HQ Player

[CheapSplurge]

Hello, new here but not new to audio 

 

I got a tt2. And love the thing. im not the best with pc 

But I got a win10 and would like to give this hqplayer a go. 

Well I downloaded and installed. As far as I got

 

The interface is complex to me and I don't know how to set it up to simulate or better an mscaler. 

Please help guide me to a tutorial on how to set the thing up. 

I use Tidal to discover music, I have my own wav files of high rez songs. But I mainly want it to improve Tidal as I listen to that most

 

Cheers

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9 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

The best way to use it is to use Roon to send audio to HQP. Then you get a great interface with the best DSP in HQP.

I appreciate your response, truly

Its great news as I do have Roon allready. 

But how does one make hq player connect to roon is out of my real of understanding? I'm sorry I'm such a goober. But I do Want to learn and I'm currently browsing the thread, but the more I read the more discouraged I get

..i wish there was a step by step tutorial for airheads like me 

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2 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

A step by step will probably be needed because it isn't that intuitive. 

 

Here are some screenshots for now.

 

Make sure this is clicked in HQP. It enables Roon to talk to it. 

 

 

 

If HQP is installed on your Roon machine, then select ASIO or WASAPI in the HQP settings and select your DAC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Roon go to this screen and select Add HQPlayer

 

 

 

 

 

Then leave localhost if Roon and HQP are on the same machine. Otherwise enter the IP address of the HQP machine. 

 

Omg thank you so so much, I really appreciate you! You are amazing 

[CheapSplurge]

On 6/17/2020 at 10:03 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

A step by step will probably be needed because it isn't that intuitive. 

 

Here are some screenshots for now.

 

Make sure this is clicked in HQP. It enables Roon to talk to it. 

 

 

 

If HQP is installed on your Roon machine, then select ASIO or WASAPI in the HQP settings and select your DAC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Roon go to this screen and select Add HQPlayer

 

 

 

 

 

Then leave localhost if Roon and HQP are on the same machine. Otherwise enter the IP address of the HQP machine. 

 

I have done all this and got it working through roon

Im using Tidal hifi in roon. 

But I fail to detect any change in sound when using the hqplayer? 

I have a very resolving system that would show change immediately. 

As I toggle from basic roon to dac and from roon to hqp to dac, I see no change in sound. 

 

Surely I'm not doing all I could? What do I need to do? 

[CheapSplurge]

The Hugo tt2 shows that it's getting up sampled to 300something 

Here is an image of my settings screen, should I make it up sample to the max? Just want to see what this player can do before I buy. 

If I get 5% more quality out of my tt2 I'll definitely do it

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14 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

You may want to try other values for DAC bits (for example, 20), other dither, and filter (sinc-L)

I found where I can change dac bits. 

But other dither? And filter sinc-l? Where? 

[CheapSplurge]

8 hours ago, Solstice380 said:

They are in drop-down menus in the PCM Defaults section of Settings that @AnotherSpin indicated.  If you use the HQP Client after starting HQP there are the same menus so you can quickly change them.  Scan your library from HQP using File/Library menu once before starting Client.  Then you can select your music from cover flow or album list in Client.  

Change all to sinc l filter. 

I'm new to this and to audio relatively, the manual was super confusing to me. Just want to try this software out and then buy it. 

Once I set it once with your instructions I'll be done. 

I'm too new and timid with this stuff to tinker too much. Just don't know what would be good for me tt2? 

 

I change all to sinc l in the drop down menus? 

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21 minutes ago, bobflood said:

Do we have anyone here running HQP to a Chord Hugo TT? If so maybe you could help this guy get up and running. I have never had any experience with Chord products so I don't know what to recommend. He seems to be in a fog of fear and confusion as to how to proceed.

 

@miska, can you help here?

Thank you so much. 

I changed all I could as instructed but the other stuff seems complex.. Like dither? Change that to what? 

[CheapSplurge]

3 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Cheap Splurge,

 

You're asking for help, but are you actually listening to the answers being given? I pointed you to an article a few posts back. Did you actually look? If you had, you would have seen that the author has posted his HQPlayer settings for DAVE in 2 screenshots, that I will replicate below to make it easier for you:

  

 

These same settings should be a great starting point for the TT2. Why not start here, and then once you've gotten more familiar, tweak further? 

 

Be aware — there is no single MAGIC setting for anything. Everyone has different ears, and they find their own favorites by tweaking.

Sir, I promise I did read, I missed this image I'm so mad at myself. 

OK doing that now and will tweak things as I go... I guess what's the worst that can happen..! 

Some of the settings in the above image differs to what others have said to do. But I guess it's like you said. Each has different ears. 

I'm looking for highest detail/transparency 

But the filter names and all that is jiberish to me. I wish someone had what I have so I could copy. 

[CheapSplurge]

21 hours ago, ray-dude said:

It can be hard to get started on HQP, just because all the choices can seem so overwhelming.  Once you have a working setup that you like, much easier to tweak up different filters and settings to tune to your ear.

 

As Rajiv and others have mentioned, with TT2 you want to target 16fs (768kHz for PCM, 44.1*256 for DSD).  sinc-M + LNS15 will give you a sound profile closest to Hugo mScaler.  Setting Vol Min and Vol Max to -3dB will force all volume control to be with your TT2, and give headroom for the upsampling so you don't get clipping.

 

A lot of the rest of the parameters are dependent on your streamer and preference.

 

There are MANY other Filter and Dither combinations to try.  Once you get sinc-M going, try sinc-L and sinc-S (I find sinc-L to be quite nice)

 

Once you start finding a preference, it gets easier because you can start exploring other filters within a family (MP vs LP filters, etc).  I happen to be a hard core LP guy, but others really enjoy what MP brings to the party.  

 

I've found that the more your ear gets accustomed to what HQP is doing, it becomes a lot easier to dial it in to your taste and your equipment (alas, there is no optimum configuration, which is why there are so many options!)

I appreciate you and others too. 

This was an encouragement to keep trying and first get used to a sound before I tinker further. 

What are the best settings for more resolution and clarity? 

 

[CheapSplurge]

52 minutes ago, bobflood said:

Keep experimenting. The filters and dither changes you make sometimes make only small differences that only become apparent with time. They are often very personal and some will like them and some others not. The worst that can happen is that it sounds bad to you and you move on to something else.

 

That said, I will share with you that my favorite filter is poly-sinc ext2 and the best dither to use with it is LNS 15 sent to the DAC at 7xx PCM. I think that should work with the Hugo, feel free to give it a try. Also, because there are so many possible combinations, kepp a wriiten list of like/dislike so you don't repeat.

What have you found the best setup for increased clarity and resolution? If there is any? 

[CheapSplurge]

3 minutes ago, bobflood said:

No there really isn't one that I could say increased clarity and resolution. They all sound very clear and resolved. The differences are more in the tonal distribution and emphasis.

So, you mean as in bass forward? Midforward ect? Tonal presentation? 

I'd love something Midforward 

[CheapSplurge]

Hq player, with roon. 

Seems to be a 3 sec delay, when changing tracks ect. Is that ok an normal? 

[CheapSplurge]

For chord dacs.what is most used dither, or what do *you* use? 

Also what modulator? To be used? Should I have adaptive output rate checked or not checked? 

[CheapSplurge]

My trial with roon and audirvana ended. 

All I do is stream Tidal with any of them to discover new tracks. 

 

I'm trying out Jriver now and then will decide which ware to keep. 

I've found a manual on how to get jriver to hqplayer. 

 

But how exactly do I use hqplayer the same way I used it with roon, in the sense that I route hqplayer to play through jriver and do its magic, sort of how it's behavior with roon works. 

Please help. 

[CheapSplurge]

2 minutes ago, ted_b said:

CheapSplurge,

The integration of Roon (front end) and HQPlayer (back end) is a supported one by both Roon and HQP.  The use of JRiver as a front end to HQPlayer is a user-created integration (thanks Geoffrey Armstrong ) that should not be construed as equivalent.  It has great features, but should be used by someone who knows their way around JRiver.

OK understood. So I guess I can't do it relatively easily? Just want to try it out. 

I love hqplayer and it working with a player I want is mandatory, if jriver can't do it, I guess roon may be it. 

But I truly do like jriver and learning more about it. 

I like using the upnp with it. 

 

Where can I make hqplayer do its magic while playing through jriver?  Throw me a bone plz? 

[CheapSplurge]

What settings do I need to have in roon, to best work for hqplayer? 

I have a feeling something isn't right on my part 

 

I have to crack the volume way loud on my TT2 when using roon/hqplayer 

Vs say a local player like jriver without hqplayer 

 

Any of these should I change for best fidelity when associating roon with hqplayer? Finally getting the hang of the filters and stuff in HQplayer, but I want to make sure roon settings are optimal. 

 

Additionally where can I learn what each filter ect does in hqp? 

 

 

[CheapSplurge]

2 minutes ago, ericuco said:

If you are using a preamp or DAC for volume control, then you should have HQP volume settings (Settings panel) at -3 Max and -60 Min. Then make sure the HQP volume knob is turned all the way up (clockwise) which would be -3 if using the above settings.

 

You should need to adjust volume in Roon.

 

Another option is to have HQP control volume which lots of people here have found to be preferable but you need to be careful as with any software control. Roon can adjust the HQP volume which works great.

I really appreciate your help, I'd like my Hugo tt2 to handle volume

 

Here is what I did, recommend anything else? 

 

 

[CheapSplurge]

I'm so confused. What is a dither what does each of them do? 

I got a tt2 and want the best hqp settings with it

[CheapSplurge]

On 7/3/2020 at 2:20 PM, ray-dude said:

 

I can only speak to Chord DACs, but in addition to the above, DAC bits and buffer both serve as final "tone" controls for me (I use USB from Taiko Extreme to my DAVE).  Sound is most incisive sounding at 32, as I step down I can even out the mid range presentation (I'm usually around 29 or 30). Buffer time is less impactful for me, but does impact dynamics for me (this may be more system specific than DAC specific). Higher buffer is slower (but fuller), with lower buffer more dynamic (but perhaps thinner).  I'm usually 20 or 50ms.

 

These really are final tweaks for me.  Get your preferred filters and noise shapers, then use these settings for the very final tweaks.  In general, I've found that the more I improve my digital chain (power, etc), the more I'm able to push incisiveness and dynamics and still have things sound natural and relaxed.

 

YMMV of course...this is subtle stuff, and very system specific.

 

 

What are best settings to simulate mscaler? 

Or for more midforward shaper? 

[CheapSplurge]

Here are mine

But for *modulator * what do I do? I run Tidal through roon 99 percent of time. 

Also I see my volume choice is different? Please advise? 

 

 

 

[CheapSplurge]

10 minutes ago, ray-dude said:

The modulator section only applies if you're upsampling DSD content.  Tidal content is PCM, so it goes down the PCM Defaults path.  If you happen to play any DSD content, it will go down the SDM defaults path, and use that modulator.  Choice of modulator is dependent on the power of your computer (some are VERY compute heavy) and what sounds good to you.  In your case, 99% of the time it won't matter.

 

If you set Vol Min and Vol Max both to -3dB, it will fix the output volume, and you will control volume on your DAC.  As background HQP can also control volume, and these settings set the min and max volume settings for HQP.  If you're controlling volume with your DAC (which is what I do), setting both to -3dB basically sets HQP at max volume output.

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for, I truly appreciate your help

 

Looking at my settings is there anything I need to change? 

What filters make the sound more mid forward? 

 

Also should I have adaptive output rate checked on? Even if my default out mode is pcm? Since I'm just Tidal to roon? 

[CheapSplurge]

3 minutes ago, mancolh said:

Thanks for the suggestion with bits and buffer. Setting my embedded to TT2 to your settings enabled Sinc-M to better The long-lp for me. Most enjoyable. 

Can you post a photo of your settings please? I'd like to try them out 

[CheapSplurge]

Is this bitconversion normal or should hqp do it instead of roon? 

 

 

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10 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

This is because of the Audeze DSP preset. In this case it is normal and should be fine. HQPlayer gets the processed 64-bit floating point data from Roon to maintain maximum precision.

 

Thanks so much for,, are you aware of any hqplayer settings that would elevate of push the mids more forward?