HQplayer 4 and Mac-mini M1

[AudioDoctor]

$224 AUD

 

https://raspberry.piaustralia.com.au/products/raspberry-pi-starter-kit

 

The NAA software from Miska is no extra charge.

 

I have no idea what you were seeing for $1000AUD

[Schafheide]

Actually I said "a Raspberry Pi based solution". This would consist of a Pi, HQP Embedded & a decent USB cable.

[Schafheide]

Has anyone compared the SQ of a Raspberry Pi NAA with that of a more expensive NAA such as ultraRendu?

[AudioDoctor]

3 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Actually I said "a Raspberry Pi based solution". This would consist of a Pi, HQP Embedded & a decent USB cable.

 

Embedded doesn't work on the Mac Mini, and you don't need to buy Embedded to run a Pi4 as an NAA... The NAA image is free for users of HQP. So, cut that out of your calculations. The USB cable is up to you.

 

1 hour ago, Schafheide said:

Has anyone compared the SQ of a Raspberry Pi NAA with that of a more expensive NAA such as ultraRendu?

 

Yes, the Pi4 can not compete.

[Schafheide]

Thank you.

Now that I am satisfied re SQ of HQP vs Auralic Aries G2.1 - I will turn my attention to a NAA.

Can you point to a review or two?

[pis99]

2 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Thank you.

Now that I am satisfied re SQ of HQP vs Auralic Aries G2.1 - I will turn my attention to a NAA.

Can you point to a review or two?

My personal experience to get good sound out of mini M1 using HQP:

 

 

1. Use only Jussi recommanded hardware and NAA image

UP Squared ATOM Quad Core 08/64

you cna futher improved the sound with UP squared by using 5V linear power supply. I bought a 5V/6A LPS from China.

 

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.581f2e8dGfUR5e&id=607112970830&_u=23vut7tneee2

 

2. Upgrade Mini M1 PS to LPS

 

I bought LPS for mini M1 from China and found nice improvements.

 

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.581f2e8dGfUR5e&id=596281059738&_u=23vut7tn66ae

 

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.581f2e8dGfUR5e&id=596093338933&_u=23vut7tn1557

 

These are really very little money for audiophile but do make good sound at least to my ear. Hope this can help! BTW, what is your current preference HQP setting?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BrownMagic]

5 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Has anyone compared the SQ of a Raspberry Pi NAA with that of a more expensive NAA such as ultraRendu?

Depends on the DAC you are using. If you are using a Holo May KTE with PLL turned on then there is absolutely no difference. With PLL off you will be able to tell the differences between transports.

[AudioDoctor]

4 hours ago, BrownMagic said:

Depends on the DAC you are using. If you are using a Holo May KTE with PLL turned on then there is absolutely no difference. With PLL off you will be able to tell the differences between transports.

 

Have you tested this against all the various NAA devices, or are you just assuming?

[camott]

16 hours ago, BrownMagic said:

Depends on the DAC you are using. If you are using a Holo May KTE with PLL turned on then there is absolutely no difference. With PLL off you will be able to tell the differences between transports.

 

fyi, PLL is irrelevant for USB connectivity to the Holo May. It's only used for other inputs. That said, I otherwise agree with you ... 

 

12 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Have you tested this against all the various NAA devices, or are you just assuming?

 

Personally, I have tried a Sonore OpticalRendu, an Allo USBridge, a Fitlet2 via optical, and a fanless Intel stick .... and I have not noticed a difference in SQ over USB. Given the May's excellent USB (galvanic) isolation, I find it difficult to believe those who say they hear differences due *solely* to the hardware used to run NAA.

[AudioDoctor]

Just now, camott said:

Personally, I have tried a Sonore OpticalRendu, an Allo USBridge, a Fitlet2 via optical, and a fanless Intel stick .... and I have not noticed a difference in SQ over USB. Given the May's excellent USB (galvanic) isolation, I find it difficult to believe those who say they hear differences due *solely* to the hardware used to run NAA.

 

I have here at the moment a raspberry Pi4, a Sonore Signature Optical Rendu, and an Aqua LinQ with the NAA module and I can hear the difference between all of them. I modified my DAC to use the i2s input from the LinQ because it sounds the best.

Maybe the Holo DAC is putting its sound onto everything...

[jiminlogansquare]

@Miska, I have been unable to install the last two upgrades on my sonicTransporter.  See screenshot showing error messages below.  Is this something you can address, or should I contact Small Green Computer for assistance? Thanks 

[camott]

4 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I have here at the moment a raspberry Pi4, a Sonore Signature Optical Rendu, and an Aqua LinQ with the NAA module and I can hear the difference between all of them. I modified my DAC to use the i2s input from the LinQ because it sounds the best.

Maybe the Holo DAC is putting its sound onto everything...

 

Sure, this was with respect to the Holo May via USB, which is what I thought you were asking about. Your Sig says you are using a Lampizator DAC? If so, I would fully understand that the NAA hardware would make a difference. I used to have a Lampi and they just use off-the-shelf USB cards (Amanero and now JL Sounds).

[AudioDoctor]

1 minute ago, camott said:

 

Sure, this was with respect to the Holo May via USB, which is what I thought you were asking about. Your Sig says you are using a Lampizator DAC? If so, I would fully understand that the NAA hardware would make a difference. I used to have a Lampi and they just use off-the-shelf USB cards. 

 

This is laughable.

 

My "sig" says "No electron left behind"

 

[camott]

3 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

This is laughable.

 

 

 

Sorry how so? I was trying to provide what I thought was a reasoned response. Someone else said the NAA hardware wouldn't make a difference with some DAC's like the Holo May, and you then asked if one has tried different NAA's with it. I provided my actual experience with the May and various NAA endpoints.

 

I don't understand the rudeness. 

 

[AudioDoctor]

2 minutes ago, camott said:

 

Sorry how so? I was trying to provide what I thought was a reasoned response. Someone else said the NAA hardware wouldn't make a difference with some DAC's like the Holo May, and you then asked if one has different NAA's with it. I provided my actual experience with the May. 

 

I don't understand the rudeness. 

 

 

Rudeness?

 

Enjoy your Holo DAC which apparently makes everything sound alike.

[camott]

Just now, AudioDoctor said:

 

Rudeness?

 

Your response to my response was "this is laughable". That seems rude.

 

Your profile (not sig) says you use a Lampizator Pacific.

[AudioDoctor]

45 minutes ago, camott said:

 

Your response to my response was "this is laughable". That seems rude.

 

Your profile (not sig) says you use a Lampizator Pacific.

 

I do, and saying "they just use off-the-shelf USB cards (Amanero and now JL Sounds)." shows a fundamental misunderstanding or lack of knowledge perhaps, of whats actually inside the DAC and how Lukasz makes it sound the way he wants, and how he makes it do what he wants it to do.

 

There are two clocks on that Amanero board that cost 470 euros a piece a few years back, probably more now. This is just one example. Thinking that Lukasz just throws an off the shelf board in there and calls it a day is laughable.

[camott]

47 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

I do, and saying "they just use off-the-shelf USB cards (Amanero and now JL Sounds)." shows a fundamental misunderstanding or lack of knowledge perhaps, of whats actually inside the DAC and how Lukasz makes it sound the way he wants, and how he makes it do what he wants it to do.

 

There are two clocks on that Amanero board that cost 470 euros a piece a few years back, probably more now. This is just one example. Thinking that Lukasz just throws an off the shelf board in there and calls it a day is laughable.

 

The Amber 3 I recently owned clearly had an off-the-shelf JL Sounds USB module in it. Prior to that they were using Amanero boards. The Pacific is obviously a much more $$ DAC than the Amber and maybe he modified them but I don't believe this is the case in all of his DAC's. Regardless, Lampizator does not employ any form of galvanic isolation on the USB input that I have ever seen or heard of. And thus there is potential for electrical noise transfer from the upstream endpoint (NAA or otherwise) and resulting SQ differences. If the Lampizator USB implementation is so good then why are you using I2S and bypassing it???

 

On the other hand, some DAC's do employ full galvanic isolation on the USB inputs and the recent Holo DAC's in particular are known for their ability to obfuscate any input differences. (both USB and other inputs via PLL). So instead of " the Holo DAC is putting its sound onto everything" it's actually the opposite. This was simply the point of the original comments that you then disagreed with.

 

For what it's worth, I actually really liked the organic sound from my Amber 3 and think about getting the Baltic 3 sometimes. There is definitely something about the sound profile Lukasz imparts on his DAC's, above and beyond tube coloration. But I think they have build issues and the noise floor was insanely high. (Ever wonder why Lukasz has never published a single technical measurement or simple number like SnR?). They are completely different beasts from the Holo DAC's of course - complete fodder for objectivist vs subjectivist arguments.

 

[Schafheide]

@MikePid

I have applied all of your recommendations. I now have WiFi access but no internet.

1. How do I reinstate internet

2. The buffer settings in HQP are greyed out.

TIA

[MikePid]

@Schafheide

That is odd the internet isn't working.  Just go to System Preferences > Network, and look at the Ethernet and Wifi settings and see if anything is odd there.

Not sure why buffer settings would be greyed out in HQP.

[Schafheide]

Internet fixed.

Buffer time is grayed out under Output Device Settings, but is available under Input Device Settings (although it keeps going back to Default). I am connecting direct from M1 to DAC via USB.

Jussi has not yet answered my query re this.

[Miska]

3 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Internet fixed.

Buffer time is grayed out under Output Device Settings, but is available under Input Device Settings (although it keeps going back to Default). I am connecting direct from M1 to DAC via USB.

Jussi has not yet answered my query re this.

 

On macOS you cannot adjust hardware buffer size, it is decided by macOS.

 

[MikePid]

I think Schafheide is talking about output buffer time, not buffer size.  I have mine set to 250ms at the moment (which is the maximum).

[Schafheide]

So why can't I set Output buffer time under Output Device Settings, whereas @MikePid can?

[Miska]

12 hours ago, MikePid said:

I think Schafheide is talking about output buffer time, not buffer size.  I have mine set to 250ms at the moment (which is the maximum).

 

That's the same thing. I use time setting, so that buffer is always same length in time, regardless of sampling rate. If you have size setting, it's length in time depends on active sampling rate. For example 250 ms and 768k PCM, stereo, 32-bit samples:

768000 * 2 * 0.25 = 384000 samples, 384000 * 4 = 1536000 bytes

 

12 hours ago, Schafheide said:

So why can't I set Output buffer time under Output Device Settings, whereas @MikePid can?

 

Because you are on CoreAudio backend.

 

It is not guaranteed that you can set it in any case. Many times ASIO drivers don't allow this, example being drivers sourced from Amanero. With ASIO backend it is always best to set the buffer sizes from the ASIO driver control panel instead and leave HQPlayer set to "Default" meaning it will use the sizes proposed by the driver.

 

That setting is mostly useful for WASAPI and ALSA backends where it actually makes sense. There my recommendation is 100 ms.