing ripped CDs as DSD128 so all tracks are of the same sampling rate. I tried temporarily to disable my AV software and it had no effect. Filter settings have no effect on that, so with '2s' the result is the same.

 

With 3.5.1 no such thing occurs and you introduced ASMD5 in 3.6. The issue is related only to PCM to DSD conversion. I mean it is not related directly to ASDM5 (it occurs with all SDM types), but you probably changed something related to all SDM in the code when you added ASDM5.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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Miska, I found that not all FLAC albums cause the issue. I sent you an example FLAC file via Google Drive, please check your mail or look at 'Shared with Me' in drive.google.com.

 

The FLAC file I sent you comes from a ripped CD, which was ripped at first as image file per CD and then it was divided into track files using Foobar2000 and CUE sheet. Maybe there is something incorrect or unexpected in such FLAC files, I have no idea, but older HQP versions as well as Foobar plays these FLACs without added pops. I have no other indication of any problem or non standard behavior with these FLAC files.

 

Maybe others who are facing this issue could send you also one track file for testing.

i7 11850H + RTX A2000 Win11 HQPlayer ► Topping HS02 ► 2x iFi iSilencer ► SMSL D300 ► DIY headamp DHA1 ► HiFiMan HE-500
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