Fitlet2 as HQplayer NAA

[jabbr]

On 8/12/2021 at 6:57 PM, ted_b said:

I can report that the Fitlet2 (whether copper ethernet or fiiber), with Jussi's HQP OS image (and Hqplayerd disabled and stopped) functions perfectly as an NAA for the Holo May, supporting 32fs PCM and DSD1024 (although for DSD I prefer DSD256 with EC modulators).   However, running the NAA under Linux Mint produced slow distorted 32fs sound, and was not a viable option. 

 

BTW, the fitlet2 is being powered by my Hynes SR3-12.

 

 

Interesting! I wonder if logging into the fitket2 by ssh ie no attached keyboard or monitor would improve the Mint performance or even removing the XFCE graphical interface would similarly improve. That said it’s working so don’t change!

[ted_b]

@MiskaI seem to have an abrupt end to my music listening at around the 30 minute mark.  I then head to my desktop and check TightVNC (to my Win10 HQP server) to see if anything has changed.  Usually I need to reconnect to TightVNC and then look at HQPlayer settings; all is well.  And I can go back downstairs and listen again!  ??  Is this some remnant of the trial period in Hqplayerd on the HQP OS USB stick (something I thought I disabled through systemctl)?

 

Note:  I will set up an ipad VNC like Remote Ripple to get me from traipsing up and down the stairs for maintenance like this.

[Miska]

7 hours ago, ted_b said:

@MiskaI seem to have an abrupt end to my music listening at around the 30 minute mark.  I then head to my desktop and check TightVNC (to my Win10 HQP server) to see if anything has changed.  Usually I need to reconnect to TightVNC and then look at HQPlayer settings; all is well.  And I can go back downstairs and listen again!  ??  Is this some remnant of the trial period in Hqplayerd on the HQP OS USB stick (something I thought I disabled through systemctl)?

 

Note:  I will set up an ipad VNC like Remote Ripple to get me from traipsing up and down the stairs for maintenance like this.

 

In HQPlayer Desktop title bar shows that it is registered to your name and not evaluation?

 

Any wireless networks involved?

 

No, it is not related to HQPlayer Embedded trial.

 

[ted_b]

54 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

In HQPlayer Desktop title bar shows that it is registered to your name and not evaluation?

 

Any wireless networks involved?

 

No, it is not related to HQPlayer Embedded trial.

 

Yes, my Win10 HQP desktop is registered to me.  I was worried that the fitlet2 had hqplayerd still running and some sort of trial, but the monitor shows nothing special.

[Miska]

4 hours ago, ted_b said:

Yes, my Win10 HQP desktop is registered to me.  I was worried that the fitlet2 had hqplayerd still running and some sort of trial, but the monitor shows nothing special.

 

Also check from Control Panel -> Power settings that the computer is not set to go to sleep. And that at least High Performance power profile is selected.

 

[ted_b]

I was not aware the HQP OS had a control panel or high performance selections.  If you are referring to my HQP server (Win 10) that machine has been tweaked for years, and has run things like my RAAL office system 24/7 (previous to my main system being ready) with no stoppage.  There are no changes to that machine; the only things new are my NUC Roon server (Audiolinux) and the HQP OS NAA on the fitlet2.  All these boxes hang off the Mikrotik, which is new.  Not sure where the music stoppage is occurring...I will pay close attention tonight.

[Miska]

10 minutes ago, ted_b said:

Not sure where the music stoppage is occurring...I will pay close attention tonight.

 

I meant the HQPlayer server. But HQPlayer log file would help figuring out what happens. Please just don't post logs here, instead use email for such.

[ted_b]

Sure...will do.  Thanks! 👍

[ericuco]

Several weeks ago, I tried to use @Miska HQP OS on my fitlet2 but could not get my DAC (T+A DAC8 DSD) to connect so I reverted back to Linux Mint.

 

Today, I shutdown the GUI on Linux Mint using “sudo systemctl set-default multiuser”. After rebooting, I had the same issue with the DAC so once again reverted back to standard Linux Mint.

 

Any ideas what might cause this? With standard Linux Mint, everything is rock solid so probably should stay there and enjoy the music.

[Miska]

28 minutes ago, ericuco said:

Several weeks ago, I tried to use @Miska HQP OS on my fitlet2 but could not get my DAC (T+A DAC8 DSD) to connect so I reverted back to Linux Mint.

 

What do you mean by not being able to get DAC to connect? Having GUI shouldn't affect USB devices.

 

[ericuco]

4 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

What do you mean by not being able to get DAC to connect? Having GUI shouldn't affect USB devices.

 

Yes, it is baffling.
 

Typically, when I power up DAC, the display starts with USB then switches to 44.1 PCM plus four symbols, one being that the signal is “locked”. HQP Desktop, recognizes fitlet2 as NAA. All is good.

 

With HQP OS and Linux Mint with GUI off, it just stays on USB. Also, HQP Desktop does not recognize DAC as being attached.

[Miska]

16 minutes ago, ericuco said:

Typically, when I power up DAC, the display starts with USB then switches to 44.1 PCM plus four symbols, one being that the signal is “locked”. HQP Desktop, recognizes fitlet2 as NAA. All is good.

 

With HQP OS and Linux Mint with GUI off, it just stays on USB. Also, HQP Desktop does not recognize DAC as being attached.

 

So you are using it through NAA? Was this with NAA OS? Or HQPlayer OS image?

 

WIth GUI off, what does "sudo systemctl status networkaudiod" say?

 

I suspect a networking problem rather than something related to the DAC.

 

[camott]

Just an FYI that I have been a fitlet2 with optical SFP as an NAA endpoint for about a week now. Have it paired with a basic SGC LPS. As per others, Linux mint kernel won't do 1.536 MHz, and likewise I am using the HQP OS with Embedded disabled. Working fine so far. Does it sound any better than the $150 fanless PC stick with Ethernet I was using before? Not sure on that one, and likely won't do A/B tests as it's too involved to switch out various cables. But it's a nice heavy small box, has more future versatility, and gives me peace of mind that ethernet noise is isolated.

 

One thing I might try is to directly run HQPlayer Desktop on it given that my upsampling requirements are not huge (PCM Sinc-mx to 1.536) and skip the NAA step. With the removing layer of buffering, I *think* this may improve things like responsive and clicks when changing volume, etc.

[Miska]

I have a Fitlet2 too now, I ordered it with E3950 CPU and 8 GB of RAM, and 32 GB mSATA SSD. On purpose that I would try running HQPlayer Embedded on it and see how it goes. At least it should work the same as my other E3950 machine.

 

I'd expect basic PCM upsampling work fine on it with HQPlayer OS.

 

One thing to note is that at least in my unit, there's no thermal compound or anything else between the case top heatsink and the CPU heatspreader surface. I added one set of Noctua's thermal paste between these. Otherwise thermal issues could limit the performance.

 

[Miska]

Results for the Fitlet2 with E3950 CPU using HQPlayer Embedded is that DSD256 works with ASDM7 and lighter filters. PCM upsampling for example to 768k works fine with poly-sinc-gauss-long.

 

[camott]

Yes I tried it using HQPlayer Embedded and was able to upsample to 1536k PCM with sinc-mx. Running around 25-30% overall CPU. But it didn't make any difference with respect to responsiveness (buffering/track changes) or volume change pops, so I went to back to just using NAA on it. Fun experiment nonetheless.

[camott]

This is a bit of a crosspost from another topic but I really like the Fitlet2 as an NAA endpoint:

 

         a. it has performed as good/better than any other endpoint I have tried with upstream DSD256 and ECv2.

         b. lots of software/os options.

         c. the device is weighty, solid, well designed and highly configurable when ordering.

         d. optional optical networking connection allows for isolation of ethernet gremlins for peace of mind. 

         e. works within a large voltage range, has 2.5mm DC input and thus easy to use a basic LPS.

         f. the 3.5mm audio output has a 4th pinout and can support SPDIF with the right cable.

         g. priced right

 

Right now I am running HQPD on M1 -> switch with optical SFP -> Fitlet2 with LPS -> DAC.

 

Software is Debian server with NAA -> USB for critical listening, RoonBridge -> SPDIF for multiroom playback, and I even installed a Python app that uses a Flirc to control upstream Roon/HQP volume/stop/pause/skip via the unused buttons on my Holo May DAC. 

 

Highly recommend the fitlet2 with optical. I am guessing it sounds just as good as a Sonore OpticalRendu for a quarter of the price and with much more software flexibility. 

[GMG]

On 10/1/2021 at 7:03 PM, Miska said:

Results for the Fitlet2 with E3950 CPU using HQPlayer Embedded is that DSD256 works with ASDM7 and lighter filters. PCM upsampling for example to 768k works fine with poly-sinc-gauss-long.

 

@Miska So as long as these setting are enough for the user, would you recommend this as full solution connected directly to a DAC, or would you still recommend using an NAA before the DAC?

 

Did you also test if the fitlet can handle convolution together with PDC 768 poly-sinc-gauss-long?

 

 

[ted_b]

The Fitlet2 is an NAA candidate only IMHO.  It was never intended to be used for upsampling or convolution, or any other HQP server process, at least in any setup I can imagine.  Its a $350 device.

[The Computer Audiophile]

11 minutes ago, ted_b said:

The Fitlet2 is an NAA candidate only IMHO.  It was never intended to be used for upsampling or convolution, or any other HQP server process, at least in any setup I can imagine.  Its a $350 device.

That’s pretty much how I view it as well. 

[GMG]

Do you think it's worth switching from current setup: Rj45-->OM-->fiber-->ER A side-->ER B side-->USBridge signature-->DAC

to: fiber-->OM-->Rj45-->ER B side-->ER A side-->fiber-->Fitlet2-->DAC

 

?

[jabbr]

6 hours ago, GMG said:

Do you think it's worth switching from current setup: Rj45-->OM-->fiber-->ER A side-->ER B side-->USBridge signature-->DAC

to: fiber-->OM-->Rj45-->ER B side-->ER A side-->fiber-->Fitlet2-->DAC

 

?

The idea that adding devices into a fiberoptic network path will somehow improve things is up to you but there is no basis in my thinking, so do:

 

fiber --> fitlet2 --> DAC

 

simpler *is* better

[jabbr]

6 hours ago, ted_b said:

The Fitlet2 is an NAA candidate only IMHO.  It was never intended to be used for upsampling or convolution, or any other HQP server process, at least in any setup I can imagine.  Its a $350 device.

Interestingly PCM upsampling can often be done perfectly well on low powered devices. That said, for people who obsess about keeping the device attached to the DAC as noise free as possible, using the fitlet2 as an NAA only, is the best option.

[ted_b]

OK, so I am this thread's OP, have gone through troubleshooting with lots of help including @Jabbr's and @Miska's help, gotten the Fitlet2 to work with HQP OS (HQP disabled; NAA only), blah, blah, blah.  During all this time I've NEVER had to reboot the Fitlet2!  But now I am about to, since I need to reconfigure my temporary audio rack (until my custom Timbernation one arrives), and install Puritan Labs Purifiers, etc.

 

So.....do I use the same USB stick to boot to?  Will it know that the HQP OS has the defaults disabled, and go right to NAA?  I suppose I need to drag out a monitor and keyboard?  Is there some way to automate this (so a simple power on sequence will get me my NAA)?

Thx

Ted

[stefano_mbp]

1 hour ago, ted_b said:

do I use the same USB stick to boot to?

Yes, of course. The whole configuration is saved on the usb stick. 
Therefore, if already configured, you don’t need monitor nor keyboard …