…it is clear that the settings on the HQPlayer should match those in the DAC.
My question referred to the use of the filters: You recommend setting the analog filter in the DAC 200 to 60 kHz. Is there also a scenario where the wide filter makes sense with the HQplayer embedded?
You can choose based on your listening which way you prefer. But especially with this DAC correction, 60k setting is technically best.
More out of past habit, I have DAC 200 on loudspeaker system set to 60k. And HA 200 with Solitaire P set to wide.
Hey guys, I am about to embark on this HQPlayer & T+A DAC200 journey. Question, what are the hardware requirements for an apple MacBook Air to recommend? M1 sufficient or does it need to be M2? 8 GB or 16 GB? Thanks a lot.
I would go with a pc with Intel i7 14700 maybe with a mini-ITX motherboard and 16/32GB ram
Doesnt look so nice in my living room, that’s why I wanted to go with an MacBook Air. So min.16 GB.
You should know that macOS can do max DSD256 DoP, if you want to go beyond DSD256 you need a NAA on the network connected to the dac, any way DSD256 is more or less the upper limit for a MacBook.
On top you should consider that the dac correction feature recently added to HQP will require more cpu/ram then you should carefully evaluate your expectations
Thanks, I was not aware of this. What is NAA ?
NAA is a network endpoint for HQPlayer. Typically a small low power device like Raspberry Pi4 running Linux (NAA OS for example). This allows you to bypass macOS CoreAudio and pass DSD to the DAC without having to use DoP.
MacBook Air is somewhat more limited in processing capacity than Mac Mini for example. This is due to thermal reasons. Mac Mini has active cooling, while IIRC, MacBook Air has passive cooling. MacBook Pro has active cooling though. However, Mac Mini is practically silent under higher loads, while the small fans in MacBook Pro can get somewhat loud. Mac Mini with Pro CPU could be good option for doing also DSD512 if you like.
By using a NAA, you could locate HQPlayer server outside of living room, assuming you have ethernet cabling.
Ah, super interesting I was wondering how you guys are managing these heavy machines in your living room. My wife would kill me with all the technology, so this is interesting. I am typing right now from a Mac mini, so do I get this right: Mac mini in my office, running HQPlayer, connecting via LAN cable to NAA which connects via USB to T+A DAC200? Also where can I buy such a device?
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Yes, exactly. That is something one would typically do.
At simplest, you need a Raspberry Pi4, preferably in a passive cooling metal case. And a microSD card where you can write the NAA OS image. You just plug it in and then you are ready to go.
If you’d like something ready made, for example Holo Audio Red is a good choice. Magna Hifi (NL) sells those in EU.
Thanks so much.
@jussi_laako I spent a lot of time last night researching on the best possible NAA. From a form factor I really like the StackAudio Link II but due to spare part issues not available at the moment. On music streaming services, I run Apple Music, Qobuz and Spotify (hoping that Spotify will release a HIFI plan soon). HQPlayer nicely integrates with Qobuz but not with my other streaming services but I do use Apple Music a lot as well - Spotify more on the go. In that scenario, wanting to use all 3 streaming services I only see 2 options: 1. MacBook Pro right into my T+A (HQPlayer running) 2. Wait for the StackAudio to become available since I can connect an external USB drive to it, in my understanding this could be an iPAD running Apple Music and Spotify. HQPlayer + Qobuz would then run on my Mac mini. Does this sound correct?
For that case, just RPi4 with NAA OS is best choice. You can input Apple Music from iOS through USB to HQPlayer using that NAA and also do output on the same device. You’d need a suitable USB hub to provide both data and power to RPi4.
Alternatively you can use Apple Music, Lossless Switcher (version that supports rate change script) and BlackHole loopback driver on macOS, to route audio to HQPlayer input.
Spotify is easy, since it is always 44.1k, so no need for automatic rate changes. Current Tidal application version is broken in terms of exclusive mode, and doesn’t correctly change output rates.
Of course, as we are on Roon forum, Roon can send both Tidal and Qobuz to HQPlayer for playback as well. And you can handle Spotify through BlackHole driver.
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This is amazing. So you are saying I can install HQplayer on the RPI and connect my iPad to it and Qobuz (from IPad) would be upsampled but Apple Music bypassed ? Am I getting this right?
RPi would act as USB audio device for your iPad. So for iPAd it would be like playing into a directly connected DAC. It means anything what is played on iPad would be output to HQPlayer.
Read these 2 posts:
With Jussis’s words:
Thanks @bogi sorry maybe I am asking weird questions since I am trying to get my head around this but I am almost there. So the RPI is strong enough to upsample to DSD512 from e.g. Qobuz running on iPad?
Installation wise, I buy RPI 4 or 5, install image and Hqplayer plus minor tweaks and I am ready to go?
Also where can I buy these UP Gateway thing ? Sounds a bit easier in the links u shared.
Once again, it’s not an easy topic but I am close to get it for now. :).
No … RPi can act as input NAA:
[iPad] --USB cable–> [RPi] --LAN–> [HQPlayer computer]
Your DAC can be connected either directly to HQPlayer computer
[HQPlayer computer] --USB cable–>[DAC]
or the same RPi can act also as output NAA:
[HQPlayer computer] --LAN–> [RPi] --USB cable–> [DAC]
or of course you can use another Pi4 (or UP Gateway or fitlet3 or Holo Audio Red etc.) as output NAA.
NAA (Network Audio Adapter) does no processing on data. It acts as a buffer between LAN and audio interface.
The way how iPad can be connected to input NAA through USB cable is a new special case which was introduced about a half year ago.
For effective use of HQPlayer you need much stronger computer than RPi4. Although overclocked Rpi5 can be already used to upsample to DSD256 (with some restrictions which filters/modulators are usable).
Hey guys, making major progress. Installed HQPlayer on MacBook Pro incl. Blackhole and Lossless Switcher installed.
In HQPlayer I can see Input - Blackhole and Output - DAC200. Also changed midi output to blackhole in macOS settings. Sadly after playing music in Apple Music no output on my DAC. Am I doing anything wrong here?
@bogi Thanks in advance. @jussi_laako
UPDATE: I finally made it work - double click on URI activated all of it - crazy. 
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