Format of the data connection between Roon and HQplayer

Roon Software Discussion
1

Does anyone know in what data format Roon connects with HQplayer ( integration )
I presume that isn’t going to be RAAT but….that is then send to HQplayer ?.
Is Roon simply sending the original file format to HQplayer : . MP3, FLAC, PCM, DSD etc.
Where HQplayer is then responsible for the decompression ?
Or is Roon doing the decompresses from FLAC and MP3 before sending it to HQplayer ?
I presume that Roon is not doing anything with DSD and leave it as is ?

Anyone ?

Thanks for the information .

Hans

2

It’ll be PCM or DSD depending on the source.

3

Both FLAC and MP3 are to my understanding PCM albeit compressed. Do you know if Roon does the decompression or does it leave that task up to HQplayer ?

4

The PCM (or DSD) is extracted irrespective of the device used. Roon never sends the file.

5

Can I read this that HQ player will send the uncompressed PCM or native DSD to HQplayer ?

6

No, Roon sends PCM or DSD to HQPlayer. There is no such thing as uncompressed PCM. What the file uses to encapsulate PCM is irrelevant since Roon decodes the file before sending PCM to the endpoints, which includes HQPlayer.

MP3=lossy, FLAC=lossless. Compression may be used in lossless codecs, but the original PCM is retained.

7

Yes, it sends the PCM to HQPlayer not the flac or mp3 files.

Yes, unless you have some DSP turned on. In general, if you are sending to HQPlayer you want to make sure that any/all DSP is turned off so Roon does not do extra processing.

Please be aware, that Roon also doesn’t send any picture metadata to HQPlayer, so if you are using an HQPlayer endpoint with a screen, like a T8, you will not get album covers displayed when sending from Roon to HQPlayer.

8

Thanks, Clear now.
I’m using HQplayer to convert everything to DSD and using NAA as endpoint( no screen)
I Wanted to understand where the conversion from file ( MP3 and FLAC) to PCM is handled in the chain.

Thanks again