HQ Player

[Miska]

4 hours ago, jacques_racine said:

Weird. "Before" music would take 1 seconde to start playing in Roon+HQP setup.

Since either upgrading to 4.9X or upgrading to Big Sur, not sure, it now takes a good 4 seconds.

Any idea?

 

Most of the start time usually goes to DSP algorithm initialization. Changing filter for example has impact on this time.

 

But 4 seconds doesn't sound too bad. With some filter settings it could be 40 seconds as well...

 

[Miska]

8 hours ago, OzarkMtn said:

Running Apple Mac mini(2018) Mojave

Where can I find the preference files for HQPlayer Desktop 4.9.0?

Mucked up HQPlayer settings and I need to remove the preference files to get things back on track.

 

In "~/.hqplayer" folder, there are two files. "settings.xml" with the settings and "library.xml" with the library data.

 

If HQPlayer still starts, easiest way to clean up things is through the HQPlayer Help-menu options.

 

[jamesg11]

On 2/9/2021 at 2:54 PM, Mahler and Bach on Computer said:

Just tried HQP 4.10.0 on Mac Mini M1 with 16GB Ram.  Can run ASDM7EC using Sinc-L filter with DSF64 files being converted to DSD256.  But for Flac or similar, there are breaks in the frequency of once every 7-8 seconds. So need to lower to Sinc-M for converting redbook music into DSD256.

How is it going with pcm 24-96, 24-192 to dsd256?

[Ipoci]

MacOS BigSur 11.2.0 issue with NAA 3.5.5 ... is now solved with 11.2.1

I just did the upgrade and HQPDesktop to NAA communication seems ok ... 🥰

 

[Mahler and Bach on Computer]

8 hours ago, jamesg11 said:

How is it going with pcm 24-96, 24-192 to dsd256?

Unfortunately due to the source limitation, all the hi-res files I have in PCM24-96 can only take upsampling of poly-Sinc-xtr-lp or mp, which is much less demanding mechanisms to do DSD256, therefore, I don’t really have direct comparison but would speculate it would be much easier than 16-44.1 but more difficult compared to DSD64.  

[Miska]

Since the other thread is primarily Embedded related, despite the subject, I'll post a link here too:

 

I'm pretty happy with these results. Note that this is Linux-only thing and in addition requires CPU to support AVX2.

 

[glitchesbrew]

On 2/9/2021 at 3:54 AM, Mahler and Bach on Computer said:

Just tried HQP 4.10.0 on Mac Mini M1 with 16GB Ram.  Can run ASDM7EC using Sinc-L filter with DSF64 files being converted to DSD256.  But for Flac or similar, there are breaks in the frequency of once every 7-8 seconds. So need to lower to Sinc-M for converting redbook music into DSD256.

 

I've just tried with my Mini M1 16GB and with 4.10.0 for the first time (I believe) I was able to do Sinc-L, DSD256x48 but I had to use ASDM5EC. I tried the following file formats: DSD256, DSD128, DSD64, PCM 192/24, PCM 96/24, PCM 48/24 and PCM 44.1/16. I didn't have a single dropout.

To my ears it sounds great. For reference I've been using mostly DSD256 and ASDM7EC so far.

 

[ted_b]

Again, keep in mind that when your source and final format are both DSD then Sinc-L (or any filter) are not involved.  Filters are for PCM sources in your examples.

[Mahler and Bach on Computer]

Meant to say Oversampling 1x and Nx setting for DSD.

[fmzip]

Got my Mac mini M1 with 8GB Ram up and running with HQplayer being the only thing installed. My goal was to upsample everything on Tidal and my NAS FLAC files to  DSD512. My Sonictransporter i5 is still my Roon core.

 

This sounds best with my LKS MH-DA004 DAC, upsampling a variety of FLAC files:

poly-sinc-short-lp2s > ASDM7 > DSD512 

 

ASDM7EC > DSD256 sounded very thin to me

 

I am a complete noob with HQplayer. Any suggestions for filters settings etc for Jazz and soft rock?

 

For $699, this may stay after I run it through Apple’s 14 day trial.

 

[fds]

8 hours ago, ted_b said:

keep in mind that when your source and final format are both DSD then Sinc-L (or any filter) are not involved

Really? Even when the source format is DSD64 and final format DSD256 or DSD512? I had thought that filters for DSD are only bypassed in DSD direct mode?

[Miska]

9 minutes ago, fds said:

Really? Even when the source format is DSD64 and final format DSD256 or DSD512? I had thought that filters for DSD are only bypassed in DSD direct mode?

 

Those filters are applicable only for PCM -> SDM conversion. Modulator, integrator and conversion algorithm selection apply for DSD -> SDM conversions.

 

[maya]

12 hours ago, Miska said:

Since the other thread is primarily Embedded related, despite the subject, I'll post a link here too:

 

I'm pretty happy with these results. Note that this is Linux-only thing and in addition requires CPU to support AVX2.

 

Great !

CPU supporting AVX2 will be optimized !

[Ammscray]

Greetings all, first post here :)

 

I have read quite a bit of this thread, and done all kinds of reading/looking around, but decided to try and get some specifics to my setup.

 

HQPlayer is just FABULOUS...I have been using foobar with KS for many years and also the russian album player also with KS and while they both sound very good, this is beyond everything Ive heard so far. thank you!

 

question for Jussi or Miska or anyone familiar with...Im using a small fanless minix quad-core mini-PC thats stripped of everything it doesnt need down to the wire so just to play audio. It goes to a schiit eitr USB converter to a schiit modi multibit DAC, b/c I thought the combo sounded better than the bitfrost 2. Fidelizer pro to purist level with win 10.

 

my settings are to output to PCM, wasapi, buffer 250, 20 bits, using either poly-sinc-ext2 or poly sinc-short-mp, and either NS4 or NS9, although TPDF sounds good too. ..sample rate 192K, volume -3 for both min and max, multicore dsp and adaptive output rate both greyed. Sounds killer but you know how ears can be! Listening to everything from heavy rock to classical.

 

anything off here, or to improve or try? Thanks so much in advance and I hope everybody's safe!

 

[Yviena]

@Miska Interesting will the AMD CPU optimized builds also arrive to windows? as that's my main platform that i use due to the most compatibility with various software.

[Gilberto]

Hello friends. I see that Miska and others recommend here not to go beyond the volume at -3, because as you say, distortion is created. I have had the volume of HQP at maximum for several days, in red, but since I control the listening volume with my amplifier, I do not notice any distortion. Please, can someone give me some more information regarding this matter ...?
    Thanks to all of you for your opinion.

[Account Closed]

1 hour ago, Gilberto said:

Hello friends. I see that Miska and others recommend here not to go beyond the volume at -3, because as you say, distortion is created. I have had the volume of HQP at maximum for several days, in red, but since I control the listening volume with my amplifier, I do not notice any distortion. Please, can someone give me some more information regarding this matter ...?
    Thanks to all of you for your opinion.

If you search this thread you will find many posts on this.

[OzarkMtn]

1 hour ago, Gilberto said:

Hello friends. I see that Miska and others recommend here not to go beyond the volume at -3, because as you say, distortion is created. I have had the volume of HQP at maximum for several days, in red, but since I control the listening volume with my amplifier, I do not notice any distortion. Please, can someone give me some more information regarding this matter ...?
    Thanks to all of you for your opinion.

Maybe someone who takes the time to reply can just give @Gilbertoa concise answer to his question... I recently experienced this as well and referenced the manual. Sometimes when things are explained by peers, things just click and make a little more sense. I would like to know coming from the experience of the members here. I'm already trying to get through 797 pages...

 

[ted_b]

Net/net (oversimplified and prolly technically inaccurate, but close enough 🙂) is that if your HQP volume control is showing in red then you've "clipped" digitally and anything you do after that is still going to have that distortion with it.  The reason the -3 min, -3max is often recommended (and is the default when running, say, DirectSDM) is that many SACDs and other DSD sources are recorded hotter than they should be and can overcome the headroom allowed by the recording standards.  I've had PCM tracks hit the limit, too.   And if you set -3/-3 and your volume knob is STILL red, then lower by 1 db until it goes away.

 

 

[Miska]

4 hours ago, Yviena said:

@Miska Interesting will the AMD CPU optimized builds also arrive to windows? as that's my main platform that i use due to the most compatibility with various software.

 

No, this is Linux-only...

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, Gilberto said:

I have had the volume of HQP at maximum for several days, in red, but since I control the listening volume with my amplifier, I do not notice any distortion. Please, can someone give me some more information regarding this matter ...?

 

HQPlayer includes a soft-knee limiter for cases when output data exceeds 0 dBFS level. When this limiter is triggered, the "Limited" counter is incremented, visible in HQPlayer Desktop main window, Embedded front page, and in capable remote control applications. This is kind of "last resort" to a problem and designed to be as inaudible as possible. However, you certainly don't want to keep triggering the limiter. So keep eye on the "Limited" counter and make sure it never increments from 0. If it does, keep lowering volume 1 dB at a time until it stops happening (at the same point in source material).

 

[GoldenOne]

has anyone been able to get 1.536mhz working with an NAA?
I've tried with both a pi4 (USB 3 and USB 2 ports) and my sms200 ultra but cannot get it to work.

1.536mhz direct from PC is fine. But from NAA it plays at half-speed, and sounds incredibly robotic/distorted. The dac (holo may) is recognising 1.536mhz though. Not sure if this is a network issue or something else.
This occurs regardless of HQP Buffer settings

Does ALSA do 1.536mhz?

[Miska]

4 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

has anyone been able to get 1.536mhz working with an NAA?
I've tried with both a pi4 (USB 3 and USB 2 ports) and my sms200 ultra but cannot get it to work.

1.536mhz direct from PC is fine. But from NAA it plays at half-speed, and sounds incredibly robotic/distorted. The dac (holo may) is recognising 1.536mhz though. Not sure if this is a network issue or something else.

Does ALSA do 1.536mhz?

 

Yes, should work fine with the UP Gateway + NAA OS. This same applies also for doing DSD1024. I think I've tested both Holo Spring 2 and T+A HA 200.

 

32x PCM also works from my iMac when DAC Bits is set to 16. If you have incompatible software/hardware, you need to set DAC Bits to 16 to make it work. There's no quality loss if you use proper noise shaper like LNS15, NS9 or NS5.

 

With Spring (1 or 2) or May, set DAC Bits to minimum 16, but maximum 20.

 

[Yviena]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

No, this is Linux-only...

 

I see... just curious but what did you actually do to reduce the thread usage that much for AMD CPU's?

[tedstrikerdet]

I'd like to try HQplayer OS but I cannot  find the download on the Signalyst site.