HQPlayer DSD256/512 PC specs

[sbenyo]

I am trying to use HQPlayer to upscale to DSD256 or DSD512.

I am using i7 quad, 8GB and SSD. I also use another PC as NAA. I am not able to get clean stream. It staggers lightly at DSD128 and heavily at 256 or 512 using default parameters.

CPU levels are between 20%-50%.

 

I am trying to understand what is the lowest spec to be able to do DSD256 and DSD512 and if there are any measurements I can do to see if I have good enough specs.

 

 

[Solstice380]

Try this thread as a start. 

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/25149-design-a-pcserver-for-roon-and-hq-player/#top

 

[arglebargle]

Do you get stutters without the NAA? My guess is it's network related. I don't know about 512 but I don't see how any i7 couldnt keep up with DSD128 / 256. I can easily do non-2s dsd256 with a four year old i5, for example. 

[rickca]

12 hours ago, sbenyo said:

It staggers lightly at DSD128 and heavily at 256 or 512 using default parameters.

Have you tried switching to the High Performance power plan?  Go to Power & Sleep settings ==> Additional power settings ==> Show additional plans and you will find it.  

[sbenyo]

I did not check it with direct connection yet. I will test it to eliminate the network and NAA.

There seem to be contradicting opinions. Some say the highest specs (i7+Cuda) are required and some run on i5.

 

Here is additional information:

I am using an old i7: Intel Core i7 1st Gen 740QM (1.73 GHz) 

I have GTX 460M which is Cuda 2.1. When I try to use Cuda offload I hear no sound. I am not sure this is supported.

 

Is Cuda offload a must?

 

Another interesting question is whether I can use Ubuntu HQPlayer with windows NAA. If this works, is it possible Ubuntu will perform better?

 

[sbenyo]

I put PC on highest performance, created RAM drive for the music and put in on direct connection without NAA.

Unfotunately DSD256 still staggers and I cannot use CUDA offload as it has on sound.

 

I need to understand how to check my specs and what is the lowest spec I need to make it work properly.

 

[rickca]

10 hours ago, sbenyo said:

I have GTX 460M which is Cuda 2.1

I'm quite sure Miska has said minimum supported CUDA level is 3.0.  CUDA offload is not necessary if your processor is powerful enough.

 

10 hours ago, sbenyo said:

I am using an old i7: Intel Core i7 1st Gen 740QM (1.73 GHz)

That is really, really ancient ... launched in 3Q 2010.

 

I assume you are doing PCM => DSD?  What filters/modulators are you using?  Perhaps you are using ones that are too resource intensive and you would have better success with different settings.

 

Look at the Resource Monitor CPU tab and see what utilization your individual processor cores are running at.

Make sure you enable pipeline SDM since you are running on a quad core.

 

 

[sbenyo]

I am using pipeline SDM (multicore). After reading the Cuda thread I understand my HW is probably not strong enough.

I probably need a new i7 + GPU to get proper results. I will have to find the best cost effective specs.

I wonder if i7 6700HQ + gtx 960m is good enough. This seems  to be a common configuration I may be able to get cheap.

 

[4est]

4 minutes ago, sbenyo said:

I am using pipeline SDM (multicore). After reading the Cuda thread I understand my HW is probably not strong enough.

I probably need a new i7 + GPU to get proper results. I will have to find the best cost effective specs.

I wonder if i7 6700HQ + gtx 960m is good enough. This seems  to be a common configuration I may be able to get cheap.

 

Why would you want to use a mobile CPU? CPU clock speed is important for 512 as far as I an tell. Unless you have a good reason, I'd buy an unlocked k chip.