Blind testing is difficult with your own system and nearly impossible with others'. I think that to detect changes like that, you must be intimately familiar with the sound of the system and the material. I also failed a blind test once on someone else's system between an ODAC and a Bifrost...

I get that, but I've never had to reset my filter or dither settings whenever I've restarted hqplayer. The filters always stay the same. Even after refreshing the page, the config page still shows sinc-M/sinc-L/NS9. Actually, I'm noticing now that the Client is showing the default settings...

Same, although unfortunately the LAN streamer built into the Gustard R26 still sounds worse at those rates than the Pi2AES at 176.4/192 kHz. Which is why I want a new streamer. I'm confused. The HQPlayer server restarts when I refresh the devices, but it doesn't revert my settings back to...

Hi Jussi, I just updated to the newest version of HQPlayer Client, but I'm noticing a small bug: 1. Play some music via HQPlayer Client 2. Go to HQPlayer Embedded configuration tab, refresh devices. Music will stop playing. 3. Reconnect HQPlayer Client to HQPlayer Embedded, play music again...

I have an oscilloscope, but unsure if that's the type of measurement tool required in this case. I'm guessing not, lol. My problem is that, according to measurements, DAC bits = 15 is correct for the Gustard R26. But like I said, this sounds slightly less dynamic to me than a higher setting, so...

Ayyy, another R26 > Mjolnir 3 user! I am really loving this combo altho I don't have anything similar to compare it to. This photo is from last week when I was borrowing the ZMF Caldera (right) and Atrium Closed (left) as part of a loaner tour. The Atticus in the middle are mine. The combo...

Question: how do I determine the best DAC bits setting for my DAC? Supposedly, for the Gustard R26, the correct bit depth is 15... however, setting the DAC bits to 15 sounds a little less dynamic to me than setting it to 17 or 18 bits. Does anyone have any advice for how to determine the ideal...

Unfortunately, I think my Mjolnir is going to need to go back to Schiit for repair due to two switches: the gain switch and SE/PP switch. The gain switch doesn't always toggle the left channel, so I have to push the switch over and away from the volume knob to get the left channel to fully kick...

The Pi4, Pi2AES, Aune XC1, and FMCs are all powered by linear power supplies that are not pictured because I don't want to add a fourth level to the rack. They're all sitting below the desk.

Technically, it has four sound signatures between SE vs PP and feedback on/off. I'm guessing PP mode with feedback is the most traditional solid state sound signature, whereas SE/NFB is more tube-like... but I don't have a tube amp that can compete with Mjolnir 3.

The setup is finally complete... Top level: Schiit Mjolnir 3 Middle: Gustard R26 DAC (obviously) Bottom: Pi2AES, Aune XC1, fiber optic media converters By "complete," I mean I'm considering a Holo Red as a source next so that I can take HQPlayer oversampling up to 705.4/768 kHz... but first, I...

Contrast is a very good word for what PP mode adds to the sound. I also notice leading edges and decay more easily. I think PP mode adds some energy on the top end at the expense of a little bit of low end energy. -- As for feedback, the manual states that this reduces OI and measured...

To be honest, I don't care for feedback at all. It seems to reduce dynamics and adds a slight haze to the sound. Maybe someone else who uses feedback can comment?

I agree wholeheartedly about R2R DACs sounding better to me, but this hobby is subjective and D/S DACs do have tons of detail. Not to mention, good D/S DACs are a lot cheaper than a great R2R DAC. Anyway, if you are using R2R DACs, why bother with DSD oversampling in HQPlayer? Just do PCM...

PP mode loses a little dynamics and smoothness vs SE mode, but it adds focus, detail, and texture, particularly in the higher frequencies. The loss in dynamics doesn't matter for classical, which is already dynamic af, and the extra detail/texture makes horns and strings sound more real...

Actually, Bifrost 2 also has a NOS mode now. I use HQPlayer with it and it sounds great. There are also true NOS DACs from Metrum and MHDT. My Gustard R26 also has NOS mode. I really like this trend of being able to have the option of NOS or OS. Back when I got into the hobby, if you wanted a...

Based on previous reviews, I didn't expect to care much for PP or feedback modes... and I don't care for feedback, but I actually really like PP for classical, especially with the HD800.

HQPlayer Network Audio Adapter is for running on a transport like Holo Red or Pi2AES. In HQPlayer Settings, you select Network Audio Adapter as the output and then select the device (Holo Red) running NAA, and HQPlayer will output to that device over the network.

Correct. You operate it via command line through a SSH tunnel, but besides occasional updates they are mostly set-it-and-forget-it. If you were only installing HQPlayer and nothing else on this computer, you could use HQPlayer OS "instead of" Linux (technically it is still Linux... but should be...

Yes, a computer, usually headless. Mine is a custom build based on a mini-ITX mobo and some leftover gaming PC parts. I think if you look through this thread there are other examples of things that people run. As I mentioned, a Raspberry Pi 4/5 will do PCM oversampling and probably lower DSD...

Either on Linux or on a standalone system like a Raspberry Pi edit: for example, I have a dedicated media server with an i5-11600KF and GTX 1660 Ti which also runs a Jellyfin server and a few other things. It runs on Ubuntu Server and does the HQPlayer processing. Massive overkill for...

Here are my initial impressions of Mjolnir 3, coming from Jotunheim 2, after a few days of continuous burn-in/warm-up time: Soundstage is much deeper and slightly wider Fine details and textures pop out more easily Maintains coherence/cohesion during chaotic passages extremely well Bass slams...

Right here! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D5NJG1K?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Yes, with two custom pure silver interconnects.

It has finally arrived! Top: Schiit Mjolnir 3 (obviously) Middle: Gustard R26 DAC Bottom: Pi2AES, Aune XC1, fiber optic media converters Also shoutout to the ZMF Grand Silver Palladium cable driving the Atticus! Right away, it's significantly cleaner than Jotunheim 2, holds together better...