Best CPU for hqplayer

[Zauurx]

I am looking for a simple, light and economic upgrade of my I5 which cannot manage the DSD under HQP.
I do not understand that I can send some DSD live on my RME, from Roon (dop).
But through HQPlayer (Direct DSD) it is buggy with drops out every 3 sec (HQP and Roon on the same nuc - bios reset to zero ..). (>> NAA on USBridge Sig, 1go eth network)
Roon / HQP communication problem (buffer?).

I found a refurbished HP ProDesk 600 G1 (mini-pc): Intel Core i7-4765T 2.00 GHz / 8Go RAM / SSD 120Go (430 $), win10pro.
Interesting (instead of my i5-3470T / 12go / SSD) ??

[Zauurx]

I found a DELL PRECISION T5810 :
Intel Xeon E5-1650 V3 3,50GHz (6 core/ 12T) / 32Go RAM DDR4 ECC / 500Go SSD / NVIDIA Quadro K4200 / Gigabit Ethernet / DVDRW / Win 10.

 

Any advice? .. It should be able to rotate the EC filters .. with the help of the Nvidia Quadro?
Used at 1100$.
But no audiophile power supply and a server to put at the other end of the network (noise)..

 

Or a DELL T5610
Intel Xeon E5-2650 V2 2,60GHz (8C/16T) / 16Go RAM DDR3 ECC / 2 x 256Go SSD / NVIDIA Quadro K2000

670$... good enough ?

[Zauurx]

3 hours ago, StreamFidelity said:

 

For the EC modulators you need processors with a high clock frequency (at least 4GHz on two cores with stereo). Xeon processors are generally not suitable for this.

Thank you for the reasoned response.
Could a 3.50GHz Xeon E5-1650 V3 + Nvidia K4200 (CUDA) version be able to do this ... without warranty ?
Wouldn't it be better than an i9 without Nvidia ?

[Zauurx]

A mini PC Gamer with Intel Core i9 9980HK 9880H 8 Core GTX 1650 NVME SSD

 

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005001777765162.html

 

Article in french :

https://www.minimachines.net/actu/le-minipc-nvisen-y-gx01-94900

[Zauurx]

yes, I read it after...

[Zauurx]

Hi Jussi,

I am happy to use HQP on my "old" tiny Lenovo with a 2-core i5-3470T (4 logical) and I can switch from redbook to DSD 256 (ASDM7) and even DSD 128 ASDM7EC (90% CPU Win10 LTSC).
Surprised that it works but really happy !! Thank you very, very much !!
I am testing a brand new model with a 9th gen i7, still mobile version, not the best for HQP (i7-9700T)
"Not the best" but a very good option to have a small server without noise and easy to feed with a linear power supply.
And these processors also allow HQP to be used on a laptop.
But there, "out of the box" without optimization (Win10 IOT ENT)
it's already stuck.
Still 8 cores but even with the multicore option it seems only 4 are supported.
And no EC filters possible (screenshot illustrates overload with cuts every 2 sec).
The Intel architecture had to change and the EC filters, demanding but on the I5,
the distribution is almost perfect and even more stable than with a non-CE.
I was hoping for at least the same with the I7 and of course, more with 8 cores.

What is your analysis?

 

[Zauurx]

Thank you so much !!
With your advice and some adjustments with ProcessLasso, it seems to work.
Listening to headphones but without convolution. No blanks or clicks in DSD256 ASDM7EC.
It's still limited ... I will continue my optimization (AO, Fidelizer) .. but this little Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q only cost me 460 € new.
I cannot be too demanding !!

 

[Zauurx]

On 12/18/2020 at 5:13 PM, Zauurx said:

Thank you so much !!
With your advice and some adjustments with ProcessLasso, it seems to work.
Listening to headphones but without convolution. No blanks or clicks in DSD256 ASDM7EC.
It's still limited ... I will continue my optimization (AO, Fidelizer) .. but this little Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q only cost me 460 € new.
I cannot be too demanding !!

 

 

In the end, impossible to stabilize the operation without the fans starting up .. and too noisy to stay in my living room .. 😔

temporary return to my old i5-3470T which does the job in DSD128 .. and in silence .  

[Zauurx]

Yes, I thing the same.
 can, with pleasure, listen to flac files (44/16) played in DSD128 ASDM7EC with a little Tiny Lenovo i5-3470T(2 cores - 4 logicals).
I am using Win10 LTSC which I optimized by "hand" + A0 + Fidelizer + ProcessLasso (42 processes with Roon and HQP in progress).
I had a convolution too.
I did the test yesterday. Telling me that ProcessLasso was not that important. I stopped it.
I had dropouts every 5 sec.
So everything counts .. with a limited CPU (it's different with a 9900K)
Of course, I can not listen  from DSD or HiRes with these settings, but from Redbook .. no problem with 85% CPU load (98% for HQP).

[Zauurx]

To complete and better understand the EC filters.
With an Intel architecture (and Win10), only 2 cores (1 per channel) are used.
We can assume that a processor with a higher base frequency will be more efficient (no turbo).
Example: an Intel Core i5-7500 Kaby Lake Quad-Core 3.4 GHz (LGA 1151 65W) could be better than an i7-
9700T 2.9 Ghz 6 core ?
I am targeting maximum 65w models to keep fanless hope.

Of course, if we can do EC in DSD 128 (I do it with an i5-3470T), we can hope to do DSD256 but never 512 (i9-9900k necessary).
But anyway my RME ADI-2 is limited to 256.

[Zauurx]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

What practically matters is what clock speed, with turbo, those two cores end up running at.

Thx Miska.
If i understood, an i5-9600 : 3,10 GHz / 4,60 GHz (6 core / 6 threads) and 65w... max performance for this TDP (and my motherboard) is a good choice (perhaps fanless).

[Zauurx]

I bought from a member of this forum, an HDPlex H3 with an i5-8400 on a Gigabyte Z370N motherboard.
After a quick optimization of Win10 LTSC with A0, PL .. MC 100, without using Fidelizer, I read the Redbook in DSD256 ASDM7EC without problem.
I can't seem to get the latency down. I don't know if the processor has a problem. No problem with the audio, only LatencyMon gives me bad results...
Or if I haven't found the correct settings in the bios.
Even if the optimization is a little brutal (I have not yet put my hands in the registry), this is what it gives with a set that is almost 2 years old.

52° after one hour of music 😉

 

[Zauurx]

I continued to optimize and find the solution to lower the latency (HPET off).
With EXT2, it's limit for 24/192 .. dropout every 5 sec.
No problem with a "2s" filter (eg short-lp-2s).

 

With EXT2 :

 

 

With sync-short-lp2s

 

 

 

[Zauurx]

I used the same Roon> HQP on my oldie Lenovo Tiny M92 (i5-3470T)  (with 2 ethernet cards on the same machine) without difficulties to DSD128.
I bought this machine already mounted and the choice of I5-8400 seems good (no hyper-threading support. 6 cores)

You have to ask Miska and other users, apart from already having files in 24/192,
I'm not sure there is a difference in terms of SQ between 44.1> DSD256 and 192> DSD256.

As I already wrote, I tested a Lenovo I7 .. but could not silence the fans.
I took time to find the right optimization solutions for win10, which I would not do for IOS.

 

And I forgot, I have a convolution activated through Matrix menu in HQP. Without it is even better for the CPU load.

@Miska the only DSP under Roon is actually the volume adjustment between songs and albums (adjusted to -18lufs).
I don't know if HQP uses the same data. (R128 not Replaygain).
https://help.roonlabs.com/portal/en/kb/articles/volume-leveling
And Roon's total CPU load is ridiculous (screenshot same file 24/192 EXT2).

I will still test 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zauurx]

16 hours ago, Miska said:

 

It increases amount of data transferred between Roon and HQPlayer quite a lot, to avoid precision loss.

 

You can have ReplayGain metadata set based on any kind of calculation you like. I've been using loudgain myself, see also repo link here for some more details. I think I packaged it for Ubuntu as well. So it is based on R128 as well.

 

If I want to understand. With ReplayGain or Loudgain, you have to retag your entire library and it doesn't work with Tidal (or Qobuz).
It's in Roon's interest to use his database and retag on the fly (but without modifying the files... alas).

[Zauurx]

I have just reached the maximum of the optimization of my H3 with Gigabyte card Z370N (used purchase) + i5-8400.
With the 2 Intel inside ethernet cards (Ultra Durable ™ 25KV ESD and LAN protection against 15KV overloads), I am amazed.

Music Server (Roon eth1 + HQP eth2) > NAA (IPV6) > Allo USBridge > RME > Audia FL100

[Zauurx]

After some adjustments and improvement tests (latency), I made a mistake.
I reinstall an old backup, go back to the bios and .. go to to some music.
And...   😒 cannot play mqa 96 on my i5-8400 (Roon> HQP ASDM7EC DSD 256).
Cutouts every 5 seconds.

Normal: processor stuck at 3.7ghz ???
I'm looking, think, looking for an overclocking track for this (excellent) processor (6 cores - 2.8ghz. Turbo. 65w > fanless).
The theoretical max is 4ghz .. on one core ? all ? with turbo ...
I go back to the bios of my Gigabyte Z370N .. some tests .. 102.7, uncore to the max and ...
I'm happy .. no more dropouts !! Only music. 😋

 

[Zauurx]

Thanks for this precision !

[Zauurx]

5 minutes ago, chipvn said:

Do you need to under volt the CPU to keep it cool?

 

Thanks

No, for the moment all the voltages are in "auto" mode and never more than 65 ° in a fanless HDPlex box.
And the copper tubes are only on one side. I can reposition them to distribute over the 2 sides of the case.

[Zauurx]

Selfishly, what I remember is that my core i5-8400 is a good choice.
65w - 4ghz and no problem for ASDM7EC DSD256 with an HAF convolution (4 channels).

>> fanless (HDPlex 3).

However, it supports AVX-2, not AVX-512... @Jussy : what is the impact on the operation of HQPlayer ?

[Zauurx]

@SwissBear

 

In Bios, hyperthreading is disabled? (> only 8 cores) and the frequency blocked to the max (without going through the turbo)? like OC.

What is the motherboard ?
With 8 cores at a permanent frequency of 4.6 (4.7 turbo specification for this CPU), things should go smoothly.

[Zauurx]

6 hours ago, SwissBear said:

 

Hyperthreading, as well as CPU frequency, are in Auto mode in the BIOS.

MB is Gigabyte Z490 UD. Memory is G.Skill Trident Z.

I'm not saying that things are not going smoothly. But not any smoother than the Mac Mini M1... 

 

Apple M1 is a machine developed globally: CPU, motherboard, bios, OS to obtain a result (and if possible the best).
In the case of a DIY machine, you (or me) are the builder.
So the intel CPU will give a certain result depending on the motherboard, memory and BIOS settings chosen by you.
If not, it is the "auto" mode wheel (russian wheel) to have a PC that works but does not give the maximum.
This is what I have already said elsewhere with my i5-8400 CPU (stuck at 4ghz without turbo. Gigabyte Z370N), it plays DSD 256 with HAF convolution even with 96hz - 64 bit (Roon volume).

 

[Zauurx]

It's an old screenshot.
I went back to ext2 except for the high res versions of Tidal (mqa-mp).
But I tested ext2 with the Gary Moore track. It still works with 80/90% on 2 core (ASDM7EC).
Screenshot made instantly.

 

[Zauurx]

On 3/26/2021 at 12:41 PM, Sagittarius said:

I would like to know what is the lowest power CPU that can run HQPlayer at DSD 256 upsampling without any restriction on modulator or filter type. I tried to check the posts on the mac mini M1  and,  while I understand it will do DSD 256, I am still not sure if it can keep up with all modulator and filter combinations. Also, is it correct that in case of using a MAC, an NAA may be required because MAC can only output DSD over PCM (and many DACs will not accept the sample rates required)?

Has anybody tried the intel i7 "T" processors which run at a base frequency of 2.0Ghz for use with HQplayer? They are used in many very compact computers, which is the reason I am interested in them.

I already wrote above that with an "old" i5-3700T, I was running HQP with ASDM7EC in DSD 128.
But it's still ... limited.

On my current server, i5-8400, I also posted some information on how it works under Win10 LTSC (about 40 processes including 23 windows processes / AO3, personal optimization, HPET off, ProcessLasso & MC).
The CPU is "blocked" at 4ghz without turbo (2.8 base, bus speed at 102,7 Mhz / 6 core, no hyperthreading).
No problem for DSD 256 / ASDM7EC with redbook or Tidal MQA 96/128 as input.
It's a problem with DSD 64 with volume management >> DSD 256 (dropouts..). 
On the other hand, no problem: DSD 64 > DSD 128 / ASDM7EC

The only option or new feature I will ask Miska  😉 :
Choose the output rate level in case of DSD input.
Without volume control, DSD 64 is output as DSD 64 (DSD Direct) but with volume control, it is output as DSD 256... and then the system doesn't follow.

The system: i5-8600 on a Gigabyte motherboard works in fanless mode in an H3 box. (temperature: between 50/60 °).

[Zauurx]

25 minutes ago, skipspence said:

Just wonder if i9-11900T (1.5 - 4.90 GHz) could do the main job as HQP server🤔?

It depends on your requirements with HQP. If you can set it to 8 cores above 4ghz, it should work.
An icore "T" is 35w but even with a 65w model, you can have fanless.