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6 hours ago, Bob Stern said:

With polyphase sinc filtering, the computation complexity (CPU load) is identical regardless of whether the output sample rate is an integer multiple?

 

It depends on the case, for some cases it makes a go/no-go difference and for those cases the setting is good. But those cases are fairly rare in the end, since it mostly that means DSD output and most DACs out there unfortunately don't seem to support 48k-base DSD rates... So for DSD output in most cases auto rate family needs to be off anyway.

 

Roughly once in a day I'm answering email why playback to DSD output fails for 96k content (which is now becoming more common due to Tidal/Qobuz)...

 

And the no rate family, but "auto" rate setting is also troublesome for the same DSD output cases if one selects for example closed-form filter and then encounters 48/96/192k content on anything else than ASIO backend, because then again it is switching to 48k-base DSD rate - and DAC goes silent or plays incorrectly. If the limit is set to 44.1k x256 it ends up picking 48k x128 which is below the limit but non-functional. And all this trouble is because DAC advertises 48k-base rates, but doesn't support those.

 

This rate adjustment stuff seems to be a bit of pain point and hard to solve, I think I'll rename the setting and make it tri-state and default to a middle setting which behaves like setting rate to "Auto".

 

And to deal with DACs that advertise 48k-base, but don't support it, I think I need to introduce a new setting "my DAC supports 48k-base DSD" that defaults to off, to only explicitly enable those DSD rates.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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6 hours ago, lucretius said:

Sadly, the system tray applet for ASIO4ALL only appears when the driver is loaded, which is too late.  However, accessing the driver's control panel within the player application can be down while setting up the audio connections for the application and ASIO4ALL configuration settings can be saved -- no need for the useless system tray applet.

 

It's been so long since I last used ASIO4ALL that I don't remember this all. So it has same problem in that case too. Most device drivers start their system tray applet at bootup time (which is sometimes also annoying - I have quite many of such) so it is not a problem for those.

 

Is it possible to just start some playback from ASIO4ALL and then do the configuration through system tray applet if it would then remember that later?

 

For WASAPI inputs I've now added support for Shared Mode running at Mix Format in case Exclusive mode with actual hardware format fails. I still need to test it... A bit of mystery to me why the loopback devices seem to be happy to advertise various formats through IsFormatSupported() for Exclusive mode but then fail when attempt to use such is made... Hopefully this would now fix the case for the loopback devices...

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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9 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Can you describe a case that doesn't work in 4 but works in 3? In this respect the two are supposed to behave the same. Note that of course to compare you need to play exactly same content too.

 

 

Closed-form works in 3 with un-checked auto rate, does not work in 4. The same album, all other settings the same. With auto rate checked all plays well.

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2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

What is your output rate request in main window?

 

Do not know what is output rate request)

 

3 - auto selected for output rate in main window. Each output rate selected instead of auto –  44.1k, 88.2k, 176.4 with closed-format plays ok. Format 44.1 / 16 / 2 - 176.4k - plays with both auto rate selected or deselected in preferences.

 

4 - nothing would be selected in main window, format 44.1 / 16 / 2 - 176.4k  - when auto rate de-selected in preferences file doesn't play with closed-filter.

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12 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Can you email me log file of full playback session attempt where selected input is not the same device as output?

 

Sorry, no mail on this computer.

 

Hope the new log will help. You won't believe how many hours I spend to make it work... it took me 2 days for the Sierra update because my old El Capitan was not supported by HQP4

HQPlayer4Desktop.log

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12 hours ago, Miska said:

You likely have output sampling rate set to "auto" in HQPlayer main window? So it essentially does auto rate family. The small semantic difference exists only when the filter can convert between rate families in which case it would give you 192k in those cases and 176.4k in cases when not.

Yes, I do indeed have the have output sampling rate set to "auto" in HQPlayer main window.  OK, now this makes sense and explains why I thought V 4.1 was behaving differently.  Good, now I understand.

 

 

12 hours ago, Miska said:

You can still get the same result by setting active rate request to "auto" from HQPlayer Client. It is just not the default at the moment. Instead active rate request defaults to the set default value (limit in case of auto rate family). :)

This I do not understand!  I am using SOtM's Eunhasu and feeding a sMS-200Ultra.  So I presume I cannot set active rate request to "auto" from HQPlayer Client?  If I can, I have no idea how to do this?  To be honest, this is not really and issue.  Now I understand the impact of the "auto" setting in the old  main window, I can get everything set up and working as I want anyway.

Windows 11 PC, Roon, HQPlayer, Focus Fidelity convolutions, iFi Zen Stream, Paul Hynes SR4, Mutec REF10, Mutec MC3+USB, Devialet 1000Pro, KEF Blade.  Plus Pro-Ject Signature 12 TT for playing my 'legacy' vinyl collection. Desktop system; RME ADI-2 DAC fs, Meze Empyrean headphones.

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HQP4 is certainly a step up in SQ over the previous version.

The sound is more expansive with more distinctive reverb trail-offs , provides more insight into the recordings, since it unearths layers upon layers of low-level detail  and also sounds more dynamic with more overall kick and clear differentiation in the attack of plucked and picked instruments.

I have installed server only and I control everything via HQPD Control.

Suits my needs just fine and works like  a charm...

Congrats, Jussi!

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Totally agree with you once I got my version to work...

HQ Player (#1) & Audrivana (#2) (wow! love the Apple w/music!!) .. these two software make my system "Amazing!", Purist USB- Benchmark DAC2 HGC (love it!), Purist Audio XLR , ATC SCM25A's (To Die For!) & Focal sub6 . Triode Power Cables with Uber Buss (Yes!) Also enjoy Audeze LCD3 w/"fat pipe cardas."

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13 minutes ago, tedwoods said:

HQP4 is certainly a step up in SQ over the previous version.

The sound is more expansive with more distinctive reverb trail-offs , provides more insight into the recordings, since it unearths layers upon layers of low-level detail  and also sounds more dynamic with more overall kick and clear differentiation in the attack of plucked and picked instruments.

I have installed server only and I control everything via HQPD Control.

Suits my needs just fine and works like  a charm...

Congrats, Jussi!

 

I couldn't agree more.  It look me listening to approximately half a track to realise just what a jump in quality the new release delivers.  The first thing I noticed was improvements to bass extension and definition, and then with the ability to select the MQA filters for high rez music, how much more relaxed the music sounds.

 

Well worth the money, highly recommended, and I'm really happy to support Jussi and his excellent product.

 

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2 hours ago, craighartley said:

Miska,

 

This may be a stupid question, but if I am using another front end like Roon and not using Client and therefore never 'see' the main window, what does HQPlayer assume is 'set' in the main window??! 

Miska has said before that the settings from the settings page are the default beginning point so I assume the same is true in the 4 series. I too also use only Roon and no client. I see the default settings in the Roon playback chain so check yours.

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I immediately updated to HQP4 Desktop once I saw it was out there. Why? Cause I love HQP running with Roon on my windows 10PC. And it does sound really great and seems like an improvement over HQP3. I'm just not sure exactly how, but I'm curious. Maybe Jussi can elaborate. Is it in the filter, or the dither? My settings (attached) sound perfect for my PCM only DAC.

Just sharing the love!

 

Spence

HQPlayer4Settings_REVISED_042719.jpg

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Quote

And it does sound really great and seems like an improvement over HQP3. I'm just not sure exactly how, but I'm curious. Maybe Jussi can elaborate. Is it in the filter, or the dither? My settings (attached) sound perfect for my PCM only DAC.

 

or perhaps we want it strongly to justify the extra cost

improvement in audio is so subjective  ,   the extra features are not  and the new input device is  really a cool thing 😉

PC audio /Roon + HQPLAYER / HOLO Spring 2 / / DIY AD1 SET tube amp  /  DIY Altec 2 way horn Speaker

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2 minutes ago, juanitox said:

 

or perhaps we want it strongly to justify the extra cost

improvement in audio is so subjective  ,   the extra features are not  and the new input device is  really a cool thing 😉

 

Could someone explain what the input device means? I use Roon to feed HQ Player. My output is ASIO. Does input device matter in this scenario?  I posted my settings above. Just curious what input device does.

 

Thanks,

Spence

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Miska, I upgraded to 4.0.1 last night and have a few issues:

 

1. In Ubuntu (Gnome) 18.04.2 LTS, the multimedia keys on my Corsair keyboard still do not work. (They didn't work in version 3 either!). Is this going to be fixed anytime soon? The keys work fine in music apps like Deadbeef, gMusicbrowser, and Quod Libet.

 

2. Installation of HQP 4 gives me 3 different versions of the desktop app: Desktop - Desktop (OS Style)  and Desktop (Hi DPI). As far as I can tell, they all look and work the same so why are there 3 different listings in Gnome?

 

3. HQP 3 had an icon at the top which, when clicked, started the Client GUI. As a matter of fact, HQP3 lately, automatically starts the desktop and Client GUI together. HQP4 does not have this button and the Client has to be started manually. Can the missing button be returned or a setting added to start the desktop and client together?

 

4. HQP4 when outputting PCM over DSD (DSD128 or DSD256) has a problem for me: when I press the 'stop' button. I get a moderately loud, high pitched squeal out of my speakers for a split second. This never happens in version 3. Pressing 'pause' does not exhibit this behavior. My DAC is a W4S DAC-2 ver.2 SE.

 

5a. When I start the Client4 GUI it defaults to my machine name rather than 'localhost' . It doesn't remember 'localhost' as my preferred setting, so every time I start HQP4 I have to manually switch to 'localhost' so that it can correctly discover my local music library. I don't run HQP4 over a network, everything is one one machine.

 

5b. Sometimes the Client4 GUI freezes (the progress bar and all the other time incrementing and track changing features of the GUI do not work even though the music is playing correctly and changing tracks.

 

Thanks for any help is resolving the above.

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1 hour ago, Nikko1960 said:

 

I couldn't agree more.  It look me listening to approximately half a track to realise just what a jump in quality the new release delivers.  The first thing I noticed was improvements to bass extension and definition, and then with the ability to select the MQA filters for high rez music, how much more relaxed the music sounds.

 

 

I'm confused about these posts that mention a jump in SQ with the new release. Is the SQ improvement the result of new filters that people are using that weren't available in V3.x? If so, I look forward to seeing for myself. But if people are using the same filters as they used in V3.x and are still reporting an increase in SQ, does this mean that the bitstream being delivered to the DAC somehow changed between versions? If not, how might one explain the difference in SQ that they are hearing?

CAPS Pipeline with HDPlex Linear PSU running Win10 64 bit, AO 2.0, RoonServer, HQPlayer -> T+A DAC8 DSD -> Linear Tube Audio's MicroZOTL2 Headphone Amp with Mojo Audio's Illuminati Linear PSU -> Focal Utopia/Audeze LCD-3

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2 minutes ago, EdmontonCanuck said:

 

I'm confused about these posts that mention a jump in SQ with the new release. Is the SQ improvement the result of new filters that people are using that weren't available in V3.x? If so, I look forward to seeing for myself. But if people are using the same filters as they used in V3.x and are still reporting an increase in SQ, does this mean that the bitstream being delivered to the DAC somehow changed between versions? If not, how might one explain the difference in SQ that they are hearing?

Some candidates include:

* more efficient code

* less code

* better noise isolation (i.e same filters just better)

* better use of each OS

* magic

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7 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

3 - auto selected for output rate in main window. Each output rate selected instead of auto –  44.1k, 88.2k, 176.4 with closed-format plays ok. Format 44.1 / 16 / 2 - 176.4k - plays with both auto rate selected or deselected in preferences.

 

4 - nothing would be selected in main window, format 44.1 / 16 / 2 - 176.4k  - when auto rate de-selected in preferences file doesn't play with closed-filter.

 

Yes, the "Auto" setting in main window on 3 is very similar to "auto rate family" and with closed-form it behaves the same. 4 also has that setting in the client, but it is not the default at the moment, instead default is the rate seleced in preferences. Only difference is for filters that can do conversion between rate families (closed-form cannot).

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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7 hours ago, chriss0212 said:

Sorry, no mail on this computer.

 

Hope the new log will help. You won't believe how many hours I spend to make it work... it took me 2 days for the Sierra update because my old El Capitan was not supported by HQP4

HQPlayer4Desktop.log 85.51 kB · 1 download

 

Here selected input and output devices are still the same:

  2019/05/01 12:21:45 CoreAudio input device: Orpheus (1461) (64) - Prism Media 
Products

 2019/05/01 12:21:45 CoreAudio input selected device: 64

 

  2019/05/01 12:21:56 CoreAudio output device: Orpheus (1461) (64) - Prism Media
 Products

  2019/05/01 12:21:56 CoreAudio output selected device: 64
 

Another problem:

  2019/05/01 12:21:56 Output set channels: 8 (8)

  2019/05/01 12:21:56 CoreAudio output number of streams: 6

 

And actually format listings show only stereo streams.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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