HQ Player

[Miska]

1 minute ago, brightonjel said:

Just tried 4.0.3 (on latest Mac OS .. 10.14.15) but have found that I can no longer adjust the volume of the DAC from HQPlayer (or from Room).  Everything else seems to work ok.  Anyone else seeing the same issue?  Am using NAA (microrendu) over Ethernet as the back end.

 

There has never been possibility to adjust DAC's volume from HQPlayer, apart from HQPlayer Embedded. But HQPlayer's volume is there.

 

However, in latest release volume control policy has changed when "Direct SDM" is enabled in "DSD Source" settings dialog. Now it is globally disabled to a fixed value when Direct SDM is enabled to have more logical consistent behavior when format is set to "[source]".

 

So if you'd like to adjust volume from Roon (which can adjust HQPlayer's volume), please check that you have "Direct SDM" unchecked in "DSD Source" settings.

 

[brightonjel]

Ah ha - unchecking that box fixed it!  Didn't think to look there because I don't use DSD files or DSD upsampling much, if ever.

 

Thanks, Miska.

 

[brightonjel]

OK, here's what happened .. there was a dialogue box that appeared upon first install warning about volume and DirectDSD being checked, but it was hidden behind the splash screen on my laptop.  I noticed something when I first ran the .dmg process so decided to investigate further.  Reinstalled 4.0.3 but this time with a second screen attached, and this time saw the warning dialogue box come up.

[clang]

On 5/19/2019 at 1:43 PM, Miska said:

If you don't know the IP address, you can login as root and run "ifconfig" to see what address it has got from DHCP. From next release onwards, you can also check IP from the HQPlayer Client (included with HQPlayer 4 Desktop).

 

Where ? I have Client 4.0.3.

[LoryWiv]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 1:23 AM, Miska said:

 

Only modulator applies, and some of the settings from "DSD Sources" dialog. So the PCM-to-SDM filter restrictions shouldn't apply. I'll check this case that it is not unnecessarily applying the PCM filter limits.

 

Which of the settings from the "DSD Sources" dialogue apply when playing a DSD source file with DirectSDM unchecked?

[Yviena]

@Miska if i may make a suggestion, can you make it so we can prevent the volume control from crossing to the other side  when it's on the minimum settings, it recently happened to me, and i got quite a scare.

[Miska]

6 hours ago, Yviena said:

@Miska if i may make a suggestion, can you make it so we can prevent the volume control from crossing to the other side  when it's on the minimum settings, it recently happened to me, and i got quite a scare.

 

Only available option is to disable tracking feature, meaning that value is only set after releasing the mouse button (end of drag operation)... If you are adjusting large scale, it is safer to use buttons/keys/remote for adjusting the volume instead of mouse or touch screen which is always dangerous.

 

[Miska]

15 hours ago, LoryWiv said:

Which of the settings from the "DSD Sources" dialogue apply when playing a DSD source file with DirectSDM unchecked?

 

I hope it is now quite clearly labeled, with "SDM Integrator" and "SDM Conversion".

 

[Miska]

15 hours ago, clang said:

Where ? I have Client 4.0.3.

 

If you open the settings dialog, tool bar button with three horizontal lines.

 

[Lio_B]

I'm testing HQP4Desktop 4.0.3

 

On Mac OS 10.13.6

 

is normal that I never seen the top of the settings:

 

It always start with:

 

thanks

 

[luisma]

Hi Jussi don't know if this have been covered, just yesterday upgraded to the latest HQPe version, been doing only sdm for the last 8 months or so, tried the 48k dsd very nice, I decided after a long time to switch over to pcm, almost blow a Twitter, high pitched pink type noise with high spl, removed the 48 option and it is pcm fine now. What you think? Amanero tricks? The 48 k option doesn't seems to affect, man I thought these amanero glitches were passed behind me, getting a new dsp board in 3 weeks let's see 

 

[luisma]

Now one song closed form fast 384 next track closed form only 352, volume went up like 15 dB 

 

This is all pcm, will go back to just sdm, don't know if it is amanero or the update 

 

I'm using 

[LoryWiv]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I hope it is now quite clearly labeled, with "SDM Integrator" and "SDM Conversion".

 

Yes, it is, thank you for calling that out so clearly. Thanks for the clear explanation of wide versus narrow conversion. My limited understanding is that FIR integrator is linear phase whereas IIR is not, and that Cascade is a type of FIR filter.Any advice on which may preferred for classical, acoustic jazz, classic rock genres? I know  you are a pro and it's not possible to impart deep knowledge to those of us who are hobbyists, but in addition to listening experiments to select settings it is enriching to have your thoughts on the acoustical properties underlying these selections. Thank you!

[clang]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

If you open the settings dialog, tool bar button with three horizontal lines.

 

Do you mean the one near the lower right corner next to the volume button? When I click it, the screen shows Mode, Filter, Shaper and Rate values.

[Miska]

15 minutes ago, clang said:

Do you mean the one near the lower right corner next to the volume button? When I click it, the screen shows Mode, Filter, Shaper and Rate values.

 

In top left corner on second row you can see the server address, in this case "localhost".

 

[Miska]

58 minutes ago, LoryWiv said:

Yes, it is, thank you for calling that out so clearly. Thanks for the clear explanation of wide versus narrow conversion. My limited understanding is that FIR integrator is linear phase whereas IIR is not, and that Cascade is a type of FIR filter.Any advice on which may preferred for classical, acoustic jazz, classic rock genres? I know  you are a pro and it's not possible to impart deep knowledge to those of us who are hobbyists, but in addition to listening experiments to select settings it is enriching to have your thoughts on the acoustical properties underlying these selections. Thank you!

 

CIC is form of it's own, not really a FIR either. I would say in this case there's no clear reason to prefer one over another, otherwise I would have given some comments. IIR is the "standard" or "typical" way and good starting point (and also the default). It is just one of those "you can achieve similar result in many different ways" kind of things.

 

Overall difference in sonics should be pretty small, but it would be nice to hear opinions on what sounds good going from DSD64 to higher rates. I don't have a clear opinion myself. Technically, there's no simple answer.

 

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, luisma said:

Hi Jussi don't know if this have been covered, just yesterday upgraded to the latest HQPe version, been doing only sdm for the last 8 months or so, tried the 48k dsd very nice, I decided after a long time to switch over to pcm, almost blow a Twitter, high pitched pink type noise with high spl, removed the 48 option and it is pcm fine now. What you think? Amanero tricks? The 48 k option doesn't seems to affect, man I thought these amanero glitches were passed behind me, getting a new dsp board in 3 weeks let's see 

 

 

+1 - I had the same very loud and dangerous to speakers pink noise when was trying some settings. Can not tell whether it was 48 option or something else...

[AnotherSpin]

3 hours ago, Lio_B said:

I'm testing HQP4Desktop 4.0.3

 

On Mac OS 10.13.6

 

is normal that I never seen the top of the settings:

 

It always start with:

 

thanks

 

 

Looks like first pic is from Windows version.

[Miska]

1 hour ago, luisma said:

Hi Jussi don't know if this have been covered, just yesterday upgraded to the latest HQPe version, been doing only sdm for the last 8 months or so, tried the 48k dsd very nice, I decided after a long time to switch over to pcm, almost blow a Twitter, high pitched pink type noise with high spl, removed the 48 option and it is pcm fine now. What you think? Amanero tricks? The 48 k option doesn't seems to affect, man I thought these amanero glitches were passed behind me, getting a new dsp board in 3 weeks let's see 

 

There's a new Amanero firmware that people have been reporting to be glitch-free. I have not tested it myself yet...

 

I have done a lot of testing with original T+A DAC8 DSD firmware, ASIO driver and switching between different rates and PCM/DSD output, with 48k DSD option...

 

[Miska]

11 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

+1 - I had the same very loud and dangerous to speakers pink noise when was trying some settings. Can not tell whether it was 48 option or something else...

 

That option only enables/disables filtering out 48k-base DSD rates from the available ones. If you get some pink noise, it is either DAC misbehaving or something else.

 

Generally, the option is there and disabled by default, only to be enabled when one is certain that the DAC operates correctly at 48k-base DSD. Now by default HQPlayer doesn't anymore try to use 48k-base DSD even if DAC advertises such unless you specifically allow it. Just because of all the problems people have got with DACs that advertise 48k-base DSD but don't support it properly. This is primarily an issue on macOS and Linux. On Windows, ASIO drivers usually have this restriction built into the driver (instead of the hardware device).

 

IOW, if you are not sure your DAC really supports 48k-base DSD, don't enable that setting.

 

[clang]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

In top left corner on second row you can see the server address, in this case "localhost".

 

So is "localhost" the name to put in as host name in HQPDControl?  I did that and still get the message "connection refused". I then click "allow network control" in HQPlayer and got the same result.

[AnotherSpin]

16 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

That option only enables/disables filtering out 48k-base DSD rates from the available ones. If you get some pink noise, it is either DAC misbehaving or something else.

 

Generally, the option is there and disabled by default, only to be enabled when one is certain that the DAC operates correctly at 48k-base DSD. Now by default HQPlayer doesn't anymore try to use 48k-base DSD even if DAC advertises such unless you specifically allow it. Just because of all the problems people have got with DACs that advertise 48k-base DSD but don't support it properly. This is primarily an issue on macOS and Linux. On Windows, ASIO drivers usually have this restriction built into the driver (instead of the hardware device).

 

IOW, if you are not sure your DAC really supports 48k-base DSD, don't enable that setting.

 

 

As I told, I am not sure which setting I tried and changed when pink noise happened. Most probably it happened for the first time when I changed SDM conversion from wide to narrow. But it happened one or two times more in different circumstances. Never with 3x.

[LoryWiv]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

Overall difference in sonics should be pretty small, but it would be nice to hear opinions on what sounds good going from DSD64 to higher rates. I don't have a clear opinion myself. Technically, there's no simple answer.

 

Appreciated, and I've been unable to discern major differences as you note, will keep experimenting but stick with IIR as default setting..

[Miska]

1 hour ago, clang said:

So is "localhost" the name to put in as host name in HQPDControl?  I did that and still get the message "connection refused". I then click "allow network control" in HQPlayer and got the same result.

 

No, "localhost" is standard name to mean "same machine" with a special loop-back network interface (this is associated with 127.0.0.1 IPv4 address and ::1 IPv6 address). But you won't be running HQPDcontrol on the same machine as HQPlayer server is running on.

 

Client always shows "localhost" on the list, regardless if there is something or not. So it is better to look at anything else listed.

 

[craighartley]

Miska,

 

Is there a point at which lowering the level of the HQPlayer volume control starts to affect quality/resolution?

 

thanks

Craig