Using any audio source with HQPlayer - Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Soundcloud [2021-2022]

@jussi_laako For what it’s worth, my web access evaporated when I ticked the IPv6 box and hit APPLY. What is the purpose of that box next to the NAA section of Configuration?

That line looks fine.

But usually startup problems are related to corrupted configuration file. You could try to “systemctl stop hqplayerd” and then just launch “hqplayerd” from command line and see how far it gets.

@Michael_Grant Up and running?

Yes. I reinstalled and got things back to where they were when I started. HOWEVER…in trying to get my new HP setup working with Roon - before I try adding the UP board input - I ran into a ‘authorization’ error every time I tried play from Roon to HQPe. Was tearing my hair out as I had just played from Roon this morning to my living room setup and it worked fine. I come to find out that there is a bug in HQPlayer with the new Roon that was causing this and I now again have to update my HQPe install for this fix. All this to just get HQP working with Roon BEFORE I try the iPad/Apple Music input strategy.

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Yep. But once it is all done you can relax and enjoy :hugs:

Hi, I’ve been playing Spotify to HQPlayer Desktop for upsampling and then to NAA. For this to work, I am using Virtual Cable on a Windows 10 PC.

I understand it is possible to use NAA as an input device to HQPlayer. Is there a way to stream Spotify to NAA which then send the stream to HQPlayer? And then have HQPlayer send the upsampled stream to either that same NAA or another NAA on the same network? This will allow me to use the ios Spotify app instead of being tied to the Windows Desktop.

If it makes a difference, my NAA’s are running on RopieeXL which has Raspotify and so Spotify can output to that Rapsberry Pi.

Would anyone happen to have step by step instructions I ca

Thank you!

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Pretty sure the method we are discussing in this thread - the one pioneered by @dabassgoesboomboom - would work for Spotify as much as it does for Apple Music. However, given that Spotify doesn’t yet have high res audio streaming I would suggest you just find a device that supports Spotify Connect, or even Airplay if you are on iOS, and then cable that device to a USBStreamer as I did. The USBStreamer then connects to your HQPlayer upsampler and is recognized as an input.

I should add that I am using a Bluesound Node for this purpose and it supports Spotify as well.

Yes, thank you. I’m wondering if there is an all software solution. If I understand correctly, the method being discussed requires an hardware input device.

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hihi, my initial proposal to Michael here is all software only. please click on „image“ in link above…Meanwhile I do it by using Pis instead of the Mac running NAA with blackhole :hugs: By using Shairport-Sync or Airport Express Gen 1 I am running ALAC 44.1/16. So Airplay 1 upsamples everything to ALAC, e.g. Spotify, MP3 128 from Web, …. HQPlayer does the rest…Sounds nice and is super comfortable imo. No wires, cables, etc at iDevice. All your iDevices can stream to the Airplay endpoint. Just a click. Did not dig further into it, but Shairport-Sync allows Output to Jack too. I have it running on Ubuntu Server too next to HQP. So there should be a way to „pipe“ to HQP from Shaiport-Sync imo. Do not know so far, how HQP NAA can handle Jack. There is Airplay 2 option for Shaiport-Sync too, if you like to run Shairport-Sync this way. You can use SoX, exchange the ALAC decoder, integrate REW,…So, all possible…But super most important by using Airplay 1 with Shairport-Sync you avoid on the input side the compression to aac instead of ALAC. :hugs: Did write at the linked thread a bit more about my experiments with that. Meahnwhile - to be flexible e.g. for a CD Player via TOS - I am using a PI 3 running RopieeXL with a Hifiberry Hat for digital input (Digi+ or so). Running NAA on that PI too. So, that PI solution is a bit similiar to @dabassgoesboomboom way here for Michael. But I am fixed in samplerate. There is a Hifiberry Hat switching samplerate but I did not get that running… https://www.hifiberry.com/docs/hardware/comparison-of-hifiberry-cards-for-audio-recording/ This is the „fun chain“. For serious listening using Roon to HQP to Pi NAA…+++ So, you catch the idea, I guess. Sure you are capable to run with that setups lossless, bitperfect too in some constellations. E.g. running Qobuz or running output from CD…But keep in mind this way so far no automatic samplerate switching please.

( in regard to Spotify, RopieeeXL has Libresport as well. You prob. know. RopieeeXL is super in parallel to Sonore Sonicorbiter/microRendu :hugs:)

++Edit, puh 9 edits for this post. But I believe it is now more understandable…However for software only pls. click on „image“ in link above and modify according to your preferences.

It is very important to differentiate for Airplay the versions. As Airplay 2 compresses to aac in some comstellations, e.g. with Apple Music and Bluesound. See links posted here already. So far have not seen any update from Bluesound on their official statement. Posted here as well.

Maybe interesting for you? Your Bluesound 130 has an optical input too. So, you could feed it via Tos from the output of an Airport Express 1. This would enable, that you to upsample ALAC 44.1/16 at Chain 1 instead of aac like you seem to do it right now. You would just stream with iDevices to that Airport Express 1. All the other stuff with BluOS would stay the same. I do not have BlueSound but maybe you like to evaluate on this. A used Airport Express Gen 1 ist just 10 USD. Of course you may use a PI too e.g. with Ropieee XL and Shairport-Sync and an Hat for digital output from the PI. Just an idea please. @Michael_Grant

You cannot easily do that at the moment. But I’m very familiar with Jack - being one of the early developers of it. :slight_smile:

I could fairly easily add support for it, but it has kind of limitations because it’s design purpose is more in “pro audio” field. So it runs at fixed rate and doesn’t support rate switching. But also luckily doesn’t do any rate conversions either.

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Yep 2 main methods I use to do exactly this. Both need you to buy hardware.

1 = where you have to manually set the source sample rate for HQPlayer. Good for fixed sample rate sources
Spotify is fixed at 44.1kHz at the moment and rumours are even their HiFi is CD quality, fixed at 44.1kHz but that could change I guess.
You need to buy a miniDSP USBStreamer B
This will take an TOSlink source and feed it into your RPi4 NAA (needs to be NAA OS not RoPieee XL), which can be anywhere in the house. Sound will come out of any other NAA. You can’t have the final NAA endpoint being the same input NAA. So you’d need another RPi4 which can run RoPieee XL if you really want.
Have a close look at the USBstreamer and you will see TOSlink input and output. You will use the TOSlink input in this case.
Since it takes any TOSlink source, that means you need a USB to TOSlink converter to get it from iPhone/iPad into optical.

2 = where you have a source with changing sample rates and you want HQPlayer’s incoming sample rate to automatically switch same rates to match as required.
You need to buy an UpBoard Gateway to be your input NAA. Obviously more flexible than the above fixed rate method.
This takes a USB source and feeds it into HQPlayer. You wouldn’t need to buy another RPi4 in this case since the UpBoard Gateway would be input NAA and your current RPi4 can be your output NAA.

I think @Michael_Grant is now one of the few others out here like me, doing both of the above?

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No need for Airplay.

@hammer mentioned Spotify.

iOS devices can be Spotify Connect devices… avoiding any need for Airplay.

No need to re-edit each time. That would drive me mad and I probably wouldn’t use this at all.

Config .xml doesn’t change with Embedded updates.

But it’s a good idea to do a ‘backup’, so that you can just ‘restore’ in future without having to re-do everything. Backup and restore are there on the Embedded web page.

Updates are very easy via SSH (I run Embedded on Ubuntu). I shared steps in the Embedded thread, not long ago. Keep an eye on that thread for update discussions, especially when updates go wrong etc.

Have you got UpBoard working now with iOS source?

If so, can you please try this:

  1. enable Auto Family rate
  2. set output rate to 12.2 MHz
  3. enable 48k DSD

And play different tracks with changing sample rates in Apple Music Hi-Res lossless?

Keep volume low but audible.

I’ve had issues when I did the above, which is why I suggested different settings (opposite) which work flawlessly.

But I’m curious if I’m the only person having these issues or someone else can reproduce.

There aren’t that many people (on forums at least) using the UpBoard as UAC2 input.

So when I report issues with Jussi, it’s hard for him to know if its just me having this problem.

If it works fine for you, please share a complete screenshot of all your config settings so I can see what is different for me.

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And I’m using method 3:

RME ADI-2 Pro (I have two), set in Class Complian Multichannel Mode, connected to HQPlayer Embedded server. It has optical S/PDIF, coaxial S/PDIF and AES/EBU as digital inputs, plus ADC for analog inputs. So I have total of four inputs available. At the moment AES input is coming from my iMac with all sounds directed to USB-to-AES interface (Musical Fidelity V-Link192). There I have things like Spotify and Apple Music. Then on Toslink input I have Google Chromecast Audio dongle. And on coaxial input I have Bluesound Node2i. On analog input I have my pre-amp’s tape output, so I can play any analog source like vinyl there (my preamp allows different input for record and playback). On USBStreamer I have sometimes old school CD spinner.

Automatic source rate switching works. For these digital sources, also DSD64 over DoP naturally works. If I switch ADI-2 to be just analog input (CC Stereo mode), I can do up to 768/32 PCM or DSD256 from analog sources.

In addition, for some digital sources I have also RME HDSPe AIO card which has pretty much same features as ADI-2 Pro in CC Mch mode. But the Linux driver is a bit buggy, so not all rates work with all input types.

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Yes I covered ADI-2 input at the start of the thread too.

ADI-2 Pro works great if you really need the analogue input.

If you don’t need analogue input , I managed to get just the ADI-2 DAC to do the same with TOSlink and digital coax inputs. You can even use AES3 with adapter (per RME manual).

I can’t see @hammer buying an ADI-2 Pro just for Spotify though :grinning: The other 2 methods are a bit cheaper.

Yeah, but it is still two inputs short compared to ADI-2 Pro. So I feel ADI-2 DAC as input device is sort of waste. I feel less so using ADI-2 Pro as input device since only it’s DAC side goes wasted.

Sure, and also HifiBerry digital input hats should work at very reasonable price, but I don’t use these as frequently. (no automatic rate switching, so similar to USBStreamer)

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Yes a little bit less waste but still that beautiful DAC side goes unused too :grinning:

But you can get used ADI-2 DACs now cheap. So should feel a bit less guilty about an expensive digital to USB converter.

Still a good option for 2 digital sources with auto rate switching.

This might become more useful as Airplay evolves and maybe Amazon Music HD ‘casting’ evolves to support bit perfect and auto sample rate switching. We’ll wait to see what Spotify do and there’s still a dark horse yet to do anything (YouTube Music) but they will surely do something in this space.

I actually picked up a 2nd ADI-2 used for cheap to use with Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless.

But when you fixed UP Gateway UAC2 input after it was broken for a while, there was no need for a 2nd ADI-2 for this, so I shipped that to my dad for him to use as main DAC.

UP Gateway works really well for my Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless use, through HQPlayer. I use it more than Roon these days.

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yep…BTW using that Hifiberry Hat https://www.hifiberry.com/docs/hardware/comparison-of-hifiberry-cards-for-audio-recording/ was inspired by you. Need to admit that :face_with_hand_over_mouth: Works great with NAA also when using RopieeeXl. So those HAT Input are additional hardware based methods…, + Advantage of using Airplay 1 (via Software or Hardware - both same result) as input is, that you route any audiosignal from your iDevice toHQPlayer in ALAC 44.1/16. I like this very much. Depending on your source it is lossless or it is upsampled by Airplay I. Advantage…any source :smiley: You just switch Apps at iDevice while having iOS System Out at Airplay 1 endpoint. Super super comfortable not cables, CCC, etc…Feeding afterwards HQP by the several “methods” described here is possible of course. I even (digital) feed my Sonos stuff upsampled from Jussi (favorite Sinc-Mx right now :rofl:). Of course you could use Convolution engine and Matrix with your Sonos stuff too, if you want too…lol… For my fun chain this is really great. If you stream via Airplay 1 e.g from iOS Tidal App (in 44.1/16) or from Qobuz App (in 44.1/16) is is much more than fun only! And you can still use their original iOS Apps! Myself loving to watch videos with iOS Youtube Music App too. But if you upsample videos too hard, you get delay between sound and video of course. And yes, I watch on my iDevices regular TV and movies too with that in spatial sound too. This all works!..Again and again and one more again, this works per (free or donationware) Software only too! Maybe even better SQ per Software instead of hardware as >>no additional hardware box with additional challenges for jitter, delays, unneeded usb interfaces, power supply units,…etc… in the signal path. lol @hammer So, if you can live with ALAC 44.1/16: software is the superior way imo. Clearly! Much less expensive too…++ For serious listening using Roon to HQP to NAA. Using Qobuz prefered as natively supported by Jussi himself or Roon. At lot of Michael´s challenges arise here because he uses Apple Music, which is not supported by now by e.g. Roon or any other. Same with Amazon Ultra. Guess this folks (Apple and Amazon) simply do not want that…Awaiting for Spotify Hifi just the same restrictions…Ok…So, taking the stream from Sonos as digital output allows me as couch potatoe to use my touchy iDevice for switching and not having to run to the Mac… :rofl: Thank you + If your are really up to, you can feed >>any source in FLAC 96 to Roon too by using Roon´s Radio feature. Once in Roon you can output to HQP of course. Take a look here for this way, e.g. via Icecast or simmiliar: Can a local server stream FLAC to Roon? ++ If you are not in the Apple universe you can build this all on Windows or Linux or Android too, it is always the same principles…In a nutshell there are plenty of options, be it hardware or software!

PS You may build similliar with google cast audio in 96/24. But myself dropped google cast meanwhile as it seems to me, hires audio not beeing really be supported by google anymore. :frowning:

PPS And let´s wait on this too. Matter could bring universal casting for TVs and video players - The Verge

++Edit; final edit on this done too…I think, if someone is really interested in this topic, he or she will find in this thread an excellent source. But it requires to critically read and challenge too what some folks claiming here! :rofl: e.g. one of those hilites here “Since 99% of all music is base rate 44.1k…” :rofl: Ok, ok, no offense please…