HQ Player

[bipet]

Hi @Miska

 

I wanted to pick your brains! I have had some issues with my Allo USBridge Signature player as I have been hearing pops/crackles. I have been in discussion with Allo for a while now and have posted on the Signature thread. They have made lots of changes and as a result have released a new version of Dietpi  (6.26.3) recently. Lots of pops recently, and less now after their changes.

 

On their request (they wanted to see if I get pops across all sample rates, PCM, DSD etc) I did some testing this week, I was still using Roon (on an Intel i7 NUC) and HQ Player (on my i7 9700 desktop PC) connected over ethernet to the USBridge, itself feeding a Topping D90 DAC over USB.

 

I found that pops are present in different scenarios, with the first thing noted being they do not appear to be present when upscaling to PCM only to DSD. However the remaining pops, it used to be worse, seem to mainly occur at DSD512, no matter what modulator. When I play at DSD 256 (I have tried DSD7 256+fs, DSDv2, ASDM7EC and ASDM7) I don’t seem to hear them.

 

Any thoughts on why these pops are more prevalent on DSD 512 but not on DSD 256? Any thoughts how I might eleminate them?

 

My current settings are

 

[bipet]

1 hour ago, antonellocaroli said:

are more with dsd512 because the traffic on the network is higher...
try to put a download a file (on the system where you have pops) from the internet while doing upsample dsd256...you see that you have equal pops....
t

I am not sure its network traffic. I just did a quick test. Using the same settings as above. I set a game to download via steam on the same machine as HQ Player is installed on, then I also set a torrent to download at the same time. I then went and listened to my test tracks and no popping. I am not sure what this signify's, maybe capacity in the network??

[bipet]

11 minutes ago, Yviena said:

Try the Allo usbridge sig image with the older kernel, that fixed the soft popping issues for me, seems that the newer kernel.has pops on all of my dacs.

Thanks. I have tried the older kernel I think and this version does seem a little better. I was using the DietPi_v6.18_41492_RPi-ARMv7-Stretch_AlloGUI.img image previously.

[bipet]

I noticed today that the dial in the main screen was red when playing, presumbly due to clipping. I have included my settings below.

 

When I am in the main screen (e.g. not showing my settings), I cannot click on the dial to change the volume, although I am sure I was able to previously. I am sure I am missing a setting somewhere, what am I missing? How do I change the dial in the main screen?

 

[bipet]

Got it - I had DirectSDM checked, if I un-check, I get volume control back.

[bipet]

23 hours ago, Miska said:

When DirectSDM is enabled, volume control is fixed to about -3 dBFS. For safety reasons to avoid sudden volume changes when switching between DSD and PCM content.

 

Thanks Jussi, that is helpful.

 

I currently have the volume min set to -16 and vol max to -3. I usually don't look at HQ player much, as I am in the other room when listening therefore I missed the clipping indicator. I am at -5 on the main dial now, and keeping an eye out. Should I look to adjust the min/max further? I upscale all content (99% PCM) to DSD 256 at the moment ASDM7EC modulator and ply-sinc-ext2.

[bipet]

4 hours ago, ambre said:

I like to Topping D90 for abovementioned reasons. Indeed a noticeable upgrade from Pro Ject Pre Box S2. Indeed much better soundstage and layering and ambiance.

 

Plays native DSD 256/512 via Allo UsBridge Signature by means of HQ Player 4 in DAC direct mode with no Volume control. 
Ps. Also disabled Blue Tooth which might gives a further improvent(?) 

 

Regards, Andreas

 

 

I have the same DAC, and it sounds excellent set in DAC mode and sending DSD 256 (I have read 512 is noisier on the DAC) with ASDM7EC on a 9700 intel i7. I connect via XLR to my Musical Fidelity M6si. Very pleased with it. I currently use polysincext2, but might try a few others as I havent experimented much recently.

[bipet]

Hi @der_yeti, no I havent, I think Jussi has mentioned before you would need an uber chip to run the EC modulators at DSD 512 and a chip powerful enough is not available on the consumer market yet. My chip is water cooled and overclocked to 5ghz and I still get skipping when I have tried.

[bipet]

Hi @ambre

 

The DAC datasheet was referenced here

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-d90-balanced-usb-dac-review.10519/page-29#post-337069

 

and then later on in the thread "that the performance of the chip degrades with DSD 512 input, vs DSD 256, so I advise those folks, like me, who like to oversample in software to high rate DSD, to use dSD 256 as their input rate, rather than 512 (at which rate the chip's specified performance degrades)"

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/topping-d90-balanced-usb-dac-review.10519/page-30#post-337846

[bipet]

I use an I7 9700 overclocked to 5ghz but I also have a 970 gpu. I can do DSD256 with ASDM7EC either with the cuda offload checked or unchecked.

[bipet]

I have been mucking around with REW this afternoon, and I just finished making the changes I want. However I am not sure how I load into HQ Player.

 

I know I use Convolution setup and then check it is enabled before browsing to my left and right filters. However I am not sure what filter to point to, REW lets you create everything from 8k to 1536k, and I am not sure what to create and the load, I think Roon asks for a zip with all filters included but I don't think its the same for HQ Player, does anyone know the correct approach? I usually upsample to DSD 256 anyway. Thanks.

[bipet]

Great, thanks @The Computer Audiophile!

[bipet]

Hi there,

 

I think I have killed my install of HQPlayer desktop! Now it refused to load and just sits there on the initial splash screen. I have uninstalled and re-installed but to no avail.

 

How do I fix it? Thanks.

 

Edit - I think I have fixed it now, not sure why I couldnt before but its working now. Thanks.

[bipet]

21 hours ago, Miska said:

I said STP/SFTP cables spoil galvanic isolation of ethernet because it connects grounds of two devices to each other. One of the points of using ethernet is to get the galvanic isolation...

 

Always use UTP cable for connecting audio devices. What ever brand of choice, as long as it conforms to ethernet cabling standard specifications.

This is interesting to me. I have a whole load of different cables in my network, mostly Cat 6 or 7, probably. Some Audioquest, lots of Amazon basiscs etc. I suppose it might be worth checking the last run, so the cable from the switch to the streamer is UTP and not STP/SFTP??

[bipet]

This made an interesting read! Although I think my entire network is full of 'bad' cables. hmmm. I am in the UK, so I get a ground wire via the plug. My patch box is earthed. The Core, switch, NAA (RPI4) are all run from one PSU, a HD Plex.

 

I might have a route through my wire box to see what is available on hand. If I was to go more UTP in the future, would there be issues of cross-talk? I try and keep cables tidy, but its inevitably a losing battle.

[bipet]

Ok, at the bottom of my wire box, and I do mean the bottom, were a bunch of Belkin Cat6 UTP 24AWG wires! Like I had saved them for later!!

 

I think the majority of my cables currently installed in my house are FTP, which I gather is UTP with a foil jacket but they all have metal connectors aswell. I can easily swap them over. I also have a few Audioquest cables, but not sure what they are, I need to check a bit more, but they defintely have metal connectors. I suppose I can compare before and after.

[bipet]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

CAT7 UTP

Quick question, can you get CAT7 UTP patch cables?

[bipet]

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

No, AFAIK, not ones that would be standard compliant. So if you want to use 10 Gbps ethernet and have galvanic isolation you definitely want to use fiber instead. Although you can use CAT6 UTP for shorter distances of 10 Gbps ethernet (up to 55m instead of 100m).

I am only talking domestic application. I think some black CAT6 UTP cables with plastic connectors, of varying lengths, might be worth buying then. I have had a quick look, but there is quite a lot of variability. Any thoughts on quality makes?

[bipet]

15 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

Just in case, metal covers on some connectors can be easily removed. For example, I easily did it on Supra СAT8. The sound has changed for the better, however, the subsequent replacing Supra CAT8 with Meicord UTP cables has led to a further improvement. Also, another STP cable was used far upstream, for connection to the wi-fi router, and even its replacement with the UTP gave a positive result.

Missed this response intially, I will have a look at Meicord.

[bipet]

On 11/17/2020 at 5:50 PM, Miska said:

For home environment, you definitely want to use UTP for cases like:

• Interconnected (all involved equipment somehow connected together) equipment is mixed floating and earthed power (three / two pin IEC power cords)
• Interconnected equipment is powered from different power wall sockets and/or power distribution blocks
• Interconnected equipment involves connection to coaxial cable TV network or TV antenna
• Interconnected equipment involves a computer with 3-pin IEC power socket and any piece of audio equipment that doesn't use same type of power connection from the same distribution block

 

I did a bit of 'house-cleaning' of my cables based on this part of the discussion.

 

From my main set-up I swapped out the existing cables for some CAT6 UTP I had hanging around (the blue cables I posted earlier). I also re-jigged the kit and re-did the cable management. Looks better.

 

In my desk-top set-up I had to re-do my gang-plugs as I had my active speakers running off seperate gang plugs which were off seperate plugs in the room. I adjusted and now have my DAC, streamer and active speakers running off one power block. They are also fed by CAT6 UTP.

 

Finally, although nothing to do with HQ Player, I replaced a CAT7 cable with metal connectors with another CAT6 UTP cable from my TV HDConnect box which was connected by co-axial.

 

My desk-top set-up has no hum now, whereas it did before, although fairly slight. I can't hear a difference in my main set-up but its tidier!!

[bipet]

I could do with a little help.

 

Recently I have been moving from windows 10 across to Linux and I have been posting over on the HQP linux thread, asI was having a few teething issues to do with multicast. Anyway, today I was back on windows 10 today on my dual boot pc and I thought I would try HQPlayer just to see if I could get it to work and I can't and I am not sure why.

 

I can see two NAA endpoints, one with Jussi's NAA on a rpi4 and another on a ropieee install on the Allo USBridge. So, HQPlayer can see those endpoint, but when I press play in roon the music does not start. It does not seem to make a difference whether its streamed via Qobuz or from a local file on my NUC with ROCK installed.

 

I must be missing something obvious, any ideas??

[bipet]

11 hours ago, Miska said:

Any errors shown on HQPlayer statusbar when you hit play in Roon? HQPlayer log could possibly tell what is going wrong.

Thanks @Miska . I can't see any errors in the HQ Player status bar. This morning I plugged my PC in directly to the DAC to see if it would make any difference, but no. I have had the log running since yesterday, see attached.

HQPlayer4Desktop.log

[bipet]

43 minutes ago, Miska said:

network control allowed from HQPlayer

Ahhhhh, no, I had'nt! I had been going around painstakingly checking everything! Its working now. Thank you!!

[bipet]

I am running an i7-9700 @FlashingBlade and on an Auros Z390 Ultra mobo. I am running ASDM7EC and poly-sinc-ext2 and DSD256 into my Topping D90. I am on about 40% load, but my CPU is watercooled, temps are around 55c.

[bipet]

I have recently stopped using my gaming PC as my daily driver and switched to my old fanless, i7-7567U based (4 core CPU), Roon core, it has 16gb of 2400 ram, and onboard GPU - its guts are from a Intel NUC. I have loaded Linux Mint and it is serving me on a daily basis, and as such, I have also installed HQPlayer. I have been playing around trying to get the best settings from my modest system.

 

I am feeding a RME ADI-2 DAC FS in my desktop set-up and Topping D90 in my main rig, these are both AKM chips I think. As a result I have been trying to feed SDM 256 and I have landed on the following.

 

Does anyone have any other thoughts? Is DSD the right approach with the DACs? I think this just about doable on the machine, so any suggestion to dial it back a bit, without effecting performance, gratefully received.