HQ Player

[JTS]

15 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I have Z440 with newer E5v3 1620 and RTX 2080... And it doesn't run DSD256 with EC7 either, never has.

 

Ah, Well thanks for the feedback. I must have been mistaken about it running the EC modulators at DSD256. If I'm in an EC mood, I'll send it from my it from my workstation.

[JTS]

4 hours ago, Yviena said:

@Miska is it maybe possible add a option for manually inputting NAA, as for some reason when running NAA locally via 2 NICs one for internet other for NAA, HQp doesn't detect the NAA unless I plug in the Ethernet cable from the router  into the switch, select the NAA then unplug, and connect to second NIC again.

 

I run 2 nics on my workstation - one for 10GigE SPF+ and one for plain old gigabit lan. I had an issue with that machine picking up the NAA. I resolved it by changing the Interface Metric in Windows (this also resolved some issues with my render managers, too, but that's another story).

 

Go to Control Panels>Network and Sharing>click the interface you want to use with the NAA>Properties>Internet Protocol Version 4>Advanced>Interface Metric - enter 0 (zero). To be on the safe side, do this process again with your other NIC and give it a higher value (IE 5).

 

Your machine will prioritize the lower numbered interface. NB: If you have complex network stuff going on, it might mess things up for you.

 

This worked like a charm here.

 

- J

[Miska]

7 hours ago, JTS said:

Your machine will prioritize the lower numbered interface. NB: If you have complex network stuff going on, it might mess things up for you.

 

Issue is multicast routing and discovery. This is used for finding NAA as well as ZeroConf/Bonjour/Avahi to find Chromecast, AirPlay, UPnP, IPP (printer) devices etc. That way on a multihomed host multicasts move from one interface to another, meaning that things start working on one and stop working on the other...

 

When things operate as a single network, it is not an issue because multicasts then go everywhere.

 

[Ipoci]

15 hours ago, jimdukey said:

I listen to Internet radio with a PCM Dac.

Yep, with a PCM DAC it's ok.

I would like to  find a way to use RadioParadise FLAC streaming with HQP "conversion"engine to DSD and the stream to DSD dac the flow.

I don't know if HQP Desktop or Embedded 4.x can do the job.

[Miska]

24 minutes ago, Ipoci said:

Yep, with a PCM DAC it's ok.

I would like to  find a way to use RadioParadise FLAC streaming with HQP "conversion"engine to DSD and the stream to DSD dac the flow.

I don't know if HQP Desktop or Embedded 4.x can do the job.

 

With HQPlayer Embedded, depending on control point application, it may work. Likely at least with BubbleUPnP on Android. Since internet radios are usually MP3, it needs transcoding. You can easily try this with the bootable image, which is quick to setup.

 

With either one in addition using the realtime input feature. I have four types of configuration in use with this. One is using AES from macOS to HQPlayer on another machine, so anything that plays sound on macOS works through that (it would possibly also work with loopback on the same machine). Second is Chromecast Audio dongle to the input, unfortunately Google has discontinued that device (you may still be able to get one as long as shops have stock left) via Toslink. Third is Bluesound Node2i connected to HQPlayer through coaxial. And fourth is tape-out from preamp connected to audio interface analog input (primarily for vinyl and such analog sources). Since my audio interfaces have all four connection types, I can handle these four types with a single input device.

 

[Yviena]

Has anyone who's using the ext2 filter noticed that the soundstage is  more forward compared to poly-sinc/poly-sinc-long which sounds deeper, and a little more distant?

[Le Concombre Masqué]

18 minutes ago, Yviena said:

Has anyone who's using the ext2 filter noticed that the soundstage is  more forward compared to poly-sinc/poly-sinc-long which sounds deeper, and a little more distant?

I remember (tested with Embedded) finding Long to shine with regards to soundstage, a more air between the instruments type of thing.

 

However, I don't quote Long in my signature...

 

ext2 does the best job at cleaning the general mess at 44 and if it can be bettered with this or that recording, I don't want (anymore) to know ; I accept that getting used to it is part of my enjoyment

 

I'll be bolder with hb2s : however flawed it might be, being non apodising, since it's the typical filter used in the mastering process, and that changing filters is our little tiny home remastering, including changing tonal balance and focus to this or that, it should be used with  typical modern productions @ 96 or 88. Works very well for me

 

mqa lp @ 192 vs hb2s is more a matter of relieving my cpu

[Yviena]

5 hours ago, Le Concombre Masqué said:

I remember (tested with Embedded) finding Long to shine with regards to soundstage, a more air between the instruments type of thing.

 

However, I don't quote Long in my signature...

 

ext2 does the best job at cleaning the general mess at 44 and if it can be bettered with this or that recording, I don't want (anymore) to know ; I accept that getting used to it is part of my enjoyment

 

I'll be bolder with hb2s : however flawed it might be, being non apodising, since it's the typical filter used in the mastering process, and that changing filters is our little tiny home remastering, including changing tonal balance and focus to this or that, it should be used with  typical modern productions @ 96 or 88. Works very well for me

 

mqa lp @ 192 vs hb2s is more a matter of relieving my cpu

Yeah ext2.is very good for 44/48 though it sounds kind of flat when compared to ps-long, or closed-form, I  wish there was a filter that did both...

 

 

[jimdukey]

When upsampling DSD 64 to 128, some of my own recordings made with Sony D 100 of a Clarinet Quartet I'm in, 

Ext2 sounds more solid and well defined, PS Long LP is more diffuse, bigger, but seemingly a bit spread.

It has higher quality Filtering from what I read read here, so will definitely use it more to get used to it.

I recall Jussi saying that Ext2 had some advantages for DSD upsampling, right after it first came out.

I use Ext2 for PCM sources to DSD 128.

I've also liked Polysinc-mqa-lp for Dsd 64 and 128 upsampling.

With 48K Dacs, even DSD 128 is sampled to an even higher rate.

I don't know why anyone would use anything but HQ for File playback.

 

 

[scintilla]

What is the best way to configure a digital input stream into HQplayer, say an FM tuner with a digital out, to implement RC convolution on the bitstream? Also, is there any hope for AU or VST plugin support at any point? Thanks, Jussi.

[ambre]

On 11/10/2019 at 11:23 AM, Confused said:

I have had a similar problem, the various "audio:default" options disappeared after I updated HQPlayer last weekend.  This was a new install on a replacement PC.  As a simple workaround, I simply hand typed in "audio:default/44100/2" and the functionality reappeared, in terms of music playing at last.  This morning I have updated to 4.2.0 and have the same issue.

 

Not a big deal, thanks to the simple workaround, but hopefully this will be fixed in a future update.

 

Indeed a nice workaround. 😀

Miska promissed to  issue a new release at short notice to solve the  

Realtime audio inputs in 4.2.0.🌤️

[Theobetley]

Hey Jussi tried to install 4.2.1 and I get errors when trying to install.

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, ambre said:

Miska promissed to  issue a new release at short notice to solve the  

Realtime audio inputs in 4.2.0.🌤️

 

...which has been released today...

 

[Miska]

Just now, Theobetley said:

Hey Jussi tried to install 4.2.1 and I get errors when trying to install.

 

On what OS are you installing it? What kind of errors?

 

[Theobetley]

Windows 10 version 1903. So I tried to reload prior version ( had already uninstalled it) and I get same errors. Something like error opening files to write with 3 options  click to abort or retry or skip and I tried retry and skip but it seems every file gets same message

[jimdukey]

Is there any advantage to either ASDM5EC or ASDM7EC for DSD 128 on Mac?

Is the ASDM7EC meant for any of the higher rates?

Now I'm liking the new Polysinc-Long- LP choice. I'm going to use only it for a while to get accustomed.

I can't pin down a difference between the ASDM5EC or 7EC, so I'm using 7.

Also, I'm looking forward to the new ADI Dac I read about here!

[Miska]

24 minutes ago, scintilla said:

What is the best way to configure a digital input stream into HQplayer, say an FM tuner with a digital out, to implement RC convolution on the bitstream? Also, is there any hope for AU or VST plugin support at any point? Thanks, Jussi.

 

I'm using RME ADI-2 Pro, but there are other alternatives as well. On two Windows machines I have RME HDSPe AIO card for the purpose.

 

45 minutes ago, scintilla said:

Also, is there any hope for AU or VST plugin support at any point?

 

No, none of the plugins support processing DSD. I really want to have equal processing capabilities for both PCM and DSD, it is important to me.

 

Those plugins APIs are also not easy to integrate into my current high performance DSP pipeline that can also utilize GPU.

[Miska]

15 minutes ago, Theobetley said:

Windows 10 version 1903. So I tried to reload prior version ( had already uninstalled it) and I get same errors. Something like error opening files to write with 3 options  click to abort or retry or skip and I tried retry and skip but it seems every file gets same message

 

At installation time? There are no changes to the installer recently, so the process has been the same for quite a while.

 

Usually you would get failures if HQPlayer is running while trying to install. Please check Windows Task Manager, or reboot to make sure the process is not running.

 

You can also just go to "C:\Program Files\Signalyst" and rename or remove the "HQPlayer 4 Desktop" folder. If you cannot remove or rename it, it is being in use because HQPlayer is running.

 

[Miska]

10 minutes ago, jimdukey said:

Is there any advantage to either ASDM5EC or ASDM7EC for DSD 128 on Mac?

Is the ASDM7EC meant for any of the higher rates?

Now I'm liking the new Polysinc-Long- LP choice. I'm going to use only it for a while to get accustomed.

I can't pin down a difference between the ASDM5EC or 7EC, so I'm using 7.

Also, I'm looking forward to the new ADI Dac I read about here!

 

Technically ASDM7EC is better, but it is also more demanding for DAC's analog filters. So it would mostly depend on the DAC and amplifiers following it.

 

[scintilla]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

No, none of the plugins support processing DSD. I really want to have equal processing capabilities for both PCM and DSD, it is important to me.

 

Those plugins APIs are also not easy to integrate into my current high performance DSP pipeline that can also utilize GPU.

 

I gather that I could set HQPlayer to output to built-in output on my iMac and hijack the stream, process using a plugin and then output to a device?  I'm trying to game-up a way to try the Room Shaper that Mitch just reviewed in my Roon-->HQPlayer set up. I currently have HDMI direct wire into my M51 dac from the iMac because the USB input went out and I can't use it anymore for the networked audio that I hade previously with a Allo USBridge and NAA.  I know there's some way to accomplish this but I gather that I don't want to intercept the Roon to HQPlayer stream because of your work to stabilize it. Comments? Thanks Jussi.

[Miska]

4 minutes ago, scintilla said:

I gather that I could set HQPlayer to output to built-in output on my iMac and hijack the stream, process using a plugin and then output to a device?

 

That would just totally negate point of HQPlayer. You could then as well use iTunes or the new Music application. You don't then need HQPlayer for anything.

 

But you could do it other way around and hijack the plugin's output and send that to HQPlayer instead.

 

7 minutes ago, scintilla said:

I'm trying to game-up a way to try the Room Shaper that Mitch just reviewed in my Roon-->HQPlayer set up.

 

You can achieve similar or better results with REW or Acourate and using HQPlayer's convolution engine. You don't need that plugin for anything. And then you are not limited to PCM.

 

[scintilla]

20 minutes ago, Miska said:

But you could do it other way around and hijack the plugin's output and send that to HQPlayer instead.

 

You can achieve similar or better results with REW or Acourate and using HQPlayer's convolution engine. You don't need that plugin for anything. And then you are not limited to PCM.

 

 

Understood.  I may try that just to see.

 

I already use acourate-built 131k tap RC filters in HQPlayer's convolution engine and it works wonderfully.  As I understood Mitch's review, this plugin works in real-time to further reduce room mode decay times based on the time-varying signal, which isn't something a static filter convolved with the signal can correct. Right?  I am limited in what I can do for room treatments because I live in a brick loft and I can't attach anything to the bricks or mortar. I could add some bass traps but the good ones (SpringTraps) are cost-prohibitive for my room volume (~6000 ft^3). So I thought this might be worth at least a trial. Thanks again, Jussi.

[Miska]

7 hours ago, scintilla said:

 

Understood.  I may try that just to see.

 

I already use acourate-built 131k tap RC filters in HQPlayer's convolution engine and it works wonderfully.  As I understood Mitch's review, this plugin works in real-time to further reduce room mode decay times based on the time-varying signal, which isn't something a static filter convolved with the signal can correct. Right?  I am limited in what I can do for room treatments because I live in a brick loft and I can't attach anything to the bricks or mortar. I could add some bass traps but the good ones (SpringTraps) are cost-prohibitive for my room volume (~6000 ft^3). So I thought this might be worth at least a trial. Thanks again, Jussi.

 

To me it looks like room eq applied only to low frequencies. Which is what I'm also doing in my listening room. It is least intrusive when you stick to <500 Hz. When you attenuate the modes, they are also reduced in time. In my listening room the solution for best sound is to use stand mount speakers plus subwoofer. Cross-over between speakers and sub is acoustic, speaker ports are plugged, which makes their low frequency response roll off suitably, and then sub's low-pass frequency is tuned to match the main speaker roll-off. Then room eq is primarily applied only to the sub (I can switch between different corrections though, and now it's even easier with the matrix profiles in HQPlayer). In this scenario, I can also do the correction "in hardware" when needed using DSPeaker Anti-Mode 8033S-II (another nice Finnish product) without touching the main speaker signal. I can still do final touch-up in software when I want to, I have also different profiles for case with Anti-Mode in place.

 

In my livingroom the approach is different, since there I have just Dynaudio floorstanders, so there the correction is always running purely in software. (possibility would be to use AntiMode X4 but it always runs in PCM domain to max 96k or 192k).

 

[dctom]

Hello Jussi generally have got HQP 4 running fine on my AudioLinux OS machine - however still cannot get drag an drop music files into playlist to work, as I was able to with HQPlayer 3?

[Miska]

24 minutes ago, dctom said:

Hello Jussi generally have got HQP 4 running fine on my AudioLinux OS machine - however still cannot get drag an drop music files into playlist to work, as I was able to with HQPlayer 3?

 

I assume you are using HQPlayer 4 Desktop then? Dropping on Desktop v4 main window should work the same as with v3.

 

On Client it doesn't work, because it is remote control and would need to transfer the content to HQPlayer server. Essentially stream it there. This is not supported at the moment. I may add it some time later though.