HQ Player

[tedwoods]

Could an NAA endpoint with a USB input for an external drive, like the SOtM sMS-200 for example (after getting the new NAA update), send data from the disc to the server and then receive the data again up-sampled?

[DancingSea]

On 1/20/2020 at 10:23 AM, Miska said:

You have Direct SDM enabled in HQPlayer's "DSD Sources" dialog? You could also try unchecking that setting and remodulating the files using ASDM5 modulator to see if you hear any difference.

 

I don’t have Direct SDM enabled because it did something weird with the volume and you had me uncheck it a ways back.  I tried running straight Roon with DSD, there was no gurgling.  Per your suggestion I did switch to ASDM5 and the gurgling went away.  Switched back to ASDM5EC and there was no gurgling.  I asked Ted Smith about it, and he felt it wasn’t anything to do with I2S, but rather something happening in HQPlayer’s DSP.  He said he’s never heard any complaints with DirectStream owners about gurgling and I2S.  

 

So far, your suggestion of switching briefly to ASDM5 seems to be working.  Thank you.

[Miska]

16 hours ago, ambre said:

What kind of hardware devices do you mean? I suppose as soon as connect a cheap usb mic problem may be solved?
 

Ps. New Mac Mini’s 2018 and up doesn’t have hardware line input  like Toslink as on my mini 2012 and/or Mic input. So in the audio/ midi set-up you cannot choose this kind of input. Only see spec a headphone out is available.

By using Loopback I can select any program like Qubuz or iTunes  to act as input.

Using HqPlayer choosing Core and Qubuz as input and than  select realtime 44100 plays fine.

 

But we I intend to use higher bit artes like 96 or 192 (as available on Qubuz ) I must  change manually the frequency in real time audio. Somestimes I forget and than I play music in slow motion😳

 

Maybe, if you have something like a USB headset used for calls could possibly do. It is hard to say what macOS considers such that it triggers to dialog.

 

For rate changes, I may have a solution for some input devices on some OS that may work. Have to see...

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, DancingSea said:

 

I don’t have Direct SDM enabled because it did something weird with the volume and you had me uncheck it a ways back.  I tried running straight Roon with DSD, there was no gurgling.  Per your suggestion I did switch to ASDM5 and the gurgling went away.  Switched back to ASDM5EC and there was no gurgling.  I asked Ted Smith about it, and he felt it wasn’t anything to do with I2S, but rather something happening in HQPlayer’s DSP.  He said he’s never heard any complaints with DirectStream owners about gurgling and I2S.  

 

So far, your suggestion of switching briefly to ASDM5 seems to be working.  Thank you.

 

What modulator are you using usually then?

 

Direct SDM disables volume control and PCM output becomes fixed -3 dB, this is to avoid sudden jumps in volume when switching between PCM and DSD.

 

[Miska]

10 hours ago, tedwoods said:

Could an NAA endpoint with a USB input for an external drive, like the SOtM sMS-200 for example (after getting the new NAA update), send data from the disc to the server and then receive the data again up-sampled?

 

Not the same device, at the moment NAA can one client connection at a time. It could be changed in future though. With sMS-200 it would require external USB hub, IIRC, it has only one USB port.

 

[jimdukey]

There's a situation with the Music Notation Software "Finale", where one has to check a  box

to allow the Mic to be accessed.

There doesn't actually have to be an actual Mic, just the Box needed to be checked.

I haven't encountered it myself, but wonder if the Mic Messages in HQ are just needing the same approach.

[Miska]

2 hours ago, jimdukey said:

There's a situation with the Music Notation Software "Finale", where one has to check a  box

to allow the Mic to be accessed.

There doesn't actually have to be an actual Mic, just the Box needed to be checked.

I haven't encountered it myself, but wonder if the Mic Messages in HQ are just needing the same approach.

 

So far it has not been needed, I made a small fix related to that in 4.2.3. If nothing else works I could make such hack, but I rather avoid it if possible. Windows has also similar thing, but it works in a different way. There you just go to Settings -> Privacy and allow applications to access mic. Behavior is different in a way that while macOS mutes the input if permission is missing, on Windows starting the input device fails altogether. In both cases, they refer to "microphone"; but it is not actually restricted to just microphones, but also to line inputs and such.

 

[DancingSea]

10 hours ago, Miska said:

 

What modulator are you using usually then?

 

Direct SDM disables volume control and PCM output becomes fixed -3 dB, this is to avoid sudden jumps in volume when switching between PCM and DSD.

 

 

I’ve been using ASDM5EC as 7EC was taxing my system.  But the gurgling was happening periodically with HQP3 as well, before the EC’s.  It seems switching back and forth between modulators makes it go away. With Direct SDM, I was having an issue where is there was clipping, I couldn’t alter the HQP volume to correct for it, so you guided me to uncheck it.

[StreamFidelity]

On 1/21/2020 at 3:12 PM, StreamFidelity said:

 

You got both Logs via PM. 😉

 

On 1/21/2020 at 3:12 PM, sgb said:

Logs and settings have been sent to you.

 

@Miska

 

Are there any findings on the problem of dropouts in HQPlayer 4 Desktop 4.3.0 on Win 10 Pro? 

 

[Outlaw]

35 minutes ago, StreamFidelity said:

 

 

@Miska

 

Are there any findings on the problem of dropouts in HQPlayer 4 Desktop 4.3.0 on Win 10 Pro? 

 

Same for me windows 10

[robi20064]

@Miska

 

I've sent you a license change request in email sometimes last November. Could you please check whether you have received it?

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

 

@Miska

 

Are there any findings on the problem of dropouts in HQPlayer 4 Desktop 4.3.0 on Win 10 Pro? 

 

 

After lengthy battle and investigations, it seems to be something wrong with the new compiler version. I have built 4.3.0.1 with the previous compiler version and uploaded it to the server, please refresh the page and check that you get package that has version "4301" in the file name. This should work fine...

 

[Miska]

48 minutes ago, robi20064 said:

@Miska

 

I've sent you a license change request in email sometimes last November. Could you please check whether you have received it?

 

Please resend it, I have 300 emails that have arrived in November in my mailbox... Not sure which one it is, or if it has accidentally ended up in junk folder.

 

[Miska]

I also noticed that Intel's "Turbo Boost Max 3.0" utility sitting in systray that has been automatically installed by Win10 is totally messing the core allocations made by HQPlayer. So this tool needs to be disabled for correct operation!

 

[Account Closed]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

After lengthy battle and investigations, it seems to be something wrong with the new compiler version. I have built 4.3.0.1 with the previous compiler version and uploaded it to the server, please refresh the page and check that you get package that has version "4301" in the file name. This should work fine...

 

Just reloaded to 4301 and all works fine now.

 

Also, I am really liking LNS15 with Closed Form M running at PCM 768. Seems like it has more detail.   Thanks

[sgb]

I can also confirm that the dropouts are gone with 4.3.0.1

[StreamFidelity]

9 hours ago, Miska said:

 

After lengthy battle and investigations, it seems to be something wrong with the new compiler version. I have built 4.3.0.1 with the previous compiler version and uploaded it to the server, please refresh the page and check that you get package that has version "4301" in the file name. This should work fine...

 

 

Jussi, you are a magician! The core assignment is now much better distributed. No more dropouts. Thank you very much for your quick response. 👍

 

[StreamFidelity]

9 hours ago, Miska said:

I also noticed that Intel's "Turbo Boost Max 3.0" utility sitting in systray that has been automatically installed by Win10 is totally messing the core allocations made by HQPlayer. So this tool needs to be disabled for correct operation!

 

 

This also applies to Fidelizers with core isolation. The latencies shoot up immediately. I therefore no longer run Fidelizer on Audio PC.

[craighartley]

13 hours ago, Miska said:

 

After lengthy battle and investigations, it seems to be something wrong with the new compiler version. I have built 4.3.0.1 with the previous compiler version and uploaded it to the server, please refresh the page and check that you get package that has version "4301" in the file name. This should work fine...

 

Does the compiler issue only apply to Windows/Desktop versions?

[Account Closed]

3 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

 

This also applies to Fidelizers with core isolation. The latencies shoot up immediately. I therefore no longer run Fidelizer on Audio PC.

You can run Fidelizer without the core isolation. I do and works fine.

[StreamFidelity]

8 minutes ago, bobflood said:

You can run Fidelizer without the core isolation. I do and works fine.

 

That's true, but core isolation as such is not bad. Fidelizer works fine in the Control PC with Roon Core.

[robi20064]

17 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Please resend it, I have 300 emails that have arrived in November in my mailbox... Not sure which one it is, or if it has accidentally ended up in junk folder.

 

Already did that last night. Thanks for checking!

[Yviena]

I've been listening to the topping D90 for some days now without upsampling to get a feel for the sound signature, I  must say topping has really improved their implementation in this DAC to make it sound this good, at this price point.

The review that soundnews did is almost spot on, soundstage/layering is better than my x sabre pro while detail is comparable, this is with the USB input directly connected so the implementation there is pretty good.

 

I think in a day, or two I will start experimenting with both PCM, and DSD upsampling again on this DAC.

 

The manufacturer has also confirmed that DSD modulator bypass is used in DAC only mode so you can probably put it in your recommendations list whenever you aquire one, and listened to one for awhile. @Miska

[Miska]

9 hours ago, craighartley said:

Does the compiler issue only apply to Windows/Desktop versions?

 

Yes...

[Le Concombre Masqué]

Oddities 

I have played a lot recently with convolution  ; I now consider I have better than ever and good enough frequency and times domains corrections to 3 popular targets. Consequences pertaining to HQP:

 

I used to consider Minimum Phase filters as a cheapo way to tame and blur ; I now often find Linear Phase grudgy in comparison

My DAC max output is DSD 128 and I find 352.8 convolutions to sound more dynamic less compressed even with n 48 sources while I understood from reading Miska that it should not matter, HQP taking care, and that max is the best

I confirm I'm under the constantly confirmed impression over the years that I get a better imprint of convolution filters with the SAVE engine and thus wish it would be available in Matrix