Question about Running multiple Computers plus RPi endpoints - what exactly do I need?

[Wagninger]

Hello,

 

So I have currently: an iMac running Roon, and a Windows computer with HQplayer on it, and a headphone system with RPi4 -> DAC.

 

Nothing is "connected" yet, the Mac and Windows PC are via Ethernet but Roon and HQP don't know of each other yet. Not even the RPi is fed via Roon yet.

 

Before I went into this, I thought that Roon would just use HQPlayer as a sort of engine, loop the sound through it and then distribute it further.

Now my understanding is, it uses HQPlayer as an endpoint and then HQPlayer decides where it goes next.

So a simple solution could be to connect the DAC directly to the Windows machine and get the full quality.

 

If I don't do that, and instead use HQPlayer... NAA? is that what I need? ... it can define another endpoint again which could be a Raspberry Pi?

Is that correct, and do I lose anything by going that route? Like, I want to make sure that the processing happens on the most powerful machine, wich is the Windows computer, and that then the output is bridged to the RPi in some fashion.

 

Bonus Question: If I get what I want, then is there a way to get the HQP processed files from... lets say an iPhone on the go running Roon or Roon Arc?

I'm really a noob when it comes to this, but the PC was specifically bought for HQP processing, so I hope this will work...

 

Cheers!

[stefano_mbp]

18 minutes ago, Wagninger said:

Now my understanding is, it uses HQPlayer as an endpoint and then HQPlayer decides where it goes next.

So a simple solution could be to connect the DAC directly to the Windows machine and get the full quality.

Yes it is, right.

 

18 minutes ago, Wagninger said:

 

If I don't do that, and instead use HQPlayer... NAA? is that what I need? ... it can define another endpoint again which could be a Raspberry Pi?

Is that correct, and do I lose anything by going that route? Like, I want to make sure that the processing happens on the most powerful machine,

NAA is the HQPlayer endpoint and can run on a rpi4 (using the original HQP NAA image or something like RoPieee)

Nothing get lost in terms of quality, in this way you can move your Windows pc (HQPlayer) away from your listening room as, depending on its configuration (filters and modulators) it can be noisy due to the spinning fans.

The heaviest task will be always performed by HQPlayer on the Windows pc

18 minutes ago, Wagninger said:

Bonus Question: If I get what I want, then is there a way to get the HQP processed files from... lets say an iPhone on the go running Roon or Roon Arc?

Not at all unfortunately, you should see ARC as a Roon endpoint therefore if you use ARC the HQPlayer endpoint is out of the game

[The Computer Audiophile]

22 minutes ago, stefano_mbp said:

Not at all unfortunately, you should see ARC as a Roon endpoint therefore if you use ARC the HQPlayer endpoint is out of the game

Just to refine this point a bit, probably for my own good, not for @stefano_mbp.
 

HQP still works perfectly when you don’t use Arc. So, using HQP at home and Arc on the go will work and require no changes to the setup. 

Using Arc, you wouldn’t want to run the audio through HQP anyway because a phone or tablet on the go is likely a less than ideal endpoint for upsampled DSD256 etc… (huge data rates and sample rates). 

[stefano_mbp]

4 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Just to refine this point a bit, probably for my own good, not for @stefano_mbp.
 

HQP still works perfectly when you don’t use Arc. So, using HQP at home and Arc on the go will work and require no changes to the setup. 

Using Arc, you wouldn’t want to run the audio through HQP anyway because a phone or tablet on the go is likely a less than ideal endpoint for upsampled DSD256 etc… (huge data rates and sample rates). 

… my understanding was to use Roon/HQPlayer as the source of ARC …

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, stefano_mbp said:

… my understanding was to use Roon/HQPlayer as the source of ARC …

Yes, I believe that’s what he wants, but as you pointed out, that isn’t possible. I was just leading him to a solution of HQP at home / Arc on the go, and to be happy with it :~)

[Wagninger]

1 hour ago, stefano_mbp said:

Yes it is, right.

 

NAA is the HQPlayer endpoint and can run on a rpi4 (using the original HQP NAA image or something like RoPieee)

Nothing get lost in terms of quality, in this way you can move your Windows pc (HQPlayer) away from your listening room as, depending on its configuration (filters and modulators) it can be noisy due to the spinning fans.

The heaviest task will be always performed by HQPlayer on the Windows pc

Not at all unfortunately, you should see ARC as a Roon endpoint therefore if you use ARC the HQPlayer endpoint is out of the game

 

Alright! So HQPlayer... Desktop for example and NAA on the Windows Computer, and then RoPieee as one possible NAA endpoint. But first I need to actually connect Roon with the HQPlayer 😃 Cool to finally set this in motion

[stefano_mbp]

👍

[Wagninger]

One more question then... I have the iMac directly connected via ethernet to the windows machine. I check via ipconfig which IP4 address that machine has, type it into roon... and get "Roon couldn't connect to HQPlayer".

 

Windows Firewall is turned off for testing right now.

 

I went into the HQPlayer settings, chose NAA as input device backend (the next point, "device", then doesn't give me anything to choose) and left everything else as it is. I only need HQP Desktop, nothing with the Client side if I want to start the music from Roon, right? 

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 minutes ago, Wagninger said:

One more question then... I have the iMac directly connected via ethernet to the windows machine. I check via ipconfig which IP4 address that machine has, type it into roon... and get "Roon couldn't connect to HQPlayer".

 

Windows Firewall is turned off for testing right now.

 

I went into the HQPlayer settings, chose NAA as input device backend (the next point, "device", then doesn't give me anything to choose) and left everything else as it is. I only need HQP Desktop, nothing with the Client side if I want to start the music from Roon, right? 

I HIGHLY recommend using a switch to connect your devices. I know some people connect an Ethernet cable from one computer to another, but I would never do it. It’s asking for issues. 

[Wagninger]

56 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I HIGHLY recommend using a switch to connect your devices. I know some people connect an Ethernet cable from one computer to another, but I would never do it. It’s asking for issues. 

Let’s say I could not do that right now because of issues with my back, because if I install one, I would like to move the cables around such that it’s not an eyesore… is anything else potentially wrong or missing in my setup? Is the missing switch really the most likely issue?

[stefano_mbp]

1 minute ago, Wagninger said:

Is the missing switch really the most likely issue?

Yes it is … not “likely” but “surely”

[Wagninger]

Just now, stefano_mbp said:

Yes it is … not “likely” but “surely”

Oh wow. Networking works that great, huh? 😄 reminds me of the time when I had a mixing desk connected via Ethernet,  and the manual said to use a straight Ethernet cable because crossover WILL not work… in the end, it only worked with a crossover

[The Computer Audiophile]

29 minutes ago, Wagninger said:

Let’s say I could not do that right now because of issues with my back, because if I install one, I would like to move the cables around such that it’s not an eyesore… is anything else potentially wrong or missing in my setup? Is the missing switch really the most likely issue?

Many of us could get it working, and it isn’t rocket science, without a switch. However, I wouldn’t do it even though I could. 

[Wagninger]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Many of us could get it working, and it isn’t rocket science, without a switch. However, I wouldn’t do it even though I could. 

alright, switch has been put in place and indeed, it worked immediately. Thanks! :)