HQ Player

[MemoryPlayer]

4 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

Still using 20 bits.

Try 21 and 22 and see if will run smooth!

[jabbr]

12 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Note that USB-C to USB-A converter doesn't mean it would work with Thunderbolt. Instead it likely works only with USB. But if you can use some optical Thunderbolt with one of those Thunderbolt docks, then you could have the isolation. That dock still needs it's own PSU though, so you'd need to pay some attention there.

 

Type-C USB connector supports many different on-wire formats through alternate mode and in addition power delivery. However, these require specific support from both ends of the connection. So just having a USB-C connector doesn't mean that any of these would be supported on it.

 

The new USB4/TB3 is what I’m thinking. The Corning is still at TB2 but awaiting update.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, jabbr said:

The new USB4/TB3 is what I’m thinking. The Corning is still at TB2 but awaiting update.

Do the Corning cables still have a copper wire that runs alongside the optical?

[jabbr]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Do the Corning cables still have a copper wire that runs alongside the optical?

Not the thunderbolt optical ones. USB4 is merged with thunderbolt3 so I’m hoping that would be a true fiber USB cable — you need a powered destination

[jabbr]

15 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Note that USB-C to USB-A converter doesn't mean it would work with Thunderbolt. Instead it likely works only with USB. But if you can use some optical Thunderbolt with one of those Thunderbolt docks, then you could have the isolation. That dock still needs it's own PSU though, so you'd need to pay some attention there.

 

Type-C USB connector supports many different on-wire formats through alternate mode and in addition power delivery. However, these require specific support from both ends of the connection. So just having a USB-C connector doesn't mean that any of these would be supported on it.

 

Right but USB4 is merged spec with TB3 so I’m hoping a USB4 (which M1 has) fiber cable will work ...

[Miska]

4 hours ago, jabbr said:

Right but USB4 is merged spec with TB3 so I’m hoping a USB4 (which M1 has) fiber cable will work ...

 

Next task is to find something compliant with such spec...

 

[Miska]

9 hours ago, DancingSea said:

Ever since upgrading to a M1 Mac Mini, the HQP remote app will no longer connect to HQP.  I've made sure the network connections option is enabled in HQP.  Ideas?

 

Which app? Firewall not blocking inbound connections? Correct IP address at the remote side, or you mean discovery is not finding HQPlayer?

[Miska]

10 hours ago, Quadman said:

I got music to play, a 24/96 file from roon played at 96K, a 16/44.1 file from roon played at 44.1.  So does this mean HQP is just passing the roon stream directly to my dac with no processing, other than the digital volume control?  bit perfect?

 

If you use volume control and set dither to none, you have a nice distortion generator...

 

Being bit-perfect is not goal of HQPlayer.

 

[Hensema]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

If you use volume control and set dither to none, you have a nice distortion generator...

 

Being bit-perfect is not goal of HQPlayer.

 

A bit perfect switch would be very nice. For R2R dacs it would function as a NOS/OS switch. It might be a good idea to be not able to use such a switch with volume below -10 db. That would prevent accidents with blown speakers.

[Miska]

9 minutes ago, Hensema said:

A bit perfect switch would be very nice.

 

Why? It would make the whole point of HQPlayer moot.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

15 hours ago, MemoryPlayer said:

Try 21 and 22 and see if will run smooth!

Listening to 24 bit / 1,536 kHz right now and it's smooth as silk.

[Miska]

23 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Listening to 24 bit / 1,536 kHz right now and it's smooth as silk.

 

Holo USB interface supports 16- and 32-bit word lengths over USB. From the point of view if it works it only matters if it's <= 16 bits or >16 bits. In former case 16-bit data format can be used over USB. In other cases 32-bit data format is used. This makes 2x difference in amount of data going on the USB bus. DAC Bits controls how many bits of the word are actually used (rest are zero).

 

[Hensema]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Why? It would make the whole point of HQPlayer moot.

 

Two reasons:
 

1. It makes switching between internal OS and HQPlayer OS easier, in that way the difference in SQ can be faster compared.

2. NOS is another sound than OS, it’s just fun to listen to it now and then.

[ted_b]

57 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Listening to 24 bit / 1,536 kHz right now and it's smooth as silk.

 

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Holo USB interface supports 16- and 32-bit word lengths over USB.

 

Chris doesn't use Holo dac, he uses the Terminator dac.

[Quadman]

1 hour ago, Hensema said:

NOS is another sound than OS, it’s just fun to listen to it now and then

especially with the holo may dac, it is shockingly good at native NOS streams.

[Miska]

25 minutes ago, Quadman said:

especially with the holo may dac, it is shockingly good at native NOS streams.

 

Nothing is good running at 44.1k, already because of massive treble roll-off.

 

[Quadman]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

Nothing is good running at 44.1k, already because of massive treble roll-off.

2-3 db down at 44.1K, a lot of speakers roll off similar as well.  when I had issues with holo driver and playing DSD I used a Qobuz stream from their web player and I was stunned how good the native stream (it was 16/44 to 24/96) sounded.  My first impression was I could live with that.  This after years of using HQP to up sample all signals to DSD512 via my Gustard dac and then my T+A dac.  Native streams never sounded as good as those dacs.  Now I'm not saying I prefer NOS native stream with the Holo, just that it is shockingly good.

[Miska]

5 minutes ago, Quadman said:

2-3 db down at 44.1K, a lot of speakers roll off similar as well.

 

No, at 22.05 and it starts already around 1 kHz (gray-green plot):

 

Whole point of HQPlayer is to be advanced DSP engine. If you want a player that just shovels data from place A to place B, then there's no shortage of options.

 

 

[Quadman]

37 minutes ago, Miska said:

Whole point of HQPlayer is to be advanced DSP engine

Jussi I agree, I love HQP, but my comment about the Holo with native stream is also correct, I almost suspect they have to be doing something to it as it is so good and so involving.  With my issues with the Holo asio driver and DSD through HQP, coupled with HQP not opening due to a ucrt error.  I went ahead and built my new server based aound a i7-10700K processer and a lowelu GTX1060 GPU.  I run straight windows 10 pro, no other "enhanced" programs.  I can now run DSd256 all filters except sinc L (of course) at 7EC.  I am falling hard for this combo.  The dac is still new to me and I have a lot of options to try that are now open to me.  Not sure where I'll end up but 99.9% sure HQP 4 will be doing some magic.

[MemoryPlayer]

5 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Listening to 24 bit / 1,536 kHz right now and it's smooth as silk.

👍👍👍

[Hensema]

On 4/5/2021 at 6:50 PM, AudioXP said:

 

Interesting, thanks for reporting. Is this i7-11700 without K? Have you also tried since-L?

Just tried with Sinc-L, but that’s too much for this cpu (without K). The total system ram usage explodes also to 20+ gb.

[Miska]

6 hours ago, ted_b said:

Chris doesn't use Holo dac, he uses the Terminator dac.

 

OK, just checked, the Denafrips USB interface is always 32-bit sample format.

 

[ted_b]

2 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

OK, just checked, the Denafrips USB interface is always 32-bit sample format.

 

So he should set to "32" or "auto"?

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, ted_b said:

So he should set to "32" or "auto"?

 

No, of course not. You don't want to actually send 32 active bits there! 20 bits is good value to get started with.

 

[lpost]

On 3/22/2021 at 7:10 PM, kelvinwsy said:

IMHO you should download awindows Server 2019 and Windows LTSC and do a shootout with Win 10 Pro... It is as clear as Night and Day.. top rank and descending order to wirst

Windows Server 2019 Core Mode

Windows Server 2019 GUI

Windows Server 2016 Core

Windows LTSC

Windows 10 Pro

NB all running Hqplayer Desktop 

and For WinServer 2016 and 2019 you need AudioOptimizer for Hqplayer to work

What are the sonic differences? A sense of calm, quieter background .. less or no congestionwhen the playback volune is raised on WinServer 2019 with AO3 compare to LTSC( I upgraded my winserver 2016 to 2019 Core)

Windows 10 Pro is noisy, cluttered sound and congestion in the Sound .. most subtle ambinent or hall effects ( natural or DSP) gets buried in the noise. As a result SQ, Sound Stage Depth , Separation , enganced "body" to voices and instruments , deeper and clearer bass and sweeter cleaner highs all all evudent on a Winserver 2028/AO Hqplayer playbk PC.. 5 mintes comparison is all it takes

Happy listening

 

 

What topology are you using? If HQP is running on a network machine sending data to NAA the OS should make no difference.

 

I run Windows 10 hosting Roon which sends to HQPe running on another computer which sends to NAA running on a mini computer that is USB connected to my DAC. I get no SQ differences by making changes or increase/decrease services or daemons or CPU load on either the Windows or HQPe machine. Only the NAA matters.