Might be too early a report and static might come back after lengthier listening sessions but it seems I have solved the issue by setting PLL ON on the May. Makes sense, doesn’t it ?
My May and Red are constantly ON, the fact that continuous tone issue was solved (need more time to confirm it’s solved too or if it’s a different issue) by switching ON/OFF the Red might also come from a precession of May’s clocks too, no ?
This doesn’t/shouldn’t apply for May USB input. So I don’t know why it would be relevant…
INDEED . once again you’re right, static is back. Maybe you’ll find the cause in the log I sent you
Have you tried playing music directly from Mac, just skip HQplayer. Play Apple Music. If not static then something wrong on config
This has nothing to do with hqplayer, but… I noticed the other day with my nvidia shield, on some episodes, if I put the may in OS DSD over sampling mode i get static between episodes of the blacklist when I push the next episode button.
The chain is:
nvidia Shield → tv (hdmi)
tv → holo may (toslink)
It doesn’t happen in NOS or OS PCM mode.
static occurs only with SDM 1024 ; interrupts, loss of naa connection and continuous tone occur with maximum USB output (PCM 32 x SDM 1024). No such issues at lower rates. Hence nothing to test directly from a Mac
Have you shared a screenshot of your configuration, just to see if anything that might be causing the problem.
I am in need of some info…
I just got a new pc today and installed ubuntu on it. I am looking to stress test with hqplayer. I am sending to an akm based rme dop 256. The load average is 0.02, so its not remotely breaking a sweat. This was using the default settings in hqplayer.
For both dsd and pcm, what settings can I use to really put this through its paces? Filters, etc. Want to make it work hard to see what it will have trouble on.
You can have some more load by having convolution based room correction plus some parametric EQ for DSD256 source with output at DSD256.
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Hello @jussi_laako
which DAC Bits Setting would you recommend for PCM Upsampling with my Chord Mojo 2?
Thanks for your help 
Best
Dominik
Since the Chord DAC will apply DSP to the input, it is best to provide highest possible resolution material for the DSP. If you use S/PDIF, then it should be set to 24, since that is maximum S/PDIF can pass (most DDC claim 32-bit, since that’s what they use on the USB for efficiency, so it is important to set it correctly). With USB you can leave it set to “Default” which should result with 32-bit output.
TDPF or Gauss1 dithers are good choice. But also NS5, NS9 or LNS15 can be used if desired.
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I am using a mac M4 as roon server and loaded hqplayer on the same machine. A LHY pi-based machine runs gentooplayer and it links to a Holo red running Gentooplayer via an ethernet cable. The Holo red is in pure Diretta target mode. Holo connects to my dac (dual ess 9039pro) using i2s via hdmi cable.
For the longest time I upsample to dsd512 (the max for my dac), and use asdm7ec super, and sinc short.
Recently I played some native dsd64 files and they sounded wonderful. Using the native dsd64 as a reference, I found that the most lively and stressfree sound happens when I upsample to dsd128, and use poly sinc gauss long and asdm7ec super.
In my system, asdm7ecv3 is not as good as the super version. And sinc short or sinc medium or going beyond dsd128 actually makes the sound less natural and less lively. I realize that when I do not have a proper reference, I find it hard to tune the system right.
Please note that poly-sinc-gauss-long doesn’t apply to DSD sources, only to PCM sources. So please don’t believe what Roon signal path display claims (it’s been buggy for years and Roon has not fixed it). Instead please check what HQPlayer Client (or the server) says… Current default for DSD sources would be FIR2/XFi.
This is technically also the case, ECv3 is last of the older modulator series. -ul/light/fast/super are the new generation. So makes sense…
Please note though, that playing DSD64 as-is has it’s own technical issues. So the reference is only presentation of DSD64 your DAC is able to give you within the technical limitations of DSD64…
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I have a question about using hqplayer with the Daart Aquilla 3. It is advertised as supporting dsd1024 and pcm 1.5M. The issue that I am wondering about is that there isn’t a nos mode. You have to choose one of the akm filters.
Will this cause an issue with pcm upsampled with hqplayer?
Thanks for your reply Jussi. I wasn’t clear in ny earlier message. I am trying to make my pcm to dsd upsampling sound as good as native dsd64 files for the same song. Just last night I had a musician friend come over who has much better hearing than mine. No matter how we tweak, I could not make my cd ripped 16bit 44.1khz pcm file (upsampled to dsd w hqplayer) sound close in ease, naturalness and dynamism to a native dsd64 file for the same music. It is likely that the source material is too different. The dsd64 file (from sacd) is just superior to my redbook cd to begin with. Last night, we find that poly sinc gauss xla sounds better in my system compared to poly sunc gauss long.
When a design with AK4191+AK4499EX advertises DSD1024, you know at least that rate is not going to be DSD Direct. Since the AK4499EX only supports 5.6M (DSD128) and 11.2M (DSD256) sampling rates. Technically the combination has support for DSD Direct, but it is not easy to get working correctly. So it always needs to be confirmed with measurements that it actually works… You have two analog filter modes to choose from when it is supported.
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Ahh, OK, I see!
Typically the DSD64 is better mastered, maybe with less compression (loudness wars) and overall better production.
Sometimes you can compare RedBook layer and SACD layer of the same disc. But many times these have somewhat different mastering.
It is not always automatic though that the SACD version would be better. For example some of the earliest RedBook releases of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon and Meddle are the best digital version. And for example the earliest RedBook versions of Dire Straits Brothers In Arms may be also the best digital versions. IIRC, the Brothers In Arms original recording is 44.1k digital to Sony U-Matic tape, rest is just mixing and mastering, so it cannot be a true DSD recording. Unlike those old Pink Floyd ones where the original master is analog tape. But also every time the old master tape is played it degrades, and it also degrades itself over time in storage. So no matter how good digital recording equipment you have today, the digital transfer made today may be technically worse than the one made in early 80’s with less fancy digital gear…
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Indeed. Thank you for sharing.
I finally settled on hqplayer dsd upsampling to dsd64. Using poly sinc gauss xla for 1x. And poly sinc gauss hires lp for Nx, asdm7ec super. Sounds pretty good in my system! Can hear additional layering in the music and it also sounds lively. My dual ess9039 dac can’t convert dsd natively.
Which DAC? And any reason you can’t upsample higher?
Even though ESS is not DSD Direct (you cannot bypass BOTH oversampling and modulator) you can still by-pass the on-chip oversampling for many ESS DACs, by upsampling to highest rate DSD.
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