HQ Player

[ambre]

Dear Jussi,

 

I have two questions for upgrading my HQ-player system to handle DSD256 at least and preferably DSD512. 

 

I am using now a stand-alone headless Mac Mini I5 (2,6 GHz; late 2014) with 8GB memory for HQ-Player. I also have a Mac Mini I7 (2.3 GHz; late 2012)  with 16 GB memory. At this moment I use an Allo UsBridge as NAA (based on DietPi 6.6) as input for my Teac UD 501 (Max. DSD 128).  

 

Do have the Mac Mini’s sufficient horsepower to use HQ-player with a new DSD DAC like Project ProJect Pre-Box S2 Digital? And if I decide to spent “some” more money the Chord QUTEST or the new TEAC UD 505?

 

Is it possible to use on iMac (OS High Sierra) the DOP upscaling possibility to handle DSD 512 or is this limited nowadays to DSD 256?Ps. I am not sure if Native DSD is possible at all? 

And which SDM-filters can than be used for such an Apple config?

 

If present Mac Mini don’t give the needed horsepower what are the minimum requirements within the Apple IMac IMac <=> Mini range? 

 

Please your advice.

Very best regards Andreas  

 

[ambre]

On 5-4-2018 at 10:16 PM, Miska said:

 

If it's dual-core, then most likely it won't go much above DSD128. At least my dual-core i5 Mac Mini cannot.

 

 

Since macOS' CoreAudio doesn't support native DSD you need to use DoP which means maximum DSD rate you can output is 16x the maximum PCM rate the device supports. Since so far DACs have been limited to 768k PCM rate, that imposes the limit of DSD256 over DoP. (this doesn't apply to exaSound DACs with ASIO drivers)

 

If you use NAA running some other operating system (assuming it has compatible native-DSD drivers), then that removes the limitation because CoreAudio is not anymore involved in the playback.

 

 

My old quad-core i5 iMac can do DSD256. Probably some quad-core (or more) iMac / iMac Pro from current range is suitable. But since I don't have any of those, it is really hard to say which one.

 

With modern CPUs and -2s filter variants the requirements for DSD512 are not excessive, since my i5-7600T machine running Linux and HQPlayer Embedded can do it just fine. But you can sort of consider that CPU as representative of minimum baseline requirement.

 

Hi Jussy,

Many thanks for your extensive and very meaningful explanation. I have learned a lot.

 

[ambre]

Hi Jussy, 

 

Since today I am  playing ITunes respectively Apple Music via HQP 4.1.1 by means of the new real time audio function of the HQP 4.1.1.                    A wonderful add-on.😁 

 

My setup is Apple iPad or Mac Book Pro sending via Airplay/Ethernet the music files  to an Airport express (with Optical Audio Out) and connected via a Toslink to a Mac Mini I7 (late 2012 ) with Optical input digital In. 

 

Sounds marvelous and a real extension of my music library.

 

Ps. I am able to upsample it to DSD 256 with " regular " NS/ Dither filters  and tot DSD 128 with the ASDM5EC or ASDM7EC.

 

Please have a look at the attached screen-copies.

 

 

[ambre]

On 11/3/2019 at 3:24 PM, ambre said:

Hi Jussy, 

 

Since today I am  playing ITunes respectively Apple Music via HQP 4.1.1 by means of the new real time audio function of the HQP 4.1.1.                    A wonderful add-on.😁 

 

My setup is Apple iPad or Mac Book Pro sending via Airplay/Ethernet the music files  to an Airport express (with Optical Audio Out) and connected via a Toslink to a Mac Mini I7 (late 2012 ) with Optical input digital In. 

 

Sounds marvelous and a real extension of my music library.

 

Ps. I am able to upsample it to DSD 256 with " regular " NS/ Dither filters  and tot DSD 128 with the ASDM5EC or ASDM7E

 

 

Hi Jussy,

REAL TIME Audio is not functioning in  release 4.2.0.  

I am not able to arrange real time audio input as described in Quick Start.

In 4.1.1. no problem at all. I have done the same routines as described in earlier post this week. But by far not succeeding doing the same job in 4.2.0. What did you changed?

 

Now again using  the old 4.1.1.

 

Ps This real time audio functionality  was for me the (main) reason to buy the 4.1.1  this week as upgrade from 3.25.

 

 

[ambre]

31 minutes ago, ambre said:

Hi Jussy,

REAL TIME Audio is not functioning in  release 4.2.0.  

I am not able to arrange real time audio input as described in Quick Start.

In 4.1.1. no problem at all. I have done the same routines as described in earlier post this week. But by far not succeeding doing the same job in 4.2.0. What did you changed?

 

Ps. after playing 4.1.1 and restarting 4.2.0 the real audio output is in 4.2.0 recovered. But as soon as I switch back to normal HD drive  resp. Library the connection is not recovered again. Choosing line input etc..... doesn't work.

 

In 4.1.1. I can switch over and again  to Real audio 44100/2  and normal HD Library.

STRANGE🙄

[ambre]

Ok will give a try Tomorrow

[ambre]

Miska,

 

Complety understand the improvement process.😉

 

 

Ps. I have changed in two lines/ places the channel = "2"  Correct?  Will restart/tests tomorrow again.

[ambre]

On 11/10/2019 at 11:23 AM, Confused said:

I have had a similar problem, the various "audio:default" options disappeared after I updated HQPlayer last weekend.  This was a new install on a replacement PC.  As a simple workaround, I simply hand typed in "audio:default/44100/2" and the functionality reappeared, in terms of music playing at last.  This morning I have updated to 4.2.0 and have the same issue.

 

Not a big deal, thanks to the simple workaround, but hopefully this will be fixed in a future update.

 

Indeed a nice workaround. 😀

Miska promissed to  issue a new release at short notice to solve the  

Realtime audio inputs in 4.2.0.🌤️

[ambre]

On 11/14/2019 at 8:32 PM, Miska said:

 

...which has been released today...

 

Realtime audio inputs in 4.2.0.🌤️ 

S U P E R😎

[ambre]

Hallo Miska / Jusyy,

 

You wrote a few days ago " Some loopback software may work with the input feature. Another alternative is to use two computers or multiple audio interfaces and use the same input feature, but through S/PDIF.

 

Can you please specify which software you mean. And is it suitable on Apple iMac/ Mac mini too?

Ps. Nowadays I am using use the toslink iinput on my Mac mini bt maenad of Airport Express. 

 

 

[ambre]

Miska / Jussy,

An additional question HQplayer is also usable between the several platforms. Ps. I cannot find this on your webpage.

 

HQPlayer is a high quality audio player for Windows, Linux and macOS

 

I.e.  Using Mac Book Pro  as Client and  PC with Ubuntu as  a Desktop? 

[ambre]

7 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Number is type of transport, second argument is parameter for that transport.

 

Thanks for answer

[ambre]

On 11/22/2019 at 7:16 PM, ambre said:

Hallo Miska / Jusyy,

 

You wrote a few days ago " Some loopback software may work with the input feature. Another alternative is to use two computers or multiple audio interfaces and use the same input feature, but through S/PDIF.

 

Can you please specify which software you mean. And is it suitable on Apple iMac/ Mac mini too?

Ps. Nowadays I am using use the toslink iinput on my Mac mini bt maenad of Airport Express. 

 

 

Dear Miska / Jussy, can you please elaborate. Thanks in advance.

[ambre]

1 minute ago, Miska said:

 

I have not tried any other loopback software ever than the ALSA's built-in loopback driver on Linux. So I have not much to comment on that front.

 

That’s a pitte. 🥴

[ambre]

Pitty

[ambre]

Dear Miska,

 

I have now problems on a new machine to enable real time audio.

You stated that " 

 

Note! On macOS, in order to enable audio input to HQPlayer, permission to access “Microphone” needs to be granted to HQPlayer in System Preferences → Security & Privacy.

 

Please see attached picture. 

 

But on a new install resp new computer the HQPlayer4desktop isn't detected  or in the listed as  on my older Mac mini.

 

Do I have to a new install of HQPlayer ? Also giving access by open the padlock doesn't have any effect. 

Can you please advise how to detect 

[ambre]

Hi Miska

4 minutes ago, Miska said:

You first need to select the built-in audio input, such as microphone as input device o

From the Os Catalina or from the Hqplayer setting by means of Core and selecting input as output?

PUF

Andreas

[ambre]

Miska,

NOPE

 

Hqplayer is running no problem but stays mutes and what all tried I cannot grant HQPlayer to the Microphone at all. Stays blanc.

 

 

[ambre]

[ambre]

[ambre]

 

Dear Miska/Jussy,

 

Concerning Real Time Audio:  I use the Real Time audio functionality within HQ-player a lot for Apple Music and Qobuz. 

 

I intend to buy a new Mac Mini I7 2018. But the new Mac Mini’s don’t have an optical/toslink input anymore. 

 

I am now using my present Mac Mini I7 (2012) in a bridge configuration connected via ethernet with the Allo Bridge Signature, Uptone ISO Regen and my Pro-ject Dac S2 Ultra. Playing DSD 256 without any problems and the ASDM5EC as DSD 128.

 

Can you recommend an USB audio interface with a least one optical/toslink input which can be addressed by the OS Catalina Audio setup to HQ-Player as I using nowadays? 

Ps. I have tested recently an ESI U24 XL 24bit USB interface. I can connect but it gives a lot of distortion/stutter.  

 

I am no looking for a RME Digiface USB audio interface. But this is costing 5x more approx. €360,00. Ps. But I want to use the Real Time audio function within HQ-Player.... anyway. 

 

Due to the fact  I am streaming via Ethernet and don’t use a direct USB-connection with my Mac Mini I cannot use the RME ADI-2 Pro FS 2-channel AD/DA converter which has the desired optical inputs.

 

Can you or someone  else suggest a suitable and proper working audio interface with  1x optical/toslink input suitable for Apple OS?

 

Regards, Andreas

 

[ambre]

On 12/13/2019 at 12:59 AM, Miska said:

 

Did you try restarting HQPlayer after setting the built-in input as the input device? It could even require logging out and back in. How does it look like in Audio MIDI Setup?

 

If you search the web with something like "macos audio input permissions" you can find a lot about this issue which seems to be quite common and affects also Skype and Apple's own Logic software etc.

 

As last resort, something like this have helped some people:

https://www.mnott.de/fix-audio-problems-on-macos-mojave/

(note that you probably need to put "sudo" in front of that command)

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/MacOS/comments/9lwyz0/mojave_not_privacy_settings_blocking_all_mic/

 

P.S. I may have an improvement that hopefully helps with this problem in upcoming release.

 

Dear Miska,

Was too busy the last 2 weeks. 

Will try coming days a new install on another Mac Mini which caused the problem that I could not assign the microphone to Hq-Player! To be continued. Regards Andreas

[ambre]

16 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

@ambre:  Try the free demo of Rogue Amoeba "Loopback" to send realtime audio to HQP.  Although it is $100, a hardware solution probably would be more expensive.

 

 

Dear Bob,

 

Many thanks for this wonderful TIP. 😀

 

HQ-player is no running without any problem and I don't need any more devices like Apple Airport express with TosLink out  and a Mac mini with input iTosLink.

WONDERFUL and saves me a lot of money. Ps. The Amoebe program costs 120 US dollar instead 99.00 due to VAT charges.

 

Ps. Found in App Store made by Cherpak a wonderful Remote Control for Mac which gives full access to HQ-Player if not using the client and also iTunes / Music app for control etc.

 

MANY THANKS

Best regards, Andreas

[ambre]

Hi Miska,

 

Real Time audio: During playing / upsampling  iTunes / Apple Music downloaded m4a / m4p or partly downloaded Aiif music-files  and during real time streaming I notice very slight ticks / glitches.... like in the old days playing from a LP. Sounds like a mini  High Hat drum. My suspicions especially during real time streaming?!?😚

 

But playing / upsampling from my hard disks on  Mac mini ( bridged) I don't hear and sounds very well.  

Ps. It is difficult to hear but for younger people than me like my kids easily heard.  

Strange isn't ?

 

Playing with buffers and Bit depth would that help?

 

Very best regards, Andreas

 

 

[ambre]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

 

How are you routing Apple Music to HQPlayer? If you use some S/PDIF interface, please make sure it is slave-clocked to the source clock. With a loopback device this shouldn't happen.

 

This is likely clock drift causing one sample being lost/added somewhere in the chain. HQPlayer doesn't do such, but it could be somewhere else on the path.

 

In was using toslink  from Apple AirPort to Mac Mini in. But  last 3 weeks I use loopback from Roque Amoebe. Due to the fact  that my new Mac Mini doesn’t have Toslink anymore.

 

Juist started playing from Qobuz instead Apple Music. First impression not clicks / pops.But tomorrow another trial.

Regards, Andreas