HQ Player

[Hoang Anh]

I want to ask old quadro card like this one https://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-4000-us.html

will have any benenefit when running CUDA offload since it has Double Precisision very good. And price is very low (about 150$)

Gigaflops (Single Precision)	486.4
Gigaflops (Double Precision)	243.2

[Nikhil]

41 minutes ago, LoryWiv said:

Respectfully, I like the screen minimalist / uncluttered as is, without too much to distract from the prominently displayed album art. In the current version, standard and full screen can both be active simultaneously. This allows an easy toggle to check filter, modulator etc... w/o having to close full screen as was the case in  prior versions.

 

The whole point of using HQPlayer are the filter options and upsampling strategies.

I would like to see what is the setup in place while listening to the music without having to stop playback and check the settings.

 

Maybe a check box option in the setup to display filter setup or not would keep both sides happy.

 

 

[Miska]

1 hour ago, Hoang Anh said:

I want to ask old quadro card like this one https://www.nvidia.com/object/product-quadro-4000-us.html

will have any benenefit when running CUDA offload since it has Double Precisision very good. And price is very low (about 150$)

Gigaflops (Single Precision)	486.4
Gigaflops (Double Precision)	243.2

 

It is very old architecture, Fermi-based. So it is likely not as fast in practice as those simple figures could lead to believe. One could of course try because it is inexpensive, but I have some doubts. Nvidia has been improving architectures in many ways over the generations, for example multitasking performance which is also important.

 

I'm personally waiting for the RTX 2000-series. Titan V had promising figures, so if they didn't again cripple the gaming cards it may be good series.

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, Nikhil said:

I have been using HQPlayer in Full Screen mode and found it quite nice.
Was wondering if you could add the information on Filters, Dither, Oversampling and Modulation on the Full Screen display?  

 

  

 

I think adding those as text lines to the side pane is fine, since there's quite a bit of empty space there and it doesn't take much...

[ghostke]

Hello, I need a litle advice from people who are using roon and hqplayer. I have yamaha rn803d. Now I bought and created litle mediaplayer with windows 10 and roon. I connected it using spidf cable to my yamaha. Roon is using wasapi so I hope it's bit perfect setup. Is hdplayer a good option to add to curent audio track?

[Hensema]

With my R2R dac I enjoy trying all the different kinds of oversampling. Poly sinc HB and closed form are my favorites. However, in the end i always go back to NOS. It literally sounds the least processed. Is it possible to develop a “oversampling light” which has some light filtering (not steep)? I don’t care that it will measure bad, as long as it’s a bit better than NOS.

[Nikhil]

2 hours ago, Hensema said:

With my R2R dac I enjoy trying all the different kinds of oversampling. Poly sinc HB and closed form are my favorites. However, in the end i always go back to NOS. It literally sounds the least processed. Is it possible to develop a “oversampling light” which has some light filtering (not steep)? I don’t care that it will measure bad, as long as it’s a bit better than NOS.

 

Each DAC sounds best with a particular sampling strategy.   I would recommend going with what sounds best.  

Try all the different approaches by all means but in the end if you find NOS the best just stick with it.

 

 

[LoryWiv]

12 hours ago, Nikhil said:

 

The whole point of using HQPlayer are the filter options and upsampling strategies.

I would like to see what is the setup in place while listening to the music without having to stop playback and check the settings.

 

Maybe a check box option in the setup to display filter setup or not would keep both sides happy.

 

 

Makes sense, agree.

[Miska]

9 hours ago, Hensema said:

With my R2R dac I enjoy trying all the different kinds of oversampling. Poly sinc HB and closed form are my favorites. However, in the end i always go back to NOS. It literally sounds the least processed. Is it possible to develop a “oversampling light” which has some light filtering (not steep)? I don’t care that it will measure bad, as long as it’s a bit better than NOS.

 

I recommend checking out the descriptions in the manual. But in "light filtering" category are especially in order of amount of filtering:

1) polynomial

2) IIR

3) minringFIR

4) poly-sinc-mqa

5) poly-sinc-short

 

There's already huge difference between these options...

 

One of the problems with NOS is HF roll-off above 10 kHz.

[LoryWiv]

19 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I think adding those as text lines to the side pane is fine, since there's quite a bit of empty space there and it doesn't take much...

I agree, ideally selectable option however as OP suggested. Reason is that it can be useful to resize HQP to a portion of screen while doing other work, and that compresses text in line with album art. It's in that usage scenario that fewer text lines may be preferred.

[sootshe]

I've just started using HQ & really love the sound & potential there.

 

I've got my head around some of the basics, but after reading about 30 pages in this thread, haven't come across any answers to my questions.....so.....

 

My settings are attached & I'm interested to try the DSD settings, but can't figure out how to do this.

 

Does my DAC have to be DSD capable??? I use a NAIM DAC & can update the firmware so that it will play DSD files. Should I do this?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

 

Screen Shot 2018-09-27 at 3.05.32 pm.png.pdf

[Miska]

3 hours ago, LoryWiv said:

I agree, ideally selectable option however as OP suggested. Reason is that it can be useful to resize HQP to a portion of screen while doing other work, and that compresses text in line with album art. It's in that usage scenario that fewer text lines may be preferred.

 

OK, true, I'll look into adding configuration option for it!

[Miska]

1 hour ago, sootshe said:

My settings are attached & I'm interested to try the DSD settings, but can't figure out how to do this.

 

On Mac you would select "DoP" as "SDM Pack" option to enable DSD output. But you need a DSD capable DAC that can understand it.

 

1 hour ago, sootshe said:

Does my DAC have to be DSD capable??? I use a NAIM DAC & can update the firmware so that it will play DSD files. Should I do this?

 

Yes, it needs to be...

 

This one?

https://www.naimaudio.com/product/dac

It is a true pure PCM DAC (BB PCM1704 R2R ladder chips) and DSD inputs are certainly converted to PCM first. So it is better to send PCM there instead of DSD... So not really worth updating the firmware for that use case. If you have DSD content, it is best to let HQPlayer convert it to PCM first before sending it to the DAC.

[sootshe]

   16 hours ago,  sootshe said: 

My settings are attached & I'm interested to try the DSD settings, but can't figure out how to do this.

 

On Mac you would select "DoP" as "SDM Pack" option to enable DSD output. But you need a DSD capable DAC that can understand it.

 

OK...can follow that.

 

   16 hours ago,  sootshe said: 

Does my DAC have to be DSD capable??? I use a NAIM DAC & can update the firmware so that it will play DSD files. Should I do this?

 

Yes, it needs to be...

 

This one? Yes, that is the DAC I have.

https://www.naimaudio.com/product/dac

It is a true pure PCM DAC (BB PCM1704 R2R ladder chips) and DSD inputs are certainly converted to PCM first. So it is better to send PCM there instead of DSD... So not really worth updating the firmware for that use case. If you have DSD content, it is best to let HQPlayer convert it to PCM first before sending it to the DAC.

 

I don't have any DSD files - they are all RedBook CD's - 16/44.1 - ripped to both WAV & AIFF.

I hear people talking about upsampling their files to DSD & getting much better SQ. but maybe that's not the best way to go with my DAC.

 

In short, I think your reply is that I shouldn't bother updating the firmware & use HQ in PCM mode???

 

Sorry to be a pain, but this is very foreign language to me & hard for me to get my head around. I have tried all the other major players - A+, Pure Music, Amarra & HQ is by far, easily the best sounding of them all. 

 

Thanks for your efforts. 

[Miska]

58 minutes ago, sootshe said:

 

In short, I think your reply is that I shouldn't bother updating the firmware & use HQ in PCM mode???

 

Yes, at least not for getting DSD support for use with HQPlayer. With HQPlayer better stick to PCM output mode in this case. The firmware update may bring some other benefits though, depending on what it exactly contains apart from DSD input support. But without knowing details of the update it is hard to say.

 

Your DAC is technically sort of rare piece these days in a way that it uses pure PCM throughout to the actual conversion stage. That's all fine, it just means that it is better used in PCM mode.

 

[sootshe]

17 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Yes, at least not for getting DSD support for use with HQPlayer. With HQPlayer better stick to PCM output mode in this case. The firmware update may bring some other benefits though, depending on what it exactly contains apart from DSD input support. But without knowing details of the update it is hard to say.

 

Your DAC is technically sort of rare piece these days in a way that it uses pure PCM throughout to the actual conversion stage. That's all fine, it just means that it is better used in PCM mode.

Thanks for the clarification, I really appreciate it.

 

The NAIM website says that the update for the DAC also gives improvements to the sound, so I don't think I've got anything to lose by doing the update.

 

Really enjoying the sound of HP & it will only continue to improve as I experiment with filters, etc. Where most of the other players are coloured in some way or other, I would describe HQ  as very neutral with fine rendition of detail & resolution & very smooth. Soundstaging is exceptional & contributes greatly to the listening experience. 

 

Many. many thanks.

17 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

 

[AnotherSpin]

2 hours ago, sootshe said:

   16 hours ago,  sootshe said: 

My settings are attached & I'm interested to try the DSD settings, but can't figure out how to do this.

 

In short, I think your reply is that I shouldn't bother updating the firmware & use HQ in PCM mode???

 

 

Both PCM and DSD (SDM) modes of HQP give great sound. My DAC supports DSD, but I use HQ Player in PCM mode with good results. 

[Le Concombre Masqué]

5 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

Both PCM and DSD (SDM) modes of HQP give great sound. My DAC supports DSD, but I use HQ Player in PCM mode with good results. 

With my DAC, PCM vs SDM is less smooth and that would suit Rob Watts position (I see you have a Chord); nevertheless my DAC (and probably yours) end up processing SDM 1 bit (as opposed to DAve that is multibit SDM) and in the end I trust HQP to do it better. I write "in the end I trust" for sound wise I could live with HQP outputing PCM with its bolder but less rich and less refined sound (with my DAC) and all that matters much less than F & T domains correction. So, on which sound characteristics do you take such a bold strategy?

[AnotherSpin]

2 hours ago, Le Concombre Masqué said:

With my DAC, PCM vs SDM is less smooth and that would suit Rob Watts position (I see you have a Chord); nevertheless my DAC (and probably yours) end up processing SDM 1 bit (as opposed to DAve that is multibit SDM) and in the end I trust HQP to do it better. I write "in the end I trust" for sound wise I could live with HQP outputing PCM with its bolder but less rich and less refined sound (with my DAC) and all that matters much less than F & T domains correction. So, on which sound characteristics do you take such a bold strategy?

 

I use mac mini to micro iDSD most of the time, Chord mojo is for in-ear set on the move. As I said earlier SDM sounds more polished and refined to me, while PCM gives more body, presence and immediacy. Also, SDM demands more resources, my old mac mini goes really hot and there are annoying sharp and loud click at the end of the album every time, I am worrying about my speakers...) I am trying to use filters which sound less "processed" to my ears, no dither. To tell it short, my present sound set is significant downshift since previous valve/ribbons years, and more simple choices give more optimal results with this ware.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

42 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

I use mac mini to micro iDSD most of the time, Chord mojo is for in-ear set on the move. As I said earlier SDM sounds more polished and refined to me, while PCM gives more body, presence and immediacy. Also, SDM demands more resources, my old mac mini goes really hot and there are annoying sharp and loud click at the end of the album every time, I am worrying about my speakers...) I am trying to use filters which sound less "processed" to my ears, no dither. To tell it short, my present sound set is significant downshift since previous valve/ribbons years, and more simple choices give more optimal results with this ware.

against the last sharp loud click I tend to add an extra track to the ones I plan to and do actually listen to

[Miska]

5 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

I use mac mini to micro iDSD most of the time, Chord mojo is for in-ear set on the move. As I said earlier SDM sounds more polished and refined to me, while PCM gives more body, presence and immediacy. Also, SDM demands more resources, my old mac mini goes really hot and there are annoying sharp and loud click at the end of the album every time, I am worrying about my speakers...) I am trying to use filters which sound less "processed" to my ears, no dither. To tell it short, my present sound set is significant downshift since previous valve/ribbons years, and more simple choices give more optimal results with this ware.

 

Do you have latest firmware on the micro iDSD? Because I haven't heard any clicks from in a long time...

 

With micro iDSD you should set DAC Bits to 24 and certainly use dither. Without dither you generate extra distortion...

 

[AnotherSpin]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Do you have latest firmware on the micro iDSD? Because I haven't heard any clicks from in a long time...

 

With micro iDSD you should set DAC Bits to 24 and certainly use dither. Without dither you generate extra distortion...

 

 

5.20. Bits set to default works better than 24. Dither adds some things which may work for modern processed music but I am listening to chamber and classic mostly.

[Miska]

1 hour ago, AnotherSpin said:

5.20. Bits set to default works better than 24. Dither adds some things which may work for modern processed music but I am listening to chamber and classic mostly.

 

Without dither you get distortion, with TPDF dither to 24-bit you get white noise at -144 dB level.  TPDF dither would sound like tape hiss, or FM radio between stations if you could hear it. But it is about 30 dB below micro iDSD's output noise level, so it gets completely buried in DAC's own noise.

 

Since the DAC chip in micro iDSD supports only 24-bit, but the USB interface claims 32-bit, with "Default" setting 32-bit is sent there and then 8 last bits are just truncated (cut out). Net result is same as setting dither to "none" in HQPlayer. If you leave the DAC Bits setting to "Default" and select dither in HQPlayer it doesn't have any effect because all the dither is lost in that truncation and result is practically same as setting "DAC Bits" to 24 and dither to "none" in HQPlayer. None of this of course matters if you use DSD output because that's always 1-bit...

 

micro iDSD in itself gives much better technical performance at DSD512 than with PCM inputs. For DSD inputs, I recommend setting it's filter to "Standard". With DSD inputs, the filter selector sets one of the analog filter configurations in the DAC chip. DAC chip itself has four analog filter configurations for DSD, while micro iDSD has only three switch positions, so you cannot select one of the filters. Note that when listening for differences between the filters, different filters have different output level. So switching the filter makes output level change even if you don't touch the volume control. There is of course also volume level difference between PCM and DSD outputs which needs to be taken into account when comparing the two.

 

There is also a bug in the micro iDSD firmware if you use it in PCM mode at 705.6/768k sampling rate. In such case, after starting up the DAC, you should first play either 352.8/384k PCM, or DSD, and only then switch to 705.6/768 rate. Otherwise it operates incorrectly and causes quite a bit of distortion...

 

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

Without dither you get distortion, with TPDF dither to 24-bit you get white noise at -144 dB level.  TPDF dither would sound like tape hiss, or FM radio between stations if you could hear it. But it is about 30 dB below micro iDSD's output noise level, so it gets completely buried in DAC's own noise.

 

Since the DAC chip in micro iDSD supports only 24-bit, but the USB interface claims 32-bit, with "Default" setting 32-bit is sent there and then 8 last bits are just truncated (cut out). Net result is same as setting dither to "none" in HQPlayer. If you leave the DAC Bits setting to "Default" and select dither in HQPlayer it doesn't have any effect because all the dither is lost in that truncation and result is practically same as setting "DAC Bits" to 24 and dither to "none" in HQPlayer. None of this of course matters if you use DSD output because that's always 1-bit...

 

micro iDSD in itself gives much better technical performance at DSD512 than with PCM inputs. For DSD inputs, I recommend setting it's filter to "Standard". With DSD inputs, the filter selector sets one of the analog filter configurations in the DAC chip. DAC chip itself has four analog filter configurations for DSD, while micro iDSD has only three switch positions, so you cannot select one of the filters. Note that when listening for differences between the filters, different filters have different output level. So switching the filter makes output level change even if you don't touch the volume control. There is of course also volume level difference between PCM and DSD outputs which needs to be taken into account when comparing the two.

 

There is also a bug in the micro iDSD firmware if you use it in PCM mode at 705.6/768k sampling rate. In such case, after starting up the DAC, you should first play either 352.8/384k PCM, or DSD, and only then switch to 705.6/768 rate. Otherwise it operates incorrectly and causes quite a bit of distortion...

 

 

Very informative, thank you!

[sootshe]

Some help with album art please.

 

I'm using a Mac with HQ Desktop.

 

I don't see any album art when I'm using "full screen/touch mode" & on the "album view" screen.

The album art for each album is there when I select play view.

 

Is this how the program is supposed to work?