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Yes, the main window settings are just ignored in that case... Those then apply when PCM content is encountered. Rate support is checked before changing, so in this case the 11.2 MHz rate should also appear as available in the sample rate drop-list in main window.

 

My apologies for the delay.. I do see the 11.2 mhz in the drop down when I select PCM.

 

Thanks!

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Updated HQP to 3.11.0 (Mac) - everything works fine.

 

Miska, I have a question about Pipeline Setup. If digital volume control bypassed (DirectSDM enabled) and Pipeline Setup enabled with negative gains for channel 1 and 2 (see picture enclosed) does it means -18 attenuation enabled for two speakers stereo system AND digital volume control in HQP disabled at the same time?

 

Screen Shot 2015-10-24 at 00.55.28.png

 

Or, is there any other way to achieve negative attenuation with digital volume control bypassed?

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Updated HQP to 3.11.0 (Mac) - everything works fine.

 

Miska, I have a question about Pipeline Setup. If digital volume control bypassed (DirectSDM enabled) and Pipeline Setup enabled with negative gains for channel 1 and 2 (see picture enclosed) does it means -18 attenuation enabled for two speakers stereo system AND digital volume control in HQP disabled at the same time?

 

Or, is there any other way to achieve negative attenuation with digital volume control bypassed?

 

You can think the matrix setup as per-channel volume control (just like the speaker setup dialog) while the main volume control is "master volume" controlling all channel in equivalent proportion. Technically it doesn't make much difference which way is used.

 

This is a bit like what you get on a mix board in studio. You have per-channel sliders for mix levels to the mix/master/aux bus and then you have a volume control on that bus. But in this case you have 2 - 32 channel mix bus and 1 - 32 source channels.

 

From your screenshot, you get less CPU load by enabling normal volume control and setting it to -18 dBFS instead of using matrix setup.

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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You can think the matrix setup as per-channel volume control (just like the speaker setup dialog) while the main volume control is "master volume" controlling all channel in equivalent proportion. Technically it doesn't make much difference which way is used.

 

This is a bit like what you get on a mix board in studio. You have per-channel sliders for mix levels to the mix/master/aux bus and then you have a volume control on that bus. But in this case you have 2 - 32 channel mix bus and 1 - 32 source channels.

 

From your screenshot, you get less CPU load by enabling normal volume control and setting it to -18 dBFS instead of using matrix setup.

 

Thank you Miska. I am experimenting with no pre-amp setting. In ideal I want bare DAC > power amp. With low level volume music (such as some classical instrumental or chamber) and volume regulator in HQP bypassed completely it gives me the best sound quality in my system. But, it doesn't work with popular or rock music recordings, because of higher recorded volumes - I need to decrease level here and I am looking how to make it with HQP without sound quality degradation. Do you suggest regular volume control in HQP? What noise shaping or other settings should be tried?

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Thank you Miska. I am experimenting with no pre-amp setting. In ideal I want bare DAC > power amp. With low level volume music (such as some classical instrumental or chamber) and volume regulator in HQP bypassed completely it gives me the best sound quality in my system. But, it doesn't work with popular or rock music recordings, because of higher recorded volumes - I need to decrease level here and I am looking how to make it with HQP without sound quality degradation. Do you suggest regular volume control in HQP? What noise shaping or other settings should be tried?

 

If you are using SDM output mode, then modulator is the noise shaper with it's built-in dither system. For PCM output mode the industry standard option is TPDF which gives flat noise floor without noise shaping. For 4x output rates of 176.4/192 you can also try NS9 noise shaper and in case you use 8x output rates 352.8/384 you can try both NS5 and NS9.

 

Which DAC do you have? Some DACs that have XMOS USB interface claim to have 32-bit resolution, while the DAC chip is actually only 24-bit. For these cases it is good to select correct DAC Bits setting instead of "Default" when used in PCM mode (for SDM output mode it doesn't have effect).

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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If you are using SDM output mode, then modulator is the noise shaper with it's built-in dither system. For PCM output mode the industry standard option is TPDF which gives flat noise floor without noise shaping. For 4x output rates of 176.4/192 you can also try NS9 noise shaper and in case you use 8x output rates 352.8/384 you can try both NS5 and NS9.

 

Which DAC do you have? Some DACs that have XMOS USB interface claim to have 32-bit resolution, while the DAC chip is actually only 24-bit. For these cases it is good to select correct DAC Bits setting instead of "Default" when used in PCM mode (for SDM output mode it doesn't have effect).

I am trying to find "no pre-amp" solution for very simple system, which includes Schiit Loki DAC and powered Dynaudio speakers which have selection of fixed levels (0db, -10db and +4db). Everything is converted to SDM, I do not use PCM output mode.
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Miska!!!

 

My DAC doesn't support DSD - word length to 24 bits and the frequency of sampling of 192 kHz Is maintained (Burr-Brown - PCM1794). What Hplayer settings for files 44,1 / 16bit you recommend? I need to disconnect DirectSDM and what to expose in oversampling?

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Hello

Sorry for interrupting this thread, but I am new at HQ Player and trying to download my library on a NAS without success. I don't know why, only the DSD files are downloaded, while all of the others (Apple lossless) just do not show up. I have a Mac Mini connected to a PS Audio Direct Stream via USB and also networked through RJ45 , and a Lenovo NAS. I checked this thread and there were similar questions, but I never found the answer. Txs in advance, Ricardo

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HQ Player doesn't support ALAC. You can use the free program XLD to convert your ALACS to FLAC if you wish. I think the sound quality of HQ Player is worth the inconvenience of converting.

 

Hello

Sorry for interrupting this thread, but I am new at HQ Player and trying to download my library on a NAS without success. I don't know why, only the DSD files are downloaded, while all of the others (Apple lossless) just do not show up. I have a Mac Mini connected to a PS Audio Direct Stream via USB and also networked through RJ45 , and a Lenovo NAS. I checked this thread and there were similar questions, but I never found the answer. Txs in advance, Ricardo

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A bit off-topic, but I had a chance to listen to Chord's new Dave DAC at a launch event last week (they also launched Mojo, essentially the Hugo electronics in a package the size of a pack of cards). There was also a short presentation by Rob Watt, the independent designer Chord use for their digital devices. Dave is using a 28nm Xilinx FPHA that gives RW 166 DSP cores with which to do interpolation, filtering, etc. Alas, I don't have any copies of the slides, but I do remember that 17th order noise shaping was used and there was a very interesting configuration on the output amp that I hadn't seen before. RW is in the "it's most important to get the transient timing right", also following the path other UK manufacturers hold to which is that the ear can discern timing differences equivalent to 250khz sampling rates, and it's this that's important, more so than frequency range. He has also produced a device (approx $13,000 BTW) that has some of the lowest noise figures I've ever seen, with a basic device noise floor down at -150 db and an extremely clean-looking -127db A weighted result with a 1 kHz signal at 2.5 v output. RW was adamant that removing music modulations appearing in the sound floor is crucial as it's this that greatly contributes to opening up a 3D level of imaging. RW is also working on an A to D box for Chord that runs at 768khz and so Dave also offers that sampling rate too, the hope being that, a bit like MQA, there's the chance of really pulling together the entire recording-to-reproduction chain, offering the listener a chance to hear what the performer (or recording engineer, at least!) really wanted to have conveyed.

 

Sound? The most impressive thing was a) sound staging, b) detail retrieval, and c) image depth. On every recording (even the bad ones), you could hear deep into the acoustic space it was recorded in, be it live or studio. Instruments set back on a stage in, say, a classical concert, really were set back there! The system also extracted detail I'd previously missed in tracks that I thought I knew extremely well, and did so with 44.1k RBCD.

 

I've heard quite a few very high end systems over the years (and this was paired by Chord amps and Estelon speakers, call it $100k total) but have never heard a sound stage quite like it. Now, this was one incredibly revealing system, perhaps more than was comfortable at times. However, I would say that I've never really gelled with the big Chord amps and would love to hear the same set up but with something different in the middle. The Estelon XAs are neutral and fast, but the amps just seem to squeeze the color out of some tracks, which for me is a bit too much of a trade off in return for huge reserves of power.

 

(Oh, and the input was SPDIF from a Soloos server BTW)

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HQ Player doesn't support ALAC. You can use the free program XLD to convert your ALACS to FLAC if you wish. I think the sound quality of HQ Player is worth the inconvenience of converting.

 

Thanks for your answer. I this case I think I will wait and see if it would be some sort of integration between Roon and HQ Player, before doing a conversion like that. Regards, Ricardo

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Thanks for your answer. I this case I think I will wait and see if it would be some sort of integration between Roon and HQ Player, before doing a conversion like that. Regards, Ricardo

 

Ricardo, maybe convert was a bad choice of words on my part. You can keep your original ALAC files and make copies that are in the FLAC format, if you wish. It all depends on the size of your original music collection and your storage available. The FLAC files are about the same size as ALACS, so it would double the size of your collection on disk. XLD will handle the conversion in batch mode, so you can just let it go.

 

Obviously, you know what will work best for you. I just didn't want to scare you off with wrong info.

 

Good luck.

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Ricardo, maybe convert was a bad choice of words on my part. You can keep your original ALAC files and make copies that are in the FLAC format, if you wish. It all depends on the size of your original music collection and your storage available. The FLAC files are about the same size as ALACS, so it would double the size of your collection on disk. XLD will handle the conversion in batch mode, so you can just let it go.

 

Obviously, you know what will work best for you. I just didn't want to scare you off with wrong info.

 

Good luck.

 

An alternative that will let Ricardo continue to use his files with both Apple and other hardware/software (such as iTunes) is to make decompressed ALAC versions, i.e., AIFF.

 

As you say, it's up to Ricardo.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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An alternative that will let Ricardo continue to use his files with both Apple and other hardware/software (such as iTunes) is to make decompressed ALAC versions, i.e., AIFF.

 

As you say, it's up to Ricardo.

 

If I choose to decompress ALAC files via AIFF, would I need the same amount of space for the new files? My ALAC library is about 3Tb, so duplicating it will take a good part of the 8tbs available in my NAS. Is it worthy in SQ terms? I am also using Jriver thru ethernet with my Direct Stream, and waiting for a future compatibility between the bridge of my DAC and Roon. In this framework, which path would be the best one in terms of SQ and functionality?

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A bit off-topic, but I had a chance to listen to Chord's new Dave DAC at a launch event last week (they also launched Mojo, essentially the Hugo electronics in a package the size of a pack of cards).

 

I wonder what does this marketing blurb have to do with HQPlayer?

 

Dave is using a 28nm Xilinx FPHA that gives RW 166 DSP cores with which to do interpolation, filtering, etc.

 

For doing filters and all other DSP processing, including digital room correction I'm using 22nm Xeon E5v3 (Haswell-EP) with 32 GB of 4-channel DDR4-2133 ECC RAM. The machine has also 384 nVidia CUDA cores available.

 

I have also ordered parts for new Skylake based machine, with CPU manufactured in 14nm process and clock speed reaching 4.2 GHz. There is also integrated GPU processing unit with 441.6 GFLOPS of processing power.

 

This with fraction of the cost of Dave...

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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I wonder what does this marketing blurb have to do with HQPlayer?

 

You mentioned Chord w.r.t. the closed from filter, so just posting some (and as I said, off topic) impressions of their latest developments. I own no Chord gear, am not associated with them, and am not promoting them. That is all.

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If I choose to decompress ALAC files via AIFF, would I need the same amount of space for the new files? My ALAC library is about 3Tb, so duplicating it will take a good part of the 8tbs available in my NAS. Is it worthy in SQ terms? I am also using Jriver thru ethernet with my Direct Stream, and waiting for a future compatibility between the bridge of my DAC and Roon. In this framework, which path would be the best one in terms of SQ and functionality?

 

An uncompressed AIFF file is roughly 1/3 larger than a compressed ALAC file. So, to duplicate your entire 3TB ALAC library as AIFF, you would need approx. 4TB. It's also advisable, for best performance, to leave 10-20% of your HDD's total capacity empty.

Most people say they can't hear a difference between AIFF and ALAC. I use AIFF because nearly every Mac/PC music player supports it. HQPlayer does not support ALAC, and Apple devices/iTunes do not support FLAC.

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Miska, does HQPlayer make use of Nvidia GPUs or AVX512 today?

 

There is limited support for AVX512 on Windows and Mac. nVidia CUDA support is planned to appear some time soon, I was waiting for some new features to appear in the CUDA SDK before implementing some accelerations. Quadro is likely going to be needed, because nVidia wants to make some features exclusive to the Quadro range.

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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Miska!!!

 

My DAC doesn't support DSD - word length to 24 bits and the frequency of sampling of 192 kHz Is maintained (Burr-Brown - PCM1794). What Hplayer settings for files 44,1 / 16bit you recommend? I need to disconnect DirectSDM and what to expose in oversampling?

Miska You can answer my question? Whether can receive with Hqplayer honest PCM 44.1 without transformation?

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Miska You can answer my question? Whether can receive with Hqplayer honest PCM 44.1 without transformation?

 

Yes, you can, but that's kind of wasting the player which primary function is to provide all the DSP functionality.

 

Set filter to "none", dither to "none" and turn volume control to 0 dBFS.

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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I bought Hqplaer and I want it to adjust optimum under my Dac. Simply my DAC doesn't play DSD.

If I change in the SDM Defaults settings (Oversampling and Bit Rate) - a sound too changes. Why? Same settings for DSD.Very much to be pleasant to me Hqplayer, but won't understand as better.

I apologize for my English (the translation of Google).

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