HQ Player

[LoryWiv]

10 hours ago, Miska said:

 

You make that sound like sinc-L would be better than ext2. It is not better by any technical means.

 

Have you tried something like poly-sinc-short-mp(-2s) with your piano recordings etc? Or poly-sinc-gauss-short or poly-sinc-gauss?

 

I listen to a lot of classical piano recordings and agree these filters work well

[LoryWiv]

1 hour ago, kelvinwsy said:

That is Hot! I run 11900k w/o GPU and EC7v2/DSD512/gauss long for 44.1k local files.

1st 4 cores 4.9 ghz/next2 4.8/2 last 4.6ghz

Temps on CPU 40/41 deg C on a pushpull fan cooled Cooler Master 360 AIO ..

Case fans mounted outside my Lian Li O11Dynamic Case keeps VRM and PCH temps at 46-48 deg C

Since all my fans are hooked up to an external   fan controller powered by a separate PSU, on 1 ocassion I forgot to turn on the fans !!! 

Only the Aio pump was running.. CPU temps after abt 40 min hit 79 deg C.. The AIO water radiator was Hot to touch and VRM/PCH temps hit 55-59deg C

For overclocking .. passive cooling w/o fans can be bad for component lifespan..Yeh i know caps in good mobos are rated 105deg C  Max but but??

I think my system sounds better at lower temps??

 

Is it really the case that current Intel CPU (or NVidia GPU) running at 70 C is deleterious to component lifespan? I had thought that was within acceptable range for a gaming type rig components.

[LoryWiv]

49 minutes ago, Miska said:

HQPlayer Desktop 4.15.3 should now perform best on any hardware with "Multicore DSP" set to "auto" (grayed).

Same applies to Embedded 4.28.2 release.

Thanks @Miska. Do you anticipate this will remain the case with subsequent HQ Player desktop builds?

[LoryWiv]

8 hours ago, bogi said:

Would it be hard to to switch between beta1 and beta2 behavior within one executable?
Beta1 for lower performance HW, beta2 for higher?

Is it clear that beta 1 is better for lower performing HW and beta 2 for better HW? I ask because I am on an older i7 now but expecting my i9 12900 rig next week. I'll tru beta 1 now and see where things stand next week...

[LoryWiv]

Like @ted_bI just tried both beta versions and overall prefer sound of beta 2 and to my pleasant surprise both versions play ASDM5EC 256 without stuttering. I could not achieve this with 4.15.3. However, cpu utilization is  almost double on beta 2 versus beta 1, 40% range...so I'm amazed there are no stutters.  Will stick with beta 1 for now to keep resource use / temps in lower range, but new i9 12900 en route and I look forward to revisiting beta 2 (or whatever else @Miskahas in store for us) soon!

[LoryWiv]

3 hours ago, david82 said:

Hi all, sorry for the newbie question, but: if I wanted to get a dedicated machine for HQplayer upsampling that would allow me to experiment with all the available options and would be reasonably future proof (several years), what would be a reasonable off the shelf option? (Don't want to go DIY.) Have a DSD512 DAC. Am willing to spend whatever it takes. thanks!

I worked with AVADirect to specify components, verify compatibility of parts and build my last several PC's. I have been very satisfied with their service and systems.

[LoryWiv]

@Miska firstly a big thanks! Enjoying 4.15.4 quite a lot, resource utilization and sound-wise. Only issue is that with QoBuz streaming (not local hard drive playback)  there is a brief stutter / pause ~ 10 seconds before end of each track. Yes, this happened with prior 4.15 versions, hoping it would be fixed i 4.15.4. It occurs across a variety of shaper and filter settings, and whether prefetch / freewheel are checked or unchecked. NO stuttering with same settings elsewhere in playback, which is great, but this occurring near end of each streamed track is a bit annoying. Ideas for correction will be appreciated! Thank you.

[LoryWiv]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

 

That's the point when new TLS connection is established with Qobuz or HRA server. This involves some random number generation and cryptographic work. What kind of backend are you using and what kind of hardware buffer settings? Here I'm already assuming that you don't have Short Buffer enabled.

 

Note that some older or different applications use older way to access Qobuz and may use non-encrypted connections for the streams.

 

 ASIO backend Singxer SU-1 (SU-1 connects USB to my PC and I²S to my DAC), default buffer, short buffer unchecked. Singxer buffer setting highest (16384). Suggestions welcomed!

 

Thanks @Miska

[LoryWiv]

3 hours ago, LoryWiv said:

8 hours ago, Miska said:

That's the point when new TLS connection is established with Qobuz or HRA server. This involves some random number generation and cryptographic work. What kind of backend are you using and what kind of hardware buffer settings? Here I'm already assuming that you don't have Short Buffer enabled.

 

Note that some older or different applications use older way to access Qobuz and may use non-encrypted connections for the streams.

 

Expand  

 ASIO backend Singxer SU-1 (SU-1 connects USB to my PC and I²S to my DAC), default buffer, short buffer unchecked. Singxer buffer setting highest (16384). Suggestions welcomed!

@Miskaamd @Hoshi - Update:  To asses the role of the Singxer DDC I switched to my FiiO BTR5 as USB DAC connected direct to PC --> still intermittent stutter near end of QoBuz streaming tracks but not every track. FiiO control panel buffer set to 2048.

[LoryWiv]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Is this like the Thesycon driver control panel? When you can set streaming mode to "Safe" and select biggest possible buffer? And leave "Buffer time" (for ASIO backend) in HQPlayer set to "Default" so that HQPlayer uses the values proposed by the driver.

 

Interestingly @Miska, before I saw your reply I went back to the Singxer driver control panel and decreased buffer size to 1024, prefetch unchecked and no stutter 10 seconds before track end while streaming QoBuz albums. Checked prefetch and the problem did not recur!!! So paradoxically, using biggest buffer setting led to the problem and reducing buffer size solved it....does that make any sense to you. In any case I am happy with the result.

 

Update: Spoke to soon...problem IS less consistent w/reduced buffer, only occurs on some tracks but hnot fully resolved. Suggestions welcomed.

[LoryWiv]

10 hours ago, Miska said:

 Generally for streaming you can expect to need as much RAM as single compressed track takes. So biggest RAM usages are for streaming something like DXD WAV or DSD256 DSF from UPnP server, however these are specifically capped at 4 GB. For regular hires FLAC we are usually talking about tens of megabytes, not gigabytes.

@Miskathanks, that is helpful. If I continue to experience stutters near the end of tracks due to prefetch / caching, will it help to allocate additional swap file RAM from my SSD? Or given that I have 32 GB and max used is 4 GB is this unlikely to be used?

[LoryWiv]

Up and running with my i9 12900, generally doing well but one issue with HQP Desktop 4.15.4 is that with both muylticore and CUDA offload grayed, latest nvidia driver for my RTX3080, I get high cpu loads with virtually no GPU offload. On my prior PC  with similar setting I'd get less COU usage and more GPU usage, especially w/higher resource filters which I had thought were more parsed to the GPU resource. Suggestions to "balance the load" between CPU / GPU welcomed, @Miska:

[LoryWiv]

I am enjoying more HQ Player capabilities with new 19 12900 based PC, but still puzzled as I can't seem to get any source files to output SDM with Sinc-M, Sinc-Mx or Sinc-L filters. For example, trying to output a 24 / 96 FLAC using ASDM5EC to SDM, won't initialize with any of these. What am I missing?

[LoryWiv]

22 minutes ago, ericuco said:

 

Does your DAC support 48k formats? You need to have the 48k DSD box checked and the Bit rate (/limit) set to a 48k rate. All of the Sinc-* filters are integer only meaning that upsampling only uses integers (44.1 > 88.2 > 176 or 48 > 96 > 192). So a 24/96 file can go to 192 or SDM equivalent.

 

Thank you, @ericuco. Yes, my DAC does 48k rate, box is checked. Bit rate limit in "settings is set to 48 x256. However, the error I was making was selecting a bit rate in client rather than leaving it on "auto"... with that it is working!!! Glorious, thanks so much!

[LoryWiv]

@Miska on new i12 12900 running HQ Player Desktop I can transcode FLAC to output DSD512 using ASDM7EC512 but doesn't work on the modulators without the 512 suffix. With ASDM5EC, for example, when trying to output to DSD512 CPU and GPU utilization is fairly low and playback does initialize BUT the sound is mostly static. Is there something I can do to correct this and longer term, would you consider creating an ASDM5EC512 modulator for those of us with ESS Sabre DAC'ss where ASDM5EC may be a better choice than ASDM7EC per your prior recommendation? Thanks, as always!

[LoryWiv]

3 hours ago, Miska said:

 

What kind of settings generate static? Here are my current settings on my AMD machine:

 

You mean "AMSDM7EC x512"? These are fine for ESS DACs too. Yes, this plays fine with 24 / 96 FLAC --: DSD512, 48k box checked.

 

Which ESS based DAC do you have? In most cases, if you get static with ESS DAC, it is because you are trying to play 48k multiple DSD rate to a DAC that doesn't support it. Do not enable set 48k DSD setting unless you are 100% sure it works correctly. For example S.M.S.L. DACs will misbehave. And Topping DACs have many more misbehavior modes too. This is not because of the DAC chip, but due to other reasons. DAC is Matrix X-Sabre Pro fed by Singxer SU-1 DDC (IIS), both are DSD512 capable. I unchecked 48k and tried a standard 16/44.1 Redbook file with settings below --> static overlaying the music.

 

 

 

[LoryWiv]

6 hours ago, Miska said:

 

It quite doesn't fit in the picture, but do you use single stage version of the filter or -2s version? You could try with -2s version... How's your adaptive rate setting?

 

In the Client screenshot you have different settings.

 

Can you try direct USB to the DAC, without the Singxer SU-1?

 

I tried it with either poly-sinc-gauss-long which I believe is inherently 2-stage, or a -2s filter as well. --> same result. Adaptive setting gray. I'll remove the Singxer when time permits, but for now truthfully I'll stick with ASDM5ECv2 which sounds great at DSD256, can run all filters, has no problem with 48k box checked and 44.1k or 48k multiple files and default in settings = 48/256. In addition, I get the dreaded clicks / pops between tracks with DSD512 so for now settings will stay as below. If there is further insight as to the 512 issue with ESS chips I'll watch for that here on the thread. Thanks.

[LoryWiv]

15 hours ago, Miska said:

 

OK, the problem is here. Leave Adaptive rate set to grayed. Uncheck 48k DSD and set Bit rate to 44.1k x256. You'll get constant 44.1k x256 output rate and no output rate switching regardless of source.

 

Respectfully, that doesn't address the problem with DSD512 playback, no change.

[LoryWiv]

22 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Yeah, entirely possible... Especially if the DAC has MQA support.

 

No MQA on DAC.

[LoryWiv]

 

9 hours ago, Miska said:

Note: this variable should be left unset for default behavior. Default behavior contains some amount of support for AVX-512. Setting DSP_ACCELERATION to 0 turns it off and relies solely on AVX2. Only regular Core series CPUs that have AVX-512 are 11th Gen. And some X-series Core CPUs. Otherwise it is Xeon-only feature.

My CPU is i9-12900KF. Is there no benefit to using DSP_ACCELERATION = 1 for HQ Player or other aspects of PC performance? Strange they would leave that setting as default when it is unhelpful.

 

Anyway, forgive my lack of knowledge but when I look in environment variables I am not certain where to change this value from 1 to 0. If it is the best approach to optimizing HQ Player Desktop performance w/o negative effects on overall PC stability or performance, I'd appreciate it if someone could direct me as to how to adjust the value. Thanks!

[LoryWiv]

9 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Default is that the variable is not set and HQPlayer decides what kind combination to run. So default is neither 1 or 0.

 

 

Don't touch (set) it unless you have major problems.

 

 I like that "don't fix it if it ain't broken" wisdom. Thank you @Miska!

[LoryWiv]

4 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Just to be clear, so PCM - SDM conversion also blocks Dither/Noise shaper?

Apologies if I'm over thinking this, but for PCM to SDM the filter and shaper are applied, as in screenshot below, correct?

 

[LoryWiv]

11 hours ago, Bertel said:

I bought the SMSL M500 MkII and received it on Friday, but it has strange issues with occasional electrical noise (low level stuff that sounds like quantisation noise or so, plus high pitched squeal at low volume at the end of tracks at fade out), although I feed it DSD512 only - guess that‘s what you mean with „it misbehaves“… 

 

@Miska have you tested and measured any ESS9038Pro based DAC yet which works without issues and quirks and plays DSD512 without any flaws? I like the very clean and transparent sound a lot and definitely want such a DAC in my collection, but haven‘t found properly engineered units yet it seems…

My Matrix X-Sabre Pro is ESS9038 based and can output DSD512 using AMSDM7 512+fs, with most source files (EG - 24/96 FLAC). However, I am unsuccessful in getting any of the EC filters to output DSD512. Perhaps a future update...

[LoryWiv]

13 hours ago, bogi said:

 

If you can run easier modulators on DSD512 then the inability to run EC ones is about power of your computer and not about DAC. It is not possible to run any filter/modulator combination on a computer which has not enough power to und them on wished target fs.

 

One can simply try some low power combination to find out if a DAC works correctly with DSD512. For example one of -2s filters and a for example DSD5 modulator. If that works then there is no issue with DAC support for the given sample rate. Then one can try more demanding filter/modulator combinations if that computer is able to run them.

 

There are HQPlayer filters which don't allow arbitrary source fs / target fs combination. So it is not possible to go to target DSD512 from every possible source rate with some filters. Therefore to test your DAC choose a filter allowing any source/target rate combination - see manual.

Thanks @bogi, understood. What puzzles me is that my PC, which is no slouch with 19 12900, RTX 3080 GPU and 32 GB DDR5 RAM, is barely breaking a sweat (CPU and GPU utilization both under 10%) but nonetheless the output w/ASDM5EC and -2s filters is mostly static. With these setting HQ Player Desktop (4.16.2) initializes and playback starts up promptly but all  I can hear of the music is faintly underneath loud static.

 

Suggestions to fix this would be greatly appreciated and welcomed!

[LoryWiv]

Thanks @bogi and @Fred C. I do have a Singxer DDC between PC USB3 and DAC. The DDC to DAC connection is IIs. I could try to remove DDC and connect DAC directly to PC USB, but it's a PITA due to component placement and I don't understand why it would matter if AMSDM512+ fc works fine for DSD512 output with my current configuration.