HQ Player

[lamechops]

hi all, im currently using audiophile optimizer and streaming tidal to listen music. Have been wanting to try if it can elevate my listening experience with HQ Player but as I'm not a technical guy, the software seems complicated to me.

 

Just downloaded HQ Player 5 to try out but how do I get started using HQ Player to stream Tidal? Opened HQPlayer 5 Client but it is blank; nothing for me to choose from :(

 

Thanks all!

 

 

[bogi]

Miska does not support AO, Fidelizer and other similar products since HQPlayer is doing optimizations in its own way including processor core uses and thread priorities. It would mix up in unpredictable manner.

[dericchan1]

Guys. So I tried the new NAA feature, connecting a Lenovo touchscreen laptop to a rpi4 NAA then usb to hqplayer desktop pc (Ubuntu), rpi 4 NAA out to intona to dac.

 

Using qobuz windows app on the Lenovo laptop for streaming worked out quite nice and smooth 👍.

 

However, it sounded quite different compared to streaming qobuz directly from Hqplayer client. Hqplayer client sounded quite a bit better actually.

 

In Norah Jones and Laufey Christmas EP tracks, both vocals sound very different I almost didn’t recognize it was Laufey…

 

Is it even possible? Or I was imagining things? I wonder if it had anything to do with in the qobuz app I had to choose hqplayer-wasapi exclusive mode??

[bogi]

@dericchan1 I would look at two things:
a) 2 checkboxes in Control Panel > Sound > Speakers (HQPlayer)
  see my picture on prev. page

b) source content sample rate in Qobuz app and in HQPlayer Client case if they match

[stefano_mbp]

25 minutes ago, lamechops said:

Just downloaded HQ Player 5 to try out but how do I get started using HQ Player to stream Tidal?

No Tidal possible with HQP, Qobuz only is possible (using HQPlayer Client)

You can experience Tidal with HQPlayer using Embedded version, that is upnp compliant, and accessing Tidal using MConnect Player (no MQA at all of course).

In MConnect Tidal is available in Internet Music section and HQPlayer Embedded will show up as a UPNP renderer (Play To section).

[dericchan1]

5 minutes ago, bogi said:

@dericchan1 I would look at two things:
a) 2 checkboxes in Control Panel > Sound > Speakers (HQPlayer)
  see my picture on prev. page

b) source content sample rate in Qobuz app and in HQPlayer Client case if they match

Yup, checked both. No issues, Qobuz app sample rate matches Hqplayer sample rate. They did sound quite different. I only like to experiment it to make sure the new feature works.

 

I am very comfortable streaming Qobuz with the client app and will likely stick with that.

[bogi]

@lamechops As an addition to stefano's answer, on Android you can use also BubbleUPnP app in the same way as mConnect Player. HQPlayer Embedded is required too since this solution depends on UPnP support which is implemented only in Embedded version.

 

Other ways to play Tidal through HQPlayer are more complicated, require some investment or may bring some restrictions. Except of the described scenario (mConenct Player / BubbleUPnP with HQPlayer Embedded) most other users are playing Tidal through HQPlayer from Roon.

[bogi]

6 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

Yup, checked both. No issues, Qobuz app sample rate matches Hqplayer sample rate. They did sound quite different.

Now you see how bits are bits. Maybe Einstein would explain it. Data bits dilatation or contraction in curved spacetime of digital cables. :D

[dericchan1]

7 minutes ago, bogi said:

Now you see how bits are bits. Maybe Einstein would explain it. Data bits dilatation or contraction in curved spacetime of digital cables. :D

I will keep comparing for a couple more days.

 

I was really hoping this to sound the same as client app so I can switch back to Amazon HD

[dknk]

1 hour ago, dericchan1 said:

was really hoping this to sound the same as client app so I can switch back to Amazon HD

I did the same thing mostly.

Pi4 NAA input to Win 11 laptop (USB C to C).

HQP desktop out to UltraRendu NAA via ipv6

Qobuz (and Tidal) Windows apps with exclusive mode set to HQP speaker.

Result...sounds good to me, no difference that I noticed.

 

My usual is Audirvana or Bubbleupnp via upnp and sometimes the HQP client running on Windows to HQP embedded to UltraRendu NAA (4.5.0) via ipv6.

[dericchan1]

1 hour ago, dknk said:

I did the same thing mostly.

Pi4 NAA input to Win 11 laptop (USB C to C).

HQP desktop out to UltraRendu NAA via ipv6

Qobuz (and Tidal) Windows apps with exclusive mode set to HQP speaker.

Result...sounds good to me, no difference that I noticed.

 

My usual is Audirvana or Bubbleupnp via upnp and sometimes the HQP client running on Windows to HQP embedded to UltraRendu NAA (4.5.0) via ipv6.

Thanks for your comments. I will try it for another couple of days to see if that might be a one off night for my ears/brain….

 

cheers

 

Deric

 

 

[Theobetley]

trying to get into Qobuz in client, but it doesn't get into system. I go to client enter Qobuz and it just hangs. What am I doing wrong? I have not used Qobuz since May when my wife was in the hospital. She is home and better now.

[dericchan1]

3 minutes ago, Theobetley said:

trying to get into Qobuz in client, but it doesn't get into system. I go to client enter Qobuz and it just hangs. What am I doing wrong? I have not used Qobuz since May when my wife was in the hospital. She is home and better now.

Hi glad to know that everything is fine with you and your wife.

 

you may need to “clear qobuz login” in the client app and relaunch with the login details

[Theobetley]

Thanks    

[dknk]

30 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

I will try it for another couple of days to see

My output path is the same in both cases, ipv6 to UltraRendu NAA. Maybe that is something.

HQP Desktop on Windows or HQP-OS embedded using same filters etc. Input methods would be the difference. I didn't notice anything obvious sound wise between the two.

[dericchan1]

23 minutes ago, dknk said:

My output path is the same in both cases, ipv6 to UltraRendu NAA. Maybe that is something.

HQP Desktop on Windows or HQP-OS embedded using same filters etc. Input methods would be the difference. I didn't notice anything obvious sound wise between the two.

Every settings are the same for me as well, output to a rpi4 NAA to an intona to the dac.

[Ozzie]

On 12/20/2023 at 11:58 PM, Miska said:

 

Yes...

 

 

 

 

 

Yes...

 

 

Does this work with Mac or only Windows? 

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, Ozzie said:

Does this work with Mac or only Windows? 

 

Anything that supports USB Audio Class 2. I tested it mostly with iPadOS.

 

[sup27606]

@Miska thank you for the great work in adding these new features to the updated version. I am going to try automatic sample rate and USB DAC functionality with rpi4 when I get a chance. For now, I am simply trying the automatic rate switching using Hqplayer-Mac and blackhole, and getting into some issues (could be because I didn’t understand the functionality properly).

 

here’s what I am doing:

1. Apple Music —> blackhole —> Hqplayer-desktop - audio:default/0/2

macbook system sound output set to blackhole

In Hqplayer, Under input - select core audio/blackhole, output - Coreaudio/macbook Pro speakers

Clicking on the audio/0/2 in Hqplayer gui doesn’t play. Time does not proceed and no conversion is displayed next to “Format:’

 

2. Apple Music —> blackhole (networkaudiod running in the background) —> Hqplayer-desktop - audio:default/0/2

in Hqplayer, under input - select NetworkAudioAdapter - blackhole 2ch, output - Coreaudio/Macbook pro speakers

This time, play works and I get sound from Apple Music, but “Format:” shows 8k/32/2 -> 96k/24/2 and this doesn’t change, no matter what sample rate I play.

 

so, I am not sure if the auto sample rate is working for me or if I am using it in a way that is not supported. Your advice would be helpful. Thanks.

[sup27606]

To add to this,

I went back couple of pages and saw where the losslessswitcher instructions were given. I have now set up the losslessswitcher beta version as instructed. Also set the hqpd-control shell script in losslessswitcher. Then I started the audio:default/44100/2 stream in Hqplayer. This time, Apple Music is playing correctly with the right sample rate detected in Hqplayer. However, the stream abruptly exits whenever a new song is played, that has a different sample rate. Once again, when I click the audio:default line in Hqplayer, it starts playing, but stops again, as soon as a new song with a different sample rate than current rate is being played.

 

I am running Hqplayer v 5.3.2.

 

Update: It seems, the audio stream only exits when the new song sample rate is higher than the max rate of the output device, in this case MacBook Pro speakers (96/24).  E.g., 192/24 always exits, but 96/24 or 44.1/16 do not.

[bogi]

5 minutes ago, sup27606 said:

However, the stream abruptly exits whenever a new song is played

I am not using Mac and I don't know about losslessswitcher script, but that script most probably wants to run hqpd5control to perform the sample rate switch in HQPlayer. hqpd5control is installed together with HQPlayer. Maybe that losslessswitcher script could not find hqpd5control.

This may help: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/using-any-audio-source-with-hqplayer-spotify-amazon-apple-music-youtube-music-deezer-soundcloud-2023/244358/378

[sup27606]

2 hours ago, bogi said:

I am not using Mac and I don't know about losslessswitcher script, but that script most probably wants to run hqpd5control to perform the sample rate switch in HQPlayer. hqpd5control is installed together with HQPlayer. Maybe that losslessswitcher script could not find hqpd5control.

This may help: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/using-any-audio-source-with-hqplayer-spotify-amazon-apple-music-youtube-music-deezer-soundcloud-2023/244358/378

Thank you for the link. I have ensured that hqpd-control app is in the same folder as Hqplayer and edited the script to point to the right location. Also, the sample rate detection is working, it’s just that, when Hqplayer needs to downsample from a higher rate, it’s exiting. Restarting the audio stream then works again. Usually, this issue won’t be a factor for high sample rate devices like DACs where the max supported rate is >= 192k, so Hqplayer is always going to be upsampling.

[sup27606]

Also on a different note, the automatic rate switching doesn’t seem to work when the source is Audirvana output-ing to blackhole. The sample rate change is not detected by losslessswitcher, so Hqplayer also doesn’t change the sample rate. This is more of an issue with losslessswitcher than Hqplayer, but wanted to mention it here anyway.

[Miska]

On 12/24/2023 at 10:46 PM, sup27606 said:

Update: It seems, the audio stream only exits when the new song sample rate is higher than the max rate of the output device, in this case MacBook Pro speakers (96/24).  E.g., 192/24 always exits, but 96/24 or 44.1/16 do not.

 

This depends on your choice of the resampling filter in HQPlayer. If you have selected something that cannot convert downwards, HQPlayer will just stop. So please check what you have selected as Nx filter vs the table in manual.

 

[sup27606]

8 hours ago, Miska said:

 

This depends on your choice of the resampling filter in HQPlayer. If you have selected something that cannot convert downwards, HQPlayer will just stop. So please check what you have selected as Nx filter vs the table in manual.

 

 

I am using sinc-medium with LNS15 shaper. I am not quite sure whether this combo supports downsampling (I haven't yet checked the manual), but when I restart the stream (after hqplayer exits), hqplayer plays the downsampled music correctly, so I think its supported.