HQ Player

[paulmckwan]

How to reduce the "please wait" buffering time? 

I'm running HQP & Roon core on a NUC with i3 3217u 16G RAM, using xtr-mp filter, and convert everything to 24/192 without any problem on playback. Access to music files on NAS over gigabit ethernet.

When I click play it takes 8s delay from stop to play a track, if I click next during playback, it takes 10s to skip from  current playing track to the next track.

Understand above timing include Roon's operation, but I see the HQP "please wait" takes up majority of the time.

Thanks.

[paulmckwan]

22 hours ago, arglebargle said:

 

First, use auto rate family instead of taking everything to 192, it might cut down on initialization time. If that is still too slow, use a lighter filter.. xtr is the heaviest of all filters. I have a lowly i5 and there is still some initialization time doing non-integer pcm upsampling to 384. Ultimately though, your machine is underpowered and upgrading is your best bet if you want to use heavy filters. 

Thanks arglebargle, I also suspect that, just want to be sure the CPU is the cause.  Thanks.

[paulmckwan]

Just to share I just compared DSD to PCM conversion SQ of different methods, as I'm using Roon -> HQP -> Mutec -> Devialet, the conversion can take place at either Roon / HQP / Mutec / Devialet.

 

I thought down sampling is simple and no rocket science there before. But I was wrong, HQP is obviously superior in SQ even doing down conversion, Devialet internal native PCM 40 bits / 384 kHz conversion is slightly more deligate, and join HQP as top 2 SQ, but Devialet suffer from a small pop noise when playback switch between DSD & PCM.

 

Thank you and highly recommended.

[paulmckwan]

On 9/15/2018 at 11:59 PM, Miska said:

 

Especially in this kind of case you should set "DAC Bits" to 24 and use some dither like TPDF.

 

Truncation always causes distortion, while dithering doesn't. Dithering to 24-bit adds white noise at -144 dBFS level. So if you'd hear dither it would sound like tape hiss or like FM radio between stations. If dither interferes with something in upstream, there is something seriously wrong with the upstream component.

 

I also wonder what is the proper setting of bit depth when output to streamer through ethernet NAA, which is then output to DAC through USB or SPDIF.

Streamer / ethernet seems can handle 32/192 PCM, but SPDIF suppose is 24/192 max, and often we can't sure how streamer perform the 32 to 24 conversion. So if we use streamer's SPDIF output, shall we better set 24 bit in HQP, and leave it at 32 is fine for using streamer's USB output ?

 

I use SPDIF output from my streamer to Devialet, and in some tracks, I can hear minor difference between 24 and 32 bit settings. 

[paulmckwan]

I've been switch from a sotm NAA solution to dCS NB, so I've live with Roon alone, and using Roon + HQP from on my server with USB output -> ifi iGalvanic 3 -> Mutec -> Devialet, as a alternative source.

 

With above direct USB output setup, I don't feel there is any compromise in SQ compare with my previous sotm NAA, or my dCS NB solution.

 

So a careful USB setup could be as good as a NAA setup, and avoid network problem and brand product selection limitation.

[paulmckwan]

Just upgrade from 3.24.0 to 3.25.1, and find the ext2 filter can upsample to 192kHz as config in setting no matter what frequency family is playing; where it will upsample to 176.4 when the music is in 44.1 family before.

Is this family restriction relaxed, or I just misconfigured before ?

[paulmckwan]

Hi as I like sound of dCS, refer to this pulse response measured by Stereophile, which filter setting can best simulate it ?  Thanks.

Filter 5 at below page.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/dcs-rossini-player-rossini-clock-measurements

 

Pulse response

[paulmckwan]

Sorry  i just confused if "USB hardware key dongle" feature is for embedded version only, as i read everywhere, or desktop version also have it now ?

 

I've version 4 license and considering to buy the version 5, and saw this option in the form.

[paulmckwan]

 

11 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

That is only useful for some resellers who sell HQPlayer Desktop as part of their hardware product. You can see that hardware fingerprint is also shown in Desktop About-dialog.

 

 

i'm a HQP desktop v4 user running on my 5 years old windows PC, consider to buy the v5 desktop with discount coupon. so i should leave the hardware fingerprint field blank.

 

as i may replace my windows PC, or try with Mac mini, that's why i ask.  Thanks.

[paulmckwan]

I'm running Roon core on NAS, music file on NAS, then integrated HQP point to HQP Desktop running on my Win11 main PC, playing to a NAA endpoint.

This setup has been running for months without problem, but random dropout start happens recently.

Any hint how to troubleshoot on this?

 

I just try to observe network throughout from task manager, and saw there is drop in "send" speed when the dropout happens. (dot line below)

 

 

[paulmckwan]

sorry i mean i config in Roon setting "Add HQPlayer" to make Roon output to HQP Desktop, which is installed to my daily use main win11 PC.

[paulmckwan]

Hi i'm running HQP 5 on my main win11 desktop, which i also use for daily operation suggest as browsing and watching youtube etc.

 

as i'm using rtx3050, i enabled nvidia super resolution which benefit for my desktop use.

 

so far there is no problem when i playing music and have video playing with nvidia super resolution together.

 

my question is, shall i disable nvidia super resolution to leave the GPU solely to HQP for maximize SQ point of view ?