HQ Player

[Miska]

6 hours ago, Sevenfeet said:

In order to do this, I decided for the hardware approach and hooked up a spare Apple Airport Express to the Toslink input on the Mac Pro that is my current HQPlayer machine.

 

This should also work fine with Google's Chromecast Audio dongle (discontinued, but many shops still have these).

 

Both devices anyway allow easy playback from mobile devices, from applications like Spotify as well, in addition to playing from Tidal app. Quite inexpensive way to broaden sources and allow use of various iOS/Android apps.

 

[Sigi]

Can somebody help me with the client feature of version 4?

1. Will I have to install loopback feature?

2. Or Hyper V?

3. If so, how can I start the client?

 

[LoryWiv]

47 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I'm not aware of any DAC that would do such conversion. So either they support 48k-base DSD, or they put out wrong audio or silence.

 

With 4.0.2 onwards, even if you select rate / limit of 48k x256, HQPlayer won't send that out unless you also tick the "48k DSD" check box. I added this to avoid somewhat common problems of falling back to unsupported rate with some filter choices or such.

 

Got it, and very helpful. I believe my DAC (Matrix X-Sabre Pro) does support 48k-based DSD. Do the screen captures below support that conclusion? Most importantly, playback sound quality with these settings is outstanding.

 

 

[Miska]

15 minutes ago, LoryWiv said:

Got it, and very helpful. I believe my DAC (Matrix X-Sabre Pro) does support 48k-based DSD. Do the screen captures below support that conclusion? Most importantly, playback sound quality with these settings is outstanding.

 

 

 

Yes, if that sounds correct, then it obviously does!

 

[Sigi]

Hi Jussi,

after fooling around for some time I discovered that the client works well in win 10!

Is there a way to make it work in win 2012R2?

Thanks in advance for your help

cheers

Sigi

[Sigi]

Sorry, on a second PC with win2012 R2 it works! 

[tobes]

@MiskaI've just bought a licence for HQP4 (decided there's some things I prefer to HQP3) and using on my Mac running Mojave 10.14.4.

For some reason I continually get the pop-up asking me to allow incoming network connections - even though I've allowed this in my firewall settings. I've tried removing it from the firewall list and re-adding, but still get the nag pop-up. Any idea why?

 

I googled the problem and found this:

"Some apps check their own integrity when they are opened without using code signing. If the firewall recognizes such an app it doesn't sign it. Instead, it the "Allow or Deny" dialog appears every time the app is opened. This can be avoided by upgrading to a version of the app that is signed by its developer."

 

BTW the nag pop-up is happening for both the client and player apps.

[Munchoba]

@Miska,

Hi,

I am looking for a registration key for my HQPlayer. I sent you an email last week with the order number.

I am setting up a new Mac Mini and have nothing to prove I'be bought it!

thanks

 

[lucretius]

On 5/10/2019 at 9:05 PM, lucretius said:

When Roon is the source, I cannot get HQPlayer to upsample to DSD256.  You can see from my settings below that DSD is the Default Output Mode:

 

Problem solved thanks to Miska's gracious help.  It turns out I had to disable my DAC within Roon.  I feel kind of stupid.  Anyway, thanks Miska.

[Matty70]

On 5/14/2019 at 12:28 AM, Miska said:

 

You know, I hate these kind of statements, because it doesn't describe what is missing from this "minimalist" Client? I don't particularly "love" it, it has been created because before that the user interface was called "ugly" and "stone age". I have been trying to create something better. And I can try to improve things, but it is very hard if the only information is "minimalist", "ugly", "loved-only-by-him".

 

 

 

I'm starting to really love the Client 😊

At first I was unsure, if I could have any use of it, but now I understood the benefit for me.

 

I do all my audio processing on computers, which are outside of my listening room.

And I use a Windows tablet for remote controlling the audio applications.

So a windows client which remotely controls my HQPlayer from this tablet makes perfect sense for me.

 

I use Roon, HQPlayer and AcourateConvolver. Until now I can't do without any of these applications.

 

Roon gives me the best user experience of all music players.

HQPlayer has the most sophisticated upsampling.

AcourateConvolver is best for easily switching between different room correction filters and has interesting additional features.

 

All three allow to adjust the volume inside of the remote application.

But from my point of view the handling of the volume control in Roon and as well in the AcourateConvolver web frontend is inconvenient.

The new HQPlayer client basically offers the best approach for me.

 

Quote

And I can try to improve things, but it is very hard if the only information is "minimalist", "ugly", "loved-only-by-him".

 

If I had a wish free, I would ask for a volume control button/slider which would be a bit more prominent, means a little bigger.

When using Roon to feed HQPlayer, there is plenty of unused space  in the Client (no Album Cover, title  etc.) ans some  buttons without function.

I'd prefer to use more space for the basic functions, especially the volume control, which would make them easier accessable with a quick gesture.

 

Best regards

Matthias

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, tobes said:

@MiskaI've just bought a licence for HQP4 (decided there's some things I prefer to HQP3) and using on my Mac running Mojave 10.14.4.

For some reason I continually get the pop-up asking me to allow incoming network connections - even though I've allowed this in my firewall settings. I've tried removing it from the firewall list and re-adding, but still get the nag pop-up. Any idea why?

 

I don't know, the macOS firewall seems to be a bit dummy and get confused when application is listening on dynamic ports instead of static ones. I have firewall turned off and get no nagging complaints from macOS. Only about access for microphone (related to audio inputs), but that happens only once.

 

3 hours ago, tobes said:

I googled the problem and found this:

"Some apps check their own integrity when they are opened without using code signing. If the firewall recognizes such an app it doesn't sign it. Instead, it the "Allow or Deny" dialog appears every time the app is opened. This can be avoided by upgrading to a version of the app that is signed by its developer."

 

HQPlayer application is signed though...

 

[Miska]

8 hours ago, Sigi said:

after fooling around for some time I discovered that the client works well in win 10!

Is there a way to make it work in win 2012R2?

 

I really don't know about server versions, only 64-bit Windows 10 is officially supported.

 

But generally you need a proper OpenGL support, but not much else.

 

[volpone]

On 5/14/2019 at 7:30 PM, JTS said:

I just updated to 4.02 and I am experiencing an issue with the volume control in DSD mode. With the volume up full in the desktop interface, I get a very quiet output when using DSD.

 

If I change the Vol Min settings to -3dB in the preferences everything works fine - the volume is fixed at -3dB. Here is a cap of the settings with which I am experiencing this issue.

 

This issue does not happen in PCM, nor did I experience it in 4.01.

 

+1, same issue with 4.02 volume control (DSD). OK with Vol Min set to -3dB.

ROON > HQP4 > NAA > USB > DAC

[Miska]

42 minutes ago, volpone said:

+1, same issue with 4.02 volume control (DSD). OK with Vol Min set to -3dB.

ROON > HQP4 > NAA > USB > DAC

 

How is the volume knob when that happens? I have not seen such happening here, so would need to figure out what is different and be able to reproduce...

 

 

Edit: nevermind, I think I know why this happens, hopefully fixed for next release...

[JTS]

23 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

How is the volume knob when that happens? I have not seen such happening here, so would need to figure out what is different and be able to reproduce... 

 

 

The volume knob does not go red. I can move it up and down with no change to the volume.  I had a moment yesterday, while playing with filters, in which it worked correctly - the volume appeared red and I could not move it. This went away, though.

 

Edit. Just saw your edit. Great!

[lucretius]

On 5/13/2019 at 6:46 PM, Miska said:

But otherwise that is a little like what was in Desktop v3. I just consider it better to collapse artists/albums/tracks into tree model where you can expand the items as you want and filter the tree based on given criteria(s).

 

 

Can we vote on it? ☺️

 

I prefer the traditional tracks listing (at least for one view) like Roon, Audirvana Plus for Windows, JRiver Media Center, and iTunes.  

[Outlaw]

Wondering if anyone else is having this issue.I use Roon with Hqplayer on same windows 10 PC.Use a intel nuc as a NAA device.When i use HQPlayer either on its own or with Roon when i hit pause or stop music will continue to play up to 10 seconds.The playbar will stop but music continues on its own.If I use Roon by itself I don't have this issue ? This happens with either HQPlayer 3 and with trial of 4.

[tobes]

5 hours ago, Miska said:

I don't know, the macOS firewall seems to be a bit dummy and get confused when application is listening on dynamic ports instead of static ones. I have firewall turned off and get no nagging complaints from macOS. Only about access for microphone (related to audio inputs), but that happens only once.

 

Yes turning the Firewall off will stop the notifications, but not sure that is a valid solution. No other apps appear to have this problem.

[lucretius]

On 5/14/2019 at 12:25 PM, Eugene Muzychenko said:

On 5/8/2019 at 2:31 AM, Miska said:

Maybe they didn't want to bother creating DLL/DPLL to generate proper virtual sample clock for the audio and thus don't support event driven WASAPI mode at all.

What exactly do you mean by the "generate proper virtual sample clock"? Kernel Streaming drivers don't need to expose internal clocks directly. They must respond to current stream position requests, VAC does that. VAC also generates notification events if requested, so event-driven mode is fully supported.

 

The only thing that could affect stream timing precision is that VAC reports position change only after the appropriate data portion has been actually transferred. For example, if event period (ms per int) is 3, stream position is updated every 3 milliseconds. Within this period, repeated position requests will return the same value.

 

@Miska Any chance of working with @Eugene Muzychenko to get HQPlayer to support Exclusive Mode for Virtual Audio Cable?

 

That would really be something!  Thanks.

[tobes]

I don't require any fancy library sorting functions - I checked out that Swinsian app and just seems cluttered to me -  but there is an annoyance with the HQP sorting that is carried over from HQP3. Albums are sorted by composer (desirable for classical listeners?) rather than artist meaning artist albums can be spread all over the place.

For example these listings for Alt-j are in 3 places:

 

or this Patricia Barber album is under Sonny Bono:

 

None of my other player library managers have this issue.

[tobes]

Don't know if this has been mentioned but the 'long press' on album tiles pop up in the Client does not bring up the functionality described in the manual - i.e. the ability to play immediately or add to the queue like below (from manual):

 

I get only this - no buttons for play or queue (at least with OSX 10.14.4):

 

[Miska]

On 5/14/2019 at 7:25 PM, Eugene Muzychenko said:

What exactly do you mean by the "generate proper virtual sample clock"? Kernel Streaming drivers don't need to expose internal clocks directly. They must respond to current stream position requests, VAC does that. VAC also generates notification events if requested, so event-driven mode is fully supported.

 

The only thing that could affect stream timing precision is that VAC reports position change only after the appropriate data portion has been actually transferred. For example, if event period (ms per int) is 3, stream position is updated every 3 milliseconds. Within this period, repeated position requests will return the same value.

 

OK, then it should work. What I meant by virtual clock is correct timing of the notification events. HQPlayer always uses WASAPI event driven mode, either exclusive or shared as fallback for input. Position query is not used because it is unnecessary.

 

A bit of mystery then what is going wrong. I'll try to find time at some point to try it out myself.

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, tobes said:

Don't know if this has been mentioned but the 'long press' on album tiles pop up in the Client does not bring up the functionality described in the manual - i.e. the ability to play immediately or add to the queue like below (from manual):

 

I get only this - no buttons for play or queue (at least with OSX 10.14.4):

 

 

OK, strange, rendering those SVG buttons is failing for some reason... I'll check it out if I can reproduce the problem.

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, tobes said:

I don't require any fancy library sorting functions - I checked out that Swinsian app and just seems cluttered to me -  but there is an annoyance with the HQP sorting that is carried over from HQP3. Albums are sorted by composer (desirable for classical listeners?) rather than artist meaning artist albums can be spread all over the place.

For example these listings for Alt-j are in 3 places:

 

or this Patricia Barber album is under Sonny Bono:

 

None of my other player library managers have this issue.

 

Ahh, for WAV files that is likely because of metadata misuse of TPE2 ID3v2 tag for "album artist" tag which is described as

Quote

TPE2
   The 'Band/Orchestra/Accompaniment' frame is used for additional
   information about the performers in the recording.

in the standard. Maybe I just need to give up trying to stick to the standard...

 

[Miska]

4 hours ago, lucretius said:

 

@Miska Any chance of working with @Eugene Muzychenko to get HQPlayer to support Exclusive Mode for Virtual Audio Cable?

 

That would really be something!  Thanks.

 

Sure, I will try it at some point. Been way too busy fixing other reported problems that touch more or less all platforms. But I'm happy if he can try it out with HQPlayer and has some idea what is going wrong...