HQ Player

[Miska]

Let me try to be more clear. I run all pcm raw...no upsample, no dither, no nothing.

 

All the work I've done for HQPlayer just goes wasted that way...

 

When I run dsf files I had been running upsampling to 5.66 MbHz. I prefer running direct sdm. I am not sure what Hqp version I am Running.

 

If you do Direct SDM then there is no upsampling for DSD either and things go through as-is.

[Theobetley]

All the work I've done for HQPlayer just goes wasted that way...

 

 

 

If you do Direct SDM then there is no upsampling for DSD either and things go through as-is.

And yet the problem persists. How can I tell what Hqp version I have?

[ckpiv]

And yet the problem persists. How can I tell what Hqp version I have?

 

HqPlayerDesktopx --> About HqPlayerDesktopx

 

[zorntel]

I copied in RAM disk installation folders of both 3.15.0 and 3.15.1 (no beta) so I could quickly switch. Previously I had feeling that today is not my day to listen to music, somehow I was tired. But after reading few posts from this thread I set up this comparison. 3.15.0 sounds cleanly and comfortingly. I compared these versions back and forth about 5 times and the difference was always audible, always the same. I have to agree with louisxiawei.

I tested 192k to 6.1M poly-sinc-xtr-2s / ASDM7.

I agree. I was running 3.15.1 upsampling to DSD512 (poly sinc short mp / ASDM7 512+fs) and then out through an adnaco fiber card to a LPS-1 driven IFI micro iDSD Black Label. Tried both DSD and PCM files and I'm also getting harsh sound compared to previous versions including 3.15.1...going back to 3.15.1 for the time being.

 

Robert

[zorntel]

I agree. I was running 3.15.1 upsampling to DSD512 (poly sinc short mp / ASDM7 512+fs) and then out through an adnaco fiber card to a LPS-1 driven IFI micro iDSD Black Label. Tried both DSD and PCM files and I'm also getting harsh sound compared to previous versions including 3.15.1...going back to 3.15.1 for the time being.

 

Robert

oops...the last sentences should have been "Tried both DSD and PCM files and I'm also getting harsh sound compared to previous versions including 3.15.0...going back to 3.15.0 for the time being.

 

Robert

[Outlaw]

HQplayer quit working again.Windows 10 computer just used for music .Play button greyed out pause button flashing.This has happened multiple times and am very frustrated.Run Hqplayer with Roon .Can play the Roon.Just Hqplayer doesn't work?Any ideas ??.?

.?.?

[arglebargle]

I was skeptical but I'm afraid I can hear a difference myself. I had put it down to various small changes in my system, speaker placement mostly. But after A/Bing I find I don't hear this in 3.15.0.

 

It's most apparent with horn sounds I know very well. Miles Davis in the most energetic sections of A Tribute To Jack Johnson for example, I observe a noticeable stridency, a lack of body and air to high notes. The recording is saturated with reverb and echo and on the 24/96 version the timbre of Miles' horn is quite natural so this change really jumps out.

 

These observations are made upsampling to DSD256 with poly sinc xtr, to me the smoothest sounding filter, so that makes the edgy high end all the more surprising.

[mirekti]

Or you can tell us your CPU and which load type and up sampling you are looking to achieve.

 

 

This is what I have built today:

 

Case: FC5

MBO: ASRock Z270 ITX

RAM: HyperX Savage (2x8GB) 2400MHz DDR4 CL12

CPU: i7-7700

HDD:Toshiba OCZ RD400 - 512GB M.2

PSU: Dell brick 330W + HDPlex 300W DC-ATX

 

So far I tried following:

 

XTR-MP-2S -> ASDM7 -> 44kHzDSD128 from 16bit 44kHz Pipeline SDM enabled.

CPU shows between 8-10% in Task Manager, yet in CAM NZXT I see jumps between 10-25% per core.

CPU temperature is around 50 Celsius.

 

XTR-MP -> ASDM7 -> 44kHzDSD128 from 16bit 44kHz Pipeline SDM enabled.

CAM NZXT I see jumps between 15-35% per core.

CPU temperature is around 70 Celsius.

 

My goal would be to run DSD512 once I get the capable DAC, and I must admit these XTR filters are really interesting. I see already this would not work. Maybe 2S and DSD512.

 

What concerned me was the MBO temperature. It was around 50 in the first case and it reached 57 in the latter.

All my music is on the M.2 disk which is attached on the bottom part of the MBO. I even received few alarms that its temperature was too high. HFINFO64 reported 72 Celsius which was way too hot so I turned the PC off.

The same tool reported for other disk which is 2.5" SSD only 37 Celsius. I will plug the M.2 disk out and check the MBO's temperature without it.

 

 

If one check the attached photo, one could see there's enough empty space left between the MBO and heat sink on the left.

 

 

Palit announced 1050Ti KalmX which is fanless 1050.

As I am not using a PSU in the case the left heat sink could be used to expand the heat sink of KalmX.

Of course, I would do so only if the CUDA offload would help in this case. If the performance of 1050 Ti is so poor that it would only heat the case, than I'll obviously need to live with what I have.

 

 

Toshiba OCZ RD400

[Outlaw]

HQplayer quit working again.Windows 10 computer just used for music .Play button greyed out pause button flashing.This has happened multiple times and am very frustrated.Run Hqplayer with Roon .Can play the Roon.Just Hqplayer doesn't work?Any ideas ??.?

.?.?

Also use with a nuc with latest audio network dameon.All Hqplayer does is play button greyed out and pause button flashing.Then it will say not responding

[MarcinGD]

I am dealing with slight treble harshness (and sporadic noise) lately too, but not isolated it yet to an HQP version. I run 3.15.1b2 on a tweaked out Win10 server, and currently using my WS2012R1 NAA (NAA version 3.4.something). I am going to update NAA to 3.5 today. Louis, Are you recommending going to 3.15.0 for comparison?

Yep. There is something in it. Cymbals of drum kit are the best to notice that. For example in opeth windowpane. I went back to 3.15 because there is this harshness in 3.15.1 and in beta versions as well.

[Theobetley]

HqPlayerDesktopx --> About HqPlayerDesktopx

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33974[/ATTACH]

 

Thanks

[Theobetley]

All the work I've done for HQPlayer just goes wasted that way...

 

 

 

If you do Direct SDM then there is no upsampling for DSD either and things go through as-is.

I think I may have found my problem. In my system all music data is local. I put music on one internal hd and up to 3 different docking stations connected to my mobo via USB connections. Over past few days I had 2 docking stations in use one of which may have a bad connnection. When I placed the hd from the 2nd station into a 3rd docking station no more issues. What happened while using the errant docking station was Hqp would stop working after trying to load a file.

[brother love]

Before 3/11/17: mid-2011 i5 2.5 gHz dual core Mac Mini > OS Sierra > licensed HQPlayer > DSD128 (DoP) with -2s filters > Gustard X20u DAC

 

Update 3/11/17: purchased a used gaming PC w/ i5-4670k 3.4 gHz (3.8 gHz turbo) quad core > installed Ubuntu 16.04.02 LTS desktop > latest licensed HQPlayer (Ubuntu) > DSD128 (DoP) with –xtr filters > Gustard X20u DAC

 

Next update: The Gustard X20u is DSD128 (DoP) max thru USB, but is capable of DSD256 (thru IIS input) with a DIYNHK 3.34 XMOS driver. I have the file: XMOS-Stereo-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver-2023_v3.34.exe

 

Thru Windows, there is an XMOS set-up wizard when selecting this executable file. Is there a way to do this in Ubuntu with an installer/ set-up wizard, etc. ? Right now the DAC is recognized in Ubuntu like it was in OS-X: xCore USB Audio 2.0 output (DSD128 max).

 

In Ubuntu, I selected the XMOS .exe app & said to open it with HQPlayer. In doing so, I got DSD256 display on DAC ! Sounded good for a few minutes, but then I got popping at the start of a song with stuttering. I had the buffer set to 100 ms. I adjusted settings & went w/ less demanding -2s filter & DSD128, but still got popping & stuttering.

 

Any suggestions on how to get the 3.34 XMOS driver recognized in DAC/ Ubuntu ? Note: set-up is currently dual boot with Windows 7, & I select Ubuntu at start-up. Can I change the DAC driver in Win 7, then Ubuntu possibly recognizes it?

[Margus]

Any suggestions on how to get the 3.34 XMOS driver recognized in DAC/ Ubuntu ? ?

You don't need Xmos Windows driver for Ubuntu , just select "none" aka "native" vs "dop" on HQP settings and rock on DSD256 ...

 

My settings under Kubuntu for Xmos based USB/I2S ... the old CPU (i5 650) is showstopper for 48x512

[juanitox]

Yep. There is something in it. Cymbals of drum kit are the best to notice that. For example in opeth windowpane. I went back to 3.15 because there is this harshness in 3.15.1 and in beta versions as well.

 

i don't focus on cymbals but 3.15.1 sounds better for me doing 44,1pcm / DSD 512

with polysync , adsm7 512s ( more body to the sounds and better image)

( after a dozen of 3.15 / 3.15.1 re-install)

 

hope 3.15.2 will satisfy us all

[brother love]

You don't need Xmos Windows driver for Ubuntu , just select "none" aka "native" vs "dop" on HQP settings and rock on DSD256 ...

 

I already had the SDM Pack set to "None". I installed the XMOS 3.34 driver on the subject PC Win 7, then copied the folder on Ubuntu documents folder. I kept playing around with stuff & got the DSD256 to stick on Ubuntu/ HQ Player/ DAC.

 

Best I could do with the i5 3.4 gHz PC was -xtr-2s filters, but it sounds great @ DSD256 ! The CPU processing is 33% overall & 50-60% for 2 of the 4 cores (-xtr indicated 99% & pretty much freezes up).

 

Only issue that I have now is that when I stop HQPlayer & start a new song, it pops pretty loud. This doesn't occur when advancing tracks or initial song start-up. So for now, I mute the sound if I stop a song & cllick on another, then un-mute.

 

Next step is to set-up the Mac Mini as a NAA.

[ericuco]

I already had the SDM Pack set to "None". I installed the XMOS 3.34 driver on the subject PC Win 7, then copied the folder on Ubuntu documents folder. I kept playing around with stuff & got the DSD256 to stick on Ubuntu/ HQ Player/ DAC.

 

Best I could do with the i5 3.4 gHz PC was -xtr-2s filters, but it sounds great @ DSD256 ! The CPU processing is 33% overall & 50-60% for 2 of the 4 cores (-xtr indicated 99% & pretty much freezes up).

 

Only issue that I have now is that when I stop HQPlayer & start a new song, it pops pretty loud. This doesn't occur when advancing tracks or initial song start-up. So for now, I mute the sound if I stop a song & cllick on another, then un-mute.

 

Next step is to set-up the Mac Mini as a NAA.

 

If you have 4 cores, why not use Pipeline? This will spread out load equally across all 4 cores.

 

As for the pop, this is a common issue when using Linux with many DACs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[brother love]

Thanks ericuco, I totally forgot to check SDM pipeline. i5-4670k w/ -xtr-2s & DSD256, now seeing 25 - 40% across all 4 cores (-xtr filter loads now, but still stutters). Bummer to hear about pops with Linux & some DACs.

[ferenc]

....And this popping noise is really terrible if you have an active speaker like I have...

 

I can use the gain only in the lowest setting, otherwise I can kill the tweeters sooner or later... It is really annoying as it is on full blast on the output iFi iDSD micro, independent of the volume of the DAC. It much less loud with the RME ADI 2 Pro, there is a huge difference between the two pops. iFi should have to deal with it.

 

 

If you have 4 cores, why not use Pipeline? This will spread out load equally across all 4 cores.

 

As for the pop, this is a common issue when using Linux with many DACs.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Computer Audiophile

[arglebargle]

@ferenc If possible on your distro try a 4.10 Linux kernel, or if adventurous try a patch See here. No more pops on my iFi dac with native playback. Miska also compiles some kernels with patches for DSD but I don't use and I'm not sure what all is included, best to ask him.

[Outlaw]

Really need help.Running HQPLAYER with Roon and using Nuc for naa.Have had this issue many times.Cant play Hqplayer on its own or with Roon.Can use Roon by itself and everything works fine.All that happens when I try to use Hqplayer the play button is grey and the pause button flashes.Before I would do a reset of the pc reload everything then it would work.This time no go.This pc is just used for HQplayer and Roon ???.

[ferenc]

Thanks for the advise, I am using Cubox and Hummingboard with NAA with the latest NAA Arm images. So I think I need to wait until the patched versions will be downloadable from Sygnalist. There is a problem with Cubox/Hummingboard NAA imgs and RME ADI 2 Pro as well, there is some periodic noise above 700k Hz and at 512x DSD sampling rate roughly in every 30 seconds. The RME has a very quiet popping but does not work above the mentioned sampling rates, iFi Micro iDSD works up the highest sample rates but there is the terrible popping noise...

 

@ferenc If possible on your distro try a 4.10 Linux kernel, or if adventurous try a patch See here. No more pops on my iFi dac with native playback. Miska also compiles some kernels with patches for DSD but I don't use and I'm not sure what all is included, best to ask him.

[arglebargle]

Thanks for the advise, I am using Cubox and Hummingboard with NAA with the latest NAA Arm images. So I think I need to wait until the patched versions will be downloadable from Sygnalist.

 

Ah yeah in the case of network play its wholly dependent on what the NAA is running. I've got a homebrewed NAA running Debian Stretch. With 4.9.6 unpatched, I get the dreaded full volume pop with my iFi iDAC2. With 4.10, or a patched 4.9 it's quiet every time. Took me a while to not ride the volume control on track changes worrying about that sound.

 

Edit to add: with these patches, I do still get one loud pop when the NAA is brought up, but then none unless it is rebooted.

[lmitche]

i don't focus on cymbals but 3.15.1 sounds better for me doing 44,1pcm / DSD 512

with polysync , adsm7 512s ( more body to the sounds and better image)

( after a dozen of 3.15 / 3.15.1 re-install)

 

hope 3.15.2 will satisfy us all

I agree, 3.15.1 at DSD512 sounds great here. I also reinstalled 3.15, but it didn't stay in very long.

[Miska]

there is a huge difference between the two pops. iFi should have to deal with it.

 

Do you have 5.2 firmware in your Micro? I just flashed 5.2 to my iDAC2 also, because I noticed it had 5.0...