HQ Player

[AndreasB]

Hi Jud,

 

Do you mean disabling SIP= System Integrity Protection for running apps like HQP- player from Ramdisk doesn't helped?

 

Ps. The suggestion of of KunterK

 

 

 

• Copy the HQPlayer App to Ramdisk
  

 

• Go to RamDisk and right (two finger) click on HQPlayer
  
• Select "Show Package Contents"
  
• Go to Contents
  
• Go to Mac and run the HQP from there... Really works
  
  

 

 

That's not the half of it. I've long run the app from a different RAMdisk than the music playback RAMdisk. And his latest version offers the option to offload the entire OS to RAMdisk.

[4est]

Is anyone getting DSD256 out of a JLSounds I2SoverUSB using Win or OSX? I cannot seem to get it to play in non DoP, and am limited to DSD128. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

[Miska]

Is anyone getting DSD256 out of a JLSounds I2SoverUSB using Win or OSX? I cannot seem to get it to play in non DoP, and am limited to DSD128. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

Is Linux ruled out? It should work fine with either with my Ubuntu 14.04 patched kernel or Debian Stretch based NAA.

 

I have the older non-DSD256 variant of the board. Should order the newer version too...

[4est]

Thank you for your reply Jussi. Linux is not ruled out entirely, but their web site seems to suggest that it should work with OSX at least.

Is Linux ruled out? It should work fine with either with my Ubuntu 14.04 patched kernel or Debian Stretch based NAA.

 

I have the older non-DSD256 variant of the board. Should order the newer version too...

[spitzer]

Is Linux ruled out? It should work fine with either with my Ubuntu 14.04 patched kernel or Debian Stretch based NAA.

 

I have the older non-DSD256 variant of the board. Should order the newer version too...

 

Hello Miska, firstly Thanks for your nice app, im currently using ubuntu studio 14.04, what is your last suggestion for operating system for linux base, still ubuntu studio?

[Miska]

Hello Miska, firstly Thanks for your nice app, im currently using ubuntu studio 14.04, what is your last suggestion for operating system for linux base, still ubuntu studio?

 

For running HQPlayer yes. Or alternatively Debian Stretch but it is not officially supported for running HQPlayer, only for NAA. Although I have Stretch on my laptop with KDE desktop (the latest KDE version looks cool and fresh).

[Miska]

Thank you for your reply Jussi. Linux is not ruled out entirely, but their web site seems to suggest that it should work with OSX at least.

 

OK, for it to work on OSX using DoP, it would need to support 705.6/768 kHz PCM rates... That's easy way to check.

[4est]

The website says:

- DSD Audio over PCM frames. DSD64 (2.8224MHz and 3.0720MHz) and DSD128 (5.6448MHz and 6.1440MHz) by method DoP with 0x05/0xFA

markers

- DSD Native DSD64 (2.8224MHz and 3.0720MHz), DSD128 (5.6448MHz

and 6.1440MHz) and DSD256 (11.2896MHz and 12.2880MHz) on Linux

and MAC OS

- DSD Native playback is available on firmware versions 3.06 and above

 

I just received the unit, and am assuming it is using the latest firmware, but have not discovered how to verify it. I thought it would just work out of the box on OSX and that I am doing something stupid. I have read that it may work on Windows as well, and would like to confirm either. I am attempting to use this on a DSC1 in place of an Amanero. It is working using DSD128 and has promise, but I recall the DSC1 as being optimized for 256/512.

OK, for it to work on OSX using DoP, it would need to support 705.6/768 kHz PCM rates... That's easy way to check.

[nautibuoy]

Hello chaps. I'm a recent adopter of HQPlayer. I run it on a Xeon processor equipped Windows PC and I am achieving excellent results upsampling everything to DSD256 and then routing that to an NAA device that uses Debian on a low power Intel Atom computer. I'm deriving analogue through a simple low-pass filter.

 

Anyway, I currently use a conventional analogue volume control after the LP filter, which works fine but I find myself wondering about the volume control built into HQPlayer but I'm unclear whether it is intended to be used as a 'once off' general level setting or dynamically for tweaking volume during listening (as per a normal volume control)? Can anyone clarify or share their experiences?

 

I should say that I have followed the recommendations for max volume setting as specified in the manual. Noise shaping is currently DSD5 but I haven't really experimented with this yet.

 

Thanks

 

Ray

[AnotherSpin]

Hi Miska, I want to return to something which was discussed here thoroughly before, without any consensus achieved, I believe. I am using HQP to turn everything to SDM, and my DAC, Schiit Loki is DSD only. Still, I've been realizing that settings in PCM part do influence the final outcome. I know, you told it shouldn't be, but...) As per now, I returned to poly-sinc-shrt SDM setting, after playing for some time with closed-form (it sounds somewhat edgy in comparison). And, I found out that PCM dither setting makes a hearable change. TPDF gives slightly hushed, but much more comfortable sound than NS5, for example. My question is - what are the settings in PCM part (filter, dither, rate) which less influence FLACs on the further way to SDM? Even if it is against your understanding?...)

[Chodi]

Hello chaps. I'm a recent adopter of HQPlayer. I run it on a Xeon processor equipped Windows PC and I am achieving excellent results upsampling everything to DSD256 and then routing that to an NAA device that uses Debian on a low power Intel Atom computer. I'm deriving analogue through a simple low-pass filter.

 

Anyway, I currently use a conventional analogue volume control after the LP filter, which works fine but I find myself wondering about the volume control built into HQPlayer but I'm unclear whether it is intended to be used as a 'once off' general level setting or dynamically for tweaking volume during listening (as per a normal volume control)? Can anyone clarify or share their experiences?

 

I should say that I have followed the recommendations for max volume setting as specified in the manual. Noise shaping is currently DSD5 but I haven't really experimented with this yet.

 

Thanks

 

Ray

I once read a comment by Miska not to use the volume control to tweek the volume. There was never any reason that I saw mentioned. Still, I use the volume control in HQP to make fine adjustments while listening and I find it very useful. If I had to guess, I think his comment was because the HQP volume control does not make smooth linear adjustments like a volume pot. It changes in fine steps which is just fine with me. Personally I find it very useful and I use it all the time. The program is so well designed that changes in volume of several db does not degrade the sound to my ears.

[maggio]

Is anyone getting DSD256 out of a JLSounds I2SoverUSB using Win or OSX? I cannot seem to get it to play in non DoP, and am limited to DSD128. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

 

You can't play DSD256 on JLSounds whatever is your Os.

Maggio

[Miska]

You can't play DSD256 on JLSounds whatever is your Os.

 

Should work fine on Linux with the latest firmware version of JLsounds?

[Miska]

Hi Miska, I want to return to something which was discussed here thoroughly before, without any consensus achieved, I believe. I am using HQP to turn everything to SDM, and my DAC, Schiit Loki is DSD only. Still, I've been realizing that settings in PCM part do influence the final outcome. I know, you told it shouldn't be, but...) As per now, I returned to poly-sinc-shrt SDM setting, after playing for some time with closed-form (it sounds somewhat edgy in comparison). And, I found out that PCM dither setting makes a hearable change. TPDF gives slightly hushed, but much more comfortable sound than NS5, for example. My question is - what are the settings in PCM part (filter, dither, rate) which less influence FLACs on the further way to SDM? Even if it is against your understanding?...)

 

When you are in SDM output mode, none of the PCM settings apply, apart from the special "none" filter which is a magical global setting meaning "follow the source". And when you are in PCM output mode, none of the SDM settings apply.

 

The code that does PCM upsampling or dithering is not executed at all when output mode is SDM. There are two DSP engines, one for PCM output another one for SDM output. You have either of these two in use depending on selected output format.

[Forehaven]

Miska, is there a reason why there's something like a 10db difference in volume when playing native pcm and dsd conversions...the former being the louder?

[Miska]

Anyway, I currently use a conventional analogue volume control after the LP filter, which works fine but I find myself wondering about the volume control built into HQPlayer but I'm unclear whether it is intended to be used as a 'once off' general level setting or dynamically for tweaking volume during listening (as per a normal volume control)?

 

Either way, volume control is intended to be used. Especially for adjusting smaller amounts during listening.

 

I've only warned against using it as sole means of volume with high gain amps where accidentally applying full volume would have nasty results. For example if OS for some reason decides to play some of it's own sounds to wrong output at full level (like *bling* "you've got email"). Or if the the volume is too high due to some other accidental reason.

 

One way to use it is to first turn the volume control in HQPlayer to -3 dBFS and then adjust traditional analog volume control to highest expected and tolerable listening level. And then turn down the volume in HQPlayer to some currently desired level. This provides safety while commonly giving best possible signal to noise ratio in the chain.

[Miska]

Miska, is there a reason why there's something like a 10db difference in volume when playing native pcm and dsd conversions...the former being the louder?

 

It depends on a DAC. DSD 0 dBFS level is around -6 dBFS PCM level. Some DAC chips like ESS Sabre apply compensating gain for DSD so that 0 dBFS levels of both are matched. However, this will usually lead to clipping of DSD material that exceeds the 0 dBFS level (which is technically possible).

 

With TI chips the level difference also depends on selected analog filter (four options). (iFi iDSD Micro uses TI chip)

 

So DSD should be actually quieter than PCM, on purpose, because it has some headroom reserve.

[nautibuoy]

You can't play DSD256 on JLSounds whatever is your Os.

Maggio

 

I'm playing DSD256 through a JLSounds board.

 

Using AudioLinux and with HQP set for dual wire DSD256 was possible with DoP.

 

I'm now using an NAA setup with Debian Stretch core installed under the NAA package and that is playing native DSD256.

 

Ray

[nautibuoy]

Either way, volume control is intended to be used. Especially for adjusting smaller amounts during listening.

 

I've only warned against using it as sole means of volume with high gain amps where accidentally applying full volume would have nasty results. For example if OS for some reason decides to play some of it's own sounds to wrong output at full level (like *bling* "you've got email"). Or if the the volume is too high due to some other accidental reason.

 

One way to use it is to first turn the volume control in HQPlayer to -3 dBFS and then adjust traditional analog volume control to highest expected and tolerable listening level. And then turn down the volume in HQPlayer to some currently desired level. This provides safety while commonly giving best possible signal to noise ratio in the chain.

 

Thanks Miska, I'll try it out. To follow up, is volume control exposed by the HQPlayer control API so that it can be controlled by packages like Muso or the forthcoming Roon hook up?

 

Ray

[Miska]

Thanks Miska, I'll try it out. To follow up, is volume control exposed by the HQPlayer control API so that it can be controlled by packages like Muso or the forthcoming Roon hook up?

 

Yes, it is there...

 

 

       void volumeDown ();
       void volumeUp ();
       void volumeMute ();
       void volume (double);

[Miska]

I'm playing DSD256 through a JLSounds board.

 

Using AudioLinux and with HQP set for dual wire DSD256 was possible with DoP.

 

I'd expect this won't work correctly... Or does the board expose four channels? I don't have the new revision, so I cannot check myself. If the dual wire DoP actually works (so far only known to work with Mytek using Firewire) then it should work also on OS X...

 

I'm now using an NAA setup with Debian Stretch core installed under the NAA package and that is playing native DSD256.

 

Yes with non-DoP (raw DSD) and recent driver versions it should work fine. Or Debian Stretch out of the box, or Ubuntu 14.04 LTS with my patched kernel and libasound2.

[Acko]

Hello Miksa,

 

I am not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere but I am trying to go beyond DSD256 with my HQPlayer-Amanero setup on Win7 running on a core i7 PC. There is stuttering but CPU load is about 30% only so not being stressed at all. Tried different settings and even from DxD - thought this will be easier than all the way from 44k. Not sure if this an issue with HQPlayer or Amanero ASIO drivers. No problems up to DSD256 and sounds fantastic.

[bibo01]

Hello Miksa,

 

I am not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere but I am trying to go beyond DSD256 with my HQPlayer-Amanero setup on Win7 running on a core i7 PC. There is stuttering but CPU load is about 30% only so not being stressed at all. Tried different settings and even from DxD - thought this will be easier than all the way from 44k. Not sure if this an issue with HQPlayer or Amanero ASIO drivers. No problems up to DSD256 and sounds fantastic.

What DAC do you have that supports DSD512 through an Amanero board?

Sometimes DAC companies using Sabre chip and Amanero claim DSD512 capability, but in reality it is not supported. In this case stuttering does not depend on your system or HQPlayer.

[Chodi]

Hello Miksa,

 

I am not sure if this has been discussed elsewhere but I am trying to go beyond DSD256 with my HQPlayer-Amanero setup on Win7 running on a core i7 PC. There is stuttering but CPU load is about 30% only so not being stressed at all. Tried different settings and even from DxD - thought this will be easier than all the way from 44k. Not sure if this an issue with HQPlayer or Amanero ASIO drivers. No problems up to DSD256 and sounds fantastic.

 

I have the same situation with an amanero based Sabre dac. It is an issue with amanero. It most commonly causes problems in the right channel. Amanero claimed at one point that it could be solved with a firmware update but that never came. It is a known problem. I use dsd 256 without issue. Any attempt to use dsd 512 will result in some low level noise in the right channel. I really doubt that there would be an audible improvement with dsd 512 over dsd 256 anyway. Perhaps something marginal but very minor. I have no issue using DXD and find it very enjoyable. At one point I communicated with Amanero about this and after their first communication blaming it on my dac board layout they came around to admitting that it was their board that needed a firmware upgrade. I have never seen that upgrade.

 

You will find the filter you select will effect this ether more or less. I simply ignore the dsd 512 option.

[Acko]

What DAC do you have that supports DSD512 through an Amanero board?

Sometimes DAC companies using Sabre chip and Amanero claim DSD512 capability, but in reality it is not supported. In this case stuttering does not depend on your system or HQPlayer.

 

e.g:

 

Signalyst DAC

 

and also something that I am developing:

Direct Drive DSD - diyAudio