[TherealJohnD]

I'm using a direct connection with a very short cat. 6 Ethernet cable from BJ. It's claimed to be certified and eventually was thinking of using it for the dirty side of the FMC chain after the connection was established.

Fan less- Windows 10 NUC running HQplayer desktop

 

[sgreg1]

Did you tried new 1.42 fw?

Yes I did try to add both of them. 1.40 first and then 1.42. No error messages everything went well. Power light was lit up during the down load stage, when I turned on the main back panel switch the power button would flash in a two blink sequence . I turned on to check Verdi on and still reading 06/2022. I am trying on Mac as this is my only system, I have no access to window.

 

[labeelen]

After reading the ‘translated’ R26 manual the ‘Phase Invert’ option caught my attention.
Is anyone here aware of HiFi Audio brands that use the European/Japanese XLR pinout in stead of the US version ?
I double checked my Singxer SA-1 amplifier manual which confirms it has the US XLR variant and so I can leave it at the default setting ‘Phase Invert = OFF’

 

[wikaudio]

Can you add tidal connect to new 1.42 fw?

I am releasing a new version of unofficial firmware 1.42 + Tidal connect.
R26_Release_1v42+Tidal.img.gz.zip (831MB)
Where it came from and how to do it is described HERE.

The description of changes in version 1.42 looks minor. An interesting fact is the change of the linux operating system to the "bookworm" version. This release started as a copy of "bullseye", and is currently in a state called testing. But the most important change is with the UPnP Media Renderer. Instead of upmpdcli based on MPD it is now GMediaRender and basically gmrender-resurrect (unless I'm wrong). No wonder, but GMediaRender is a project from 2007 "resurrected" in August 2022 on GitHub. It currently has 3 releases. All I know about this project is that it is a "resource efficient UPnP/DLNA renderer, optimal for Raspberry Pi, CuBox or a general MediaServer. Fork of GMediaRenderer to add some features to make it usable.”
Anyone can read it for themselves, links above.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Of course this is R26 FW + Tidal BUT NO ROON. Yes?

 

[wikaudio]

Of course this is R26 FW + Tidal BUT NO ROON. Yes?

NO. This is TIDAL+Roon. Together it works well so I only added TIDAL to the original update.

 

[rodthebod]

Can you please tell me what a fmc mod is?:

You can see detail of the FMC mod on the first posting at the beginning of the thread for around $200, I managed an alternative for around €30 I posted details earlier in the thread here: Post #5,491 of 5,706

 

[rodthebod]

Oh I see how embedded works now.

I'm using HQPlayer Embedded on my old MacBook Air 2013 i5, booted from a 16GB USB (could be a good deal smaller in GB size 2.69GB actual image size 'hqplayer-embedded-4.34.2-x64avx2' use Belena Etcher to flash at least a 4GB drive) Jplay or Bubbleupnp or Mconnect all work by now seeing HQPlayer Embedded as a NAA (network audio adaptor) similar to a uPnP renderer.

I select my Miniserver running on a Sparky SBC with attached USB 2TB hard disc drive as my library location. You have to configure the HQPe software via any web browser to be acting as a Network Audio Player and on the Backend, as it's described, selecting the Gustard R26 as the output device. Once this is done any album or track can be selected via the controller app on your phone or tablet (Bubble,Mconnect or Jplay) and you have upsampled and filtered HQP sound.

Must say I was sceptical about upsampling having used it many moons ago (Sox) on a Rpi3 in MoOde audio, not really that impressed with that. But HQplayer brings something to the table that is a a completely different scale, it focuses the sound in a way I've not heard before, brings extra detail and life but in a really controlled way. Still getting used to it and am still on a 30 day trial. The options are vast, you have to look at recommended configurations and go from there. (Audiophile Style forum mainly where the owner Miska posts - Jussi Laako is his name) Getting to a working system was easy on the HQplayer Desktop version which runs on Windows or Mac or of course Linux on which it is developed. But that ties up a decent laptop or PC which I don't really want to have in my listening room.

Having just a controller in my listening room especially Jplay would be the best, enter the Embedded version which is linux based and has to boot from a USB, this version enables the PC or Mac running it to be a black box of sorts and the control done via the upnp controller app. It can be treated as a link in the audio chain to process the digital audio signal using the substantial processing resource of a modern computer before going to the DAC. I'm rambling on about this because one of the main failings of HQplayer is that it is the brainchild of one man and run by one man, nothing wrong with that, I've been there, but it has been a challenge to get the necessary information to configure the software with the hardware and get your head around what's going on. All I can say is that it's worth the effort once you get things correctly configured.
Keeping to PCM output and 768MHz or even 384Mhz seems to work the best for the R26, so far..... no audio drop outs like I was getting playing 24/96 content.

I had to give this software a go as other members here have been going on about it! Thanks guys.....

 

[MickelJam]

I'm using HQPlayer Embedded on my old MacBook Air 2013 i5, booted from a 16GB USB (could be a good deal smaller in GB size though) Jplay or Bubbleupnp or Mconnect all work by now seeing HQPlayer Embedded as a NAA (network audio adaptor) similar to a uPnP renderer.

I select my Miniserver running on a Sparky SBC with attached USB 2TB hard disc drive as my library location. You have to configure the HQPe software via any web browser to be acting as a Network Audio Player and on the Backend, as it's described, selecting the Gustard R26 as the output device. Once this is done any album or track can be selected via the controller app on your phone or tablet (Bubble,Mconnect or Jplay) and you have upsampled and filtered HQP sound.

Must say I was sceptical about upsampling having used it many moons ago (Sox) on a Rpi3 in MoOde audio, not really that impressed with that. But HQplayer brings something to the table that is a a completely different scale, it focuses the sound in a way I've not heard before, brings extra detail and life but in a really controlled way. Still getting used to it and am still on a 30 day trial. The options are vast, you have to look at recommended configurations and go from there. (Audiophile Style forum mainly where the owner Miska posts - Jussi Laako is his name) Getting to a working system was easy on the HQplayer Desktop version which runs on Windows or Mac or of course Linux on which it is developed. But that ties up a decent laptop or PC which I don't really want to have in my listening room.

Having just a controller in my listening room especially Jplay would be the best, enter the Embedded version which is linux based and has to boot from a USB, this version enables the PC or Mac running it to be a black box of sorts and the control done via the upnp controller app. It can be treated as a link in the audio chain to process the digital audio signal using the substantial processing resource of a modern computer before going to the DAC. I'm rambling on about this because one of the main failings of HQplayer is that it is the brainchild of one man and run by one man, nothing wrong with that, I've been there, but it has been a challenge to get the necessary information to configure the software with the hardware and get your head around what's going on. All I can say is that it's worth the effort once you get things correctly configured.
Keeping to PCM output and 768MHz or even 384Mhz seems to work the best for the R26, so far..... no audio drop outs like I was getting playing 24/96 content.

I had to give this software a go as other members here have been going on about it! Thanks guys.....

I’m just starting to scratch the surface of HQPlayer, planning to start playing around with it this week. I have an old 2017 MacBook Pro that’s on its last legs. If I can getting working on that and like the results I’ll probably pick up a used M1 Mac Mini to dedicate to HQPlayer. Not going in for a water cooled PC build.

I discounted the embedded version because I thought it was for Linux builds only. So I can boot it from a drive on a Mac?

 

[rodthebod]

I’m just starting to scratch the surface of HQPlayer, planning to start playing around with it this week. I have an old 2017 MacBook Pro that’s on its last legs. If I can getting working on that and like the results I’ll probably pick up a used M1 Mac Mini to dedicate to HQPlayer. Not going in for a water cooled PC build.

I discounted the embedded version because I thought it was for Linux builds only. So I can boot it from a drive on a Mac?

Discounting HQPlayer Embedded would probably be a mistake here, I too thought you had to have a Linux OS running on the MacBook before allowing it to run. This is not necessary as the USB HQPe runs completely from the USB drive and then uses the resources of the 'donor slave laptop or PC machine' to do the processing.

I went as far as wiping OSX off my old MacBook and installed Debian 11, wasn't necessary, because the USB Embedded version does the work of the OS. I've popped OSX back onto the MacBook and am still able to use the USB to boot to to run HQPe. This is one of the non explained things I was referring to from the HQplayer site, it is not clear. I feel many more people would try HQPe if they knew the facts. It only takes seconds to boot the linux image off USB. When you want your old machine back just reboot after taking out the USB drive with HQPe.

If you are having difficulty when installing the HQplayer Embedded on your Mac then it is probably the AirPort Extreme wi-fi card inside the Mac as there doesn't seem support for this card on linux - crazy this, as it was like this ten years ago. When installing Debian (and Unbuntu Server LTS before that) onto the MacBook it stalled and requested drivers for the AE card.
To solve this, I used a USB-A to Rj45 network dongle adaptor I had from previous setups. Once this dongle was plugged in then Debian/Unbuntu and HQplayer OS on the USB drive accepted the hardware and worked. It's plug and play.
FYI If you have a Amazon Cube there is a USB (micro connection) to RJ45 adaptor in the box, as it's for android it will probably work too with a USB adaptor suitable for your Mac.

Using a wired network connection on my setup is the best option as I have made much effort to have a clean side to my setup with a switch+LPS with wi-fi extender and MinimServer then finally the R26 connected via FMC. The MacBook with HQplayer Embedded is also connected to the same switch, keeping the router on the dirty side.

Another thing worth noting is how much horsepower you need for the HQPe or Desktop version for the R26, the R26 likes PCM, I feel some feedback would be appreciated here, for PCM processing there is much much less processing required. People have reported that a Rpi4 is enough, but my old 2013 MacBook Air i5 copes very well not getting at all hot or using the fan. An M1 Mac mini might be overkill for the task is all.... your 2017 MacBook Pro sounds ideal, you won't need to look at the screen at all, all config is done via a web page.

Any comments from HQplayer veterans much appreciated.

 

[MickelJam]

Definitely agree that there is a lack of info on the Signalyst site, but understandably so. Figured I’d just download it and try to make it work, glad i saw your post on the embedded version.
This should keep me busy for a while

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Read it's (HQPlayer) PDF manual (comes with installation) ... There are tons of info/descriptions especially on the filters available for use.

 

[DeckHiFi]

If we are talking about filters I found for PCM the poly-sinc-gauss-long filter is truly special for my setup currently for most music. It's hard to go back to other filters because it's such an enjoyable soundstage and voices also sound so good in the mix. My current thoughts are in my signature. This could possibly be headphone dependent, but loving it!

This post by another person happens to describe my love of poly-sinc-gauss-long filter really well: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/which-hqp-filter-are-you-using/6061/3332. **MistaLovaLova actually ends up preferring the filter: poly-sinc-gauss-xl(a) in a later post. Basically both filters are super enjoyable and I'm not sure which one I will end up preferring weeks/months from now.

Edit, update: sinc-L is great for detail or depth (per MistaLovaLova) and poly-sinc-gauss-xla has the more special soundstage of gauss-long, but perhaps more detail than gauss-long. But both of those don't have the magic of gauss-long imo. I want the voices to pop out and the music to mix around the soundstage beautifully. But I'm sure this is all preference related.

 

[kenjamin0523]

NO. This is TIDAL+Roon. Together it works well so I only added TIDAL to the original update.

Hi Wikaudio, can you mke one more version for this new update FW with Tidal connect+upnp and no Roon. I use your previous FW with tidal connect and no roon, working really well, and I found that the delay when playing hi-res(mqa) file have fixed. Maybe because of freeing Ram when disable roon.
Thanks

 

[rodthebod]

Definitely agree that there is a lack of info on the Signalyst site, but understandably so. Figured I’d just download it and try to make it work, glad i saw your post on the embedded version.
This should keep me busy for a while

Please see my edit on previous posts about HQPe re: RJ45 network card and lack of support for Mac Broadcom wi-fi cards - you'll need a dongle!