[bogi]

Thanks, it is 8th gen i7.

I guess ir should work well for DSD256.
Switch to Ultimate Performance power plan using some of the guides if you don't have it already set. It helps to keep CPU frequency high. It doesn't make your notebook loud or hot in the case of low load. I'm on such a power plan for years.
Then just try the trial, default settings are ok for start. A very basic quick start guide appears here: https://www.signalyst.com/quickstart.html

 

[betula]

I guess ir should work well for DSD256.
Switch to Ultimate Performance power plan using some of the guides if you don't have it already set. It helps to keep CPU frequency high. It doesn't make your notebook loud or hot in the case of low load. I'm on such a power plan for years.
Then just try the trial, default settings are ok for start. A very basic quick start guide appears here: https://www.signalyst.com/quickstart.html

Thanks again, I will try to give it a go in the next few weeks at some point. (Busy weeks with some traveling are coming up.)

On a different note, I really enjoy the Cyan 2 as it is. Its definition, control, and dynamic, impactful but nicely rounded sound really makes listening fun! The notes are clear and energetic, but never edgy or fatiguing. How it renders bass is really, really good and enjoyable: full extension, good separation and clarity, not overblown at all, but present and hits with real authority, impact and energy when the track calls for it. Kickdrums and drums/percussion in general also sound really good and lifelike. I consider the Pegasus to be a good R2R DAC for the money, but the drums in direct comparison sound a bit soft and cardboardy on it. On the Holo, drum notes sound more lifelike and more accurately presented.

 

[Erick Muller]

If HQPlayer really is like the second coming of audio jesus as so many of you guys say, I might give it a go in the upcoming weeks. Just setting it up seems a bit complicated. Could I use the software with a laptop (Intel i7, 16GB, Win11, Tidal implemented) while also doing other tasks?

You might be able to upsample to higher-res formats of PCM with that PC, but for DSD, specially if you use more intensive modulators and filters, it might be a stretch.

 

[dericchan1]

My oc’d raspberry pi 5 can run pcm 20/1536 and dsd 256x48 default filters with UL7EC modulator. My desktop i7 6700k can do dsd256x48 with SUPER7EC modulator

 

[reddby]

Justing things started is nothing complicated, just download the desktop version on windows on your laptop, change output format to SDM=DSD

Set dsd rates to 256x48
Set modulator as ASDM7EC SUPER

Import a library of music, then use the hqplayer client app for playback

What settings do you use for "Oversampling 1x", "Oversampling Nx"?

Tried those settings with i7 Gen11 CPU with null output (now waiting for the Cyan2 delivery), stresses the CPU up to 60% (have no nVidia GPU), that's fine but the cooler is pretty loud. What if I use DSD128? Is quality drop from DSD256 to DSD128 audible with Cyan2?

 

[flyte3333]

Guys this is once again turning into a HQPlayer thread...

A few guys asked a few weeks ago to take it to a separate thread.

 

[Louisiana]

HQPlayer Thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hqp...s-rolling-thread.968141/page-57#post-18037819

 

[bogi]

What settings do you use for "Oversampling 1x", "Oversampling Nx"?

You can start with default settings. You can also searchg this thread for my posts, I provided here some filter suggestions in more posts.

Tried those settings with i7 Gen11 CPU with null output (now waiting for the Cyan2 delivery), stresses the CPU up to 60% (have no nVidia GPU), that's fine but the cooler is pretty loud. What if I use DSD128? Is quality drop from DSD256 to DSD128 audible with Cyan2?

With Null output set you probably did not notice that the track was processed faster than when using real audio device. That's how null output mode works, it processes the input content at max. possible speed, not at real playback speed. So the CPU load figures with null output don't represent normal playback load. Null output is intended for special diagnostic purposes.

I am using 11th Gen i7 notebook. It contains also nvidia RTX A2000 laptop GPU. Without GPU, I can easily run PCM to DSD256. With GPU, I can easily run PCM to DSD512, while doing other things on my notebook too. Without any stuttering. That's with the best modulators and middle length filters I prefer.

I know persons owning desktop system with 9th gen i7 K type CPU who are able to run PCM to DSD512 without nVidia CUDA.

More than a year ago, with my previous 6th gen i7 notebook, I was able to run PCM to DSD256 without GPU.

You really don't need to think about DSD128.

 

[gammi]

FWIW for the people struggling to run higher DSD levels, DSD128 measures best on Cyan 2 anyway. DSD256 is probably the sweet spot.

 

[dericchan1]

Actually DSD256 measures best on the Cyan 2, DSD512 is a bit of a tradeoff with higher audible band noise but better ultrasonic noise than DSD256.
With DSD128, ultrasonic noise is way worse than DSD256 and DSD512...
Hence 256 being the "sweet spot"

 

[gammi]

Actually DSD256 measures best on the Cyan 2, DSD512 is a bit of a tradeoff with higher audible band noise but better ultrasonic noise than DSD256.
With DSD128, ultrasonic noise is way worse than DSD256 and DSD512...
Hence 256 being the "sweet spot"

This is what I was basing that on:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/best-native-dsd-dacs-for-use-with-hqplayer/132298/825

But he later updated that he was using an inferior modulator when he ran the 256 tests and it performed better after fixing that.

 

[dericchan1]

This is what I was basing that on:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/best-native-dsd-dacs-for-use-with-hqplayer/132298/825

But he later updated that he was using an inferior modulator when he ran the 256 tests and it performed better after fixing that.

Exactly!!
quoted "I just ran DSD256-7EC measurements for the first time and they are pretty much like DSD128-7EC for distortion measurements in 20-35kHz region, except now you get much more extended freq resp and DSD noise hump pushed way out. So no penalty going to DSD256

So with DSD256, you get excellent audible band noise floor while ultrasonic noise got pushed way out compared to DSD128
With DSD512, you compromised a few db higher audible band noise but ultrasonic noise got pushed a bit further out compared to DSD256

Confirmed with Miska as well, I would say DSD256 and DSD512 are the sweet spots for Holo DACs in general...

 

[dbull12]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned somewhere in the thread, but would I be leaving sound quality on the table by using the SE outputs rather than balanced, or does the Cyan 2 do a better job than most DACs in that regard?

 

[proMC]

Anyone with a comparison of the Cyan 2 vs R26 yet?

 

[betula]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned somewhere in the thread, but would I be leaving sound quality on the table by using the SE outputs rather than balanced, or does the Cyan 2 do a better job than most DACs in that regard?

To my ears the Cyan 2 does a much better job at this than most other DACs I tried. Output voltage on RCA is half of what you get on XLR, but after volume matching the two outputs sound very, very close to each other. To a degree that it would be challenging to tell them apart in a blind test. This actually surprised me as the sound degradation is a lot more obvious on some other DACs when using RCA out: soundstage collapse, poorer dynamics and clarity. Luckily that doesn't seem to be the case on the C2. With quick A/B switching XLR still has a shade better clarity dynamics and soundstage due to the completely separated channels, but it is impressive, how close RCA comes on this DAC. I think, you should be happy with RCA out on the C2, it does not feel like a compromise as it does on other DACs. Still, balanced is balanced and especially with a balanced amp, that is how you can squeeze out those last drops of performance.