Building NAA for HQplayer

[kwatch]

I like to build Windows NAA for HQplayer but I don't know where to start.  Please provide me an instruction.

 

[Miska]

1 hour ago, kwatch said:

I like to build Windows NAA for HQplayer but I don't know where to start.  Please provide me an instruction.

 

I would avoid using Windows for NAA unless you have a specific reason to do so.

 

Best is to just boot up NAA OS image.

 

[kwatch]

21 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I would avoid using Windows for NAA unless you have a specific reason to do so.

 

Best is to just boot up NAA OS image.  

I'm still lost. Where can I get the OS image how to install?

[Miska]

3 hours ago, kwatch said:

I'm still lost. Where can I get the OS image how to install?

 

From the "images" folder on NAA downloads. And then you extract the 7-Zip archive and write the .img image on a USB memory stick using balenaEtcher or similar. And then boot up from it.

 

[AnotherSpin]

6 hours ago, kwatch said:

I'm still lost. Where can I get the OS image how to install?

 

You can download NAA image from Miska's site, write the image to the USB flash with balena Etcher (free program) and boot NAA with it. You will not see anything after boot on attached monitor (if any) and you don't need to do settings, etc. Your NAA hardware is ready to work. You can find various images here: https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/naa/images/ - select latest one accordingly to hardware you have.

[kwatch]

15 hours ago, AnotherSpin said:

 

You can download NAA image from Miska's site, write the image to the USB flash with balena Etcher (free program) and boot NAA with it. You will not see anything after boot on attached monitor (if any) and you don't need to do settings, etc. Your NAA hardware is ready to work. You can find various images here: https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/naa/images/ - select latest one accordingly to hardware you have.

 

I don't see any device listed in Settings.  What could be an issue?

[AnotherSpin]

8 hours ago, kwatch said:

 

I don't see any device listed in Settings.  What could be an issue?

 

Can you describe your hardware set?

[kwatch]

I'm trying to build a NAA using old hardware consist of Intel G32558 CPU, 8GB memory.  I imaged the .img file in naa-4123-x64.7z file on a USB flash drive.  I was running a test using the Schiit Modi Multibit connected to USB port.  Ultimately, I would like to run HQplayer 4 Desktop on my Ryzen 5900X => NAA => Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC KTE. Thanks,

[kwatch]

I'm not sure how to connect Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC to NAA. 

[ericuco]

1 hour ago, kwatch said:

I'm not sure how to connect Holo Audio Spring 3 DAC to NAA. 

USB is the most common method. The NAA is Linux-based so no driver needed.

[kwatch]

NAA is not showing up under "NetworkAudioAdapter".

 

[AnotherSpin]

Did you connect your Modi?

 

[kwatch]

Just now, AnotherSpin said:

Did you connect your Modi?

 

 

Yes,

[AnotherSpin]

If you have installed HQPlayer on computer and connected it to NAA computer through ethernet cable and then connect NAA to DAC, you should see DAC in settings:

 

Computer with HQPlayer -> ethernet cable -> computer booted from NAA image -> usb cable -> DAC

[kwatch]

14 minutes ago, AnotherSpin said:

If you have installed HQPlayer on computer and connected it to NAA computer through ethernet cable and then connect NAA to DAC, you should see DAC in settings:

 

Computer with HQPlayer -> ethernet cable -> computer booted from NAA image -> usb cable -> DAC

I can ping NAA from a computer which has HQplayer installed but not the other way around.

[kwatch]

13 minutes ago, kwatch said:

I can ping NAA from a computer which has HQplayer installed but not the other way around.

I just find out that Firewall in PC with HQPlayer installed is blocking the connection from NAA.  I disable the Firewall and it's WORKING great.  I need to figure out how to allow a connection from NAA to PC with firewall turned on.

[kwatch]

It's working great now! 

 

[AnotherSpin]

Great! 

[kwatch]

Is Intel Mini PC Kit NUC5CPYH good and powerful enough for NAA?

[ericuco]

31 minutes ago, kwatch said:

Is Intel Mini PC Kit NUC5CPYH good and powerful enough for NAA?

That should work fine.

 

Several of us here on AS favor the fitlet2 with a fiber optic port.

[AnotherSpin]

2 hours ago, kwatch said:

Is Intel Mini PC Kit NUC5CPYH good and powerful enough for NAA?

 

Some people here believe the more powerful processor the better for NAA. Other do believe is not so crucial at all. I would suggest to ask Miska this question. 

[Miska]

Idea of NAA is to be low power passive cooled device. The NAA software module itself is very light weight.

 

[kwatch]

4 hours ago, kwatch said:

Is Intel Mini PC Kit NUC5CPYH good and powerful enough for NAA?

 

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

Idea of NAA is to be low power passive cooled device. The NAA software module itself is very light weight.

 

 

I believe than the hardware I listed is sufficient to use it for NAA.

[kwatch]

Is there sound quality difference?

 

Win11 PC(Ryzen 5900x) running HQplayer desktop => DAC

NAA => DAC

[ericuco]

28 minutes ago, kwatch said:

Is there sound quality difference?

 

Win11 PC(Ryzen 5900x) running HQplayer desktop => DAC

NAA => DAC

Most people are using HQP to maximize the output (DSD256, DSD512, PCM1024) which means pushing the limits of the HQP server. As such, a powerful computer is typically used which can be electronically noisy (high power chips, cooling fans, etc). Connecting it directly to a DAC means that some of the noise is potentially transferred to DAC.

 

On the other hand, a NAA is low power, passively cooled computer thus much lower electrical noise potentially making it the DAC. Connecting NAA to HQP server via Ethernet helps keep the noise from server at a minimal.

 

That said, you need to try both to see which sounds better to you. No guarantees.