I would like to know what the optimal hardware set-up is to use Roon combined with HQPlayer for upsampling…is it to use Roon server on one NUC and HQPlayer on another or ideally on one single device? does it make any difference in terms of SQ or performance?
Hi, the simplest way is to have Roon Server and HQPlayer on the same machine. If you are using a NUC, unless it is a Skull Canyon machine you may be limited in how far you can push HQplayer for DSD with the more demanding filters. Otherwise I ran the two on an i5 NUC and it worked ok with CPU usage and heat well within acceptable limits at DSD128. Mine is cooled passively in an Akasa Plato case so no mechanical noise.
However optimally (having re-read your question) you need to build a fire breathing i7, with separate NVidia graphics card for CUDA offload for HQPlayer. And I am sure the real enthusiasts will tell you to put Roon on its own device too although a NUC is fine (i3 or i5 dependant on library size). Use an NAA into your DAC. That should give optimal performance and allow Roon and HQPlayer to do their thing independently.
I built the fire breathing HQP i7 Server with GTX980 for CUDA. Quite happy to run RoonServer on it. The localhost connection from Roon to HQP avoids a loopback to a switch/router.
The real question that has to be answered is what is your target upsampling goal? Is it 512 DSD? Then a built system with a high end graphics card to off load processing to is a good idea.
I have high end NVIDIA cards littered around my room, looking sad and unused. That is what happens when you game and buy a new graphics card every year or so.
I think this is right. Based on my experience, I also think that if all you want to do is upsample everything to DSD256, then a simple i7 6700K is plenty, with no need for CUDA offload.
For CUDA support, you might consider taking a look at the Dell Alienware Steam Machine. It has quite a small footprint - but does have a fan which spins up under load - hence mine is in another room.
I ordered an R2 with a 6th gen i7 and later upgraded it to 16GB ram and 500GB SSD. The nVidia chip is the GTX960 4GB GDDR5 - which is pretty powerful. Cost is currently $900 (plus cost of replacement memory + SSD).
It also includes an SPDIF optical out - which would be really great - if not upscaling to DSD (and hence not producing fan noise - so that it could be located near a DAC).
I’d suggest an SSD to replace the spinning HD and perhaps a nice quiet AIO cooler.
Roon intends to extend to DSD512 and is aiming at a more efficient upsampling solution than HQP. I’ve seen screenshots in Roon of DSD512 on a lower spec i5 than the above. Roon won’t initially make use of the graphics card as HQP does with CUDA but a broader co-processor option is being considered for the future.
If you preferred to tool up beyond an i5 then an i7 7700 was my choice. I thought the 7700K was a bit hot for not a lot of improvement. I’m running an AIO water cooler on the 7700 with dual push/pull 120mm fans around the radiator and getting temperatures of 50 when upsampling to DSD512; with air cooling that was 70.
That’s a very cute little box. Would be able to do DSD512. Again I’d get the M2 SSD drive. Either 1TB if it was to host music, or lowest capacity if it were for OS/Roon/HQP only. What do the reviews say it’s fan noise is like ?
Temperatures are C. i7s run hot. I was probably projecting that when talking of a cooler for the i5 above.
I’ve just finished building my latest dedicated Roon/HQPlayer PC capable of DSD512 playback.
The PC sits in a cupboard but I keep the door open when in use. Temperature hovers between 50 - 65C when playback DSD512, poly sinc xtr mp-2
Water cooled Core i7700k mild overclock to 4.6Ghz
16Gb CORSAIR VENGEANCE LPX DDR4 3000MHz
MSI GTX1060 6Gb
128GB SAMSUNG PM961 NVME TLC P
2Tb Western Digital WD2002FYPS Enterprise - 3.5" SATA HDD
Lampizator L4G5 balanced upgraded to DSD512, Win10 NAA, ASIO
As being discussed over at CA I hope a solution is found to overcome the Amenero/Linux issue that would enable DSD512 playback through my MicroRendu + LPS-1
Music Files
6 TB HDD Western Digital Red
1 TB Samsung EVO 840 SSD
I keep it in an adjacent room on a shelf with the case off. I would definitely recommend an AIO cooler, my i7 came down from 70C (Noctua CPU air cooler) to 50C (Captain AIO) when upsampling Redbook to DSD512 in HQP with closed form filter.That is running at about 30% CPU with CUDA enabled. I would recommend a different AIO cooler than the Captain however, it has quite a high pump casing that makes everything a bit squeezy and would not fit but for the small size of the Corsair PSU. I think I could have gotten away with the lower wattage Corsair SF450 PSU, but I prefer to have too much power than not enough. The Elite case has enough room for push-pull fans around a 120mm AIO radiator, but the HDD on top presses down on the interior fan. This doesn’t really trouble me.
If you would like to minimise temperatures and noise then I would suggest holding off from hardware purchases until the next release of Roon (very soon). There is a pretty good chance you will see DSD 512 in Roon in that release. The Roon design goal is for an efficient implementation that can run on a wider set of hardware than HQP may require. I have seen screenshots of Roon upsampling to DSD 512 on a recent i5. However if you would like to ensure that you can use HQP and don’t mind an i7 then the above works well for me appropriately cooled.
Edit: You will need to buy a separate ATX/ITX bracket from Corsair to mount the PSU in the Elite case. Also I needed some longer M3 screws than those supplied by Deep Cool to mount a front push fan through the case into the AIO radiator.
Edit 2: Some screenshots showing the signal path and DSP Engine/HQP Settings, temperature and CPU load (CUDA enabled):