HQplayer 5 and Holo Audio

[Miska]

1 hour ago, Bushikai said:

 

 

You have not granted HQPlayer access to audio inputs. This is not relevant for this case, but it will keep reminding you about this case.

 

1 hour ago, Bushikai said:

 

You have macOS default audio output device selected, what ever that is. In normal cases Default should be the Mac's built-in audio and certainly not the one you want to use with HQPlayer, but something else.

 

In addition, your default output mode is "[source]" meaning that all PCM is output as PCM and DSD is output as DSD. Something you usually wouldn't want to do.

 

1 hour ago, Bushikai said:

 

If you don't need the input feature, set input backend to "[none]".

 

[Miska]

5 minutes ago, Bushikai said:

How do I grant HQPlayer access to audio inputs?

 

If you didn't at the initial prompt, you can do it in System Preferences -> Security. What macOS and Windows labels as "microphone" access actually means any audio input. On macOS, not having the permissions produces just silence - no failure. On Windows it produces failure.

 

This is unrelated to your main issue though, just semi-annoying nagging though. Main issue is that your macOS default output should be set to some semi-useless device where you want to get all the "*bling* you've got new email!" -sounds. And your actual music output device selected in HQPlayer. If macOS decides to attempt rate-converting and mixing your email notification sound and DoP encoded DSD audio from HQPlayer, output will be just noisy junk. Since macOS has absolutely no idea about what DSD is.

 

[Miska]

On 11/18/2023 at 1:26 AM, Bushikai said:

My HD broke down i need to download the HQplayer 5.2.0  in my laptop but is asking me for the registration key????

 

You can find your key file attached to the original delivery email from mycommerce.com

 

I also recommend to store backup copy of you key file in a safe place, such as your Google Drive or iCloud Drive.

 

[Miska]

9 hours ago, Schafheide said:

I connect my Mac Mini using it's NetworkAudioAdaptor IPv6, thence via HQP 5 and on to my NAA etc.

My problem is that the volume control on the amp is within only a few clicks from max. I have tried 2 different amps - with the same result. HQP 5 is set to -3dBfs.

Is it possible to vary the signal output level on the Mini ethernet connection ?

Obviously a preamp would do the trick - at some extra cost!

 

What is your NAA? And is the DAC May or Spring with the new USB module? And you are doing output in PCM mode?

 

Because it would be highly unusual that you would be that much short of gain. Some regular integrated amplifier and loudspeakers?

 

[Miska]

36 minutes ago, Schafheide said:

System as follows -

Mac Mini (DSD output) > LAN > EtherRegen > LAN > Holo Red (NAA v4.5) > USB > May (original USB module) > XLR > Mjolnir Carbon CC (or Blue Hawaii SE) > Audeze CRBN.

 

OK, so essentially Mjolnir is short of gain even when set to high gain mode?

 

[Miska]

16 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Neither the Mjolnir or the BHSE have a gain selector - just the volume knob on front.

 

Ahh, OK, when I checked the Schiit site for Mjolnir front panel it looked like it had gain selector switch. My Jotunheim has gain selector low/high gain. Also my Ferrum Oor has three gain options, -6 dB, 0 dB and +6 dB. For example with AKG K601's I use +6 dB gain option.

 

On Jotunheim with low gain setting, suitable volume is roughly volume knob pointing up with low gain setting.

 

16 hours ago, Schafheide said:

Which Backend should I be using - CoreAudio, NetworkAudioAdaptor or NetworkAudiAdaptor IPv6 - at present I use the IPv6.

 

If you are using a NAA, then NAA IPv6 is best option.

 

[Miska]

1 minute ago, Schafheide said:

Hi @Miska Thank you for your info.  Just a slight correction - the amp is not Schiit - it is as follows

https://mjolnir-audio.com/products/

 

Ahh, OK! I made the mistake to think it was Schiit one...

 

[Miska]

8 hours ago, Schafheide said:

As a workaround for this gain problem - would there be any harm in adding 6dB gain in the Matrix Pipeline settings (or even removing the line "Preamp: -6.2 dB" in my headphone EQ txt file) ??

 

Yes, you will run into limiting/clipping when music content happens to hit the boosted frequencies at high level. The preamp gain is there for important purpose!

 

Solutions are pretty much to get either higher sensitivity headphones, higher gain headphone amplifier, or a DAC with higher output level (as long as it doesn't lead to clipping in headphone amp).

 

I didn't find any gain figures from the web page you referred to. But the manufacturer seems to be relatively small one, so you could ask if they could modify gain of your amplifier unit. In best case it only means replacing two resistors with a different value ones.

 

[Miska]

Just now, Markus8 said:

Is the HQPlayer OS / NAA image for the Holo Red actually specifically compiler optimized?

 

Yes...

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, Markus8 said:

Ok really need some help to get this working.
I had been running the Holo Red with the HQPlayer OS and Roon with no problems, but I got a new Macbook Air M3/16RAM and wanted to try running the PCM upsampling to 192/24 and the convolution filter on the Macbook, and then via NAA to the Holo Red.

 

I recommend taking another microSD card and just flash NAA OS there instead. Shutdown the HQPlayer OS, power down Red, swap the card, power up and you are ready!

 

2 hours ago, Markus8 said:

At the Holo Red I have configured for Backend NAA:

 

You should keep your HQPlayer Embedded doing ALSA output, is is not useful to set NAA output pointing to the same machine.

 

2 hours ago, Markus8 said:

but at the HQPlayer Desktop what settings should I use their to run the upsampling & convolution on it?

For output I guess it's:

 

Here you should set output to the Holo Red's output, same as you have set in HQPlayer OS. But here you use NAA backend instead of ALSA, since the endpoint is remote.

 

However, the device may not appear here when you are running HQPlayer on the Red, because it is keeping the audio device reserved. Hence the suggestion to use NAA OS instead for this case. It is rather easy to swap the microSD card, and you don't need to touch the HQPlayer OS configuration.

 

2 hours ago, Markus8 said:

But for input ?

 

I don't have any library, so just will be using Qobuz to stream.

 

So just "[none]" for input. Input tab is about input hardware devices, such as ADC or S/PDIF input or similar. (Or USB through RPi4 for example)