Thank you! 
I love this section of this community. It is really a haven for what ever level you are at. When I found the HQP Desktop version and got time over for improving other stuff.
Thank all of You, guys!
Hrrrm, Hrrrm
Just wanted to say, according to UPS, the Audalytic AH-90 is arriving at my home tomorrow. Well in time to warm upp before the weekend.
Just saying … 
and here is when anyone with a functional brain would realize never to post this, cuz everything can happen with a transport
2 Likes
Hi, this will not work. I have tried to place the unzipped file under boot folder. Problem is there is aother boot folder under the root foldet named “boot”.
This “boot” folder under the drive letter “boot”, I cannot access. So I placed the new software under the driver letter boot folder, ie over the underlaying boot folder.
When clicking that software when copied over, it is Chinese (of course). I do not have a clue what I actually do. But it starts something. But it does not seem to finalizing anything and there is no progress bar visible. I waited a while. Closed window, unplugged and restarted, but no new DSD Direct.
I wonder why these brands find it so difficault to make at least english tutorialS???
Otherwise, it looks great! Hope to be able to say it plays well also …
Edit: How to make sense of this???
in the top left it says step 3 “click here” in english
try that and wait until it finished and report back
Once you hit the “click here” button, unplug the DAC, leave it for 15secs and plug it back in, then the upload happens instantly and only takes about 2-3secs.
Then have a look on the AH90 options menu.
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@dabassgoesboomboom
@steven_goodier
Shall the installation go to drive letter named “boot”, or the folder “boot” or “GustardCore02” inside the drive letter boot (root)?
You who’ve done this, the status bar lower part of windows does not show progess even after 1 minute. I did close the process anyway, and powered down the DAC, and disconnected cord. Waited at least a minute after disconnecting the cord, pushed the stand-by button to quickly empty the cap energy bank inside and reconnected the cord again, to power up DAC. No f*cking Direct DSD 
I tried to blank out the mikroSD, start all over with Gustard Image file and their propriatery USB image writing software and got it back fully, with the drive letter D://boot, and two folders inside; “boot” and “GustardCoreo2”. That took appr 3 minutes to perform. So, how difficult can this be???
Now I have allowed the built in image writer to do what the h*ll it is supposed to (no progress report, what so ever like the Gustard Image writer) for more than three minutes. There is nothing indicating success or failure or the slightest hint. Just the same “simplyfied chines” runes your see in attached pic.
I closed the windows, a new dialog box came up in simplified chinese, probably asking me something, with a Yes and No button. Since the DAC is shut off, cord disconnected, I just clicked Yes and hope to get a fortune cookie in mail, in a few days.
Now the DAC has rested more than a minutes without any juice on, so I plug in the power cord and wait till LAN port said ready. Then I pressed knob and selected the Upgrading option, if the DAC machine is not smart enough by itself to understand it needs to check the microSD card for new FW when re-powered up. I will let it stay there for a couple of minutes, remembering the time needed performing the only update I managed to do successfully so far…
Now I have watered the tomatoes, sat down and thinking about powering down and up to see if something happened, or just wait a moment more just to stay in the wishful thinking it might have worked …
I have shut it down, and up, and now the LAN port claims to be ready. Now, the moments of truth, press the knob and //drums// no DSD Direct feature to select.
F-word 
Edit: Don’t worry, I did not throw it out the window. After some medicine I am calm as a cucumber. I will disconnect and put in the rig and enjoy some music instead …I bet there is someone who thought Linux was a great idea to build this software on. All this remind me of my Linux days…
@Stefan_Jorma check PM
This is the instructions I followed which showed in English. The update happens during final power on.
There’s no images required to mess with
Interesting @steven_goodier had a different method that also worked
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This step by step tutorial I have used (many times). Without success. Will try again. The com1 does not come up, it must be according to text the USB-Serial CH34x, in my case the std Windows CH340. Then click the 3. click here. Here it pauses and do not proceed, at least not with any visable acknowledgement. After minutes of letting it be, I simply pulled the cord and connected again. Wait … Maybe I did not do this correct, this window must be left up and in this window the reconnected DAC will start process the update???
F*ck the back, down under again, digging out the DAC … Luv’ye
I had a saying when working in a HiFi dealership; If everything else fails, read the f*cking manual … Better start living that truth …
BRB
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Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
@dabassgoesboomboom
@steven_goodier
I admit, I am stupid. Thats just another fact of life. It seems hard to read and comprehend.
But luckily I have some hefty wonderful friends here!
2 Likes
Congrats @Stefan_Jorma !
At least we shared the steps for others interested. Its not too much of a scary process
Set DSD Direct filter to WIDE
And then the HQPlayer output to what we previously discuss (auto rate OFF,
DSD256x44.1 fixed output)
And finally any 7th order modulator and filter combination that your PC can handle 
And please share your listening impressions
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Phew!
Does it sound nice??
I really like it, and prefer it compared to both the Topping d90 de and Denafrips Ares2.
2 Likes
@steven_goodier
@dabassgoesboomboom
I have been able to play now. There a bit of a hazzle to understand sudden dropouts but it seem that the new DAC/renderer made the DHCP confused. I had to yesterday go through all devices and instances and restart the switches, to renew all IP addresses.
Now it works, with one exception (will come back to that).
Just a couple of details for anyone new trying for this upgrade
- Download the software and unpack it on your PC
- Connect the DAC to mains and a USB to the PC where the upgrade software is
- Turn it on on the stand-by button/remote, if not already running
- To update following steps you do not have to use menu Upgrade mode
- Just start the un-zipped softare on your PC. Make sure you get a USB-serial CH340 (COM)
- Hit the button marked “3. click here”. Keep this window open in your PC!
- Hold on just for some seconds (keep the PC → DAC USB cabel connected)
- Disconnect the DAC power cord (with the PC → DAC cabel still connected)
- Connect the cord again after some 20 seconds (still online to the PC via the USB cable)
- The DAC powers up and start auto upgrading, providing yoy have done all steps to the letter
- You will see in the progress bar down in the window.
- When done, power of the DAC, disconnect USB cable, close window
- Power up again, press menu and check that the Direct DSD option is there (second line)
“Things”:
The DSD Direct selection disconnect volume operation → Fixed! You might be painfully aware. It does not offer the RME very clever functionality to allow Direct DSD option, while RME chooses itself when it receives the actual DSD signal and initiate the DSP/volume by-pass. If you sudenly feed a non DSD signal, RME drops the DSD Direct function even if still selected, and turn on DSP and Volume.
There is another thing with 48k source rates, and also its multiples, that do not work well. I think I need to again ask you my friends here, how to exactly set the various options for rate settings.
The AH90 accepts native DSD over LAN network.
First impression of listening. It is good. But not as good as my RME, after the extensive signal and PSU treatment I did. Luckily a devine intervention stopped me from selling my RME. All adjacent things are sold (ok - should have known better, but needed the means), so I can not reset the rig to its former glory. But the Audalytic also does so well so I am curious if there are not things to do with it. I feel it is a bit too laid back. I don’t like laid back when it is a device signature. I have not played as much music yet from the metal genre, or really well produced music like Steely Dan, that really pushes the dynamic range with gun-like transients. Given the circumstance I was able to really get rid of many things in my rig, I will give this DAC a thorough audition and maybe some mods (especially looking at el caps RSE and zobel net). I have also found L-Connectivity have USB and RJ45 chassis ports, that will screw to the DAC back plate and do not require to solder shield to pcb.
For now … /Stefan
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@Stefan_Jorma I wonder if we can check your HQP settings.
I have the RME also and I wouldn’t called AH90 laid back at all. At least in my setup. We all have different setups obviously
But curious if you can share the settings you use. Screenshots if possible
Also do you use USB isolator with RME?
And which USB streamer?
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Hi, friend!
It is my first impression. I need to have some more time, especially with my wife at work …
Here comes the screens shots. More answers below the pics to your other questions
The USB isolator I had (sold 
) was the magnificent Matrix Audio Element H. Shielded from airborne fields and 100% galvanically disconnected from MB and internal PSU. Fed from external LPSU. Fed also the RME, to get common ground and no currents running through USB shields.
The USB streamer is two PC config;
-
I9-14000K, RTX 3080, Windows 11 with both Roon and HQP installed communication over local host and out on RJ45. Optic glass fiber network to a LHY SW-6 with SFP+ port, linear mains power with transformer and a welldesigned regulation. Switch out from a separately highly noise isolated, dedicated RJ45 port to a NAA.
-
This was a self-built PC booting on NAA image and the above specific USB controller PCIE card keeping output from the noisy PC invironment. USB directly to the RME. Tried USB clensing, mostly counter productive. Never improving.
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Untik the option for “48k DSD”
Set Volume max to -3dB
So now without your Matrix your RME doesn’t have USB ground isolation?
But your AH90 does have ethernet isolation (with unshielded UTP cable)?
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Will 48k base source rate even be playable, if I untick the 48k?
I am never up there at -3dB
No my RME does not have isolation. It is not even in my speaker rig anymore, it is the headphone DAC/amp, for my computer.
There is a sheilded ethernet cable between the optically fed switch, linear power supplied, protective earth grounded. No cable shield noise remains. Measured.
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Yes of course. This option is about output, not music/source (input)
Some filters cannot work at all with 48k → DSD256x44.k
If you have sound then your filter works 
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Another thing to try is your RMEs psu with AH90
The AH90 is earthed and your psu for RME was not? Together with different grounding for inputs, these can all contribute to sounding different
I guess try to make it more direct comparison, grounding wise
Some fun listening ahead
This may be a problem for him, his preferred IIR2 filter, and most of the sinc filters, is an integer filter.
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