This is great news.
I"ve been holding out on HQPlayer since it doesn’t support ALAC and didn’t think it made sense to convert my library to AIFF because of space issues. I couldn’t use FLAC since I still need to play files on the iPhone. Based on the forums, it seemed like ALAC support for HQPlayer was never coming.
Once this is in place, might be time to pull the trigger on lifetime membership.
Quick teaser…
This is using as-yet un-released versions of Roon + HQPlayer, but things are working pretty well in development.
@brian Many thanks for your reply, so it would seem there are going to be options on where to install HQP.
So I am a little perplexed still. I understand HQP will put some load on the CPU if one opts for the DSD up sampling, which for most I suppose, is the whole attraction with HQP. I am trialling HQP on my MacMini, purely because that is where my direct USB connection to my system is, and it is coping fine with the up sampling of WAV files from my NAS.
I would like to experiment with HQP on my Roon core (the NUC with Roon Server) and I also have an evaluation copy of HQP on that Windows machine. But damn if I can find the NAA usb driver for OS X, I want to stream from the NUC to the MacMini as a test of the NAA streaming. This in advance of the Roon integration and to make sure my network is ‘ready’. As @brian has said, and I guess the general consensus is that HQP should go on the more powerful machine, which is my NUC, I have purposely kept the MacMini very ‘light’ hardware wise, as the intention will be that it will be a Roon Remote with Roonspeakers when that becomes available.
This is pertinent because you have to choose which HQP license you want, Windows or OS X or other. So I am not sure which route to go down, HQP license on Windows NUC (Roon core) or OS X MacMini (Roon Remote).
One final point, it’s quite (nay, very) hard to find simple information on HQP, the main source of information seems to be CA, and that has both very long and very high-brow (technical) threads, which is very off-putting.
I am sure many of you Roonies are contemplating and waiting for the HQP integration, but it would be great to have your thoughts on how you will be going to do it.
I just bought an HQ Player license for OSX/Linux. I’ve been testing the demo for a couple of months and HQ Player doesn’t seem to tax my headless Mac Mini (Late 2012 2.3GHz i7) very heavily (~12% CPU) when upconverting FLAC to DSD128.
My DAC is currently connected via USB to my Mac MIni. I’m planning on buying the Sonore μRendu when it becomes available and inserting it between my DAC and Mac Mini (or possibly a NAS) and relocating my Mac Mini to somewhere other than my equipment rack. Sonore already supports HQ Player NAA Output (Mode #4) and they’ve announced that the μRendu will support Roon (Mode #5), so I’ll be curious to see how the combination works together (I presume Roon–>HQP–>μRendu in Mode #4).
Please excuse my ingorance…
What does NAA stand for?
“Network Audio Adapter” I believe.
Thank you!
Grubby paws eagerly await this update…
well, I cancelled my trial a while back planning to wait until HQ Player integration was complete. But when @brian posted that screen shot i was sold. Just purchased my lifetime membership AND a licence to HQplayer!
Fingers crossed the integration will come through soon.
Yeang
I’ve posted a feature request on the CA thread where Jussi (Miska) participates for a DSP style version of HQP that would enable Roon to handle output as well as input. Hopefully he might see it and respond.
I would encourage anyone else who would like to have HQP capability but with full Roon I/O to support it.
Edit: Jussi has responded and notes that distribution can be managed within HQP and that a DSP style release might adversely affect SQ.
As I posted before, if anyone is interested, I can offer a good price for HQPlayer purchase, better than buying online on your own.
Thanks @danny2, I eventually found it, I was looking for a dmg installer initially, but it is just an executable. It’s rather a crude way to have NAA running, you have to keep the executable window open all the time if you want it available. Not a great big deal, but with headless computers you will also wonder if it is indeed running, or not. I suppose the sensible thing is to have it start up automatically, if the computer reboots (after a software update for example).
Yeah, just leave it running from startup - it’s a small little program and you won’t notice it.
I’m very encouraged by the screenshots and progress report regarding Roon/HQP integration.
The fact that Roon can display current parameters from HQP such as the upsampling algorithms and whether HQP’s output is DSD or PCM suggests that there is two way communication between the two applications. Under the “HQPlayer Engine” heading, would it also be possible to display the (up)sampling rate HQP is set to - such as DSD128 or PCM 176.4 kHz?
That’s only significant (IMO) parameter that’s missing. If Roon would display that, I would rarely, if ever, have to open HQP directly after the initial setup.
Hello all
Maybe my question earlier has gone under, so I repeat it here.
What are the safe minimum specs a (Win8.1 or Win10) PC should have, when I want to run it headless with RoonServer and HQ-Player doing on-the-fly upconverting of all source-material (PCM and lower DSD) to DSD256?
Thank you in advance for your appreciated input.
AFAIR, recommendations for HQP: you need a quad core chip with at least 3.4 - 3.5Ghz speed - in other words a fast i7 - to fully implement all the features.
I think there are reports with people succeeding with an i5 chip, if it was me I’d get the i7.
I’d get at leas 8GB, preferably 16.
Hi Gianluca,
I’ll be pulling the trigger soon on an HQP licence, but am still undecided between Linux and Windows. I will PM you when I’ve made up my mind !
I was fascinated to read your posts about AudioLinux and HQP. Are you using this OS at the moment ? What kind of hardware do you find works best ?
Hi Andrew,
I use AudioLinux daily with HQP on a i7-4790.
In Win10 or WinServer I can upconvert to DSD256.
AudioLinux is very easy and performing, but the choice depends on what OS you are familiar with.
No hurry 
I’ve got a 2.39 GHz 4500 i7 in the Brix that has Roon on it with 8 GB RAM (upgradeable to 16). Do you think that would be underspec to run AudioLinux RoonServer and embedded HQP converting to DSD128 ? I think DSD256 might be a bit much.
