Roon / HQPlayer Integration

[Miska]

I've been running hqplayerd with success on startup as a --user service but I will definitely look into that. I think something about my current order can prevent logging from starting cleanly. Maybe if I move it from /tmp to the home folder. Restarting the service sorts it at any rate.

 

I'm running hqplayerd as system service under "hqplayer" user (the new package creates that system user) and logging to /tmp/hqplayerd.log so it doesn't consume real diskspace, only tmpfs.

 

Only remaining hitch is playback occasionally stops with 1 second remaining and then fails to advance. I noticed something similar mentioned on the Roon forums though and possibly an impending fix for Build 197, so that could be unrelated.

 

I've really rarely hit this, only once managed to reproduce it. Seems to be some tricky timing problem and happens only under certain limited circumstances. The problem was that Roon cut out the data source after brief initial data burst. That case happened only when manually switching track to next one on Roon and only when controlled from a tablet. I reported this to Roon, but have not heard back and haven't been able to reproduce it since, so I'm not sure if it got fixed or not.

[arglebargle]

I've really rarely hit this, only once managed to reproduce it. Seems to be some tricky timing problem and happens only under certain limited circumstances. The problem was that Roon cut out the data source after brief initial data burst. That case happened only when manually switching track to next one on Roon and only when controlled from a tablet.

 

That was my experience exactly. Regardless, I'm thrilled with how this setup has come together. Barely ten seconds after power on, Roon and HQPlayer are ready to go.

 

I'll look into creating a user as part of an Arch Linux package install so I can do that correctly. Until now I've just been modifying someone's pkgbuild for 3.x, but in the meantime I'm off and running.

 

Cheers!

[arglebargle]

Thanks blackhole, if you're reading this, for updating the Arch Linux aur package for 4.*! Saves me having to figure that out. I did get the hqplayer user setup before noticing though. No more problems with the log file on initial startup.

 

@Miska Is the brief echo I'm hearing when pausing in Roon (right after hqplayerd goes from pause -> idle) a byproduct of the iFi DAC's lack of muting? It's not one of those full-volume pops some players make on DoP stop, but a "pop" length burst of whatever was playing.

[Miska]

@Miska Is the brief echo I'm hearing when pausing in Roon (right after hqplayerd goes from pause -> idle) a byproduct of the iFi DAC's lack of muting? It's not one of those full-volume pops some players make on DoP stop, but a "pop" length burst of whatever was playing.

 

I have not got that kind of effect with my iDSD Micro BL, tested last night...

[hifi25nl]

I am testing HQPlayer embedded version 4.0.0a9 with iFi micro iDSD and another DSD custom "noDAC"

1) I have the same effect as explained by arglebargle

2) Auto rate family not working. I have added auto_family="1", hqplayerd log confirm that the option is enabled, but if I play, for example, a 44100 kHz file, the log advise me that "Requested filter not possible with this rate combination 44100/192000, stop"

Adding 0 for automatic sample rate instead of 192000 produces an error.

* 2017/02/09 11:26:21 Signalyst HQPlayer 4 Embedded 4.0.0a9+ 2017/02/09 11:26:21 Engine starting...  2017/02/09 11:26:21 libDSP version 18.2.1  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Audio engine: alsa  2017/02/09 11:26:21 asoundlib version: 1.1.3- 2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA backend uninitialized  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Set channels: 2 (2)  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA device: hw:0,0  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA access mode: 3  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA PCM format: S32_LE  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA PCM bits: 32  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA PCM physical width: 32  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA PCM rates: 44100 - 192000  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA DSD not supported  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA rate available: 44100  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA rate available: 48000  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA rate available: 88200  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA rate available: 96000  2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA rate available: 192000+ 2017/02/09 11:26:21 ALSA backend initialized  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Volume limit: 0  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Set volume: -60  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Automatic rate family enabled  2017/02/09 11:26:21 DirectSDM disabled  2017/02/09 11:26:21 Pipeline SDM enabled  2017/02/09 11:26:22 SDM conversion parameters (5, 0)  2017/02/09 11:26:22 DSD 6 dB gain enabled  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Initial parallel threads: 8  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Number of logical cores: 8& 2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set transport (240):   2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set filter: 11  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set dither: 0  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set oversampling: 9  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set modulator: 3  2017/02/09 11:26:22 SDM conversion parameters (5, 0)  2017/02/09 11:26:22 DSD 6 dB gain enabled  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Audio engine PCM mode enabled  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Requested output rate: 192000  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Set sampling rate: 192000 (192000)  2017/02/09 11:26:22 Control active volume range: -60 - 0 dB+ 2017/02/09 11:26:22 Engine running+ 2017/02/09 11:26:29 Control connection from [::1]:40099& 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Playlist clear& 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Playlist add URI: http://127.0.0.1:9102/0d904e60722a495484da591d23871e35/stream.raw& 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Play+ 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Playback engine running# 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Requested filter not possible with this rate combination 44100/192000, stop  2017/02/09 11:26:30 Parallel threads: 8  2017/02/09 11:26:30 Nested parallelism: 0  2017/02/09 11:26:30 Parallel pipelines: 4  2017/02/09 11:26:30 Set volume: -60& 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Stop- 2017/02/09 11:26:30 Playback engine stopped- 2017/02/09 11:49:57 Engine stopping...- 2017/02/09 11:49:58 Control disconnection from [::1]:40099  2017/02/09 11:49:58 Set volume: -60- 2017/02/09 11:49:58 ALSA backend uninitialized- 2017/02/09 11:49:58 Engine stopped

3) No way to make work Roon --> hqplayerd --> networkaudiod

This is the output of networkaudiod:

[[email protected] ~]$ networkaudiod[networkaudiod] (10339): networkaudiod Copyright (C) 2011-2016 Jussi Laako / Signalyst. All rights reserved.[networkaudiod] (10339): asoundlib version: 1.1.3[networkaudiod] (10339): discovery from [fe80::325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2%enp3s0]:44267[networkaudiod] (10339): discovery from [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:44267[networkaudiod] (10339): connection from [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:51246[networkaudiod] (10339): Found ALSA device: hw:0,3 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 0[networkaudiod] (10339): Found ALSA device: hw:0,7 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 1[networkaudiod] (10339): Found ALSA device: hw:0,8 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 2[networkaudiod] (10339): Found ALSA device: hw:1,0 - SA9023 USB Audio: USB Audio[networkaudiod] (10339): Found ALSA device: hw:1,1 - SA9023 USB Audio: USB Audio #1[networkaudiod] (10339): begin disconnection[networkaudiod] (10339): ALSA backend uninitialized[networkaudiod] (10339): disconnected [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:51246

This is the configuration file for hqplayerd:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml>    <output type="network"/>    <engine cd_drive="/dev/sr0" channels="2" direct_sdm="0" fft_size="512" pipeline_sdm="1" type="network" volume_limit="0" volume_min="-60">        <alsa channel_offset="0" dac_bits="0" device="hw:1,0" dualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="0"/>        <network address="default" dac_bits="0" device="hw:1,0" dualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="0"/>        <transport dsd_6db="1" pdm_conv="5" pdm_filt="0"/>    </engine>    <pcm filter="9" dither="7" samplerate="96000"/>    <sdm oversampling="9" modulator="3" bitrate="12288000"/>    <mode value="pcm"/>    <title value="NET"/>    <log enabled="1" file="/home/audiolinux/.hqplayer/hqplayerd.log"/>    <mime>        <type value="audio/ogg"/>        <type value="audio/vnd.wave"/>        <type value="audio/L24"/>    </mime></xml>

 

Both auto family and NAA streaming are working fine with HQPlayer Desktop.

[Miska]

I am testing HQPlayer embedded version 4.0.0a9 with iFi micro iDSD and another DSD custom "noDAC"

1) I have the same effect as explained by arglebargle

2) Auto rate family not working. I have added auto_family="1", hqplayerd log confirm that the option is enabled, but if I play, for example, a 44100 kHz file, the log advise me that "Requested filter not possible with this rate combination 44100/192000, stop"

Adding 0 for automatic sample rate instead of 192000 produces an error.

 

The outputs in your post are unreadable because everything is on a single line... But for auto rate family to have effect, you need to set "samplerate" and "bitrate" to 0 in pcm and sdm elements respectively. This is same as setting the rate drop list to "Auto" in HQPlayer Desktop main window.

 

Here's my configuration with functional auto rate family, in this case to iFi iDAC2:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xml>
       <output type="alsa"/>
       <engine auto_family="1" cd_drive="/dev/sr0" channels="2" cuda="0" direct_sdm="0" fft_size="512" pipeline_sdm="1" sdm_integrator="0" type="alsa" volume_hw="0" volume_limit="0" volume_min="-60">
               <defaults bitrate="12288000" dither="5" filter="9" modulator="6" oversampling="9" samplerate="384000" volume="-3"/>
               <alsa channel_offset="0" dac_bits="24" device="hw:CARD=Audio,DEV=0" deualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="100" volume_element="Master"/>
               <network address="default" dac_bits="0" device="hw:0,0" dualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="0"/>
               <transport dsd_6db="1" pdm_conv="5" pdm_filt="0"/>
       </engine>
       <pcm filter="9" dither="5" samplerate="0"/>
       <sdm oversampling="9" modulator="6" bitrate="0"/>
       <mode value="sdm"/>
       <fixed volume="-3"/>
       <title value="Listening"/>
       <log enabled="1" file="/tmp/hqplayerd.log"/>
       <mime>
               <type value="audio/ogg"/>
               <type value="audio/vnd.wave"/>
               <type value="audio/L24"/>
       </mime>
</xml>

[hifi25nl]

Thanks, now PCM and DSD working fine! What about network?

I have changed to

<output type="network"/>

Try to add

<engine type="network6"...

and

<network "ipv6="1"...

but the output of networkaudiod is

[networkaudiod] (21312): networkaudiod Copyright (C) 2011-2016 Jussi Laako / Signalyst. All rights reserved.
[networkaudiod] (21312): asoundlib version: 1.1.3
[networkaudiod] (21312): discovery from [fe80::325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2%enp3s0]:41003
[networkaudiod] (21312): discovery from [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:41003
[networkaudiod] (21312): connection from [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:43214
[networkaudiod] (21312): Found ALSA device: hw:0,3 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 0
[networkaudiod] (21312): Found ALSA device: hw:0,7 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 
[networkaudiod] (21312): Found ALSA device: hw:0,8 - HDA NVidia: HDMI 
[networkaudiod] (21312): Found ALSA device: hw:1,0 - SA9023 USB Audio: USB Audio
[networkaudiod] (21312): Found ALSA device: hw:1,1 - SA9023 USB Audio: USB Audio #1
[networkaudiod] (21312): begin disconnection[networkaudiod] (21312): ALSA backend uninitialized
[networkaudiod] (21312): disconnected [2002:c0a8:2:0:325a:3aff:fe7f:92e2]:43214

and hqplayerd log is saying "No suitable output rate for 44100, stop"

 

Maybe you can show me another example...

[Miska]

Thanks, now PCM and DSD working fine! What about network?

 

How does your network backend configuration element look like?

[hifi25nl]

My test configuration is with polynomial and 0 dither, auto_family enabled:

<?xmlversion="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xml>
       <output type="network"/>
       <engine auto_family="1" cd_drive="/dev/sr0" channels="2" cuda="0" direct_sdm="0" fft_size="512" pipeline_sdm="1" sdm_integrator="0" type="alsa "volume_hw="0" volume_limit="0"  volume_min="-60">
              <defaults bitrate="12288000" dither="0" filter="11" modulator="3" oversampling="4" samplerate="96000" volume="-3"/>
              <alsa channel_offset="0" dac_bits="24" device="hw:1,0" dualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="100" volume_element="Master"/>
              <network address="default" dac_bits="0" device="hw:1,0" dualwire="0" pack_sdm="0" period_time="0"/>
              <transport dsd_6db="1" pdm_conv="5" pdm_filt="0"/>
       </engine>
       <pcm filter="11" dither="0" samplerate="0"/>
       <sdm oversampling="4" modulator="3" bitrate="0"/>
       <mode value="pcm"/>
       <fixed volume="-3"/>
       <title value="NET"/>
       <log enabled="1"file="/home/audiolinux/.hqplayer/hqplayerd.log"/>
       <mime>
              <type value="audio/ogg"/>
              <type value="audio/vnd.wave"/>
              <type value="audio/L24"/>
       </mime>
</xml>

[arglebargle]

I recall that Miska runs Roon on a Mac, I wonder if that little post-pause echo is somehow related to running roonserver on Linux? I was thinking perhaps it was DoP but pack_sdm 1/0 didn't make a difference there.

 

Thanks for sharing that config file. It's nice to have auto rate working, even if I'm sometimes convinced the iDAC2 sounds better taking everything to 12.28 mhz.

[Outlaw]

HQPLAYER quit working again.No sound play button is greyed out and pause bar flashing.Roon will play on its own.Had this issue before and had to do a clean install.love Hqplayer but getting tired of the headaches

[hifial]

HQPLAYER quit working again.No sound play button is greyed out and pause bar flashing.Roon will play on its own.Had this issue before and had to do a clean install.love Hqplayer but getting tired of the headaches

 

It is a little hard for anyone to help without you providing more info.

 

What are the specs of your PC?

What type of music file are you playing when this happens?

What are the settings you use for HQP? And to what DAC are the files being sent to?

 

These are just some of the types of questions that your answers might help others help you. They are not the only ones that matter just some examples.

 

Also send Miska a log from HQP from when it gives this trouble. He might be able to find the problem from the log.

 

Good luck.

[Outlaw]

It is a little hard for anyone to help without you providing more info.

 

What are the specs of your PC?

What type of music file are you playing when this happens?

What are the settings you use for HQP? And to what DAC are the files being sent to?

 

These are just some of the types of questions that your answers might help others help you. They are not the only ones that matter just some examples.

 

Also send Miska a log from HQP from when it gives this trouble. He might be able to find the problem from the log.

 

Good luck.

Windows 10 Pro.16/44 flac upsample to poly sinc short mp DSD256.Dac is a Simaudio moon dac which has a Asio driver for native dsd playback.Roon on its own works fine.Cant get Hqplayer to work with Roon or by itself

[lotriwer]

Windows 10 Pro.16/44 flac upsample to poly sinc short mp DSD256.Dac is a Simaudio moon dac which has a Asio driver for native dsd playback.Roon on its own works fine.Cant get Hqplayer to work with Roon or by itself

 

Have you tried using -2s filters?

[Miska]

Windows 10 Pro.16/44 flac upsample to poly sinc short mp DSD256.Dac is a Simaudio moon dac which has a Asio driver for native dsd playback.Roon on its own works fine.Cant get Hqplayer to work with Roon or by itself

 

Also make sure you don't have same audio device/driver enabled as zone in Roon and HQPlayer. This is also instructed in Roon documentation. Both want to have exclusive access to the device and would just fight with each other who wins the device first...

[Miska]

My test configuration is with polynomial and 0 dither, auto_family enabled:

 

Looks OK, except you should always have some dither if you do any DSP... No dither is only fine for bit-perfect playback, for anything else there should be some form of dither/noise shaping.

 

What is the "hw:1" on the NAA device? What does "aplay -l" show there?

[Outlaw]

Also make sure you don't have same audio device/driver enabled as zone in Roon and HQPlayer. This is also instructed in Roon documentation. Both want to have exclusive access to the device and would just fight with each other who wins the device first...

Never had Audio device enabled in Roon and Hqplayer at the same time.When I couldn't get Hqplayer to work disabled Hqplayer in Roon and just used my Audio device in Roon and it worked.

[Miska]

Never had Audio device enabled in Roon and Hqplayer at the same time.When I couldn't get Hqplayer to work disabled Hqplayer in Roon and just used my Audio device in Roon and it worked.

 

OK, so HQPlayer alone doesn't work? What is the DAC/driver and backend you are trying to use?

[hifi25nl]

Looks OK, except you should always have some dither if you do any DSP... No dither is only fine for bit-perfect playback, for anything else there should be some form of dither/noise shaping.

 

What is the "hw:1" on the NAA device? What does "aplay -l" show there?

This is the output:

[font=monospace][color=#000000]**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****[/color]
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Audio [sA9023 USB Audio], device 0: USB Audio [uSB Audio]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Audio [sA9023 USB Audio], device 1: USB Audio [uSB Audio #1]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
[/font]

[Carcrashboy]

OK, so HQPlayer alone doesn't work? What is the DAC/driver and backend you are trying to use?

 

Hi Miska,

 

I've had Roon 1.3 working fine via SOtM sMS-200 for a while now and all stable. Running iMAC Ethernet directly to SOtM using Roon Ready in Eunhasu. Have been playing with HQ Player (with and without Roon but no no luck so far). I think I have isolated the problem to HQplayer when set to NAA does not see the SOtM. Are you aware of any known issues, thanks.

[Miska]

I've had Roon 1.3 working fine via SOtM sMS-200 for a while now and all stable. Running iMAC Ethernet directly to SOtM using Roon Ready in Eunhasu. Have been playing with HQ Player (with and without Roon but no no luck so far). I think I have isolated the problem to HQplayer when set to NAA does not see the SOtM. Are you aware of any known issues, thanks.

 

Usually if NAA doesn't appear in HQPlayer, something is eating the multicast packets on the way... Primarily problem is usually multihomed setup where computer is using multiple network interfaces. Typically operating systems then end up routing multicasts to the interface with default route.

[Carcrashboy]

Usually if NAA doesn't appear in HQPlayer, something is eating the multicast packets on the way... Primarily problem is usually multihomed setup where computer is using multiple network interfaces. Typically operating systems then end up routing multicasts to the interface with default route.

 

Thanks, have tried a number of things, static routes etc but no luck looks like I will not be able to use HQPlayer, this beyond my networking ability. Just one thing, when installing the Mac version do I need to install the networking daemon as well?

[shadowlight]

Thanks, have tried a number of things, static routes etc but no luck looks like I will not be able to use HQPlayer, this beyond my networking ability. Just one thing, when installing the Mac version do I need to install the networking daemon as well?

Was the NAA ever hooked up to a different instance of HQPlayer? If the answer is yes, check to make sure that instance is no longer running. I have had that occurred once or twice, where it was connected to a different instance and NAA will not show up under the network naming. I thought there was an option for HQPlayer to specify which interface to use for NAA broadcast.

[arglebargle]

and hqplayerd log is saying "No suitable output rate for 44100, stop"

 

Greetings, was wondering if you had any luck resolving this one? Switched my main server to Debian Stretch to cut down on possible mismatched libraries etc but still if I install anything newer than HQPlayer Embedded version 4.0.0a8-8, my previously working Roon/Embedded/NAA playback chain fails with "No suitable output rate for 44100".

[hifi25nl]

Yes, I confirm that 4.0.0a8-8 is working, where 4.0.0a10-10 is giving that error.