Just my personal experience - speakers in a large room, I have compared DSD256 (Merging) vs PCM192kHz (Focusrite) and even with the same room correction and same HQP filters of course, there is not much difference in sound quality.
I’m sure the exaSound would sound great on headphones but of course don’t need the 8ch model for 2 ears.
My DSD listening is reserved for headphones listening - that’s where I really get most enjoyment with DSD !
Personal experience only.
I don’t see how this would be simpler than just having a Macbook running the same to do the same.
Anyway just wanted to see what is possible.
I don’t think digital volume control is a good solution for dad at the moment - until I can try LAN USB extender that simply goes through router. Might work.
Merging is also based on ESS chip, just on a cheaper model. Exasound can do 8 channels of DSD256 through ES9038PRO.
Even my old e28 from like 10 years ago can do 8 channels of DSD256 even from macOS through USB.
Sorry, but I don’t understand what you are trying to say…
MacBook is a laptop. Surface is a tablet, like iPad.
MacBook doesn’t have touch screen. Surface has.
Simply saying the comparison I described above did not sound much different
So I don’t know how the Exasound would sound different too? Seems a lot of money for potentially not much difference in SQ (when using speakers in a room).
I guess I wouldn’t know without trying but at least I have tried 8ch DSD256 vs PCM192k (his current Focusrite) comparison
For the use case I have described, just want to use an iPad not Windows
Seems just as simple to load Client on a Macbook with USB IR remote - and put the Macbook in the corner of the room
Use iPad on the couch
The steps required seem no different Surface and he can’t use Windows anyway 
Like a lot of people, iPad on the couch is nicest solution for music control
Maybe ask Focusrite to add some nice remote control to their device?
I have asked them and Motu and RME
RME have wired USB volume solution . Still not ideal
HQPlayer Client looks exactly the same on Windows and iOS. But iOS is functionally much more limited than Windows (or Linux).
Although slowly iPadOS is becoming more like macOS. So catching up with what Microsoft has been doing with Surface.
As I said, this is much cheaper with RPi 400 or similar…
Yes worth exploring this. Would need to see if HQP Client can autoload, no UI interaction
Would need to add Topping HS02 USB isolator between Pi and Focusrite
Cheaper than USB over LAN extender option although if that works it is neatest solution
You can just tell the desktop environment to auto-start it.
You can keep what ever you currently have… So this shouldn’t be necessary?
By the way! You also have option to implement any remote control thing you want for HQPlayer! Since the control API is open!
At the moment NAA OS connects direct to Focusrite.
If going full desktop OS I probably need to add some isolation ?
But if you get another device for that, then no?
My point was just that getting RPi 400 is cheaper than dedicating a MacBook for such task… And if you like, you can add nice small fancy touch screen later on… Which is sort of reason why I’m building Ubuntu packages of Desktop.
Ah yes true
NAA output doesn’t need to be the same device
Hello
I have been trying to activate my HQPe on Ubuntu server for two days (after replacing SSD + update).
apart from that I didn’t change anything.
The new key from 11/02/24 doesn’t work either.
Please help
Thank you
Regards
I’ve been busy updating a system to my friend, it’s an “old” fanless NUC 8th Gen - the CPU is i7-8665U
It runs HQP 5 embedded on minimal ubuntu server installation. Following set of experiments it became evident that “non avx2” image is much better performing than avx2 on this CPU. In line with Jussi’s suggestion that “non avx2” is somewhat better for old CPUs…
Performance is rather good. It can do SDM@256x48 with 7ECv3 or 7EC - Light with nice portfolio of filters and can play PCM sources up to 192/24 with no drop off. Another good news - SACD plays well with FIR2 + XFi… impressive.
But one thing I was surprised - it can not play SDMx128 sources DSD to DSD without hickups… I wonder if this is a feature or a bug?
PS: In PCM output mode it does everything at 1,4/1,5M, so I wonder if I have to bother about SDM@256x48 output. As far as I remember 1,4/1,5M PCM should not be too inferior to SDM?
I’ve sent you emails, please check your junk mail folder…
Not sure I understand why it would be a bug?
Depends on the DAC… Is this some Holo Audio DAC?
Apologies for badly placed “jargone” here. It’s certainly not a bug. What I realy wanted to know is to why would SDM128 source be seriously heavy in processing… and if there any parameter tweak that can make it play smoothly.
Correct, this is HoloAudio MAY.