Roon and HQ Player

[pkane]

Can you please expand on how much lower speed CPUs and what level upsampling is possible?

Let me give you a few data points that might help:

I've set up my Macbook Pro (2.8Ghz I7 4980HQ) with Windows 10, running HQP at DSD512 with xtr-2s filter and convolution. When playing music, the CPU is pegged at about 40-50%. Not great, but works. Since this heats up the CPU, the fans kick in, and that makes for some noise from the laptop. Otherwise, it functions just fine, the laptop does not overheat. The sound is awesome, and is an obvious improvement over DSD256 (not a huge difference, but obvious).

Prior to doing this, I used the same Macbook pro running HQP on MacOS with DSD256 and convolution (same xtr-2s filter) and it was using up to about 20-30% of the CPU, and almost no noise from the fans at all.

 

[Steve Williams]

Let me give you a few data points that might help:

I've set up my Macbook Pro (2.8Ghz I7 4980HQ) with Windows 10, running HQP at DSD512 with xtr-2s filter and convolution. When playing music, the CPU is pegged at about 40-50%. Not great, but works. Since this heats up the CPU, the fans kick in, and that makes for some noise from the laptop. Otherwise, it functions just fine, the laptop does not overheat. The sound is awesome, and is an obvious improvement over DSD256 (not a huge difference, but obvious).

Prior to doing this, I used the same Macbook pro running HQP on MacOS with DSD256 and convolution (same xtr-2s filter) and it was using up to about 20-30% of the CPU, and almost no noise from the fans at all.

I am most interested in this. Do you use Boot Camp or Parallels ?

What are you using as a player

 

[pkane]

I am most interested in this. Do you use Boot Camp or Parallels ?

What are you using as a player

Using Bootcamp. HQPlayer is the renderer. I don't have Roon.

 

[Steve Williams]

My Mac laptop is great up to DSD128 but cannot do any more based on what Andreas told me as far as band width limitations on the Mac

My laptop is 5 years old and is 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7. I gather I might still have problems

 

[pkane]

My Mac laptop is great up to DSD128 but cannot do any more based on what Andreas told me as far as band width limitations on the Mac

The maximum limit for Mac is DSD256 and this is based on having to use DoP, since native DSD is not supported by CoreAudio. There is no built in limit on Windows -- it depends on the driver and CPU. As I mentioned, I've used DSD256 on my Mac for quite a while, so I know it works Give it a try if you haven't already.

If it doesn't work under MacOS, try Bootcamp. With a proper Windows ASIO driver for your DAC (and assuming your DAC supports it) you can output native DSD which reduces bandwidth requirements in half compared to DoP. I suspect you'll be able to get to DSD256 this way with your older processor, but DSD512 might be too much for it.

 

[Steve Williams]

I'm NOT interested in DSD 512. Andreas said I need a PC for DSD 256 so boot camp or parallels makes sense

 

[microstrip]

I'm NOT interested in DSD 512. Andreas said I need a PC for DSD 256 so boot camp or parallels makes sense

As far as I see it, currently DSD512 is not a digital audio format, it is just an implemented intermediate format, that is used for some specific DAC's. Most users do not need to care about it.

 

[Steve Williams]

As far as I see it, currently DSD512 is not a digital audio format, it is just an implemented intermediate format, that is used for some specific DAC's. Most users do not need to care about it.

That's why I'm not interested. I have no desires for DSD 512

 

[Steve Williams]

How difficult is it to install and properly set up HQ Player myself

 

[pkane]

As far as I see it, currently DSD512 is not a digital audio format, it is just an implemented intermediate format, that is used for some specific DAC's. Most users do not need to care about it.

DSD is a digital audio format. DSD 64, 128, 256, 512 are different rates for transmitting DSD data. DSD 512 is the highest rate supported by some DACs today (at 22.5Mhz). The different rates are a way to apply different levels of oversampling to the data.

With some DACs DSD sounds better than PCM (mine is an example) and DSD 512 produces better SQ than lower DSD rates for me. Perhaps this is due to oversampling resulting in reduced jitter, or maybe some other effect. In my system DSD256 sounds great, but DSD512 is just slightly better.

So yes, if most users don't need better SQ, then they don't need DSD 512

 

[Steve Williams]

DSD is a digital audio format. DSD 64, 128, 256, 512 are different rates for transmitting DSD data. DSD 512 is the highest rate supported by some DACs today (at 22.5Mhz). The different rates are a way to apply different levels of oversampling to the data.

With some DACs DSD sounds better than PCM (mine is an example) and DSD 512 produces better SQ than lower DSD rates for me. Perhaps this is due to oversampling resulting in reduced jitter, or maybe some other effect. In my system DSD256 sounds great, but DSD512 is just slightly better.

So yes, if most users don't need better SQ, then they don't need DSD 512

let me try to understand......you are using HQ Player via Windows 10 and bootcamp with your Mac laptop. You are having to use HQ Player to make this happen..... IOW upsampling occurs with HQ Player. You are not playing native DSD

 

[pkane]

How difficult is it to install and properly set up HQ Player myself

Installing HQ Player is easy. Setting it up is not hard. Finding the right configuration of filters/oversampling methods for your system can take some time. Some may produce better SQ than others, but in my experience, HQP with default settings is still better than most other players I've tried, including A+.

 

[pkane]

let me try to understand......you are using HQ Player via Windows 10 and bootcamp with your Mac laptop. You are having to use HQ Player to make this happen..... IOW upsampling occurs with HQ Player. You are not playing native DSD

All correct. HQPlayer will play PCM and DSD content and can convert and upscale it to the desired format (PCM to DSD, DSD to PCM, DSD over PCM, etc., and at your chosen rate).

 

[Steve Williams]

All correct. HQPlayer will play PCM and DSD content and can convert and upscale it to the desired format (PCM to DSD, DSD to PCM, DSD over PCM, etc., and at your chosen rate).

you've stimulated me here today

Can you share with us your settings

 

[microstrip]

DSD is a digital audio format. DSD 64, 128, 256, 512 are different rates for transmitting DSD data. DSD 512 is the highest rate supported by some DACs today (at 22.5Mhz). The different rates are a way to apply different levels of oversampling to the data.

With some DACs DSD sounds better than PCM (mine is an example) and DSD 512 produces better SQ than lower DSD rates for me. Perhaps this is due to oversampling resulting in reduced jitter, or maybe some other effect. In my system DSD256 sounds great, but DSD512 is just slightly better.

So yes, if most users don't need better SQ, then they don't need DSD 512

You say it all - in your system with your DAC.

And yes, the very small number of people who own DACs sounding better at DSD512 need DSD512. As far as I know it is not the case of Steve - the USB-XIII Interface supports PCM up to 384kHz and DSD up to 4x (DSD256). But I can be wrong!

 

[nc42acc]

I need this PC to do full blown upsampled DSD512 out the back and into my T&A DAC8! I got a glimpse using the laptop and want to hear more to see if I wasn't just dreaming the sound was great or maybe an intoxicated stupor one night of listening.

 

[pkane]

Can you share with us your settings

Sure. I'll post it a bit later today, Steve.

 

[Steve Williams]

You say it all - in your system with your DAC.

And yes, the very small number of people who own DACs sounding better at DSD512 need DSD512. As far as I know it is not the case of Steve - the USB-XIII Interface supports PCM up to 384kHz and DSD up to 4x (DSD256). But I can be wrong!

You're correct

 

[pkane]

Can you share with us your settings

Since you are interested primarily in DSD256, here are my HQP settings as I was using them for DSD256 upscaling:

 

[Steve Williams]

Thank you Paul. Are you saying you use HQP as the streamer and not JRiver or others