HQ Player

[Le Concombre Masqué]

though convolution is enabled in the matrix dialog box, the convolution button does not appear pressed and convolution is not applied per my ears and eyes looking at activity monitor until I click convolution in the main window ;and this I can do but only when a track is playing,not prior. If I close hqp this setting is lost

 

OS X 11.5

 

I have not tested SQ on the beta.

 

As of the actual release, as of SQ, I prefer to have cuda offload enabled with the very demanding dsd 64 to 128 + convolution process (#18% cpu load vs #40 without ; sounding harsher). However temperature raises even more : 79 at GPU sensor ;should I worry?

 

If there are any new bugs (regressions) found...

 

 

 

Yes, because there is no production release for CUDA8. There likely won't be any CUDA-enabled beta, I'll release 3.14 when the CUDA8 production release becomes available.

 

 

 

What does this mean in practice? I'm sorry but I don't understand what is the exact problem.

[tsaett]

This kind of logic gets to a point where most sensible solution would be to add scripting language hooks so the output format selection logic would become scriptable.

 

Does this mean you are thinking about it? That would be awesome!

I couldn't care less about the actual way of implementation, because for the user it's a one time set and forget effort.

 

Thanks!

Christoph

[Miska]

Does this mean you are thinking about it? That would be awesome!

I couldn't care less about the actual way of implementation, because for the user it's a one time set and forget effort.

 

It is not very near term thing, due to implementation effort. But possible in some future version.

 

The effort for your side would be to write the logic you want in a scripting language snippet.

[tsaett]

Fantastic news!

I already wrote such a .txt script for convolution filters when I was using JRiver, no big deal if you are given one design-example as a reference.

Thanks again Jussi!

[Miska]

though convolution is enabled in the matrix dialog box, the convolution button does not appear pressed and convolution is not applied per my ears and eyes looking at activity monitor until I click convolution in the main window ;and this I can do but only when a track is playing,not prior. If I close hqp this setting is lost

 

You need to choose whether you use "convolution" or "matrix" processing. When you use matrix processing, the convolution is always active and the button should be disabled (as long as you don't enable also the "convolution" which you shouldn't).

 

As of the actual release, as of SQ, I prefer to have cuda offload enabled with the very demanding dsd 64 to 128 + convolution process (#18% cpu load vs #40 without ; sounding harsher). However temperature raises even more : 79 at GPU sensor ;should I worry?

 

With properly designed hardware you don't need to worry about temperatures. You should just make sure heatsinks and fans are clean of dust (I clean mine once per year). In event of overheating, proper hardware either limits the speed or shuts down to protect itself. Usually first the speed is limited and if the temperature is still reaching maximum operating temp then the hardware does a thermal shutdown.

[Le Concombre Masqué]

I don't understand. The only place I know to set the FIR files is under "matrix". Seems logical then to check "enabled" and convolution

You need to choose whether you use "convolution" or "matrix" processing. When you use matrix processing, the convolution is always active and the button should be disabled (as long as you don't enable also the "convolution" which you shouldn't).

 

 

 

With properly designed hardware you don't need to worry about temperatures. You should just make sure heatsinks and fans are clean of dust (I clean mine once per year). In event of overheating, proper hardware either limits the speed or shuts down to protect itself. Usually first the speed is limited and if the temperature is still reaching maximum operating temp then the hardware does a thermal shutdown.

[ted_b]

Hi Ted,

 

I'm not sure what you mean by putting it in the comments tags, is there already a solution existent?

 

Geoffrey Armstrong has created a possible solution using a front-end like Kodi (or iTunes). He created a prototype handshake setup with HQP and then created a system where he used every possible filter/modulator/rate/format combination and gave each a number, like PCM4 or DSD13. Then put that number in the comments field of a file and HQP would set up for that combination. Using the flexible mass tagging and sorting in JRiver (not as a player, simply to tag) I could do that to 50,000 files in 10 minutes. Now...I have NO idea whether it works, whether HQP restarts each time, but the idea is a theoretically workable one for me as a user.

[tsaett]

Thanks for the clarification Ted.

Well, this is not a bad solution, I guess then this is what he suggested to Roon as well.

To my knowledge there is however currently no such thing with a roon - HQP combination, so if Jussi adds this feature the way he plans it to do, this detour could be avoided.

Heads off to Geoffrey anyway, he always finds a solution.

 

Nevertheless I hope Jussi adds this feature rather sooner than later :-)

[Rafi]

New to HQ Player need little help in setting up.

 

 

 

I just started with digital audio. Love HQ Player. Music sounds very nice, but I am trying set it up so when I turn the computer on it starts playing music. I ripped 200 cd's, so it continue to play forward whenever I turn the computer on.

 

I complished hqplayer to load on boot up, but I am unable to load playlist and I don't know the command for it to start playing where I left last time.

 

I will appreciate any help.

[mrvco]

A question regarding HQ Player. I'm running Roon --> HQ Player --> microRendu --> DAC and up-converting to DSD128 (Late 2012 quad core i7). My DAC (Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme) supports up to PCM384, DSD64 and DSD128.

 

1) When up-converting to DSD128 w/ HQP, my DAC is making a mechanical clicking noise.

 

• Clicks going from PCM to DSD
  
• Clicks going from DSD64 to 128
  
• Clicks going from DSD128 to 64
  

and

 

• Does not click going from PCM to PCM
  
• Does not click going from DSD64 to 64
  
• Does not click going from DSD128 to 128
  

 

However this clicking does not occur when not using HQP, e.g. Roon --> microRendu --> DAC and switching between PCM, DSD64 and DSD128 files (obviously no up-conversion in this scenario).

 

Is there a setting in HQ Player that might get rid of this clicking noise when changing tracks? Thanks!

[Miska]

1) When up-converting to DSD128 w/ HQP, my DAC is making a mechanical clicking noise.

 

That's likely the output mute relay...

 

• Clicks going from PCM to DSD
  
• Clicks going from DSD64 to 128
  
• Clicks going from DSD128 to 64
  

and

 

• Does not click going from PCM to PCM
  
• Does not click going from DSD64 to 64
  
• Does not click going from DSD128 to 128
  

 

If the click comes from the output mute relay, everything is working exactly as it should...

 

However this clicking does not occur when not using HQP, e.g. Roon --> microRendu --> DAC and switching between PCM, DSD64 and DSD128 files (obviously no up-conversion in this scenario).

 

Something strange is going on if switch between formats doesn't trigger output mute relay in these cases.

[Miska]

I don't understand. The only place I know to set the FIR files is under "matrix"[ATTACH=CONFIG]27385[/ATTACH]. Seems logical then to check "enabled" and convolution

 

OK, now I see where the misunderstanding is. The same setup can also be done using the other selection under "Matrix" menu. Subsequently I also found and fixed the problem you are talking about...

[Le Concombre Masqué]

OK, now I see where the misunderstanding is. The same setup can also be done using the other selection under "Matrix" menu. Subsequently I also found and fixed the problem you are talking about...

[Forehaven]

First make sure HQPlayer works alone, without Roon, so you can play content. Then leave HQPlayer running and start Roon, use "localhost" for HQPlayer and when you click Play to play something it should talk to HQPlayer just fine.

 

Windows security software firewalls usually leave "localhost" alone, but there may be exceptions. But at least it should ask for such cases whether you want to allow connections for applications.

 

 

Please enable HQPlayer log file, restart HQPlayer, do one standalone playback (no issues) and then one playback with Roon (issues). And then please email me that log file. I could then try to figure out what is going wrong.

 

The main difference between the two is that when HQPlayer is playing alone it is handling the file reading on it's own. When you play with Roon, Roon is handling the file reading and then streaming the data to HQPlayer.

 

Also make sure you use "localhost" in Roon settings as address to HQPlayer.

 

Other possible culprits:

- If you are using CUDA offload (shouldn't, I believe 2015 iMac doesn't have nVidia GPU anymore), Roon adds it's own GPU load on top

- Some network issues, some process (like sofware firewall) interfering with Roon-HQPlayer comms

- Roon having trouble keeping up with dataflow from a file to HQPlayer

 

 

Jussi, I'm having this problem again. I tried all above. CUDA odd, turned off W10 Firewall, Plays perfectly thru HQP.

I tried to generate log file, but Windows is not showing any HQP log anywhere. Even this: Users/username/AppData/local/HQPlayer

[Miracle1980]

The "closed form" filter is the final version or it's just a testing beta? I mean if it's ready to be used or there should be something else implemented to finalize it?

[rickca]

Miska, what characteristics differentiate the various modulators (for example, ADSM7 vs DSD7)? I've seen your descriptions of the filters like poly-sinc vs poly-sinc-mp, but I've never seen something similar for the modulators that describes how they affect the sound and when each is most appropriate to use. The names of the modulators aren't descriptive like the filter names, so I really have no insight into how they differ. Thanks.

[Miska]

Miska, what characteristics differentiate the various modulators (for example, ADSM7 vs DSD7)? I've seen your descriptions of the filters like poly-sinc vs poly-sinc-mp, but I've never seen something similar for the modulators that describes how they affect the sound and when each is most appropriate to use. The names of the modulators aren't descriptive like the filter names, so I really have no insight into how they differ. Thanks.

 

The differences are more technical by nature, rather than aiming for any specific behavior. There is no clear way to describe the sonic differences. Main difference driving decision for a certain DACs is noise shaper order for 5th and 7th order modulators, 7th order modulator pushes more noise out of audio band and thus gives better SNR, but it also means that the noise outside of audio band increases on steeper slope and puts more demands on DAC's low-pass filter. So DACs using very simple low-pass filters are better sticking to 5th order modulators.

 

DSD* modulators are fixed configuration ones while ASDM* modulators are adaptive in various ways based on source signal. So the DSD* ones are simpler and the ASDM* ones are more advanced algorithms. But you can just listen and decide which way you prefer, there is no clear way to say how something sounds and what should be used, apart from the modulator order as discussed above. Now in the latest beta there's a new special beast called AMSDM7 tailored for >= DSD512 speeds (it is also allowed for DSD256, but then your mileage may vary depending on DAC - i need to do more measurements to see how it behaves in such cases).

 

I'll try to remember to update the manual too for next release to reflect the description above.

[Miska]

The "closed form" filter is the final version or it's just a testing beta? I mean if it's ready to be used or there should be something else implemented to finalize it?

 

It's been final already in current releases. In latest beta the only change is that it is also allowed for 1:1 conversions for practical reasons (mixed rate playlists used for PCM output).

[Miska]

Jussi, I'm having this problem again. I tried all above. CUDA odd, turned off W10 Firewall, Plays perfectly thru HQP.

I tried to generate log file, but Windows is not showing any HQP log anywhere. Even this: Users/username/AppData/local/HQPlayer

 

Do you have the "Log file" checked in HQPlayer settings? In Windows File Explorer type/paste in the path entry edit box "%LOCALAPPDATA%\HQPlayer" and hit enter.

[Montage]

Miska, I just tried Beta 4 on Windows 10 but the NAA (microRendu) was not recognised - no device shown in settings. I had uninstalled HQP3.13.3, which was working and recognising the NAA, before installing Beta 4.

 

I uninstalled Beta 4, reinstalled 3.13.3 and immediately the NAA was recognised. Any thoughts?

 

JohnT

[matthias]

Miska,

if I understand correctly is with DSD to higher rate DSD upsampling(DirectSDM unchecked) some DSP(VC etc.) involved.

It would be very nice if DSD upsampling is possible without DSP.

My suggestion would be to change the button DIRECTSDM to something like DSP/VC yes/no to have a more straight path for DSD upsampling.

 

Thank you

 

Matt

[Forehaven]

Do you have the "Log file" checked in HQPlayer settings? In Windows File Explorer type/paste in the path entry edit box "%LOCALAPPDATA%\HQPlayer" and hit enter.

 

Ok:

 

* 2016/07/05 08:26:57 Starting...

2016/07/05 08:26:57 Signalyst HQPlayer Desktop v3.13.3

2016/07/05 08:26:57 Engine selected:

2016/07/05 08:26:57 Windows version 6.2.9200 (2),

* 2016/07/05 08:26:57 Control server started

2016/07/05 08:27:02 libDSP version 17.1.0

2016/07/05 08:27:02 Audio engine: network

2016/07/05 08:27:02 Discovery to 224.0.0.199:43210

2016/07/05 08:27:02 Discovery from 0.0.0.0

& 2016/07/05 08:27:02 Discovered network audio: name='default' version='Signalyst Network Audio Daemon 3.2.1' @192.168.1.136:43210

2016/07/05 08:27:02 Network endpoint: iFi (by AMR) HD USB Audio: USB Audio (hw:0,0)

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Discovered 1 Network Audio Adapters

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set channels: 2 (2)

+ 2016/07/05 08:27:03 Connect to 192.168.1.136:43210

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 44100/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 48000/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 88200/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 96000/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 176400/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 192000/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 352800/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 384000/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 705600/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 768000/32/2 [pcm]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 2822400/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 3072000/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 5644800/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 6144000/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 11289600/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 12288000/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 22579200/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Network format: 24576000/1/2 [dsd]

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Volume limit: -3

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Automatic rate family disabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 DirectSDM disabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Pipeline SDM disabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 SDM conversion parameters (5, 0)

2016/07/05 08:27:03 DSD 6 dB gain disabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Initial parallel threads: 8

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Number of logical cores: 8

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set filter: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set dither: 5

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set filter: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set oversampling: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set dither: 5

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set modulator: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Automatic output rate switching enabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 AutoSDM disabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 IntegratorM: IIR

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Audio engine SDM mode enabled

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set oversampling: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set modulator: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set filter: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set oversampling: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set dither: 5

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set modulator: 6

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Automatic output rate switching enabled

* 2016/07/05 08:27:03 Control server started for remote control

& 2016/07/05 08:27:03 Playlist clear

& 2016/07/05 08:27:03 Set transport (240): C:\Users\Music Machine\AppData\Local\HQPlayer\current.m3u8

2016/07/05 08:27:03 Automatic output rate switching enabled

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Set convolution: 1

& 2016/07/05 08:27:18 GoTo

& 2016/07/05 08:27:18 Play

+ 2016/07/05 08:27:18 Playback engine running

- 2016/07/05 08:27:18 Network engine stopping...

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Set sampling rate: 22579200 (22579200)

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Automatic output rate: 22579200

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Rate or blocksize change triggered

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Rate: 2822400, block size: 8192, frame size: 32768

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Block size: 8192 (sample: 1)

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Oversampling: poly (light)

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Modulator: adaptive seventh order 1-bit

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Integrator: IIR

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Playback engine ratio: 8

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Initialization complete, starting audio engine

+ 2016/07/05 08:27:18 Network engine starting...

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Network SDM streaming

+ 2016/07/05 08:27:18 Network engine started at: 22579200

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Parallel threads: 8

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Nested parallelism: 0

2016/07/05 08:27:18 Parallel pipelines: 2

[rickca]

I'll try to remember to update the manual too for next release to reflect the description above.

Thanks, Miska ... that is the level of information I wanted. It's been way too long since I studied engineering to understand the mathematics.

[NAIDIVER]

Hi Miska

I have a problem playing back from roon.

When i unckecked " direct sdm " in DSDIFF/DSF setting " and changed sampling rate to 5644800 to upsampled DSD64 to only DSD128.

when i changed to play other tracks which is not DSD, it stopped working, then i had to change the formats back to auto again.

 

Can i set it to be played PCM and DSD upsample to only DSD128? or i have to switch it manually?

[tboooe]

Hi Miska

I have a problem playing back from roon.

When i unckecked " direct sdm " in DSDIFF/DSF setting " and changed sampling rate to 5644800 to upsampled DSD64 to only DSD128.

when i changed to play other tracks which is not DSD, it stopped working, then i had to change the formats back to auto again.

 

Can i set it to be played PCM and DSD upsample to only DSD128? or i have to switch it manually?

Did you uncheck Auto Rate Family?

 

I have HQP set to play everything back at DSD128 and this what I had to do.