HQ Player

[StreamFidelity]

6 minutes ago, Miska said:

What do you mean by "didn't work"?

 

I apologize for the imprecise statement. Your efforts deserve better. I meant the drop outs were still there.

 

9 minutes ago, Miska said:

Make that poly-sinc-lp-2s and you have much less load on the other cores producing heat.

 

Thanks, that would be one possibility.

[Zauurx]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

The usual pain and suffering trying to develop anything for Windows environment...

 

Anyway here's an alternative build with slightly tuned build flags, let's see if this is better or worse:

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/HQPlayer4Desktop-setup-4140-2.exe

 

 

With this version, it's better, but it cuts every 5/7 sec.
With version 4.131, my I5-8400 can output DSD 256 with a long poly-sync-gauss filter and ASDM7EC (44.1 input or 96 Qobuz).
With the 4140, not possible. 93% on the 1st core.

Had to go back down to ASDM5EC (64% on 1st core) : no more cut-off

 

 

[k6davis]

 

24 minutes ago, blueninjasix said:

I second this - running very well on UBUNTU 21.10

 

I third this.

 

42 minutes ago, Miska said:

The usual pain and suffering trying to develop anything for Windows environment...

 

I have a license for both HQP Embedded/HQP OS (Linux) and HQP Desktop (which I run on Windows). I upgraded to HQP OS version 4.26.2 when it was released over a week ago.

 

As I've written here previously, I have had an extremely positive experience with the new version of HQP OS, so I was very surprised to hear that people were having difficulty with the Desktop version. I just tried HQP Desktop 4.14 (the first version) and can confirm that I also experienced dropouts at settings that worked fine with 4.13.

 

When I'm testing for dropouts, I always use 24-192 files being upsampled to DSD EC 256 x48, the most challenging workload I send to HQP. I run an i7-9700K with no GPU, with default BIOS settings on Windows Server 2019. poly-sinc-ext2 is still my preferred filter, which is nice since it also is easier on the server.

• HQP Desktop 4.13: ASDM7EC plays fine.
• HQP Desktop 4:14: DSD5EC plays fine, but ASDM7EC has consistent dropouts
• HQP OS 4.26.2: DSD5EC, ASDM7EC and even the more demanding new ASDM7ECv2 all play fine. With ASDM7ECv2, the main two cores are working hard, but the sound is excellent and there are zero stability issues. I even tried ADSM7ECv2 with poly-sinc-lp and poly-sinc-gauss-long and everything still played fine.

This is the first time I've experienced a such dramatic difference between Linux and Windows in the ability handle HQP DSP.

 

I hope that the issues can be resolved for everyone on Desktop/Windows, because I have been blown away by how great the new version sounds. I would post about it every day, but you'd get tired of hearing about it. It was already great, of course, but the new version is noticeably better, with or without using the great new ADSM7ECv2. 

[AudioDoctor]

44 minutes ago, blueninjasix said:

I second this - running very well on UBUNTU 21.10

 

Living dangerously right on the edge on 21.10 I see...  ;-)

 

I am on 20.04.3 LTS because I am becoming a huge fan of stability.

[GMG]

Super stable also on Audiolinux 

[Luca72c]

22 minutes ago, k6davis said:

I hope that the issues can be resolved for everyone on Desktop/Windows, because I have been blown away by how great the new version sounds

 

I hope too, even if i have embedded on HQP OS too: i usually slightly prefer Windows sound and GUI. But can i update it or have i to burn another image containing the new version?

If i can update, how can i do that exactly?

[bogi]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

The usual pain and suffering trying to develop anything for Windows environment...

 

Anyway here's an alternative build with slightly tuned build flags, let's see if this is better or worse:

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/HQPlayer4Desktop-setup-4140-2.exe

 

It improved much, thank you!
I'm playing like before 88.2k -> 5.6M closed-form-fast and tried first ASDM7ECv2, plus tilt filter + the integrated Bauer fross-feed.
Without Multicore DSP and without Firefox it plays without dropouts. With Firefox there were dropouts every cca. 23s.

With Multicore DSP no dropouts and load was significantly lower than on my previous picture. Please look at the new pictures.

 

Then I tried ASDM7EC (non v2). It played without dropouts in all cases - also without Multicore DSP and with Firefox running. The new build flags seem to be lighter on load - most probably the same or very similar to the previous version with the same filter/modulator. I can try yet something if you have patience ... thank you!

 

Graphs show lower load especially in Multicore mode - even with ASDM7ECv2.

without Multicore DSP

 

with Multicore DSP

 

multicore on / off

[k6davis]

33 minutes ago, Luca72c said:

 

I hope too, even if i have embedded on HQP OS too: i usually slightly prefer Windows sound and GUI. But can i update it or have i to burn another image containing the new version?

If i can update, how can i do that exactly?

 

I always just wipe the USB stick and write the new HQP OS image to it. 

 

Using that method, you can easily switch between versions at will.

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, bogi said:

It improved much, thank you!

 

OK, since it seems to be at least somewhat better than the original release build. I replaced the original with the new one and keep using those build flags for now on.

 

 

[Zauurx]

In any case, thank you for the speedy search for a solution.
HQP: 1st price for customer support 😉

[bogi]

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

OK, since it seems to be at least somewhat better than the original release build. I replaced the original with the new one and keep using those build flags for now on.

My last picture shows a curiosity that Multicore on needed slightly less CPU power than Multicore off. Is that within possible?

[Luca72c]

1 hour ago, bogi said:

It improved much, thank you!

 

Much better in my system too, but still somewhat halfways between 4.13.1 and original 4.14: i can now play ASDM5ECv2 without dropouts, but still i have dropouts every 25/30s using ASDM7EC (using greyed multicore DSP, as full on or off both lead to worse dropouts). Very strange that using 4.14_2 my 10-cores, 5.2 ghz i9-10850K is performing worse than a 3.3 ghz i7-6820HQ, anyway...

@Miska: but isn't any further optimization of build flags possible, just to come back to 4.13.1 performance?

Anyway, many thanks and appreciation for the very fast fix! 👍

[Miska]

17 minutes ago, bogi said:

My last picture shows a curiosity that Multicore on needed slightly less CPU power than Multicore off. Is that within possible?

 

By off you mean really off, or auto-configuration? Since the selection is tri-state. Algorithms are the same, just work split varies.

 

Since there can be cases where one way or the other different from the auto-configuration may work better, I offer the option to choose.

 

 

[Miska]

8 minutes ago, Luca72c said:

@Miska: but isn't any further optimization of build flags possible, just to come back to 4.13.1 performance?

 

I don't think I can do much more. At least I'm out of ideas for now.

 

[Theobetley]

I am on the new version and I love it. I can get ASDM5ECv2 with Sinc M filter. Cpu ultilization at 60-70%. Sonically the tonal center of gravity of the soundstage is lower with greater dynamics better bass and more extension. Best  upgade yet. Way to go Jussi!

[Luca72c]

15 minutes ago, Miska said:

I don't think I can do much more. At least I'm out of ideas for now.

 

Ok, let's hope you can obtain some further improvement in next days, not in a strong hurry thanks to 4.14_2 fix. 

Thank you again! 

[LoryWiv]

Yes, the new 4.14 ( I assume that although still named 4.14 it is the fix) installs fine now on Win10, sounds great, a bit more resource intensive but not prohibitively so. Thanks for the upgrade Miska!

[bogi]

7 hours ago, Miska said:

By off you mean really off, or auto-configuration? Since the selection is tri-state. Algorithms are the same, just work split varies.

Full on / off, never the middle setting. Therefore I am curious. Is it ever possible, that multicore load distribution brings lower overall load?

[oldfirm]

I have disabled AO3 as recommended and HQP now active and fully functional -Weeks I have been struggling with this and it was Audiophile Optimizer causing my issues.

Now I am ready to purchase , but I am proposing to purchase a Mini Mac M1 , so transferring license will not be an issue I hope?

[bogi]

8 hours ago, Luca72c said:

Much better in my system too, but still somewhat halfways between 4.13.1 and original 4.14: i can now play ASDM5ECv2 without dropouts, but still i have dropouts every 25/30s using ASDM7EC (using greyed multicore DSP, as full on or off both lead to worse dropouts). Very strange that using 4.14_2 my 10-cores, 5.2 ghz i9-10850K is performing worse than a 3.3 ghz i7-6820HQ, anyway...

Are you upsampling like I to DSD128 or DSD256? Other thing, you might use some more demanding convolution than I. I found the tilt IIR filter discussed here last weekend is very light on resources, so room eq could be other case.
I am using Full Throttle Override to keep processor frequency higher. Another tool doing the same is ThrottleStop.
Then you may yet have some other issue - other things running. Look in Task Manager if some process is not too active even if you do not run any application. For example I found dllhost.exe (COM Surrogate) eating resources significantly (fan noise higher only because of that one process), so I am stopping it in Startup settings.

[MasterWarzombie]

8 hours ago, Miska said:

 

I don't think I can do much more. At least I'm out of ideas for now.

 

A big thank you for your responsiveness. We are fortunate to be able to chat with the developer.
Obviously our feedback is not a criticism of your work but I think it is interesting to have user feedback.

I'm curious how the new M1 Max will react with HQplayer.
When I see the number of hacks to make windows work properly, I think the solution is Apple for the audiophile who does not want to take the lead.
I'm waiting for the new Apple Mini to dedicate this device to HQplayer like my Roon Nucleus Plus which is dedicated to Roon .....

[Luca72c]

11 minutes ago, bogi said:

Are you upsampling like I to DSD128 or DSD256? Other thing, you might use some more demanding convolution than I. I found the tilt IIR filter discussed here last weekend is very light on resources, so room eq could be other case.
I am using Full Throttle Override to keep processor frequency higher. Another tool doing the same is ThrottleStop.
Then you may yet have some other issue - other things running. Look in Task Manager if some process is not too active even if you do not run any application. For example I found dllhost.exe (COM Surrogate) eating resources significantly (fan noise higher only because of that one process), so I am stopping it in Startup settings.

 

I upsample evetything to DSD256. No petformance issue before 4.14, my server has always been very fast and powerful, using 4.13.1 it copes very well with nearly all filter/modulator combos even with 4x frequencies files. My win10 installation is very basic and optimized, 1% or less total process load in idle, performance has always been even better than using HQP OS + Embedded... Before 4.14...

[Zauurx]

We will wait quietly ... thanks again !! 👏

And it is forgotten that in DSD 128, everything works without issue. And poly-sinc-gauss-long + ASDM7ECv2 DSD128x48 is excellent...

 

Ok, I have to try to compare with DSD 256 ASDM5EC (v2 doesn't pass even in 5EC)... The audiophile syndrome !! 🤪

[Hammer]

On 10/31/2021 at 11:16 PM, Hammer said:

I don't believe I can.  I scanned my flac library in HQPlayer Desktop and opened HQPlayer Client.  I client, I selected localhost, but I don't see any of the albums that were scanned.  I've tried searching for things I know exists and nothing comes up.  Both HQPlayer Desktop and Client are running on the same machine. 

 

As a test, I installed HQPlayer Desktop on another machine with only one NIC and no Hyper-V and from the original Windows Machine, I am able to connect to this new install of HQPlayer.  So it seems the problem is something specific to the first machine.

Hi, any thoughts on why I cannot connect to HQPlayer either with Client or Roon?  Thanks!

[Miska]

7 hours ago, bogi said:

Full on / off, never the middle setting. Therefore I am curious. Is it ever possible, that multicore load distribution brings lower overall load?

 

Recommended and default is the auto-configuration, IOW having the box grayed. It allows things blend between the two extremes...