HQ Player

[rastanearian]

Have you tried virtual audio cable? It should work. 

[Jud]

On 5/24/2020 at 11:56 PM, Allan F said:

 

Oops. Mea culpa. I didn't look at the date of the post to which I replied as above. I doubt that anything regarding the state of digital filters four years ago would have much, if any, relevance today.

Ayre’s published filtering wasn’t its DSD modulator but its interpolation filters. The one it noted as probably preferable for listening would not be as accurate as HQP’s, but some people may have preferred the sound.

[bucketheadbobby]

HQPLAYER on macbook pro

 I am using roon on my Macbook pro. It works fine. I thought I would give HQPLAYER a try in Roon. I installed HQPLAYER . I have set roon to use HQplayer but nothing happens. What is wrong what other settings do I have to make to get it to work

 

[ericuco]

16 minutes ago, bucketheadbobby said:

HQPLAYER on macbook pro

 I am using roon on my Macbook pro. It works fine. I thought I would give HQPLAYER a try in Roon. I installed HQPLAYER . I have set roon to use HQplayer but nothing happens. What is wrong what other settings do I have to make to get it to work

 

Does this help Roon Knowledge Base?

[jacquesr]

On 5/23/2020 at 9:04 AM, Miska said:

 

For starters, set DAC Bits to 24 and Dither to LNS15. And then upsample to 705.6/768k PCM using filter of your choice. You can set Adaptive Output Rate to checked or grayed. I would recommend to get started with poly-sinc-ext2 filter. You can then try other filters too and see which one you prefer. There is some amount of description about each in the manual.

 

It is also worth trying setting DAC Bits to 20, this will likely provide better low level linearity. For exact value, linearity sweep measurement would be needed.

 

Thanks a lot. I have version 3.25.6. It seems I would need version 4? Thanks

[Account Closed]

On 5/24/2020 at 4:02 AM, thisisvv said:

I want to buy Hqplayer love the demo...Only thing do i need to Buy roon to stream quboz....is there any other way?...i have a main pc with lot of apps i am planning to buy a NAA that get the audio then gives to dac etc...Do i really need roon?

Look into LMS 7.9

[thisisvv]

On 5/24/2020 at 1:03 AM, thisisvv said:

I want to buy Hqplayer love the demo...Only thing do i need to Buy roon to stream quboz....is there any other way?...i have a main pc with lot of apps i am planning to buy a NAA that get the audio then gives to dac etc...Do i really need roon?

 

 

ASking again...how do i get HQPLAYER working in windows for QUboz without roon

[AnotherSpin]

3 hours ago, thisisvv said:

 

 

ASking again...how do i get HQPLAYER working in windows for QUboz without roon

 

What's QUboz?

[giordy60]

3 hours ago, thisisvv said:

 

 

ASking again...how do i get HQPLAYER working in windows for QUboz without roon

 

if you want to transit Qobuz in HQP I think the only way is with roon.....

....or maybe with embedded .... but I never used it I don't know ....

[asdf1000]

22 hours ago, rastanearian said:

Have you tried virtual audio cable? It should work. 

 

On Linux?

[asdf1000]

On 5/25/2020 at 4:31 PM, thisisvv said:

How to do this ?...i have a main PC

AMD 1950X

64GB RAM

2 Titan XP..

Windows 10..

quboz is installed here...how do i output to HQ input...

 

 

2nd PC

Intel i7

32gb ram

windows server 2016

 

 

 

Ok on your 2nd PC, use etcher to burn this to a USB stick:

 

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/hqplayerd/images/hqplayer-embedded-4.17.1-x64.7z

 

Connect your USB DAC to 2nd PC and boot this USB stick. Follow these instructions:

 

 

When you know the IP address of this machine, go to ip_address/config in web browser and setup HQPlayer there.

 

On your Main PC, use a trial version of Audirvana for Windows. Setup your Qobuz account there in Audirvana.

 

You should be able to output audio to HQPlayer Embedded UPnP renderer.

 

Audirvana is much cheaper than Roon.

 

All the above is free to trial, so if it works then you can later decide.

 

[Miska]

6 hours ago, jacques_racine said:

Thanks a lot. I have version 3.25.6. It seems I would need version 4? Thanks

 

Since it doesn't have LNS15 noise shaper, you can settle on NS9 instead for example. But otherwise the same settings.

 

[Miska]

22 hours ago, asdf1000 said:

Hi Jussi, can you share some basic instruction on how to use ALSA's built-in loopback driver on Linux?

 

To route (for example) Firefox  web-browser audio to HQP Embedded?

 

You can create for example following in /etc/asound.conf

pcm.loopout {
        type hw
        card Loopback
        device 0
        subdevice 0
        format S16_LE
        rate 44100
        channels 2
}

pcm.loopin {
        type hw
        card Loopback
        device 1
        subdevice 0
        format S16_LE
        rate 44100
        channels 2
}

ctl.loopout {
        type hw
        card Loopback
}

ctl.loopin {
        type hw
        card Loopback
}

When you then "modprobe snd-aloop" it appears as such audio device. Tricky part is that it is stuck until both sides of it are running.

 

You can set it as default device too

pcm.!default {
       type hw
       card "Loopback"
}
ctl.!default {
       type hw
       card "Loopback"
}

 

Easier and more generic is to use two computers and either S/PDIF / AES or USB between the two. Since you have the UP-Board, you could run USB input NAA on it.

 

[asdf1000]

13 minutes ago, Miska said:

Since you have the UP-Board, you could run USB input NAA on it.

 

I need to get around to installing Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with your custom kernel though right?

 

It doesn't work with your HQP OS image yet?

[MemoryPlayer]

On 5/24/2020 at 7:50 AM, Miska said:

I would use ASDM5 and if possible ASDM5EC if you run it at DSD256.

Why ASDM5/ASDM5EC and not ASDM7/ASDM7EC Miska?

Do you prefer 5 over 7? I like more the sound with ASDM7/ASDM7EC..., but EC is so much for my Apple 2017 MacBook Pro!

[Miska]

1 hour ago, MemoryPlayer said:

Why ASDM5/ASDM5EC and not ASDM7/ASDM7EC Miska?

Do you prefer 5 over 7? I like more the sound with ASDM7/ASDM7EC..., but EC is so much for my Apple 2017 MacBook Pro!

 

You can use 7 too, but 5 gives somewhat lower ultrasonic noise level on ESS, especially at rates below DSD512. But it also depends on a particular DAC (what kind of analog stage it has) and overall system. Otherwise 7 is technically better and if it works well for you, just keep using it.

 

ASDM5(EC) is the most generic approach for ESS DAC at <= DSD256.

 

[LoryWiv]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

You can use 7 too, but 5 gives somewhat lower ultrasonic noise level on ESS, especially at rates below DSD512. But it also depends on a particular DAC (what kind of analog stage it has) and overall system. Otherwise 7 is technically better and if it works well for you, just keep using it.

 

ASDM5(EC) is the most generic approach for ESS DAC at <= DSD256.

Jussi, thank you for this explanation. I emperically have noted that ASDM5EC sounds better with most source material than ASDMEC7 at my usual setting of DSD128 or DSD356. I have the Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro DAC (ESS 9038) and it is good to know that there is a basis for my impressions. As a "perk" ASDMEC is a little friendlier on cpu use as well.

Thanks!.

Quote

 

 

[asdf1000]

On 5/19/2020 at 10:42 PM, Miska said:

 

That's great! Makes life much easier not having to split the produced filter files.

 

Hi @Miska

 

I see someone is having issues with getting mono files from Audiolense (using Audacity) to work with HQPlayer.

 

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/audiolense/PDSKxKCvhKQ/bVi-XIFyAAAJ

 

On the Audiolense forum Bernt from Audiolense said he will support generating mono files but only for simple stereo without bass management.

 

He says:

 

"I haven't worked with HQP and will likely not. But if they want to support DSP they should make a proper convolver. It is as easy for them to make a function that can handle a multi channel file as it is for me to make a single channel export. It will be a bit harder for them to make functionality to read configuration files, but this type of information is needed to handle complex setups where it is a little more to it than just convolving an input and passing it the the corresponding output."

 

Can you consider making HQPlayer handle a multi channel file?

 

It seems it would make life a lot easier for people like user JR in this situation but I'd like to do DSP crossover and bass management with Audiolense and don't want to have these same issues with Audacity causing same headaches.

 

 

 

[Bob Stern]

The "remix" function of SoX can output a mono file from one channel of a multi-channel input file.

[Miska]

4 hours ago, asdf1000 said:

 

Hi @Miska

 

I see someone is having issues with getting mono files from Audiolense (using Audacity) to work with HQPlayer.

 

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/audiolense/PDSKxKCvhKQ/bVi-XIFyAAAJ

 

On the Audiolense forum Bernt from Audiolense said he will support generating mono files but only for simple stereo without bass management.

 

He says:

 

"I haven't worked with HQP and will likely not. But if they want to support DSP they should make a proper convolver. It is as easy for them to make a function that can handle a multi channel file as it is for me to make a single channel export. It will be a bit harder for them to make functionality to read configuration files, but this type of information is needed to handle complex setups where it is a little more to it than just convolving an input and passing it the the corresponding output."

 

Can you consider making HQPlayer handle a multi channel file?

 

It seems it would make life a lot easier for people like user JR in this situation but I'd like to do DSP crossover and bass management with Audiolense and don't want to have these same issues with Audacity causing same headaches.

 

For the reason of complex setups HQPlayer requires use of mono WAVs. And there is no standard how to represent complex scenarios with multichannel file.

 

For example for headphone HRTF you need two WAVs, but four pipelines in matrix, for the other ear you just swap the two HRTF filters. So you do four convolutions with two filters.

 

Problem with multichannel is that it is not obvious how you present it in pipeline matrix setup and which channel of file will be mapped to which pipeline in the matrix setup. Now you can put any mono WAV to any of the pipelines, same WAV to multiple pipelines, or have some pipeline without WAVs while others may have. Just think about the matrix pipeline setup dialog and a multichannel WAV for a moment, especially now that you can have multiple convolution filters for each pipeline.

 

Simple convolver in HQPlayer supports up to basic 7.1 setup. For more complex cases you need pipeline matrix and it is all but simple.

 

 

P.S. Acourate for example doesn't have a problem generating mono WAVs....

 

[Miska]

Note about the new sinc-L filter (in HQPlayer Desktop 4.6.0); to use this one especially to higher DSD rates you'll likely need a GPU. To DSD256 it requires about 8.3 GB of GPU RAM, so my RTX2080 runs out of memory and thus doesn't play. However, on RTX2080Ti plays fine to DSD256 with a bit over 10% GPU load. For DSD512 (not tested) you'll likely need TITAN RTX with it's 24 GB of RAM should be enough for the ~16 GB needed.

 

Memory bandwidth is biggest bottleneck for massive filter on CPU because it doesn't fit in the cache anymore.

 

At DSD256 number of taps is about 32M and at DSD512 64M. DSD128 with 16M taps works on GPUs with less RAM.

 

With 16x ratio to 705.6/768k PCM it is not so bad with 2M taps.

 

P.S. The filter is totally different kind of design from sinc-S/sinc-M although named similarly.

[asdf1000]

On 5/27/2020 at 5:28 PM, Miska said:

Easier and more generic is to use two computers and either S/PDIF / AES or USB between the two. Since you have the UP-Board, you could run USB input NAA on it.

 

Hi Jussi

 

I need to install Ubuntu 18.04 LTS with your custom kernel though for USB input NAA right?

 

It still doesn't work with your HQP OS image yet on Up Board Gateway?

[brother love]

18 hours ago, Miska said:

 

You can use 7 too, but 5 gives somewhat lower ultrasonic noise level on ESS, especially at rates below DSD512. But it also depends on a particular DAC (what kind of analog stage it has) and overall system. Otherwise 7 is technically better and if it works well for you, just keep using it.

 

ASDM5(EC) is the most generic approach for ESS DAC at <= DSD256.

 

 

Does this apply to an older Gustard X20 dual 32 bit ES9018 DAC, or just newer type ES9038 DACs?  From my system listening comparisons, I find ext2 5EC offers a little cleaner mid frequency inner detail while ext2 7EC gives more dynamic, finer detailed lower frequencies. Both sound fantastic, so it's win-win ...

 

5 hours ago, Miska said:

Note about the new sinc-L filter (in HQPlayer Desktop 4.6.0); to use this one especially to higher DSD rates you'll likely need a GPU.

 

I installed Desktop 4.6.0 this morning & played around w/ sinc-L filter.  With Intel i7-6700k & stock 530 graphics... stable, non-stuttering playback could only be achieved w/ 44.1k x DSD64 ASDM7EC. 44.1k x DSD128 ASDM5 stuttered every 5 sec.. So you weren't kidding about needing a more powerful GPU!

[Markus87]

Hi Jussi et al, 

 

I am looking into an upgrade of my system that would comprise the following:

- 2.1 system w/ active speakers and subwoofer (total of 5 channels) 

- 8 channel dac/pre based on AKM AK4499EQ

- active XO and room correction using Acourate FIR filters

- roon as frontend to HQP which should do the convolution and upsampling to 44.1k DSD256 ext2 5/7EC and 48k DSD256 ext2 5/7EC for all 5 (to be future proof 7 channels)

 

Do you have experience with the AK4499 - would ASDM5EC or ASDM7EC be better? 

Which hardware would I need? i9 9900K (or KS which I could still get)?

Is a GPU essentially needed? If so, what would be the lowest option? 

 

I would love to go for a passive built if possible. 

 

Thanks for your considerations. 

 

Cheers, 

Markus

[Jerry]

14 hours ago, Miska said:

Note about the new sinc-L filter (in HQPlayer Desktop 4.6.0); to use this one especially to higher DSD rates you'll likely need a GPU. To DSD256 it requires about 8.3 GB of GPU RAM, so my RTX2080 runs out of memory and thus doesn't play. However, on RTX2080Ti plays fine to DSD256 with a bit over 10% GPU load. For DSD512 (not tested) you'll likely need TITAN RTX with it's 24 GB of RAM should be enough for the ~16 GB needed.

 

Memory bandwidth is biggest bottleneck for massive filter on CPU because it doesn't fit in the cache anymore.

 

At DSD256 number of taps is about 32M and at DSD512 64M. DSD128 with 16M taps works on GPUs with less RAM.

 

With 16x ratio to 705.6/768k PCM it is not so bad with 2M taps.

 

P.S. The filter is totally different kind of design from sinc-S/sinc-M although named similarly.

 

Dear @Miska, would you consider creating a variation of sins-L that occupy slightly less than 8 GB of GPU RAM, so that all GTX1080 and RTX 2080 users get to experience this new sing-L filter?