[ohcrapgorillas]

What is HQPlayer NAA, and what does it do?

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.

 

[GoldenSound]

Would I need to connect the Macbook to the Holo Red via USB when using HQPlayer through Roon? Or can I run HQPlayer on the Macbook and have it stream wirelessly through Roon to the Holo Red?

No, Roon just outputs to HQPlayer, and then HQPlayer streams to the NAA Endpoint over the network (Holo Red). PC doesn't even need to be in the same room

 

[bogi]

BTW - for anyone getting overwhelmed by all these HQPlayer components and ways to run it, just start with HQPlayer desktop on Windows or Mac. It's the most straightforward way of using HQPlayer and installs like any other application. All these other options, HQPlayer OS, embedded, NAA, are ways to take the HQPlayer performance even further if you like what you hear using HQPlayer desktop.

I agree, HQPlayer Desktop on OS which everybody is familiar with is easier start. But Superunknown2 is already running HQPlayer Desktop with Roon on Macbook. He wrote: "I stream Tidal (NOS) and HQ Player through Roon to the Spring 3, currently through a Macbook.".

Superunknown2 was asking for HQPLayer OS. What's too much for your 11900K (does it use DDR5 RAM modules?), that may be reachable with 13900K. Jussi is running DSD512 capable HQPlayer OS as one of setups where he tests new development. It's enough to ask him on AS or Roon forum.

 

[Superunknown2]

I agree, HQPlayer Desktop on OS which everybody is familiar with is easier start. But Superunknown2 is already running HQPlayer Desktop with Roon on Macbook. He wrote: "I stream Tidal (NOS) and HQ Player through Roon to the Spring 3, currently through a Macbook.".

Superunknown2 was asking for HQPLayer OS. What's too much for your 11900K (does it use DDR5 RAM modules?), that may be reachable with 13900K. Jussi is running DSD512 capable HQPlayer OS as one of setups where he tests new development. It's enough to ask him on AS or Roon forum.

I was debating whether or not to keep using my Macbook for HQPlayer, or whether it would be better to get a dedicated unit. From what everyone is saying, it sounds like it would be best just to keep using my Macbook. I just got a new Macbook Pro 16 inch (M3 Pro chip, 18 GB of RAM) and it seems to have a much easier time with HQ Player than my old Macbook Pro, which was using an M1 chip and 16 GB of RAM (the M3 is supposed to have a much better GPU than the M1, which might be why).

 

[genefruit]

Just to throw an idea out there, is there room on the internet for a collective to build a HQPlayer wiki? There are several forums with several thread that are hundreds of pages deep that contain a wealth of information. I suspect only a few have read all of the threads and posts. Often the answer is in the manual but the formatting of the manual makes it somewhat difficult for those answers to pop out and instead, requires careful reading. One of the last people I'm asking to take this on would be Jussi. I'd rather he focus on the software. Anyway, just an idea...

 

[ra990]

I agree, HQPlayer Desktop on OS which everybody is familiar with is easier start. But Superunknown2 is already running HQPlayer Desktop with Roon on Macbook. He wrote: "I stream Tidal (NOS) and HQ Player through Roon to the Spring 3, currently through a Macbook.".

Superunknown2 was asking for HQPLayer OS. What's too much for your 11900K (does it use DDR5 RAM modules?), that may be reachable with 13900K. Jussi is running DSD512 capable HQPlayer OS as one of setups where he tests new development. It's enough to ask him on AS or Roon forum.

I just looked it up and it's actually an i9-9900k, not i9-11900k. But, it can do config up to DSD512. It can even do DSD1024 for several seconds before any hiccups!

 

[ra990]

I was debating whether or not to keep using my Macbook for HQPlayer, or whether it would be better to get a dedicated unit. From what everyone is saying, it sounds like it would be best just to keep using my Macbook. I just got a new Macbook Pro 16 inch (M3 Pro chip, 18 GB of RAM) and it seems to have a much easier time with HQ Player than my old Macbook Pro, which was using an M1 chip.

The M3 Pro should be really good. My Macbook Pro M2 Max can do almost everything except sinc-long up to DSD512. I don't usually use sinc-long, so the Macbook Pro actually works great for me. Those new sinc filters are heavily GPU/CUDA dependent, so that's why it struggles with those.

 

[Superunknown2]

Just to throw an idea out there, is there room on the internet for a collective to build a HQPlayer wiki? There are several forums with several thread that are hundreds of pages deep that contain a wealth of information. I suspect only a few have read all of the threads and posts. Often the answer is in the manual but the formatting of the manual makes it somewhat difficult for those answers to pop out and instead, requires careful reading. One of the last people I'm asking to take this on would be Jussi. I'd rather he focus on the software. Anyway, just an idea...

This would be a good idea. It doesn't seem like the audience for HQPlayer is very big, even though it is an awesome setup. More people would probably be interested in this if there wasn't such a large learning curve to get this set up. This stuff is pushing the limits of my technical knowledge, and I am no slouch in this area. It would be good to have a better go-to for instructions on all the things you can do with it to set it up.

I was asking Jason Stoddard of Schiit at canjam if he has tried using a Yggi with HQPlayer, since the Yggi is probably the only DAC other than Holo DACs to have true NOS, and even he seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

 

[bogi]

I was debating whether or not to keep using my Macbook for HQPlayer, or whether it would be better to get a dedicated unit. From what everyone is saying, it sounds like it would be best just to keep using my Macbook. I just got a new Macbook Pro 16 inch (M3 Pro chip, 18 GB of RAM) and it seems to have a much easier time with HQ Player than my old Macbook Pro, which was using an M1 chip and 16 GB of RAM (the M3 is supposed to have a much better GPU than the M1, which might be why).

Of course, choose the way which is convenient for you and enough fulfills your expectations.
Since I am not a MAC user, I don't have information about M3, how much it is DSD512 capable.
More powerful configs usually contain Intel, sometimes AMD CPU.

 

[ohcrapgorillas]

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 NOS DAC you had to buy a NOS DAC that had no oversampling options at all.

I agree that some walkthrough-style guides, as opposed to rote descriptions of features, would help out a lot and probably aid Jussi in sales since I can imagine quite a few people give up when they aren't able to setup the trial version.

 

[genefruit]

This would be a good idea. It doesn't seem like the audience for HQPlayer is very big, even though it is an awesome setup. More people would probably be interested in this if there wasn't such a large learning curve to get this set up. This stuff is pushing the limits of my technical knowledge, and I am no slouch in this area. It would be good to have a better go-to for instructions on all the things you can do with it to set it up.

I was asking Jason Stoddard of Schiit at canjam if he has tried using a Yggi with HQPlayer, since the Yggi is probably the only DAC other than Holo DACs to have true NOS, and even he seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

I think part of the challenge is people attempt to race to the top during their early adoption. If one uses Roon, has that computer connected via USB to a Dac, they can use HQPlayer desktop and get comfortable with how it works. Then through experience, determine what they seek and what it will take to get there.

 

[Superunknown2]

The M3 Pro should be really good. My Macbook Pro M2 Max can do almost everything except sinc-long up to DSD512. I don't usually use sinc-long, so the Macbook Pro actually works great for me. Those new sinc filters are heavily GPU/CUDA dependent, so that's why it struggles with those.

I was shocked how much better my new Macbook is with HQPlayer, just going from M1 Pro to M3 Pro and 16 GB of RAM to 18. It is much quicker to start playing, and can play a lot of different types of music with DSD where before it seemed to struggle to try.

How much RAM does your Macbook Pro M2 Max have?

 

[bogi]

Yggi is probably the only DAC other than Holo DACs to have true NOS

No ... there are many. Here you can find the actually latest list collected on AS forum:
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...tal-filtering/?do=findComment&comment=1254269
Also the Recommended hardware section of Signalyst page contains only NOS (direct DSD) capable DACs.

 

[Superunknown2]

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 NOS DAC you had to buy a NOS DAC that had no oversampling options at all.

I agree that some walkthrough-style guides, as opposed to rote descriptions of features, would help out a lot and probably aid Jussi in sales since I can imagine quite a few people give up when they aren't able to setup the trial version.

It blows me away that there are so many like Rob Watts of Chord who think delta-sigma are better than R2R DACs. I can't stand delta-sigma DACs. I listened to a DAVE/M-Scaler at canjam and wasn't impressed. I have a Spring 3, and the only other DAC I have had that I really liked was my old Bifrost 2. R2R DACs seem to me to be better. I'm not sure what the draw of delta-sigma is. Maybe ease of manufacture.

Jussi seems to not be too interested with going all out to help build up knowledge of his product. Lachan from PassionForSound tried to reach out to him when he did his review of HQPlayer, and Jussi apparently didn't want to be interviewed for some reason.

 

[Superunknown2]

No ... there are many. Here you can find the actually latest list collected on AS forum:
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/...tal-filtering/?do=findComment&comment=1254269
Also the Recommended hardware section of Signalyst page contains only NOS (direct DSD) capable DACs.

Interesting. Some items on that list may not give you the true HQPlayer experience. The Wandla has some HQPlayer functions built in, but it is a delta-sigma DAC and so it can't do NOS. GoldenSound has also documented that the Denafrips DACs are not true NOS. I wonder why the Bifrost/Yggi are not on that list.