HQ Player

[brother love]

1st time poster (long time lurker) needs some sage advice …

 

I currently use HQPlayer w/ a mid 2011 2.5 gHz dual core Mac Mini w/ OS Sierra & Gustard X20U DAC. It produces DoP DSD128 & sounds great w/ no issues utilizing poly-sinc-short-mp2s/ DSD7 filters (note: no Roon or Tidal). The Gustard is capable of DSD256 if OS is Windows or Linux. This is where I want to go next, so with that in mind …

 

I have a nearby mid 2009 iMac 3gHz dual core that I could use as a server, connect an Ethernet cable to the Mini & use it as a NAA. So if that is a feasible route:

 

Can I use the Linux based part of my HQPlayer license on another computer/ server (iMac), so that I may use the Mac Mini as a NAA/ renderer ?

 

Does the OS for the NAA Mini (OS Sierra) have to be the same as the Server iMac (dual boot OS Linux- Ubuntu with existing HQP license or dual boot Windows 10 w/ additional HQP license) ?

 

Disclaimer: I understand DSD256 may not be stable with this proposed arrangement, so I may upgrade the server computer to a quad i5 or i7.

[brother love]

Thanks bibo01 ! Really good to know.

[brother love]

@Miska, can you confirm if this fix will address the problem I'm having? I'm running HQPlayer 3.15 on Windows 10 on NUC6i7KYK (i7-7660HQ)...

 

Based on your NUC model, you actually have a i7-6770HQ which is 2.6 gHz w/ 3.5 gHz turbo:

 

Intel® NUC Kit NUC6i7KYK Features and Configurations

Intel® Coreâ„¢ i7-6770HQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz) Specifications

 

Miska,

 

What minimum CPU processor speed @ quad core/ 4 threads do you feel is needed for DSD512 & higher level filters for fast initialization ?

[brother love]

Before 3/11/17: mid-2011 i5 2.5 gHz dual core Mac Mini > OS Sierra > licensed HQPlayer > DSD128 (DoP) with -2s filters > Gustard X20u DAC

 

Update 3/11/17: purchased a used gaming PC w/ i5-4670k 3.4 gHz (3.8 gHz turbo) quad core > installed Ubuntu 16.04.02 LTS desktop > latest licensed HQPlayer (Ubuntu) > DSD128 (DoP) with –xtr filters > Gustard X20u DAC

 

Next update: The Gustard X20u is DSD128 (DoP) max thru USB, but is capable of DSD256 (thru IIS input) with a DIYNHK 3.34 XMOS driver. I have the file: XMOS-Stereo-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver-2023_v3.34.exe

 

Thru Windows, there is an XMOS set-up wizard when selecting this executable file. Is there a way to do this in Ubuntu with an installer/ set-up wizard, etc. ? Right now the DAC is recognized in Ubuntu like it was in OS-X: xCore USB Audio 2.0 output (DSD128 max).

 

In Ubuntu, I selected the XMOS .exe app & said to open it with HQPlayer. In doing so, I got DSD256 display on DAC ! Sounded good for a few minutes, but then I got popping at the start of a song with stuttering. I had the buffer set to 100 ms. I adjusted settings & went w/ less demanding -2s filter & DSD128, but still got popping & stuttering.

 

Any suggestions on how to get the 3.34 XMOS driver recognized in DAC/ Ubuntu ? Note: set-up is currently dual boot with Windows 7, & I select Ubuntu at start-up. Can I change the DAC driver in Win 7, then Ubuntu possibly recognizes it?

[brother love]

You don't need Xmos Windows driver for Ubuntu , just select "none" aka "native" vs "dop" on HQP settings and rock on DSD256 ...

 

I already had the SDM Pack set to "None". I installed the XMOS 3.34 driver on the subject PC Win 7, then copied the folder on Ubuntu documents folder. I kept playing around with stuff & got the DSD256 to stick on Ubuntu/ HQ Player/ DAC.

 

Best I could do with the i5 3.4 gHz PC was -xtr-2s filters, but it sounds great @ DSD256 ! The CPU processing is 33% overall & 50-60% for 2 of the 4 cores (-xtr indicated 99% & pretty much freezes up).

 

Only issue that I have now is that when I stop HQPlayer & start a new song, it pops pretty loud. This doesn't occur when advancing tracks or initial song start-up. So for now, I mute the sound if I stop a song & cllick on another, then un-mute.

 

Next step is to set-up the Mac Mini as a NAA.

[brother love]

Thanks ericuco, I totally forgot to check SDM pipeline. i5-4670k w/ -xtr-2s & DSD256, now seeing 25 - 40% across all 4 cores (-xtr filter loads now, but still stutters). Bummer to hear about pops with Linux & some DACs.

[brother love]

21 hours ago, bogi said:

I bought this one for 77 EUR with Win10 preinstalled. For test purposes I installed also Ubuntu and can run NAA on both OS.

 

bogi,

 

Thanks for the link & sharing your NAA experiences on this thread & the NAA thread.  After researching NAA options extensively, I just ordered the GearBest-offered Intel Atom Z8350 Win 10 mini pc for 88 US $.

[brother love]

Need some trouble-shooting help …

 

I have a i5-4670k PC w/ Ubuntu 16.04 LTS installed. Connecting directly to Gustard X20u DAC resulted in HQ Player Desktop 3.16 DSD256 upsampling w/ -xtr-2s filter & DSD7 256+fs, SDM: None, buffer: 100 ms

 

Initially connected a Mac Mini as a NAA utilizing network audio daemon 3.15 resulted in DSD128 SDM: DoP

 

Connected new Win10 Intel Atom mini PC as a NAA utilizing network audio daemon 3.15.1 (x64) resulted in max DSD128 SDM: DoP; SDM: None max is PCM384 ???

 

In order to achieve DSD256 w/ Gustard DAC, an XMOS 3.34 driver is required (thru i2s DSD256 max vs usb DSD128 max). I installed this driver on Win10 mini PC & it is properly recognized in audio devices, checked in sound playback, & recognized by HQ Player @ server PC.

 

So why can’t I achieve DSD256, SDM: None with my current PC server/ mini PC NAA set-up ???

 

[brother love]

So I gave up trying to achieve DSD256 with Intel i5-4670k PC Ubuntu 16.04 server with NAA Windows 10 mini PC connected to Gustard X20u w/ XMOS driver. Could only get max PCM 384k w/ SDM None & DSD128 w/ SDM DoP (documented in my post this past Friday).

 

Dual booted Ubuntu 16.04 on NAA,fought with Intel mini PC Bios to get Grub screen for Ubuntu priority, installed networkaudiod 3.5.1-35 amd64 & couldn't launch so I installed GDebi package installer 0.9.5.7 all.deb. Opened networkaudiod w/ GDebi and voila ... DSD256 !

 

After cycling thru things to make sure all was well (it was) & enjoying some music for a bit, I broke away for other matters. Came back, fired everything up & I get ...

 

"Software Index is broken ..please check for broken packages with synaptic.". I followed up with 'sudo apt-get update' and 'sudo apt-get installed 'f' & I get:

 

"The package networkaudiod needs to be reinstalled, but I can't find an archive for it."

 

I moved networkaudiod to trash, removed from Apps, installed again, no luck.

 

Help !!!

 

[brother love]

On 6/27/2017 at 7:06 PM, doors.sl said:

My DAC is this : https://www.crutchfield.com/S-KFEQl7v5NSC/p_022CD3000B/Yamaha-CD-S3000-Black.html

Im doing 2x DSD for all inputs.

 

According to the Yamaha CD-S3000 specs, the DAC is 32 bit & supports up to 24 bit/ 192 kHz.

[brother love]

Got an issue with Ubuntu 16.04 & HQ Player of late ...

 

Fire everything up & DSD256 sounds great for 1st album.  When I stop, clear contents & try to drag another album into HQ Player, it hangs up, shows a circle with a line through it & requires a hard reboot. 

 

I decided to update from 3.16 to 3.18 & when upgrading, it stated something about broken cache. I clicked repair & successfully completed download of 3.18. Alas, 2nd album lock-up remains w/ 3.18.

 

Anyone else had this problem w/ a possible fix?  Searching the web, I haven't found any solutions yet.

[brother love]

Miska, Thank you for the ethernet switch recommendations. Looking forward to your findings with the Zyxel unit.

 

Do you have any recommendations/ findings re: cables for router/ switch/ PC server/ NAA connections? Do ethernet cable lengths (say 3 ft. or 6ft. versus 20 ft. length) factor into the equation any (performance/ quality)?

[brother love]

Thanks so much Miska for the cable info & recommendations! 

 

In my case the mini PC NAA/ audio equipment is 20 ft. from router (& run under floor in crawl space to avoid longer 30 ft. run), & PC music server is 6 ft. away from router. I'm currently using Cat7 shielded ethernet cables.

 

So based on your recommendations ... if I add an ethernet switch, I assume it would be best located close to the mini PC NAA so a short  unshielded cable could be run between NAA & switch, with a longer shielded cable run to the router?  Would another ethernet switch then  be recommended between the router & PC server?  Obviously, I would prefer a single ethernet switch be close to the router & utilized for NAA & PC music server, but not sure how much that compromises performance utilizing shielded ethernet cables.

[brother love]

Auditioned 4.1 today against currently owned 3.25 HQPlayer Desktop ...

 

System: music server i7-6700k 4 core/ 8 thread 4.0 GHz w/ stock Intel HD 530 gpu, Gustard X20u DAC USB max DSD256, Uptone USB Regen, B & O Iceedge1200AS2 class D amp, GR Research N3 transmission line speakers (40 Hz -3dB)

 

3.25 stable settings (see attached DSD7 256+fs):  poly-sinc-ext2,  DSD7 256+ fs, 48k x 256 DSD, CPU usage :  29% (max CPU thread 60%)

 

4.1 stable settings (see attached ASDM7EC):  poly-sinc-ext2,  ASDM7EC, 48k x 256 DSD, CPU usage :  32% (max CPU thread 100%)

 

Nice improvement!

[brother love]

@StreamFidelity:  Linux Ubuntu 18.04LTS OS. HQPlayer settings are very similar to what @craighartley posted on previous page (#15247) except ALSA backend, unchecked CUDA offload, & poly-sinc-ext2 oversampling 1x & Nx

 

@Em2016: I can try some of my PCM 96k & 192k files later today & report back.

[brother love]

@Em2016:  I checked i7-6700k music server with PCM 96k & 192k music  files just now & concur with @juanitox re: poly-sinc-ext 2 48k x 256 DSD findings:

 

ASDM7EC (CPU usage :  35%) 1-2 sec. silence after 30 sec. of play before resuming, ASDM5EC (CPU usage :  29%) plays & sounds great!  I have buffer time set to default... maybe increasing time helps?  Will audition & explore different avenues further when time allows.

 

 

[brother love]

Update: i7-6700k music server with PCM 96k & 192k music files employing poly-sinc-ext 2 48k x 256 DSD @ different buffer settings:

 

ASDM7EC: continued drop-outs regardless of buffer settings (incl. max 250 ms)

 

ASDM5EC: not buffer setting- dependent, as posted prior: plays & sounds great w/ buffer time set to default

[brother love]

1 hour ago, Le Concombre Masqué said:

"soup nazi" ? is it a quote from surf nazis must die ?

 

More likely it's from a Seinfeld episode with a Soup Nazi.  At this point, Jussi's reply to a chronic complainer should be:

 

 

 

[brother love]

To add to @juanitox praise of 4.2.1 with i7-6700k...

 

4.2.1 now allows my i7-6700k music server to use poly-sinc-ext2 ASDM7EC upsampled to 48k x DSD256 (prior versions resulted in drop-out/ stuttering in 30- 40 sec. intervals requiring stable max upsampling set to 44.1k x DSD256). CPU useage increased from 31% to 35% & max temp is 61C. Rock soild after 40 min. continuous play (so long as no other programs are operated in Ubuntu 18.04 other than Psensor or Activity Monitor).

 

This improvement pushed me from Evaluation status to Purchase/ upgrade from Desktop v3 to v4 today.  Well done Jussi ! Another convert 😎

[brother love]

I've read some recent accounts in this thread re: i7-6700k server & stuttering/ drop-out occurs when trying to play music 44.1k x 256 poly-sinc-ext2 ASDM5EC/ 7EC.

 

I have a Linux Ubuntu 18.04 LTS music server w/ HQP-recommended 100 ms buffer time & have very stable performance playing music 44.1k x 256 poly-sinc-ext2 ASDM7EC. Playing 48k x 256 ext2 ASDM7EC produces stuttering every minute or so;48k x 256 ext2 5EC doesn't stutter. I can also successfuly play 44.1k x 256 sinc-M/ sinc-S ASDM7EC (will not initiate at all for 48k x 256).

 

Recently I subscribed to Qobuz Studio for a year. They offer some hi rez music, that I can't access thru Ubuntu 18.04/ Google Chrome Web player; so I decided to dual boot & add Win 10 Pro in order to get Qobuz hi res. Mission accomplished. Apples-to-apples CD redbook 16 bit 44.1k only comparison: I find Win 10 Qobuz app sounds better than Ubuntu option as well.

 

I downloaded HQPlayer for Win 10 Pro to try, setting HQP-recommended buffer time to Default, Singxer ASIO buffer size to max samples/ Safe Mode. No matter how many extraneous processes that I could shutdown (w/o Audophile Optimizer), I was unable to play music 44.1k x 256 ext2 ASDM5EC w/o stuttering every 3 minutes or so & 7EC every 15 sec.. Sinc-S/ sinc-M ASDM5EC had 10 sec. stuttering intervals.

 

Note: For comparative purposes, I played the exact same 4 min. song for both OS, w/ no other processes operating within my control.

 

So for those of you w/ Win 10 i7-6700k music servers that want to upsample 44.1k x 256 ext2 7EC or sinc-M/ sinc-S ASDM7EC, consider an Ubuntu thumb drive to try out.

 

 

[brother love]

18 hours ago, Miska said:

 

You can use 7 too, but 5 gives somewhat lower ultrasonic noise level on ESS, especially at rates below DSD512. But it also depends on a particular DAC (what kind of analog stage it has) and overall system. Otherwise 7 is technically better and if it works well for you, just keep using it.

 

ASDM5(EC) is the most generic approach for ESS DAC at <= DSD256.

 

 

Does this apply to an older Gustard X20 dual 32 bit ES9018 DAC, or just newer type ES9038 DACs?  From my system listening comparisons, I find ext2 5EC offers a little cleaner mid frequency inner detail while ext2 7EC gives more dynamic, finer detailed lower frequencies. Both sound fantastic, so it's win-win ...

 

5 hours ago, Miska said:

Note about the new sinc-L filter (in HQPlayer Desktop 4.6.0); to use this one especially to higher DSD rates you'll likely need a GPU.

 

I installed Desktop 4.6.0 this morning & played around w/ sinc-L filter.  With Intel i7-6700k & stock 530 graphics... stable, non-stuttering playback could only be achieved w/ 44.1k x DSD64 ASDM7EC. 44.1k x DSD128 ASDM5 stuttered every 5 sec.. So you weren't kidding about needing a more powerful GPU!

[brother love]

3 hours ago, GUTB said:

I have an i7-7700K Windows 10 system. This is the first time I've used ASDM7EC since I just upgraded from an old version of HQPlayer 3. It cut out every 10 seconds or so at DSD256. I figured it was because my CPU is passively cooled and I have noted in the past that the passive cooling isn't enough to keep 7700K from throttling under load. I had no idea this was a common problem with 4.7.

 

Not a surprise. HQPlayer 4.6 Desktop DSD256/ ext2/ ASDM7EC (or ASDM5EC for that matter) resulted in drop-outs w/ my dual boot i7-6700k Win10 Pro (Server case/ mobo cooled by 2 low rpm Noctua fans). Haven't tried HQP 4.7.

 

Ubuntu 18.04 HQPlayer 4.6 & latest 4.7 Desktop DSD256/ ext2/ ASDM7EC works great w/ no drop-outs.

[brother love]

1 hour ago, MemoryPlayer said:

Why not Ubuntu Studio 20.04.1?

 

I thought HQPlayer only supports Ubuntu up to 18.04? (seem to recall Jussi holds off until Nvidia has drivers available for latest LTS release).

 

Do you use Ubuntu Studio 20.04 w/ HQPlayer 4.7?  Is so, what advantages do you see over the garden variety Ubuntu? (I had tried Studio 15.04 release some time ago & didn't see much advantage over Ubuntu 15.04 for my system).

[brother love]

Include me in the "WOW" Camp concerning the latest 4.9 release along w/ NAA improvements:

 

Incredible instrument delineation, better micro-detail, tauter bass, finer delicacy, more engaging ...

 

It's like a major component upgrade in performance.  Jussi is a Magic Man!

[brother love]

I updated to versions 4.9.0 Desktop & 4.1.12 x 64.7z NAA Monday morning after seeing blueninjasix post Sunday lauding this latest version. My system & HQPlayer settings are listed in my signature. My NAA has 8gb memory. I have been glitch-free after listening to approx. 20 hrs. of music. So nothing broken here!