Touching upon a SDM → SDM subject, I realised that recently for a fairly long time i’ve been listening 100% to streaming (I have Qobuz) rarely refering to my very own library.
Et voilà, my verdict on FIR2 is not scientific, but… I have changed the settings to FIR2+Xfi+7ECv2@256x48. and after hours of SACD source play, I put is simply - the sound is just great (to my ears). I’m recconected again and still rediscovering my digitased SACD collection. The quality of reproduction is fantastic. It’s so good that I did not bother (not even thought of…) to do any type of testing. Well, I admit that after an hour or so I flipped couple of times between IIR and FIR2, but the momentarily differences if audiuble, are not immediatelly obvious. And repeating my self again, since the combination of FIR2+Xfi is plain great I simply continued to flow with my music and music and music again…
PS: One additional remark… I figured SACD or SDM sources rather are fairly sensitive to “Max Volume” setting in HQp. Having it on “-3” for starters, I had few “classic” ones produced clipping. Finally I landed at “Max volume (dBFS) = -6”, no issues.
Yes, this is the case. Reason is that SACD spec allows momentary levels of +3.15 dB. The way this level is calculated though is very simplistic and when going through more advanced algorithms it may be different. Many DACs clip hard in such cases, and for that reason HQPlayer begins soft limiting at 0 dB. And has hard limit of +3.15 dB. Many SACDs have such over-modulated levels.
I’m now on emails from May 3rd. So if you sent email before that, it has gone missing/missed for some reason and please send it again. Also include your original license key to make things faster.
I always thought the addition of the 1x and Nx option to the filter setting would be nice. I wonder if there is a reason this is not incorporated in the app?
I am sorry, Jussi, but the inside part of Linux software is still a mystery to me, I have not got the slightest idea how to approach the suggested actions för HQPe in your answer, to get it work more like the desktop.
The problem still is bothering me, though. It even started to click while playing a track today (very rare, but happens). Restarted HQPe and now operating flawless, so far, no dropouts. There is something there, don’t know if it belongs to Roon or HQP. Tried USB out from Roon ROCK, no problems. But did not activate any heavy dsp corrections and the output was pcm, a different route inside the DAC as well, så not comparable in that sense.
The thing is, when booting the same computer (HQPe) as a windows PC and playing music or watching TV, eg Netflix, HBO, … nothing goes wrong, no clicks no dropouts. It would never however be an option to run a desktop version of the HQP, windows is far to unpredictable to even consider. It would perhaps be a clean install without anything else, besides HQP, most processes stopped, also any erratic search for various driver updates and whatever the computer do besides being a computer, not involved in the HQP action. But then that computer purpose is lost, Windows it is our way to open TV streaming and Spotify for my wife. She would go completely bananas if she experienced this lean playback method we use here, with it’s pro’s and con’s. She is a spotifyer, whatever propaganda I use. Now with the ongoing issues I just shut up …
It is pretty steep filter cutting above 20 kHz, reaching -126 dB by 44.1k family Nyquist (22.05 kHz) and then full -192 dB (equivalent of 32-bit PCM) a bit higher at 22.3 kHz. This response is the same for all source rates, so for more typical 48k family, it reaches full attenuation before Nyquist (24 kHz).
Filter type itself is such that it best preserves time-frequency performance.
Sorry, Jussi, don’t know how to do this action you recommended. Interested in telling me how, or anyone else that can? Damn my Linux skills are not there …
Assuming you are on HQPlayer OS, login as “root” (no password). The do “nano /etc/default/hqplayerd” to edit the file. And once done, restart the service as specified above.
I thought this filter was only useful for mp3s… in the end, it’s better to activate it and forget it whatever the source (flac, stream hires, etc) ?
Even if you upsample to DSD. The filter comes into play before upsampling and convolution (when there is one) ?.
No, it won’t become active for MP3’s or such, since maximum sampling rate MP3 is 48 kHz. And the “cut-the-crap” filter becomes only active for 2x and higher source rates (> 50 kHz).
It is applicable whenever output rate is higher than source rate, as long as source is PCM.
Yes, it is processed at the source rate. It is so-called “pre-processor”.
[quote=“jussi_laako, post:990, topic:160210”]
Thanks for the clarification… so useless for DSD64 > DSD128/256 but useful for all PCM mini 88Khz to DSD or PCM 384/768 ? (if I understood).
On the other hand, it is not included in a filter like gauss-hires, in pre-processor ?
That was my understanding, but as it is not possible to evaluate fake hires “on the fly”, it is best to leave thi filter active.
It’s not really the same thing, but in the " fake music " category, I was reading Archimango’s article on declipping.
This could be the subject of a new discussion or an HQPlayer option. I think there are only VST plugins.
Well, another topic to discuss elsewhere…
