What Linux is the best, simplest for n00bs and alltogether the best performing?

Audio Gear Talk HQ Player
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@dabassgoesboomboom

I seem to remind me you told me about using Ubuntu instead of Fedora? Due to better support sides?

Well, guess what, I have got same advise elsewhere. Wonder, is the way to install Ubuntu as simple as Fedora, with graphic UI? Just click and follow the instructions? If, so, do the HQP desktop install as easy as in Fedora too? I now come to the point I expected with Fedora (and you probably saw this coming), continuing installing Roon and Roon Bridge is what makes things stop. I suddenly have to use terminal, the onboard OS installer is useless for Roon. Why does not SW development understand that making Linux just as easy as Windows is the key to get things seriously going? Fedora was a beauty to install, HQP Desktop too, thanks Jussi, but with Roon it became so clear why we should not consider any other solution than buying a Nucleus? Won’t happen …

I wish to have a computer and OS with the wonderful features of HQP, Roon (some core sw with web UI suggested, got a license from my employer) as a player to compare with HQP’s proprietary player. When compairing now, separate Roon ROCK pc via LAN to Fedora PC with HQP Desktop installed is still inferior to playing the Linux PC/HQP Desktop player by far. It feels like Roon adds loudness and is somewhat compressed. I wish to make the final head to head test before locking the architecture again. Is it possible to make Roon play equally good as HQP Player, just by installing it on the same Linux PC and thereby cancel any network or separate PC issues, that might affect? I think I know the answer, but that is the dangerous bias assumption, I wish to really listen and judge myself.

The functionality of Roon is however desirable and the HQP Player UI is a bit too simplified and lacking some crucial features, like integrating the NAS and stream service very nicely in the same view.

So, I probably will have to consider listening to the advise from the start, i.e. to install Ubuntu. Could you please give me some hints about installing? Is the basic installation performed the same easy way as Fedora? USB-stick with files on, boot up and graphic UI asks if to continue to trial/test mode, or if I wish to install to drive. Re-boot and everything pops up just as easy as with Windows. Really good looking UI too. Some general advise would highly appreciated. Not in-depth, I will have to find out step-by-step, but rather, is the treshold higher when starting the Ubuntu odyssé, compared to Fedora?

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Ubuntu install is very straightforward. Burn image to USB stick, boot from it, follow graphical installation steps. Tutorial is here:

Some people find Mint easier, it’s based on Ubuntu with some tweaks to the UI and applications:

Installation guide:

https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

I don’t know about the HQP installer but a quick check tells me that it seems to be using a custom script, so chances are that in this regard there are no differences between the distributions

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Thanks @Suedkiez

Currently burning the Ubuntu image to a USB stick and found in the tutorial that I can set during istallation to install also third party sw, such as nvidia graphics drivers. I cuurently do not have the card, but looking and searching furiously. Hope that I can install later? Will try boot and install later this evening. It seems pretty straight forward with graphic inderface, an I just have to follow the process through by installning HQP desktop image and see what happens if I download and try to install Roon. Will start with Bridge to see if it opens in any other way in Ubuntu compared to Fedora.

Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts :heartbeat:

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HQPlayer uses the distribution’s standard packaging system. So there’s no separate installer.

Mint is particularly useful for small computers with limited resources. It is somewhat leaner. I use it on my Atom-based “email laptop” for example. I recommend the Cinnamon desktop version in case one wants to use it. HQPlayer Ubuntu packages work on Mint too.

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Ah OK, I was on the phone out there in the cold :slight_smile: So that makes it even easier

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I’d only bother with Nvidia if you really need a fast GPU. For normal desktop usage, video, etc., the current on-board Intel GPUs are more than enough.

If you install an Nvidia card later, it should normally suffice to enable the drivers in the Ubuntu GUI, following the first method here: Install Nvidia Drivers on Ubuntu 20.04 {3 Methods}

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Point is if you want to use the HQPlayer’s GPU offloading. Then Nvidia is the only option at the moment.

How much you need that offloading depends on how much CPU power you have and how much DSP processing you are doing in HQPlayer.

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OK, didn’t think of that. Then that falls under “really need a fast GPU”

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Hence my searching for a decent graphics card at a reasonable price. Need for speed, my Intel I9-10900 energy efficient is not enough even at full throttle, stalls on DSD256 DoP output, heavy filter and modulator, source code 24/192. Any other is OK, but not this particular speed. Some streaming albums of interest is only available at 24/192 … Varying but quite long play time until paus. Seems to be a close shave, but I’ll know when I find a card. The prices seem aolmost stuck at Euro 400:- for a new I9-10900K-version, but I started the search for a graphics card instead, I am not convinced the CPU change is worthwile as my motherboard is old socket LGA1200 and no more money shoul be spent on this old hardware. Looking at RTX 2000-3000. It is hard to find, they were and are very expensive new, and I reconn it is a sour drink to find the prices are dropping fast as pre-owned. People lowering step by step, from the original offer, but they still remains unsold. Patiently waiting …

:face_with_monocle:

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I see many of your questions have been answered already.

You will still need to install RoonServer using Terminal on Ubuntu

But no need to install RoonBrige on the same PC - especially if using HQPlayer

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Maybe you should try AudioLinux (headless or lxqt version). It is not free, but it contains ready-made scripts for all OS settings and audio application installations. I have limited knowledge of Linux and I had no problem setting up Roon Core and HQPlayer.

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By the way, installing Roon Server is a handful of things to copy and paste into Terminal.

sudo apt install curl

sudo apt install -y cifs-utils

sudo apt-get install ffmpeg

curl -O http://download.roonlabs.com/builds/roonserver-installer-linuxx64.sh

chmod +x roonserver-installer-linuxx64.sh

sudo ./roonserver-installer-linuxx64.sh

sudo apt install -f

sudo reboot

HQPlayer Embedded is similar amount of things to copy and paste into Terminal

You use Embedded or Desktop?

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Title says for a noob, this may not be noobish but this is just me thinking out loud and thinking about pros and cons and limits and future of that 10900k.
So bare with me.

I have repurposed a 9900k on Ubuntu paired with an old titanx that is quite capable. The 10900k isn’t much of a performance jump from the 9900k.

If I was looking to buy a graphics card now to pair with a 10th gen chip for roon and hqplayer, I’d probably opt to buy a newer board and chip and ditch the 10900k. If you built the PC just swap it out.

You could do:

  • a fast graphics card RTX 3080

Or

a. a z690 board and a 12900k

b. a ddr4 z790 board and a 13700k
(I say ddr4 as I’m trying to be cost effective. DDR5 kits are still pricey and can’t swap out your old RAM)

c. a ddr5 z790 board and a 13700k
(Check motherboards site for ram known to be compatible with board.) (stick with 2 chips, not 4… 2x16 should be enough. But if you want more get 2x32. It is more $$$ but keep in mind lot of z790 boards have posting problems with a 4 ram slots filled and xmp enabled. )

I’d go the z790 route - b or c. The 12900 and 13700 have the same core count. 13700 has higher clocks.

You most likely won’t need cuda for 256 and most things 512 with 12th or 13th gen., if you build it now and need cuda later you can add it, or ask Santa for one :santa: :innocent:

Not so noobish, but just a thought.

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I second Ubuntu.

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I use Embedded today, but are ambivalent if to buy the desktop instead. Like the graphic posture to things but to be honest, sorry Jussi, the HQP player section of HQP is not the dream to go for a exploration of music in any version. I wish that Roon could sound better, there is a loadness feeling. HQP player is much more direct and really opens up and connects me to the music. I forget about sound, it is simply music. And there are no “bad” recordings anymore, HQP clean up anything. Madonnas Hung up nearly reached 10,000 apodizing actions. So I will try to find a used graphics card to boost my system. I only need to reach source code 24-192, with my current filter and modulator setting. It chokes on that specific speed, all others work great. And the gauss-xla … it is wet dream come true. I am not planning to replace my DAC either, so I do not foresee any need to crank up higher upsamling than todays DSD256 DoP. Just waiting and looking for that darn GPU card…

I will look in this guide, thank you, when Roon is gouing to be installed. Tomorrow perhaps. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hey, the darn script asks for password … trying to type, but the upper keys on simplified keyboard do not work. ■■■■■ why can’t things just be simple …

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@dabassgoesboomboom

Just got Spotify working on same computer as the high-end and I can then remove one more computer. Down to just one in the hifi rig. Great if I can stay here. Loads of sh*t in the rig anyway, not to mention cables.
There is no menu that I can set any details in the sound management? No manipulation of bit depth or sample rate on audio output? Why does Ubuntu say digital out in setting, when all other software says USB? Why does conformity seem like a impossibilty? Aaargh …

Remains to solve Roon Server installation, the scripts above requires some sort of password I have tried the a number of the known ones, but is it something other generic?
Something like “password”.

Just one to go … then everything up and running.

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When you run into problems, its much easier if we can see what you see.

Share lots Screenshots or clear photos (as long as they don’t show private and confidential info)

Otherwise not sure what errors you are getting

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What does the experts think about the following card as CUDA off-load.

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Here comes the pic, I hope.

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