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HQPlayer Linux Desktop and HQplayer embedded


ted_b

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58 minutes ago, gvl said:

In case of more than one network interface, will the UPnP renderer work on all of them? I don't have a wired network connection at the location where my main system is, I have a laptop with JRiver and WiFi and would prefer not to send audio traffic from JRiver to HQPE over WiFi. I could just wire the laptop to the HQPE box with an Ethernet cable (crossover if need to be...) and set up static IPs, at the same time it would be nice to also leave wi-fi working so I don't have to get up from the couch to change HQPE settings. Will this work? Is there a way to configure UPnP renderer settings per network interface? For example, I'd likely prefer to have different renderer names per NIC, along the lines of "HQPE-wired" and "HQPE-wifi", with the former only visible to the laptop/JRiver connected directly to the HQPE box, and the latter to all WiFi clients.

 

There is only one renderer instance, so only one name. By default it hooks to all found physical interfaces (interface name set to "auto"), but in the configuration file you can also specify a specific network interface name you want to use. Multi-homed configurations usually create problems with NAA functionality, but if you don't need that, you can set up the UPnP side to hook to a specific interface.

 

1 hour ago, gvl said:

What about the admin web interface, will it work over all network interfaces?

 

Yes, it listens on all interfaces.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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14 minutes ago, Miska said:

Multi-homed configurations usually create problems with NAA functionality, but if you don't need that, you can set up the UPnP side to hook to a specific interface.

 

I don't need NAA, but unless I run into issues I'd probably want UPnP on all interfaces, sounds like this is how it works by default? Thanks.

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1 hour ago, gvl said:

I don't need NAA, but unless I run into issues I'd probably want UPnP on all interfaces, sounds like this is how it works by default?

 

Yes, the packages for normal distributions work this way. The bootable "HQPlayer OS" images have slightly different configuration to keep multi-interface cases configuration free and there it hooks to the dynamic bridge interface. So if you set up WiFi on the bootable image you may need to adjust things.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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  • 2 weeks later...

@Miska, do you have any objective data that shows that external PCM to DSD conversion can improve sound quality? I've done some cursory uncontrolled experiments with the Khadas Tone Board and find that external conversion does in fact sound better to my ears, it would be interesting to find why I might be hearing the improvements, or perhaps it is all in my head? I used JRiver and HQPE and the results were similar in both cases, in a sense that I liked PCM converted to DSD better than PCM direct.

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Help please!

 

I'm new to Linux/HQPE, but I've been using HQP Desktop on Windows for years. I use Roon on the front end and output to a Lampizator DAC (Amanero USB Input) with everything upsampled to DSD512 using poly-sinc-hb. I have an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 8-Core 3.7 GHz server and I'm using a laptop temporarily as an NAA, both running HQPlayer OS.

 

Everything was easy to get going and sounds fantastic, but I get seemingly random L-R channel switching. It's really obvious on older music where instruments are often hard panned to the left or right channel. Stopping the music and restarting it often resets the channels properly. I seem to only have the problem with Linux and DSD 512, even though my settings were a light load for this server when I was using Windows.

 

Does anybody have any idea what could be causing that?

 

Roon Server: Core i7-3770S, WS2012 + AO => HQP Server: Core, i7-9700K, HQPlayer OS => NAA: Celeron NUC, HQP NAA => ISO Regen with UltraCap LPS 1.2 => Mapleshade USB Cable => Lampizator L4 DSD-Only Balanced DAC Preamp => Blue Jeans Belden Balanced Cables => Mivera PurePower SE Amp => Magnepan 3.7i

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Correction to my previous post. I get the channel switching at all DSD rates, not just DSD 512, and it happens with the NAA or with the server connected directly to the DAC.

 

It's late tonight, but tomorrow, I'll try using a different computer as the server.

 

Roon Server: Core i7-3770S, WS2012 + AO => HQP Server: Core, i7-9700K, HQPlayer OS => NAA: Celeron NUC, HQP NAA => ISO Regen with UltraCap LPS 1.2 => Mapleshade USB Cable => Lampizator L4 DSD-Only Balanced DAC Preamp => Blue Jeans Belden Balanced Cables => Mivera PurePower SE Amp => Magnepan 3.7i

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On 12/30/2018 at 9:50 AM, gvl said:

@Miska, do you have any objective data that shows that external PCM to DSD conversion can improve sound quality? I've done some cursory uncontrolled experiments with the Khadas Tone Board and find that external conversion does in fact sound better to my ears, it would be interesting to find why I might be hearing the improvements, or perhaps it is all in my head? I used JRiver and HQPE and the results were similar in both cases, in a sense that I liked PCM converted to DSD better than PCM direct.

 

I've done measurements on quite a bunch of DACs and yes it does. But it also depends on the algorithms you use to make the conversion. So it is not just that you make the conversion in place X, but it is all about how the conversion is done.

 

All modern DACs are SDM based, but the DSP capabilities of the cheap small chip are quite limited. Doing the SDM processing with almost unlimited capabilities of modern computers allows much better results. Assuming the DAC doesn't mess too much with the DSD inputs. Doing things externally usually allows bypassing quite many stages of on-chip DSP.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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39 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I've done measurements on quite a bunch of DACs and yes it does. But it also depends on the algorithms you use to make the conversion. So it is not just that you make the conversion in place X, but it is all about how the conversion is done.

 

All modern DACs are SDM based, but the DSP capabilities of the cheap small chip are quite limited. Doing the SDM processing with almost unlimited capabilities of modern computers allows much better results. Assuming the DAC doesn't mess too much with the DSD inputs. Doing things externally usually allows bypassing quite many stages of on-chip DSP.

 

 

Have you compiled a list of DAC's/filter settings that show improvements from your experience for us poor mortals without audio analyzers?

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13 hours ago, gvl said:

Have you compiled a list of DAC's/filter settings that show improvements from your experience for us poor mortals without audio analyzers?

 

I've posted some results here on the forum, but I have not built any particular list. But you can for example look at "recommended hardware" list on my web page. But so far, at more general level, popular DAC chips like ones from TI, ESS and AKM benefit.

 

Filter settings are more matter of personal preference, since all are designed for good performance. Choice of modulator can be optimized a bit based on DAC design, but there are no "bad choices".

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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14 hours ago, gvl said:

Is the UpBoard powerful enough to run all pcm filters? What about PCM to DSD conversion? 

 

Depending on wanted output rate, most cases I've tried yes, but possibly not the new million tap ones.

 

It can barely do PCM to DSD64 with selected filters, so not so great for that purpose.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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@Miska,

 

what power supply are you using with your Up Board device?. I think the device is sold with no power supply and it must be separately purchased too. There is an optional model from AAON rated at 5V 4A. Is this the one you use?

 

I was considering using an ifi iPower 5V 2.5A, but perhaps it will not drain current enough.

 

As an alternative to Up Board I would try an Allo USBridge with one or two ifi iPower 5V 2.5A. I think you said earlier that you have not tried this device. My current concern is the power supply for the Up Board device.

 

By the way, happy new year.

 

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1 hour ago, acatala said:

My current concern is the power supply for the Up Board device.

 

My Up Board is running DietPi (headless and no USB drives attached). DietPi boots from internal SSD and then runs in RAM.

 

It's happily powered by my Mac's USB3.0 port (900mA port). For ultra critical listening I power it with a 5VdC 1A USB powerbank (just to de-couple from mains power).

 

Really surprised by how low it's power consumption is. Fantastic endpoint/NAA.

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40 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

 

My Up Board is running DietPi (headless and no USB drives attached). DietPi boots from internal SSD and then runs in RAM.

 

It's happily powered by my Mac's USB3.0 port (900mA port). For ultra critical listening I power it with a 5VdC 1A USB powerbank (just to de-couple from mains power).

 

Really surprised by how low it's power consumption is. Fantastic endpoint/NAA.

 

Thanks @Em2016

 

When you say "internal SSD", do you mean its internal eMMC storage? If so, if you have installed there DietPi, I guess you booted up with a DietPi USB drive and then execute "dd" command with a DietPi image file to the eMMC drive, right?

 

If that procedure did not work, I would run Debian Linux with no graphical environment and NAA on it.

 

If you can power your Up Board with a powerbank then it will run with an ifi iPower 5V 2.5A with no problem at all.

 

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6 minutes ago, acatala said:

When you say "internal SSD", do you mean its internal eMMC storage?

 

Oops - yes apologies, that's what I meant. Thanks for correcting this. So DietPi boots from eMMC and runs in RAM.

 

6 minutes ago, acatala said:

If so, if you have installed there DietPi, I guess you booted up with a DietPi USB drive and then execute "dd" command with a DietPi image file to the eMMC drive, right?

 

I burnt DietPi image to USB and followed these instructions (I used Method 2):

 

https://github.com/Fourdee/DietPi/issues/1171#issuecomment-336522021

 

6 minutes ago, acatala said:

If that procedure did not work, I would run Debian Linux with no graphical environment and NAA on it.

 

Yep should be fine. You can probably install Jussi's custom low latency kernel.

 

6 minutes ago, acatala said:

If you can power your Up Board with a powerbank then it will run with an ifi iPower 5V 2.5A with no problem at all.

 

Yep boots up when powered by a 900mA USB3.0 port (using USB to DC power cable), so the iFi 5Vdc 2.5A won't be an issue. I've seen varying reports about how 'low noise' the iFi iPower's really are though, so I don't use them anymore.

 

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Hi Jussi, this may look off topic first but it is related. Following other threads here in CA (should I say AS?) people are using ramroot Audio  Linux installs on their NUCs and NAAs, I am very happy currently using my own Ubuntu install with your custom kernel on both NUC with HQPE and NUC with NAA. Is it worth to move the HQPE and NAA over to AL? has you or anyone done the comparison?

 

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4 hours ago, luisma said:

Hi Jussi, this may look off topic first but it is related. Following other threads here in CA (should I say AS?) people are using ramroot Audio  Linux installs on their NUCs and NAAs, I am very happy currently using my own Ubuntu install with your custom kernel on both NUC with HQPE and NUC with NAA. Is it worth to move the HQPE and NAA over to AL? has you or anyone done the comparison?

 

I have not tried AL or done any comparisons with it. If you want to compare, you could also try the HQPlayer OS images I provide that contain full custom OS plus HQPlayer Embedded (and NAA).

 

My machines are currently running Ubuntu Server (with my custom kernel), Debian 9 Stretch (with my custom kernel), Fedora 29 Minimal (stock kernel), and my own HQPlayer OS.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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22 minutes ago, luisma said:

I guess AL vs Ubuntu custom kernel there should not be much difference

 

So you run HQPE on Ubuntu Server, Debian 9 Stretch and Fedora 29 or the NAA runs on the latter?

 

For NAA, I have microRendu and sMS-200, plus two ARM-based devices running Debian 9. All except one other NAAs (three) run my bootable images. But these NAA's are used mostly for various HQPlayer Desktop instances.

 

The one exception is not really a NAA, but it is the big machine with both T+A DAC8 DSD and exaSound e28 connected to it. Whenever I want to use either of these DACs from other computers, I start networkaudiod on that Windows 10 Pro for Workstations to make the DACs available over network.

 

Most HQPlayer Embedded machines have DACs directly connected to them. Machine running Fedora 29 is the Logic Supply CL100 and it also runs HQPlayer Embedded and has TEAC UD-501 and Metrum Musette behind it.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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Thanks, I have the power NUC with core i7 running HQPE on Ubuntu my own install but with your kernel

The NAA is Ubuntu on a core i3 fanless with your kernel as well

 

Not using your bootable image because the NAA has also Roon Bridge for testing roon to roon playing 

 

So far very satisfied but noticed the Audiolinux references on another thread 

 

 

 

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18 minutes ago, luisma said:

Thanks, I have the power NUC with core i7 running HQPE on Ubuntu my own install but with your kernel

The NAA is Ubuntu on a core i3 fanless with your kernel as well

 

Not using your bootable image because the NAA has also Roon Bridge for testing roon to roon playing 

 

So far very satisfied but noticed the Audiolinux references on another thread 

 

Bootable images are easy to test because you don't need to install anything, you only need USB flash stick or (micro)SD-card for booting up. So you don't need to touch your existing installations. I'm not sure how easy AL is to test without installing something.

 

Latest NAA image for PC hardware runs from RAM when booted up, while the latest HQPlayer Embedded image that also includes NAA doesn't, so you can also compare the two approaches if you like.

 

Things that make bigger difference are graphical interface and such, other things less.

 

Signalyst - Developer of HQPlayer

Pulse & Fidelity - Software Defined Amplifiers

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5 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Most HQPlayer Embedded machines have DACs directly connected to them. Machine running Fedora 29 is the Logic Supply CL100 and it also runs HQPlayer Embedded and has TEAC UD-501 and Metrum Musette behind it.

 

 

@Miska, is there any sound quality difference that you find between direct connection of HQPE to DAC and via NAA? Kindly advise. Thanks.

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