Yeah it’s weird.
Can you show me screenshots of your Apple Music track playing , Audio MIDI Blackhole and HQP screen while that track is playing .
All showing sample rates
I can try to reproduce at my end. Maybe its that track
A little later on, yes, I’ll put them up. It’s simple though: the track (I tried multiple tracks, checking the sampling rate of each) is 24/44.1 (lossless), blackhole is 32/44.1, and HQP is 44.1 input (tried other sampling rates, too).
Yes I know how it works, I shared this thread to help others getting it to work because it all works for me 
Just double checking if I can reproduce with all your exact settings etc
Just trying to help
Yes, the screenshots shouldn’t be needed. It’s really simple.
Ok then, sorry I can’t help with this one. Maybe someone else will chime in with something I missed.
All the best.
Just to provide some evidence…
This setup clips
I have to reduce Apple Music volume to around this level to prevent clipping.
Does it still clip if you turn HQP volume down to -10dBFS with Apple Music volume at max?
Yeah, already tried all the basic debugging stuff like that. Even tried changing bit rates.
No clipping for me (nice track). This is with headphones.
Clipping is extremely uncomfortable with Focal headphones so I would know.
Main things different with our setups is filters and DAC
Try poly-sinc-gauss or ext2
Which USB DAC you using?
Just seen your screenshot of this. This is a huge reduction required.
When you say you have clipping, what is your evidence? Only the HQP ‘limited’ number or also something audible with speakers/headphones?
If it’s only HQP limited, then turning the HQP dial to much lower number doesn’t help at all? Surely -30dBFS (example) should stop the HQP dial knob turning red?
Are you doing any pipeline matrix / convolution too? Boosting frequencies in the background that need more headroom?
This is wrong for Spotify and you are having rate coversion in OS’ audio engine from 44.1k to 192k. Please check your OS settings for the audio device rate.
When you say you have clipping, what is your evidence? Only the HQP ‘limited’ number or also something audible with speakers/headphones?
The sound audibly distorts.
If it’s only HQP limited, then turning the HQP dial to much lower number doesn’t help at all? Surely -30dBFS (example) should stop the HQP dial knob turning red?
I’ve already tried dialling it down past -30db - it distorts unless I dial down the volume in Apple Music.
Are you doing any pipeline matrix / con
No.
Sounds like the clipping happens either in Apple Music app, or in CoreAudio before it reaches HQPlayer… In such case, of course adjusting HQPlayer volume doesn’t help, if it’s clipped already on arrival…
Yes, you are correct, Jussi. Thats what I found when I was trying to debug this yesterday. It’s something specific to Apple Music and Core Audio via Blackhole. I dont have issues with Spotify or Amazon Music (even mismatched sample rate settings for Ultra HD).
Yes of course but until 10 minutes ago, it was not known if there was +20dB boost via parametric EQ in the background or not…
Now we know there is no background EQ / convolution / pipeline matrix, I’m out of ideas.
As mentioned, mostly the same settings no clipping for me
I’ll have to leave it to the experts to try to assist on this one. I tried 
But I’m just a lowly beginners level user
I’d checkout Apple Music / macOS DSP settings that there’s no loudness, EQ or something else enabled that could cause this.
And no convolution/EQ/loudness in HQPlayer.
Hi Jussi,
Yes, I’ve checked all of that; nothing seems to be out of whack. It’s strange. Im sure there’s something specific about this system, but it doesn’t seem obvious enough for me to uncover.
It is certainly confusing if two systems with same settings produce different results. If there are more cases, one could try to compare what is common for the problem cases.
Just adding yet another method (method #4 ?) I now have working, to feed Spotify/Apple Music/Deezer/Tidal through HQPlayer.
Wouldn’t be possible without Jussi’s help.
And this method fully supports the holy grail - automatic sample rate switching 
I am feeding Apple Music Hi-Res Lossless, Qobuz, Tidal (all varied sample rates) from my iPaid Air 4 on my desk. Using their official apps, not a 3rd party app.
This method supports any SPDIF source (CD player, streamer, PC with built-in SPDIF output, USB to SPFIF converter).
It is using an RME ADI-2 FS DAC which features duplex / bi-directional USB.
So you hookup your SPDIF source (TOSlink , digital coaxial RCA) to the ADI-2 and it essentially works as an SPDIF to USB converter.
You also need a HQP OS / NAA OS to serve as the NAA input (HQPlayer will see this as ADI-2 SPDIF input). You don’t need HQP Embedded license for this device since you are only using the NAA part.
This will be obvious to Jussi and anyone else that has this working - there are some manual steps required for HQPlayer to ‘see’ and communicate your particular ADI-2 serial number.
I will leave those steps out for now but of course can share if anyone uses this input method.
The most important thing is that with an RME ADI-2 connected to HQP OS / NAA OS and SPDIF source , you can have auto sample rate switching !
The advantage over the BlackHole method is obviously auto sample rate switching but also you can use a streamer (eg Bluesound Node or whatever) instead of having a PC/Mac inside your living room.
Jussi has this working with ADI-2 Pro FS and I have it working with ADI-2 DAC FS. I picked up a used version 1 model for cheap (the original AKM 4490 chip) to use as input.
It probably won’t work with the cheaper RME Babyface Pro FS (different USB interface, different driver code). Jussi has spent coding time getting the ADI-2 family devices to work.
Of the 4 methods I have outlined in this thread, this is probably my favourite now.
Hope this helps !
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