Best CPU for hqplayer

[AudioXP]

I'd be happy if it works within rate families (have auto rate family box checked). Will re-run some tests to produce "top"/"htop" screenshots which I can post.

 

Cheers!

[AudioXP]

Also got another 2 4G memory modules coming in, to use all 4 memory channels. Don't expect that will give a big boost, though.

[Miska]

28 minutes ago, AudioXP said:

I'd be happy if it works within rate families (have auto rate family box checked). Will re-run some tests to produce "top"/"htop" screenshots which I can post.

 

Since the CPU has HyperThreading, 50% total load means full load on all physical cores.

 

[Audio-68]

Apple introduced a new 6 core MacMini available today. Wondering how well it could run HQPlayer. Thoughts?

[Audio-68]

Apple MacMini 6 Core, here's some specs on the lower priced 3.0GHz version:

 

• 3.0GHz 6-core Intel Core i5 8th Generation
• Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz
• 9MB shared L3 cache
• Intel UHD Graphics 630

[Miska]

I'm planning to find out some time soon'ish as my old Mac Mini is getting quite pretty old indeed.

 

All the lineup seems like good options for running HQPlayer, especially the 6-core ones. Biggest question is how noisy the fan will get under load. Nvidia eGPU could be interesting option too.

 

In traditional Apple style, the RAM and SSD options are insanely expensive though. I would say 16 GB is absolute minimum for RAM and 512 GB minimum SSD to keep the machine usable for longer period...

 

[Audio-68]

Same here, still running a late 2009 MacMini 2.66.

 

According to Apple Insider earlier today , the 2018 MacMini will include user-expandable RAM. The  slots are SO-DIMM slots, and are mostly accessible to the user. In conversations with Apple corporate employees, Apple Insider was told that users with a "modicum of skill" can get to the pair of RAM slots.

 

Fingers crossed...

[Miska]

2 hours ago, Audio-68 said:

According to Apple Insider earlier today , the 2018 MacMini will include user-expandable RAM. The  slots are SO-DIMM slots, and are mostly accessible to the user. In conversations with Apple corporate employees, Apple Insider was told that users with a "modicum of skill" can get to the pair of RAM slots.

 

That would be awesome. I've upgraded my Mac Mini and iMac RAM with Kingston's Apple-specific parts that have been working perfectly for many years and cost less than half of Apple's pricing. I was disappointed when they removed that possibility...

 

[jvlata]

A well know third party company already is taking order for RAM for the new  Mini. I don't know if I can mention the name here? They will have a video how to do the up-grade

 

[57gold]

Miska - with one of these new 6 Core Minis, could I use HQPlayer send DSD256 to Mytek Brooklyn+? 

[Solstice380]

13 minutes ago, 57gold said:

Miska - with one of these new 6 Core Minis, could I use HQPlayer send DSD256 to Mytek Brooklyn+? 

 

A 2012 4-core Mac Mini did 44 to 256DSD so I expect the 6 core will do fine. 

[Jens_G]

Miska, what do you think about the following configuration, would it be sufficient for DSD512 poly-sync-xtr (non -2s)?

 

Intel Xeon E5-2680V3 12 x 2,5 GHz Turbo 3,3 Ghz

64 GB RAM (8 x 8129 MB, 2133MHz, DDR4)

Mainboard with Intel X99 (Gigabyte GA-X99-UD4P)

 

[Miska]

3 hours ago, Jens_G said:

Miska, what do you think about the following configuration, would it be sufficient for DSD512 poly-sync-xtr (non -2s)?

 

Intel Xeon E5-2680V3 12 x 2,5 GHz Turbo 3,3 Ghz

64 GB RAM (8 x 8129 MB, 2133MHz, DDR4)

Mainboard with Intel X99 (Gigabyte GA-X99-UD4P)

 

It is not very clear at least. The i7-6950X I have can just do it (and can fit on the same motherboard). It is 10 cores 3.0 GHz base and 3.5 GHz turbo (and 4 GHz with turbo 3). Price should be about the same, given same MSRP. That E5 is one generation older and lower base clock, although has two more cores.

 

64 GB of RAM is maybe a bit overkill, I have 32 GB and there's plenty of free RAM left. But of course shouldn't hurt either.

[Jens_G]

OK, so it would be worth a try? What do you think? I could get the above mentioned bundle on an acceptable price. Or would you recommend me to go to a newer platform instead because it would be more future proof, etc. BTW: DSD256 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s) should be possible in any case, shouldn‘t it?

 

Best regards.

[Miska]

37 minutes ago, Jens_G said:

OK, so it would be worth a try? What do you think? I could get the above mentioned bundle on an acceptable price. Or would you recommend me to go to a newer platform instead because it would be more future proof, etc. BTW: DSD256 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s) should be possible in any case, shouldn‘t it?

 

Maybe... DSD256 is about half of the load, so I'd certainly expect it to work.

 

[gdpr]

Maybe as a reference, my system is upgraded with an AMD Ryzen 2700X processor and 32Gb Ram.

I can now run full poly-sync-xtr (i.e. non -2s) filter.

Dirk

[Jens_G]

Dirk, that‘s an interesting information. May I ask you for some more information:

- Does that setup also work smoothly with DSD512 poly-sync-xtr (non -2s)?

- What Mainboard and RAM do you use in your setup?

- At what frequency the 2700x must run for that?

- Do you have a dedicated NVidia Graphic card using Cuda offload or what graphic card you use?

 

Would be very nice and helpful  to hear from you.

[gdpr]

1 hour ago, Jens_G said:

Dirk, that‘s an interesting information. May I ask you for some more information:

- Does that setup also work smoothly with DSD512 poly-sync-xtr (non -2s)?

- What Mainboard and RAM do you use in your setup?

- At what frequency the 2700x must run for that?

- Do you have a dedicated NVidia Graphic card using Cuda offload or what graphic card you use?

 

Would be very nice and helpful  to hear from you.

 

1) It works smoothly with DSD512 poly-sync-xtr-2s , non-2s does not work

as I do not have a dedicated Nvidia video card in my streamer , I am not (able) to use CUDA offload.

2) memory is G.Skill DDR4 32GB - I believe this one :  

F4-3200C16Q-32GTZ

 (but I would have to ask my streamer manufacturer to be 100% sure)

3) motherboard : need to ask as well

4) the 2700X rubs at full speed : 3,7 Ghz

 

Dirk  

[Jens_G]

Hi Miska,

what do you think about the following CPU?

Xeon E5-2687W-v3

Good chance for handling DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s)?

[gdpr]

 

27 minutes ago, Jens_G said:

Hi Miska,

what do you think about the following CPU?

Xeon E5-2687W-v3

Good chance for handling DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s)?

 

If you look at the following benchmark https://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

following CPU performances are specified :

 

Intel Xeon E5-2687W v3 @ 3.10GHz

17,720

 

AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X

17,272

 

 

As you can see, the performance of the Intel chip you are looking after, is not much higher than my AMD.

So I am sure that the Intel CPU will not be able to do DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s) without CUDA support.

 

In fact I doubt that even there is a CPU available today that can handle DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s) all by itself , without CUDA support.

(even not the high ranked 

Intel Core i9-7980XE @ 2.60GHz

27,761

 

But of course this is my personal opinion.  

Miska can defintely correct me if I am wrong.

 

Dirk

[Jens_G]

I‘m wondering, whether it is the number of cores/threads or the processor frequency that is the main important aspect regarding HQPlayer capabilities? Or is it the combination of both parameters? Would be very helpful to know what the main factor is.

@Miska, what would you recommend?

[MirinStereo]

As far as I can work out the most important thing is to maximize cache. It is confirmed that the 6950X can do DSD512 poly-sync-xtr and there are some people that state their AMD Threadripper 1950X does the Job as well (others did not confirm). The 6950X has 25MB of cache, 10cores with 3GHz base clock and is a fairly recent design (14nm and decent IPC). The 1950X has 32MB of cache and 16 Cores at a base clock of 3.4GHz, however (although the same CMOS manufacturing size of 14nm) lower IPC and hence lower performance per frequency/clock speed.

 

Hence if you want to do DSD512 poly-sync-xtr you will need a very powerfull processor. I would like to hear people describe the difference between poly-sinc-ext and poly-sync-xtr at DSD512 a bit more thouroughly as DSD512 poly-sync-ext can be achieved using a much less powerful processor such as the Xeon E3 1231v3 (8MB Cache, [email protected], 22nm CMOS) or the 6850k (15MB Cache, [email protected], 14nm); I hva tried both personally. Even when overclocking the 6850k to 4.4GHz and upping the cache multiplyer, I was not able to get -xtr DSD512 to work. Therefore, I would say that having enough cache is probably the first thing you should be looking at. Usually the processors with large cache are also the fastest. Look for processors with at least 25MB of cache and at least 3GHz base clock. I don't know if 8 Cores would be sufficient but I presume the are since my CPU load on my 6850k did never reach more than 45% using poly-sync-xtr at DSD512 at 3.8GHz (50% would be max since HQPlayer does not benefit from hyperthreading). 

 

I hope this helps and does not contribute to your confusion.

 

 

6950X: https://ark.intel.com/products/94456/Intel-Core-i7-6950X-Processor-Extreme-Edition-25M-Cache-up-to-3-50-GHz- 

1950X: https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-threadripper-1950x 

1231v3: https://ark.intel.com/products/80910/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E3-1231-v3-8M-Cache-3-40-GHz-

6850k: https://ark.intel.com/products/94188/Intel-Core-i7-6850K-Processor-15M-Cache-up-to-3-80-GHz-

[Jens_G]

Thank you very much @MirinStereo, that helped me to better understand the requirements. According to your description a very high number of cores / threads (e.g. 20 / 40) does not really help to achieve DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr. I was not fully aware of that and was looking for processors that have (beside a minimum of 25MB cache) a potential high number of cores/threads, but obviously a (very) high number of cores doesn‘t really help, as long as the CPU clock isn‘t at 3GHz or even more at least. That really helps me because it limits my efforts in searching for a proper processor. Maybe I can ask you another question regarding the CPU clock. Is it a matter of the base clock rate or what influence does the maximum turbo clock rate has here? For example, a (fictive) CPU with base clock rate at 2,8GHz and maximum turbo clock rate at 3,5GHz would fulfill the clock rate requirements or not?

[elan120]

5 hours ago, ddetaey said:

In fact I doubt that even there is a CPU available today that can handle DSD512 poly-sinc-xtr (non -2s) all by itself , without CUDA support.

 

6 minutes ago, Jens_G said:

Is it a matter of the base clock rate or what influence does the maximum turbo clock rate has here? For example, a (fictive) CPU with base clock rate at 2,8GHz and maximum turbo clock rate at 3,5GHz would fulfill the clock rate requirements or not?

I can confirm the PC I recently build using AMD threadripper 1950X can run DSD512 with poly-sinc-xtr (non-2s) without CUDA at base clock rate of 3.4GHz.  The CPU usage is about 33~34% when running DSD512 with poly-sinc-xtr.

 

[Jens_G]

@elan120, Thanks for confirmation.

What about the following CPU: 

 

Xeon E5-2687W v3, 25MB Cache, 10Cores/20Threads, 3,10GHz Base clock, 3,50GHz max. Turbo clock

 

What the experts out there think about that?