HQ Player

[Miska]

7 minutes ago, craighartley said:

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

 

Internally, you'll really need to try hard. But other than that, it largely depends on the output format and settings. In most normal cases you won't hit the limits.

 

If you output 44.1/16, you need to pay attention. But if you output for example 20-bit noise-shaped PCM at 1.5 MHz, or DSD256, you don't need to worry unless you begin to go much beyond -60 dB or so.

 

P.S. If there's a need for a lot of attenuation, there's a generic gain matching problem in the system and some later amp stage is having too much gain. It is counterproductive to have a lot of attenuation followed by lot of gain.

[LoryWiv]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

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

 

If that setting is disabled and DAC does not support 48-k base DSD but SDM setting in main dialogue for Bitrate (/ limit) is set to 48k x256, is the attached accurate that it is still sending SDM at 12.288M to the DAC? If so, does the Windows ASIO driver or DAC then process it further for compatibility?

[Miska]

1 minute ago, LoryWiv said:

If that setting is disabled and DAC does not support 48-k base DSD but SDM setting in main dialogue for Bitrate (/ limit) is set to 48k x256, is the attached accurate that it is still sending SDM at 12.288M to the DAC? If so, does the Windows ASIO driver or DAC then process it further for compatibility?

 

That shouldn't happen if "48k DSD" is unchecked. It is very unlikely that ASIO driver would do anything. DAC could do something, but with DSD it is unlikely though. In some cases like Holo Spring 1, DAC will play audio with 48k-base DSD rates, but too slow because it is actually using 44.1k clock.

 

[LoryWiv]

6 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

That shouldn't happen if "48k DSD" is unchecked. It is very unlikely that ASIO driver would do anything. DAC could do something, but with DSD it is unlikely though. In some cases like Holo Spring 1, DAC will play audio with 48k-base DSD rates, but too slow because it is actually using 44.1k clock.

 

Got it. So if I get proper sound output with 48 x256 (I do) that evidences my DAC does support it, correct?

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, LoryWiv said:

Got it. So if I get proper sound output with 48 x256 (I do) that evidences my DAC does support it, correct?

 

Yes, especially on Windows if it works through ASIO you can be pretty certain. Most DACs just go silent with 48k-base DSD if they don't support it. Some DACs play it slow with 44.1k clock. And some have noises (Mytek at 48k x256) or other indication of a problem. But usually these appear on macOS/Linux, especially when associated with DoP. If DAC supports PCM at 48k-base rates, there shouldn't be a reason why same base clock wouldn't work with DSD as well, but the problem seems to be common...

 

(with DoP, there's no way for a DAC to tell source "I support 44.1k and 48k base PCM, but only 44.1k base DSD")

 

[craighartley]

38 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Internally, you'll really need to try hard. But other than that, it largely depends on the output format and settings. In most normal cases you won't hit the limits.

 

If you output 44.1/16, you need to pay attention. But if you output for example 20-bit noise-shaped PCM at 1.5 MHz, or DSD256, you don't need to worry unless you begin to go much beyond -60 dB or so.

 

P.S. If there's a need for a lot of attenuation, there's a generic gain matching problem in the system and some later amp stage is having too much gain. It is counterproductive to have a lot of attenuation followed by lot of gain.

It would be at least DSD256 output, and usually DSD512. 

 

in relation to your last comment, you wouldn’t use it to eliminate the need for a ‘pre-amp’ (in my case passive transformer based attenuation)?

[Superdad]

Hi Jussi:

 

Please help out a Linux dummy. 

 

I have been happily using HQP Desktop macOS (on 27" 4GHz Retina iMac) to a highly tweaked NUC running AudioLinux as NAA.

 

I have spare a 2012 quad-core Mac mini that runs from external LPS (JS-2 natch).  I want to try running HQP Embedded on it.  So the HQP Embedded will run the DSP engine and feed the NAA, and I'll control from my desktop Mac.

 

Creating the bootable USB flash drive and booting HQPe on the mini was no problem.  And from web browser on iMac I have logged into HQPe, and it even sees the NAA and DAC on the network.

 

Where I am stuck is with regards the library and the client on the iMac on my desk.  To start I'd just like to get some tracks to play using your recently separated Client (and then later I'll ask about talking HQPe from some frontend more to my liking).

 

So first question is:

How do I get HQPe to create a Library based on a Mac drive (iTunes maintained library) attached to a computer on my desk?  Can I do that?  Or for test, can I put some files on a thumb drive and plug that into a USB port of the Mac mini that is running HQPe?  What drive format should that flash drive be to be easily seen by your Linux?

 

As importantly, how do I get the Client to "see" HQPe?

 

By the way, since I noticed you just released a new version of HQPe that is supposed to make it easier for your Client to see it, I just downloaded that and replaced the just prior one on my HQPe boot thumb drive.  Now that it is up, HQPe does not see my NAA/DAC on the network (and yes, I have Network Backend chosen).  I know it is there because my regular HQ Player Desktop macOS still sees the NAA when launch--I can play to it (and yes, I quit the Desktop so it would release the NAA).

 

Hope you can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

--Alex C.

 

 

 

 

[Account Closed]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

That shouldn't happen if "48k DSD" is unchecked. It is very unlikely that ASIO driver would do anything. DAC could do something, but with DSD it is unlikely though. In some cases like Holo Spring 1, DAC will play audio with 48k-base DSD rates, but too slow because it is actually using 44.1k clock.

 

Does the Spring 2 support 48K based DSD? I have one on order so need to know.

 

Thanks

[Superdad]

1 hour ago, Superdad said:

By the way, since I noticed you just released a new version of HQPe that is supposed to make it easier for your Client to see it, I just downloaded that and replaced the just prior one on my HQPe boot thumb drive.  Now that it is up, HQPe does not see my NAA/DAC on the network (and yes, I have Network Backend chosen).  I know it is there because my regular HQ Player Desktop macOS still sees the NAA when launch--I can play to it (and yes, I quit the Desktop so it would release the NAA).

 

Alternating between HQ Player Embedded disk images 4.9 and 4.10-- 4.9 finds the NAA>SingxerSU-1; 4.10 does not.  @Miska let me know if you want to see log files.

 

Still would just like to get one track to play.  Can't even figure out how to play a file from a thumb drive plugged directly into the HQPe machine. Choosing "Removable Media" on the Input screen and pressing Select just reverts to "Playlist."  And on Library screen there is no ability to browse local or network volumes to Scan and build a library.  I don't know what the path "/run/media/sdb1" should be changed to get at a drive.

 

And if I launch Client on my desktop screen, typing the HQP Embedded's IP address into the top-left bar (in place of localhost) does nothing.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

Can't find 4.10, not even here : https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/hqplayerd/images/

[Outlaw]

7 minutes ago, Le Concombre Masqué said:

Can't find 4.10, not even here : https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/hqplayerd/images/

I see it about half way down the list

[Le Concombre Masqué]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Alternating between HQ Player Embedded disk images 4.9 and 4.10-- 4.9 finds the NAA>SingxerSU-1; 4.10 does not.  @Miska let me know if you want to see log files.

 

Still would just like to get one track to play.  Can't even figure out how to play a file from a thumb drive plugged directly into the HQPe machine. Choosing "Removable Media" on the Input screen and pressing Select just reverts to "Playlist."  And on Library screen there is no ability to browse local or network volumes to Scan and build a library.  I don't know what the path "/run/media/sdb1" should be changed to get at a drive.

 

And if I launch Client on my desktop screen, typing the HQP Embedded's IP address into the top-left bar (in place of localhost) does nothing.

I'll be very interested by your findings.

 

I have the same issues + a lack of ports* on my MBP that makes me run slow to try embedded while on the other hand it would be so much more logical than running a WS 2012 bootcamp for HQP only...

* especially since none of the 3 SD cards I tried has accepted to boot. They keep looping on a hardware writing timeout. They flashed the image OK though (more or less, less than the usb key). Would you have a trick to share?

[Miska]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

Alternating between HQ Player Embedded disk images 4.9 and 4.10-- 4.9 finds the NAA>SingxerSU-1; 4.10 does not.  @Miska let me know if you want to see log files.

 

Seems like I have broken NAA discovery...

 

8 hours ago, Superdad said:

Still would just like to get one track to play.  Can't even figure out how to play a file from a thumb drive plugged directly into the HQPe machine. Choosing "Removable Media" on the Input screen and pressing Select just reverts to "Playlist."  And on Library screen there is no ability to browse local or network volumes to Scan and build a library.  I don't know what the path "/run/media/sdb1" should be changed to get at a drive.

 

You can check with "df" or "mount" command where the thumb drive has been mounted. sdb1 is just an assumption, but may differ depending on computer.

 

8 hours ago, Superdad said:

And if I launch Client on my desktop screen, typing the HQP Embedded's IP address into the top-left bar (in place of localhost) does nothing.

 

It should appear on the drop list under name "hqplayer".

 

[AnotherSpin]

1 hour ago, Le Concombre Masqué said:

Can't find 4.10, not even here : https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/hqplayerd/images/

 

[Miska]

9 hours ago, bobflood said:

Does the Spring 2 support 48K based DSD? I have one on order so need to know.

 

Yes it does. Spring 1 doesn't (plays it with 44.1k clock - so slowed down), but Spring 2 supports it.

 

[Miska]

10 hours ago, Superdad said:

So first question is:

How do I get HQPe to create a Library based on a Mac drive (iTunes maintained library) attached to a computer on my desk?  Can I do that?  Or for test, can I put some files on a thumb drive and plug that into a USB port of the Mac mini that is running HQPe?  What drive format should that flash drive be to be easily seen by your Linux?

 

FAT32 drives are supported by the Embedded through auto-mount (and also typical Linux file systems such as ext4). I'll add also support for CIFS/SMB network mounts, but that requires manually editing /etc/fstab.

 

10 hours ago, Superdad said:

As importantly, how do I get the Client to "see" HQPe?

 

It should appear on the list when you have a functional configuration (meaning web interface is not redirecting you to the /config page).

 

[baconbrain]

@MiskaI am wanting to upgrade from version 3 to version 4 but the website for generating a discount coupon is only bringing a „std exception“ error after uploading my key file. Any idea as to what I am doing wrong?

[Miska]

7 minutes ago, baconbrain said:

@MiskaI am wanting to upgrade from version 3 to version 4 but the website for generating a discount coupon is only bringing a „std exception“ error after uploading my key file. Any idea as to what I am doing wrong?

 

Usually this happens if the key you are providing is old type and not the new XML type. If you didn't convert the key earlier to the new format (for latest 3.x versions), please send me email from the email address used for original order, or with other information about the original order.

 

[koldby]

I am new on his forum so please bear with me, if this has been addressed before or out of topic or something.

I have a system with a set of line array speakers (sort of IDS25 clones) . They need to be equalized and I am also using room correction. the engine behind this is Audiolense but could be DRC as well. In order to make a good result from the convolution, I have , with help of REW , made a pre-equalizing so Audiolense have an easier job (and the result is far better this way).

I am using J-river presently, as it has a parametric equalizer and a convolver built in.

Now I have experimented with a no dac and signalyst DCS2 and used Jriver to convert anything to DSD, but I want to use HQplayer instead.

Now my question is : How do I do that. Can HQpalyer accept Jriver as input (it has a WDM driver) so it can perform the pre-eq? Or is it possible to have a parametric eq in HQplayer?

[Superdad]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Seems like I have broken NAA discovery...

 

It should appear on the drop list under name "hqplayer".

 

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Since:

a) 4.10 Embedded is where you say you added auto-discovery by Client;

and

b) NAA discovery is currently broken in 4.10 (and you are right, I can’t get off Config screen in 4.10)

then

c) It makes sense that Client won’t see HQP Embedded server.

 

As a test I can run a long USB cable from the HQPe computer direct to the DAC, skipping the NAA NUC for the moment (though SQ-wise it won’t take me where I want to go).

 

Alternatively, I can boot HQPe 4.9 (which does see NAA) and you can tell me what to type in the Client drop down so that it can connect to the HQPe server.

 

That will still leave me clueless about getting music tracks into a library or directly loaded.

 

In HQPe, what is the “Input” screen for?  The drop down show all sorts of things like CD Drive, Removable Media, and then a bunch of USB listings with sample rates.  But selecting any of those does not take—it just reverts to Playlist.

 

All very confusing.  Is there a manual for HQP Embedded?

 

[Account Closed]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Yes it does. Spring 1 doesn't (plays it with 44.1k clock - so slowed down), but Spring 2 supports it.

 

Thanks

[luisma]

18 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

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.

On my specific case it wasn't related to the 48k option, just happened to enable it and for a moment thought it could be related. 

 

The issue is related to the Pcm switching which oddly enough was fixed with my current amanero firmware some time ago. But now when changing tracks switching from one Pcm rate to another (384 to 352 based on source content which HQP does automatically adjusting the rate) the dB settings increased dramatically on the new track too. 

 

So I went back to sdm only and all good in my case. 

 

Jussi I am using closed form for the N1 and closed fast for the Nx, when HQP switches from 384 to 352 at the track change roon reports 352 closed fast only, is it possible the N1 is not happening or just roon's reporting might not be accurate? 

[luisma]

2 hours ago, Superdad said:

) NAA discovery is currently broken in 4.10 (and you are right, I can’t get off Config screen in 4.10)

Hi Alex, I just upgraded HQPE to 4.10 on Friday, running a separate NAA with Jussi's custom image and also and extra NAA which I swap sometimes running Audiolinux headless 1.3.0, both NAA s are working properly that means the discovery is happening right? Even more the Audiolinux NAA is multi homed with one wireless interface and one network wired interface working just fine. 

 

Let me know if I can help in any way as well 

[luisma]

My bad, just noticed you are referring to an HQPE pre packed image, I am using HQPE on my own Ubuntu install. 

[Le Concombre Masqué]

3 hours ago, koldby said:

I am new on his forum so please bear with me, if this has been addressed before or out of topic or something.

I have a system with a set of line array speakers (sort of IDS25 clones) . They need to be equalized and I am also using room correction. the engine behind this is Audiolense but could be DRC as well. In order to make a good result from the convolution, I have , with help of REW , made a pre-equalizing so Audiolense have an easier job (and the result is far better this way).

I am using J-river presently, as it has a parametric equalizer and a convolver built in.

Now I have experimented with a no dac and signalyst DCS2 and used Jriver to convert anything to DSD, but I want to use HQplayer instead.

Now my question is : How do I do that. Can HQpalyer accept Jriver as input (it has a WDM driver) so it can perform the pre-eq? Or is it possible to have a parametric eq in HQplayer?

why not use your convolution filters in hqp? and you should go the extra mile and use RePhase after REW