Euphony OS w/Stylus player setup and issues thread

[flkin]

13 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I guess I haven't seen that...

Ah, this is strange as I’m trying to do the opposite from you - not to enable the volume bar in Stylus/HQP. And I don’t know how!

 

Perhaps you accessed HQP’s settings directly outside of Stylus and HQP remembered it?

 

10 hours ago, davide256 said:

I’m going to suggest you do your own check as that does not agree with observed behavior when I disconnect the ethernet cable during play. Stylus will always play the next song. When I use Roon with HQPlayer it stops after current song if Ethernet is disconnected. I’m also wondering now if Roon is buffering current song to RAM or caching to disk. 

I’m finding that Euphony pre-download works differently for Stylus and Stylus/HQP. In Stylus, local files, Tidal and Qoobuz streaming a minimum of 2 tracks are pre-downloaded into RAM (assuming you have enough ram) and the streamer can be disconnected entirely from LAN and the two tracks plays fine. There’s an option to pre-download the entire album into RAM also but this works for local files only. 
 

When playing normally with LAN connected there is no lag moving from a track to the next due to this. For a 2 track pre-load, when moving to the second track, the third is downloaded during the first few seconds of the second track’s playback.  
 

For Stylus/HQP, there is a few seconds pause while the current selected track is downloaded or processed by HQP before playback starts. This occurs for both local files and streamed files and is true even for pre-downloaded local files or pre-downloaded streaming files. It’s like HQP has its own buffering system. Even fast forwarding in a pre-downloaded file causes a delay. 
 

There doesn’t seem to be a pre-download more than the current file. So moving to the next track always causes a noticeable delay - a sum of the track download and HQP’s re-buffering. 
 

As for the latest Roon version and HQP, disconnecting the LAN stops the music after a few seconds of playing. It might be that the track is pre-downloaded also but Roon doesn’t allow playback to continue once the Roon remote is disconnected from the Roon server. So even though pre-download might exist, the constant (2 way?) communication of the Roon components will likely affect the sound quality. Or perhaps Roon/HQP simply doesn’t have track pre-download. 
 

Of course the real question is why on earth anyone would use Roon over Euphony being clearly inferior in sound quality? 😄

 

Actually I do, on a separate server not for playback but for it’s excellent music searching abilities and ability to sort both local and streamed files together by date added. Željko steadfastly refuses to prioritize this despite many prods from me. So it’s Roon for search only and Stylus for playback side by side, best of both!

[davide256]

2 hours ago, flkin said:

...

 

Of course the real question is why on earth anyone would use Roon over Euphony being clearly inferior in sound quality? 😄

 

Actually I do, on a separate server not for playback but for it’s excellent music searching abilities and ability to sort both local and streamed files together by date added. Željko steadfastly refuses to prioritize this despite many prods from me. So it’s Roon for search only and Stylus for playback side by side, best of both!

I think the question of RAM buffer vs disk cache is important... my suspicion is that Roon playback uses disk cache and that is why Stylus sounds better, because it uses RAM buffer. Euphony will no longer let you run Stylus or Roon server entirely in RAM,  you get an error msg if you select "load app data" to RAM for RAM disk.

Would prefer that option was still allowed for Roon, when I was using it the only defect was  that any updates made after it was enabled weren't saved at shutdown,

you had to occasionally exit RAM disk mode so that Roon updates and major library changes were saved to permanent disk vs delaying startup for refresh.

 

Although given  results above, I'm now wondering if the HQPlayer directory needs to be loaded to RAM disk also..

[dminches]

If I replace my network card and thus change my hardware signature can I move my license on my own or do I have to request a new license key and have it sent to me?

 

[davide256]

4 minutes ago, dminches said:

If I replace my network card and thus change my hardware signature can I move my license on my own or do I have to request a new license key and have it sent to me?

 

For both Euphony and HQPlayer you have to request that a new license key be sent if a detectable change occurs. You may want to swap the card in, capture the new

signature(s) then put the old one back in for a few days until your request(s) with the new signature are completed. HQPlayer doesn't seem to detect a signature change

until you try to play music using HQPlayer

[davide256]

FWIW I am seeing that HQPlayer current track is buffered to RAM with Stylus and Qobuz but it buffers slowly, like watching paint dry and the next track is never buffered

by end of current track. Moving the port from FE to GigE on Etheregen speeds up Stylus w/o HQPlayer to reasonable buffering speed,  HQplayer

buffering speed improves modestly. Has me wondering if this is a network delay issue  or do others get  same slow buffering performance using Stylus/HQplayer/Qobuz?

 

 

 

 

 

[davide256]

Nevermind... switched the NUC to WIFI and buffer speed is much better. Looks like my POE connection to router has problems

[davide256]

think I've finally found a reason to keep my Roon subscription. I like using HQPlayer's DSD upsampling with Stylus but it wasn't as clean as I wanted for harmonic

integrity/digital irritants. Getting better results now by using DSD up sampling in a separate Roon server and streaming it using HQPlayer protocol to the Euphony

i7NUC running Stylus EP. Might even move the NUC into the fanless Turing case I have.... fried the previous resident doing local DSD upsampling with HQPlayer

[WilliamWykeham]

A few issues and questions as I'm trying out Euphony before purchasing:

 

1) With HQP Embedded, is multi-core an option?  I do not see it anywhere.  I can get DSD256 ASDM7EC ext2 through Windows Server, but not through Euphony, and I think it's because I can't find a multi-core option. 

2) I'm getting a strange percussive digital hash sound out of my directly connected speakers; sounds like about 300-400 beats per minute, doesn't seem to be a ground hum.  When I press "shuffle" in Roon it gets louder briefly before the album plays.  I don't hear it in my other speakers that are not directly connected to the computer.   I wonder if this might go away when I'm not using USB to boot up?  

3) For some reason, Euphony won't find my NAA Device (a USBridge Sig / DietPi).  It finds the "NAA Name" of DIetPi but then there's no device in the field underneath.  Otherwise, HQP works just fine when directly connected. 

 

Despite the very audible digital hash, very favorable first impressions, very smooth.  Now if I can just figure out these three things. Appreciate any help!

 

Keces P8 power supply --> HDPlex 400W --> Asus Hero Z390 motherboard --> i9 / JCAT USB (powered by Keces)  / JCAT Net / 16 GB Corsair RAM

 

... also ... just checked and the sound is coming from the server itself, and being transmitted through the speakers as well.  it does not increase in volume as I turn up the gain.  

 

 

[WilliamWykeham]

... also, it looks like there is this thing called Intel Optane for best SQ - assuming I go forward with Euphony should I buy that and then install from the USB drive?  Or stick with regular M2 drive?  I saw a post here about installing the trial software directly onto an optane drive but it requires a linux computer which I don’t have.  

[AudioDoctor]

7 minutes ago, WilliamWykeham said:

... also, it looks like there is this thing called Intel Optane for best SQ - assuming I go forward with Euphony should I buy that and then install from the USB drive?  Or stick with regular M2 drive?  I saw a post here about installing the trial software directly onto an optane drive but it requires a linux computer which I don’t have.  

I don't have any idea about Optane, but I have Euphony on a regular M2 drive and I don't think I am suffering any sound quality loss because of it.

[ASRMichael]

5 hours ago, WilliamWykeham said:

... also, it looks like there is this thing called Intel Optane for best SQ - assuming I go forward with Euphony should I buy that and then install from the USB drive?  Or stick with regular M2 drive?  I saw a post here about installing the trial software directly onto an optane drive but it requires a linux computer which I don’t have.  

I use 32gb Optane drive for Euphony OS. This is used instead of USB drive. You load Euphony onto USB, once software up & running go to menu system & install the Euphony onto  Optane. Then remove the usb drive.

 

To my knowledge there is no such thing as Linux computer. Linux is software like windows that can be installed on any computer. 
 

[davide256]

On 12/13/2020 at 11:44 PM, WilliamWykeham said:

... also, it looks like there is this thing called Intel Optane for best SQ - assuming I go forward with Euphony should I buy that and then install from the USB drive?  Or stick with regular M2 drive?  I saw a post here about installing the trial software directly onto an optane drive but it requires a linux computer which I don’t have.  

Optane is fast to boot and convenient but too small to use as a media drive. When you license Euphony it will allow you to install to any drive in the NUC, just make sure the M.2 slot is enabled

[drjimwillie]

Hi

I just installed a euphony system update. 
does anyone know where to find the system update log?

I would like to know what is different. 
thank you

I hope you are enjoying your music as much as I am🙂🎶

[walloon]

7 minutes ago, drjimwillie said:

Hi

I just installed a euphony system update. 
does anyone know where to find the system update log?

I would like to know what is different. 
thank you

I hope you are enjoying your music as much as I am🙂🎶

Hi,

 

Settings > System > System Info > Euphony Release

[bos3812]

Hi Drjimwillie,

 

Euphony Stylus - settings - system - system info - tap Euphony release.

 

[lwr]

The latest system release was November 2, 2020 (v3.20201102)

[WilliamWykeham]

On 12/13/2020 at 10:29 PM, WilliamWykeham said:

A few issues and questions as I'm trying out Euphony before purchasing:

 

 

 

OK all set. What I did not understand is that you have to buy the Euphony license first and then you can load to Optane.  Getting Optane set up was confusing because I had to go into bios, enable SATA, enable Optane and then select “not RST controlled” for RAID support.  I write this down here for other non-technical people like me.  

 

I’m finding that I can’t upsample to DSD 256 Asdm7ec with Euphony, even though I can upsample to this setting with windows.    Euphony still giving me better SQ though.  

[davide256]

36 minutes ago, WilliamWykeham said:

 

OK all set. What I did not understand is that you have to buy the Euphony license first and then you can load to Optane.  Getting Optane set up was confusing because I had to go into bios, enable SATA, enable Optane and then select “not RST controlled” for RAID support.  I write this down here for other non-technical people like me.  

 

I’m finding that I can’t upsample to DSD 256 Asdm7ec with Euphony, even though I can upsample to this setting with windows.    Euphony still giving me better SQ though.  

Euphonys thing isn't upsampling, it works so so but using HQPlayer embedded does it much better... at additional cost. You can used the embedded HQPlayer

functionality with Stylus for 30 minutes without license, give that a try and see what you find/like. Just navigate to

 

settings > music service > audio outputs

 

to enable HQPlayer.

 

Buffer can be pretty slow, HQPlayer doesn't behave well if buffering is not complete for track play so be sure to allow enough tracks to complete buffering before you start play to avoid overrunning buffer progress... I always lose right channel when that happens.

[Chopin75]

Been while since I use Euphony so now I realize I. can do Quboz stream direct (actually pre-loaded onto RAM) from Euphony Stylus. Now There is also a You-tube stream but I am unable to make it work,  is it supposed to work ? 

[ASRMichael]

4 hours ago, Chopin75 said:

Been while since I use Euphony so now I realize I. can do Quboz stream direct (actually pre-loaded onto RAM) from Euphony Stylus. Now There is also a You-tube stream but I am unable to make it work,  is it supposed to work ? 

Yes mine appears to work. 

[Chopin75]

20 hours ago, ASRMichael said:

Yes mine appears to work. 

I got that screen too but cannot get it to play. Maybe I need the 5G ethernet to connect to the server ? 

[Chopin75]

Also now for some reason the pops come back on DSD mode using stylus. It used to come only with changing from DSD to PCM (or vice versa) but now it happens even when changing track as one track finishes to the next on same album. ? some bugs 

[drjimwillie]

Hi - I need some help becaus I just had a few conversations with Euphony support and I am confused.
I have a highly optimized server with a PF ultra OCXO clock on the motherboard and a PF ultra OCXO clock on the I2S bridge. I am currently only running Euphony and Stylus on it. I would like to try running it as a Euphony Endpoint. So, I purchased a Euphony Endpoint license. 
I thought, if I owned a server license and an endpoint license I could choose where to use them.  
I would like to experiment with Euphony server on my old CAPS Pipeline Computer. 
Zeljko said that I would have to move my server license to the pipeline, or purchase another server license.

This does not sound right to me. 

I own a lifetime license for Roon and I own HQ player and Accourate Convolver.

everyone says that Euphony and Stylus by itself sounds the best, but I want to find out for myself. 
although, I cannot stomach having to pay for two server licenses if I will only ever be using one server and one endpoint license.

from reading this thread I thought it was easy to switch use back and forth from server to Endpoint. Is anyone else doing that and how are you doing it? Did you have to buy two server licenses?

my next step was to take the J cat Femto ethernet card out of my current server and replace it with the new Jcat Ex Ethernet card, when I can save up the money from selling some of my older gear. This way I can take the J cat ethernet femto card and put it in my pipeline server.

Thank you

[ASRMichael]

New update out! Might resolve YouTube issues

[ASRMichael]

Anyone know what does? I don’t see option to disconnect network? Is this automatic? 

 

when queue is filled from NAS and fully buffered to RAM and when playback starts - network can be disconnected