@muski which filter settings did you find improved upon the Devialet’s hardware?
I’ve done a few brief tests, but don’t hear much difference with any settings I’ve tried into my 200. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, or just dont pick of on these subtleties? Is there one that stands out for you?
Incidentally, I found this in the white paper from Devialet about their DSD implementation (MAT) so it seems like DSD gets converted back to PCM anyway within the Dev. More interesting is the mention of 128 taps. I don’t understand the science/coding well enough, but I thought more taps were better and the Hugo was like 16K taps or something - so this would seem pretty low for such a high-end device?
[quote]…
The entire Expert range is now compatible with the DoP protocol (DSD over PCM). This new feature is available through the USB input but also on the digital XLR input (AES/EBU), the TOSLINK optical input and all coaxial digital inputs (S/PDIF). A completely unique feature.
MAT® DSD Core technology converts the DSD format into Expert internal native PCM 40 bits / 384 kHz format thanks to an optimized algorithm, limiting the amount of computational operations on the audio stream. Using only 15 bit perfect additions (no multiplication, no storage), the MAT® algorithm performs a 128 taps, linear phase FIR (Finite Impulse Response) digital filter ensuring the conversion of the DSD format into internal native PCM format with truly outstanding performances.[/quote]
What is the maximum PCM input rate it can accept? You could try to convert to that instead. But it is hard to give a definite answer which way is better in this case, DSD or PCM.
Number of taps alone doesn’t really mean anything. And the number of taps you need depends on conversion ratio (if the rate is converted) and wanted filter response. Generally speaking more taps allows steeper filter roll-off. Even for the same number of taps, some filters have better taps than others.
So to me, given the context it doesn’t seem bad for the purpose. So don’t worry about those specs.
I am running HQP/Roon now, and it works fine, given the expectations that it is very new and buggy. I can live with it so far.
I have been dealing with a huge buffering issue in my Synology DS1513+DX513 ever since Thanksgiving time, where it cannot play anything but redbook without huge buffering/pausing. So…currently I run a local USB drive off of my HQP/Roonserver WS21012 R2 AO’d machine (running AO 2.00beta7). It is a Zuma class i7 3770S. The HQP NAA sits on the LAN in a Carbon-class Atom machine (I will also try this with Playpoint as NAA into my exaSounds). Currently Roonserver and HQP 3.12 on R2, NAA on Carbon R1 AO, Roon remote on Android 8" tablet (was frankly surprised it ran there, a $60 Chinese no-name tablet I got at CES last year), USB into Fore Audio DaisY1 (next review) DAC doing upsampling everything to 11.2Mhz (DSD256). I use either Poly-sinc-mp-2s or lately closed form, ASDM7. Non-2s poly filters don’t seem to like this setup.
I often need to fix a lost connection or restart the HQP zone in Roon, but expected that. It is a bit frustrating but really nothing in the whole scope of what is trying to be done here. I am finding closed form to be incredibly quiet black background on redbook upsampled, almost startlingly so. Nice!
Max 24/192 on any input. I tried various filters on a couple of sessions, but I honestly couldn’t really tell a difference versus going straight into the Devialet native. Whether it’s my system, my ears, or the Devialet being more agnostic, I don’t know.
Will give it a few more evenings trying when I have time.
Out of interest, why is the Mac trial time-limited to 30 mins? Is it just to avoid getting into supporting trial licensing on another platform? No biggie really, it’s just as a headless server user, it’s less convenient to just have setup in the background and listen.
I read thru Mike’s sugg. setup with Roon and HQP. It’s all setup correctly yet I’m not getting sound. I was getting the files to stop nearly as soon as I started them. Fixed this by opening Roon first, HQP second.
2014 Mac mini, 10.9 OS
Edit: I just tried using HQP by itself and all I’m getting is static or static with music.
I tried the same HQP setup as you and got it to work. Both with and without Roon . It should work.
Try using HQP alone (without Roon). Stop HQP and change to something other than closed form. Closed form filters won’t work in every combination of input/output. Try something like poly-sinc just to see if you get sound.
If you can’t get sound just with HQP, then something isn’t setup correctly with HQP, your DAC, and your computer.
No idea Danny, but after I saw your note, I rebooted the Mini, then I deleted and reimported music back into Roon. (So strange too you might be interested to hear, the first time I imported, it was a simple browse and click. This time, it went back to the exact same problem you and Mike helped me out in my trial, needing to use the smb://…
I did nothing different at all lol But, I looked to the old note, made the change, and all’s good with the imported libraries now)
Anyway, it’s working perfectly now with both pcm and dsd. Wow, such a cool game here now Danny and Jussi with Roon and HQP! Simply a beautiful match. Well done guys!
One quick easy q? To change filters, can I do it b/w stopped or paused tracks? Or do I need to end album, then adjust?
Invoking settings in HQP tears down the existing audio state which is rebuilt when you cancel or save. If you pause Roon, I’d suggest using the disconnect icon in the volume control before invoking settings. You should then be able to play from where you paused after changing filters. You don’t have to wait for the end of a track or album to do this.
Man, no matter what I do I just can’t get Roon and HQP to output to SDM/DSD. I’ve tried every suggestion here and on the CA site. HQP plays fine with all filters on its own. Roon plays fine. Roon and HQP play fine on any PCM setting in HQP. But when Roon hands off the signal and any DS path is chosen (just trying the basic poly sync>DSD5>SDM) it shows up in HQP, Roon shows the file (any file) is playing, but I get no sound. I’ve disabled my DAC in Roon so HQP has total access to it. I’m using Core Audio and my DAC is chosen in HQP. Cannot figure this out. Any suggestions?
I get feeling that something is messing with the DoP samples leaving HQPlayer. To avoid conflicting situations I recommend selecting some other device such as built-in audio as default audio output especially for the OS X sounds, but also for other applications. And then selecting the DAC in HQPlayer as output device when it is not set as default in OS X for anything. This keeps OS X itself, and other applications off the device.
Looks OK this way, it should work… If you can enable log file, restart the player, then perform one playback without Roon (that works) and then another playback with same content from Roon. And then send me the log file over email for investigation. (can be found in ~/.hqplayer/HQPlayer.log)
Sorry, I know how to enable logs in HQP, but don’t know where to look on my computer. And actually, now I can’t get SDM to playback in HQP at all. I could before so maybe that’s why it’s not working from Roon.
Thanks Gianluca. 2822400 actually works with SDM in HQP and with HQP and Roon! Why would that be? PCM was never an issue. My jaw has dropped that this setting worked.
@bibo01 Good catch! I didn’t notice that from the screenshot.
In the HQPlayer settings the limit is the upper limit and default that will be automatically picked by HQPlayer in the main window. Geek Pulse should support at least DSD128 and 384k PCM on Mac. You can probably select 384000 as default PCM rate and 5644800 as DSD rate.
These settings guide the auto-selection of the corresponding settings in main window, so keep eye on what ends up selected in the main window…
