There are some other settings in HQplayer that we would need to check. Also I need to know more about the source files. This could happen if you are using high bitrate DSD as the source.
Can you go to smallgreencomputer.com and click on the contact us button so I can help you?
Option 3 ! Add an unmanaged switch to your router. Nothing else on router.
Then plug everything into the switch kind of like Option 1
You can then have as many switches as you want around the house feeding back to this above switch.
Thatâs what I do with simple UTP Cat 6 and dumb gigabit unmanaged switches around the house.
For managed switches, unless you know what youâre doing (I donât!) just copy the same model Jussi has (HP from memory)
Wow, thatâs interesting! Thankâs @dabassgoesboomboom
So this is sort of upgrade of option 1, I see! Cause currenly I hang a lot on my entry point router. This router I can not change as this is linked with internet prpvider and its services, but adding stars with switches for network segments⌠actually sound like a great idea in general!
clack clack clack⌠gone searching for new switch on line :)))
A tiny change to Option 1 that doesnât cost much but could be a better switch than is inside your router
Ok. Youâve just opened a pandora box @dabassgoesboomboom, Iâm now rethinking the whole network topology at my house! A âstarâ! What couldâve been simpler and what was I thinking before with creating these dasy-chains!
This is the recommended option. If you want to improve this a bit, you can put a high quality switch in place of the router, and just connect your router as one of the devices to the switch.
You can do this with HQPlayer OS, since it establishes bridge and thus all the participants belong to the same network. This essentially makes the HQPlayer server a software based switch.
What is not supported is if the two sides are separate networks. Such would make the HQPlayer server âmultihomedâ and likely cause various kinds of issues.
The way I have things setup is that I have a central smart switch in the machine room, at central patch bay. All rooms are connected to this switch through CAT6, each room has two wall sockets. This allows me to scale up to 20 Gbps per room using link-aggregation and 10 Gbps smart switches - if I want to (not done yet). But this central switch is in the middle of the star. Also internet firewalls (two, primary and backup) are in the machine room and connected to this central switch.
Then each room has a room specific switch. All wired network equipment is connected to these switches.
For wireless connections, I have two WiFi6 access points, powered through PoE from the central switch.
Since most room specific switches are also smart switches, Iâm able to create virtual isolated networks (VLANs) as necessary. Such as one for RAVENNA.
I use NetGear GS116 unmanaged as my central switch feeding GS108 in most rooms.
This cheap range has 802.1p, 802.3x and 802.3az
Rock solid reliable for me for years
I might buy a managed switch for VLAN but for now a second router serves that same purpose 
Iâm too dumb for VLAN
Hereâs my current network topology:
Technically the local audio data paths are all thru direct NIC connections except Ravenna/AES67 (using PoE for my Anubis to save one more power outlet 
).
Previously I setup an Up Board Gateway as an NAA for my 2ch USB DAC and an Up Squared as an NAA-Ravenna bridge using the same direct NIC connection technique. But I find the USB direct connection to HQPe server the SQ is better so the 2ch NAA removed. You might consider this since weâre using the same MSI Pro Z690-A motherboard. About a week ago my home network got speed upgrade (1Gbps downstream / 600Mbps upstream, fixed IP). I need a decent router so I re-configure the Up Squared as a router to handle the firewall and IPsec tasks and setup my M1 Mac mini as NAA-Ravenna bridge.
Direct NIC connection omit the factor of the switch if you believe switch would add color on audio and also guaranteed full bandwidth to your audio endpoint. HQPlayerâs IPv6 support is excellent, worth to enable it (my LAN is native IPv6 environment).
Intona provides full isolation on the USB anyway, so the source cannot affect the DAC. You could of course also combine NAA + Intona.
For my two loudspeaker systems, I have HQPlayer servers far away from audio equipment and DACs (no need to worry about loud fans either), so NAA is very convenient here, because I can hide small UP Gateway / FitLet2 behind the DACs for network connectivity.
For one headphone system that is located in loudspeaker system rack - the one with Ferrum HYPSOS / OOR is DACs are behind a NAA. For rest of the headphone systems, I usually have HQPlayer server directly connected to the DAC. Such as T+A HA 200 and Spring 2 + Schiit Jotunheim. And same usually for portable systems as well with laptop + iFi xDSD Gryphon for example.
For the T+A HA 200 and DAC 200 Iâm using Intona USB isolator.
@jussi_laako @dabassgoesboomboom @Chunhao_Lee @Steven_Edwards
Wow! Thank you for sharing. This is priceless pool of experience. Much appreciated!
Here we go, now with the help of the common knowledge I think this would be my target design:
I will go with two unmanaged 2,5G switches, as many devices at home can already do this speeds. Although I doubt I really have a needs for such.
As elaborated by @jussi_laako , I may eventually build direct âHQPlayer OS â NAAâ Ethernet leg for even better traffic management.
I have two physical zones. âArea I.â is my working / listening area with media center. âArea II.â is the part of the house âupstairsâ with few devices that would need a cable connection but mostly WiFi for the whole family.
The plan is to have HQPlayer i9-12k box isolated from listening area in one of the maintenance rooms, fairly away, like 10 meters+. For NAA I plan to re-use my current 8i7 fanless NUC. Today this NUC feeds my DAC directly via USB and Iâm very much satisfied with the results. This NUC has itâs own LPS from Farad. I assume it will serve as NAA equally perfect as I donât even need to change physical installation. Only installing NAA part to current Embedded server. I know, I may as well simply use HQPlayer OS. I will try both.
Another NUC, 10i7 will be used as Roon ROCK station. Itâs a standard NUC with a fan and I think I will put it in âArea II.â - fairly easy from cabling perspective.
As for HQPlayer i9-12k server, I have just started the works, carefully assessing the build scenario. Once itâs up, I plan to certainly try both - HQPlayer OS alone vs Ubuntu 22.04 Server + HQPlayer Embedded.
@Chunhao_Lee indeed I was largely motivated by yours DSD1024 play back success, hence the motherboard. Letâs see what I will be able to achieve.
It is not necessary, as the traffic is priority tagged and will get priority over other traffic on proper switches.
Sounds perfect ! Thanks for explanation. A word from Jussi can save some $$$ hahahaha :)))
I am having some issues getting 192/24 content to upscale to DSD256 (or play at all), which I have not had before. I was using poly-sinc-gaus-hires-lp, ASDM7ECv2, Auto Bit rate, 11289600 rate limit and Auto family rate checked (tried on and off) on my Topping D90 DAC. I have enabled logging and have had a look through, but I donât know what I am looking for. I have tried simplifing, changing to PCM. reducing filters and modulators to a lighter load. Odd. I checked with my desktop licence and that works fine with the same settings. For good measure I updated to 4.32.2, but it made no difference, perhaps there is something I have forgotten.
I am running Embedded booting from a memory stick, playing to an NAA via ropieee.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
So even with output set to PCM nothing works?
In case something went glitchy with the DACâs firmware did you power off the DAC and reboot.
Post some screenshots of your Config page
Itâs also worth emailing Jussi the log file
What kind of hardware are you running on? Which build of HQPlayer Embedded are you using?
IOW, is your HQPlayer Desktop build matching the HQPlayer Embedded build?
Thanks both @jussi_laako and @dabassgoesboomboom for replying.
I turned everything off this mornig to be sure, and turned back on, engaged the log. Still the same issue when trying to play 192/24 content with embedded. I tried with desktop, and it worked. Came back to embedded, and toggled auto family rate on, and it didnt work, back off and suddenly it did play - I tried this lots last night with no luck. No idea why it worked now.
Anyway, I backed up the settings - as I know this setup worked. Screenshot of settings.
These settings look fine. Good that it is working now!
Voila, after half a day at the workbench I have put togeter an Intel i9-12900k station:
Current set up:
First tests to see if it works and it does indeed!
Quick observations:
Could not run my favourite poly-sinc-short-mp with AMSDM7EC 512+fs - CPU only one - 3rd thread jumps to 100% utilisation and nothing happens for minutes, everything hangs. â-2sâ works all right.
Next steps:
2) bring NAA into the picture
3) bring ROON into the game
Questions:
Congrats! Good start for your new system. 
The time of initialization is proportion to DSD rate. You prob need to wait more than 10min⌠On my system the initialization is more than 16min for poly-sinc-long- series.
Suggest the 48 family upsampling to 45MHz without OC. That could save a lot of CPU head room.
I think the htop CLI could read the frequency. Go Setup: Display options and check âAlso show CPU frequenciesâ.
You could try CPU ratio 51x, under volt to 1.25V and set Ring ratio to 42x. Such parameters allows me using DSD5EC, ASDM5EC and AMSDM7EC to 1024fs / x48. Other EC modulators could do 1024fs.
