HQPlayer Linux Desktop and HQplayer embedded

[Miska]

7 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

In fact I'm actually using a Topping E30 II …

 

I think the reason is that the XMOS controller or the DAC chip gets confused and misbehaves if the stop - switch mode - start cycle is too quick.

 

[Miska]

5 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

But it happens even if I start playing from the day before:

let us say … I ended playing yesterday upsampling to SDM and today I change the configuration to upsample to PCM and start playing the issue is there … no shutdown and reboot from yesterday to today

 

There are all kinds of strange bugs in these XMOS firmwares.

 

Like iFi micro iDSD, if you power it up and start straight with 705.6/768k PCM, sound is loud and distorted. If you play any other format first, like 352.8/384k or DSD and then play 705.6/768k PCM it is fine.

 

While, IIRC, on SMSL M400, if you play any other format after plugging in the USB, then 705.6/768k doesn't work correctly anymore (with this one I worked around the issue by using Holo Red's I2S output).

 

So these kind of things have to be always tested with multiple different DACs before it is clear where the problem is...

 

[Miska]

On 4/19/2024 at 10:00 AM, stefano_mbp said:

running HQP embedded 5.5.2 on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

 

There's now a fresh Ubuntu build of 5.5.3 available. Please give it a try and let me know.

 

Now you can switch between PCM/SDM on the fly from Client, as well as switch output rates on the fly as well.

 

I cannot reproduce the issue with this build and T+A HA200 as a DAC. Not so sure about the E30. It could be just a firmware issue... It sounds like one and what I tested it seems to be rather randomly happening (or I just didn't find the logic).

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, stefano_mbp said:

@Miska hi Jussi, it seems that since last (at least) HQPlayer Client (iOS) update filter and modulator are not shown any more … or is it a HQPlayer Embedded thing (5.5.3 both amd and Intel versions)?

 

Please uncheck the "Verbose metadata" in Client control panel!

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, ekpln said:

Hey sir @Miska, thanks for the new version of HQPlayer Embedded. I wanted to ask the content of the following feature. What kind of correction is applied, what is the scope?

 

 

It improves correctness of the output signal, explained here, along with the currently supported DACs and output rates:

https://signalyst.com/dac-correction-support/

 

More is coming over time, when I get those done.

 

[Miska]

Just now, erekola said:

Is this coming to Desktop also? 

 

Yes, it will, in next release. Working on a release right now!

 

[Miska]

31 minutes ago, bogi said:

Does it mean that only the supported rates are provided for rate selection when one of those DACs is detected? Or something other? I see Gustard A26 lists only DSD rates where direct DSD works.

 

At the moment I don't limit rate selection. But if you choose something else as output format than what is specified on that table, the correction is just skipped.

 

In most cases the DSD rates apply for both 44.1k and 48k base. But for Gustard, it is only 44.1k base, since the 48k-base doesn't work properly. (I'll ask Aapo to add a note about that to the table)

 

I omitted PCM inputs also for those pure DSD DACs, since I don't see much point in sending PCM from HQPlayer to those ones.

 

[Miska]

35 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

Also I thought someone else mentioned in embedded, only direct connection to dac by usb is detected not when you connect NAA to dac?

 

It is *supposed* to work over NAA too. But of course there could be some problems sometimes. Based on feedback, I have now improved this a bit for NAA cases in upcoming Desktop release.

 

[Miska]

On 4/26/2024 at 1:08 AM, mikicasellas said:

Could you show at least a possible scenario of those settings where for these music could squeeze the best possible sound ?

 

for me they are well recorded, they could be amazing and don't want to ruin them with a regular to bad mix of settings .

 

The top one is not related to sound quality, but rather to hardware resources or visuals (metering).

 

SDM settings doesn't apply since you have output set to PCM. So only "DSD sources" and "PCM settings" applies.

 

You can use those halfband filters if you like those, but be ware in case Apod counter increments to figures higher than 10 during a track. In such cases it would be better to use some apodizing filter instead.

 

For this case of DSD source and you DSD-to-PCM conversion parameters the selection should be OK.

 

[Miska]

8 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

I still don't understand what is being corrected? Can the SD(V) 3100 HV be categorised for "correction" like the T+A DAC200?

 

Entire DAC from digital input to analog output is never perfect. Point of this option is to improve this by digital means.

 

Yes, those HV devices could be included as well, but it means I need to have physical access to the device.

 

And this is not a static thing, but something that keeps improving over time.

 

[Miska]

16 hours ago, bogi said:

'm sorry but you still didn't explain what the general word "correction" means in this case. Now I at least understand that the correction is not an automatic correction to set a working or optimal sample rate. To get at least some basic idea, please explain the areas where the correction is applied. If you would have a working D300 DAC in hands (I know yours is bricked), would you be able also to generate something like correction for it?

 

Yes, if I would have a working D300 I could make corrections for it. But unfortunately it got bricked by SMSL firmware update which I was stupid enough to attempt...

 

I have quite a lot of different DACs, but since there's quite a bit of effort involved for each DAC, I wanted to get started with a set that I personally use the most. And for example Ferrum Wandla is likely coming in next cycle. I use it standalone for the few cases where HQPlayer is not involved, although it works nicely at 705.6/768k from HQPlayer as well.

 

I started planning this feature when I released v4 of HQPlayer. But it ended up in HQPlayer a bit later than I originally thought... 😅

 

[Miska]

22 hours ago, cpcat said:

How do you know if it is working?

 

Generally, if you can select a DAC in the matrix setup, it works if you enable it.

 

But also in the log file you can see entry like:

DAC correction post-process active

 

If your output is DSD1024, you are up to some heavy lifting... 😅

 

I'm thinking about a nice way to indicate this in Client.

 

[Miska]

On 4/27/2024 at 5:40 AM, mikicasellas said:

I think this will make a better idea of what im looking for in terms of configuring while using SDM in HQPOs

If configuring in a different way any of those, specially the marked in RED 

 

 

 

Looks fine to me. The "Options" part depends largely on your hardware. You can try to force enable all Multicore DSP features if it makes a difference for you. E-cores setting depends on whether you have one of those CPU's that has both P- and E-cores.

 

[Miska]

On 4/27/2024 at 8:47 AM, StreamFidelity said:

You will have a reason not to answer in too much detail. But maybe you can indicate the direction of the correction. E.g. buffer settings for low latency or noise reduction? 

 

As everything in HQPlayer, it is about correctness of the analog output signal your are going to listen.

 

On 4/27/2024 at 8:47 AM, StreamFidelity said:

Come to me in Rostock/Warnemünde and you can measure the SDV 3100 HV. 😄

 

That wouldn't be too far some time when I take ship from Helsinki to Travemünde with a car...

 

But maybe I can also arrange something with T+A directly.

 

[Miska]

On 4/28/2024 at 6:45 PM, Jud said:

Hi @Miska. I have an HQPlayer Embedded license. My main SSD is showing signs of data corruption, and out of caution I am replacing both it and the backup SSD today with new ones. The new installations will be byte-for-byte copies of the old one (as far as I can manage to do that), but the hardware will have changed. I have the Embedded license key file. Is there anything I need to do other than run Embedded as usual on the new main SSD?

 

It should be rather straightforward process. But if needed, you could use the HQPlayer's backup/restore functionality to bring over all the settings too. But you may already have all the necessary bits and pieces in place depending on how old your backup is.

 

[Miska]

On 4/30/2024 at 6:03 PM, TomTuricum said:

The same problem here, version 5.6.0 HQPlayer Embedded, no DAC correction presets are displayed in Matrix pipeline (none).

 

If you are connecting DAC over NAA, then there's a bug related to DAC detection. It has been already fixed for upcoming next release.

 

[Miska]

23 hours ago, MJ1409 said:

Anybody having issues downloading 5.6.0? It’s giving me between 20hrs to 2 days!!!!

 

Where are you located? I'll look into making these files available also for example on one server located in Hong Kong. It may help...

 

Or possibly I move those to another server located in Europe (Germany instead of Finland).

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, jabbr said:

@Miska I don't know if this has been asked but is there an ETA for Ubuntu 24.04 support now that it is released and LTS

 

When it becomes officially possible to upgrade 22.04 to 24.04. Which usually means the time when 24.04.1 is released (around June - August timeframe).

 

[Miska]

6 minutes ago, chipvn said:

I'm in Singapore and facing similar issue quite frequent recently.

For the past couple of days, I have been trying to download a bootable image of HQPE OS V 5.5.3 without success cause it took almost forever to complete.

 

OK, these are some of the mysteries I cannot see directly. But I'll try to enable two more servers for downloads and hopefully this will help!

 

[Miska]

4 hours ago, cpcat said:

It’s interesting that even with similar hardware under the same manufacturer that different models can be distinguished.  There must be some unique identifier broadcast over USB/LAN?  Or @Miska formulates some sort of identification during testing specific models?  

 

I know for sure, that the corrections for DAC 200 / HA 200 wouldn't apply for HV-series. HV series would need it's own set of corrections. Those would be certainly worth having. To the extent possible, I try to offer only applicable corrections.

 

[Miska]

On 5/4/2024 at 3:46 AM, cpcat said:

Cryptic 😆.

 

Your right and your IP of course. 😀

 

Different hardware and different D/A conversion implementation. Different pieces of hardware require different corrections. Also the available settings in HV are different.

 

[Miska]

9 minutes ago, cpcat said:

Sounds great without DAC correction.

 

Maybe mine wouldn’t benefit or maybe it would.

 

I suspect I will never know.

 

@Miska is it possible to do a secure connection remotely so you could access?

 

I hope I will be arrange something either with T+A, or someone having a HV series device. It requires physical access to the device for measurements.

 

Next challenge is that this is not something "do once and then it's done" kind of thing. But ongoing improvements over time. That require new measurements...

 

[Miska]

11 hours ago, cpcat said:

Sorry if I assumed you knew, but I use a Lampizator DAC- see sig.
 

Maybe i will try out T+A one day.  I am looking (peripherally) at their speakers.

 

With your NAA design it seems like there would be a way for you to access remotely, or maybe with another NAA OS that you could customize to give you access?  We would need to trust you of course.  And i am sure we could all gang up on you -if necessary -to keep you in-line and on-the-level. 😆

 

DACs have couple of different types of identifiers. Sometimes it is easier to tell the devices apart and sometimes more difficult. Sometimes manufacturers use the same USB front-end for all their products. Then it is only possible to detect the manufacturer. Availability of information also depends on the OS in question.

 

When it comes to DAC corrections, for making those corrections I need physical access to the device.

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, Gato said:

Ok sorry for that, you can delete the folder copied on your desktop thanks!
I suspect that some permissions on folders present in “program files” are too restrictive and so the powershell command  can not run as smoothly as expected and so can not find the hqpresets path.

I need to look at this issue tomorrow. I will keep you informed. Thank you for your understanding!

 

You are looking for HQPlayer installation path? It is rather unlikely to differ from the default, but you could also look it up from registry:

HKLM "Software\Signalyst\HQPlayer 5 Desktop"