[Tutorial] Apple Music output bit-perfect to HQP (without NAA)

Audio Gear Talk HQ Player
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I have successfully output bit-perfect lossless songs from Apple Music to HQplayer without NAA, and upsampling to DSD128. I’m glad to share to everyone here:

Hardware: Mac Mini M2 (MacOS), DAC (USB in)
Software: Apple Music app, Lossless Switcher, Blackhole 2ch, HQPlayer

Path:
MacOS Apple Music > Lossless Switcher > Blackhole 2ch > HQplayer5 > DSD128 > DAC

Settings for each software:
MacOS MIDI Audio Setup (Blackhole 2ch): Clock Source, choose “Internal Adjustable”, and whatever bitrate
MacOS Sound setting: both Output & Input, select “Blackhole 2ch”
Lossless Switcher: Bit Depth Switching (ON), select device (Blackhole 2ch), HPQ’s script (bundled in HQP install DMG file)
HQplayer: Input (Core Audio, blackhole 2ch), output (your DAC, SDM, in case you want DSD)

You will then see Lossless Switcher indicate different bitrates based on Apple Music songs’ bitrates, and your DAC will take DSD128 (in case you output DSD from HQP) as input.

However I have found that the quality is not as good as you playing Qobuz/Tidal directly from HQP, and it is because of Blackhole 2ch… I hope there are some genius to fix it. Anyway, enjoy!

2 Likes
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@steven_goodier this might help you

I remember you having trouble with Blackhole and Lossless Switcher

See the part about the script above

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sorry there is one more step missed:
in HQP, choose “audio:default/192000/2” and click the PLAY button.

The same method applies to using Tidal/Qobuz/other streaming native app, since all audio signal output to blackhole and send to HQP for upsampling.

and remember not to change MacOS Microphone setting (default is Standard, NOT noise-isolation).

enjoy!

1 Like
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Thanks DBGBB,

I had everything up and running, but HQPv4 wasn’t able to handle to auto rate switching. I’ll upgrade to v5 and start again.

I’ve grabbed the bits and pieces required to go down the hardware route too. I’d like to try both and see if there’s any sound differences, or usage advantages of one over the other.

It’s been great watching this all unfold. Thanks for your patience and help👍🏻