Testing two signal paths through my RoPieeeXL Raspberry Pi streamer, one with HQPlayer NAA, and one without.
Volume using HQPlayer is much lower than without. I need to have HQPlayer’s max volume set at around +10dB to be equivalent. (And it’s been pretty clearly driven home by jussi that the recommended volume limit is -2dB.)
Is there some other volume control I’m not seeing?
What kind of DAC does it have? Does the DAC have a software controlled volume? If so, what is the setting?
And what output formats are you specifically comparing? For example, AKM DAC chips have -3.5 dB lower output volume in DSD Direct mode than through PCM path (this is on purpose, since DSD can have short term +3.15 dB peaks which is not possible with PCM). Holo Audio DACs has 6 dB lower output level in DSD mode than in PCM mode, this also has natural explanation related to above.
it’s the built-in DAC in a parasound HINT6 integrated amp, so no software-controlled volume.
Only using PCM, ext2 filter, upsampling to 192. No DSD.
Have you tried with the NAA OS image on RasPi? On Roon side you are not doing any DSP and not doing any other DSP at HQPlayer side than upsampling?
have only tried HQP NAA within RoPieeeXL.
and no DSP with either path. (Not to say I haven’t upsampled within roon, but not doing it for this test.)
How does Roon signal path look like in both cases? And HQPlayer main window during playback?
Ok here are the screenshots but I just discovered something…
If i’m playing through Roon directly, and increase the volume (because it’s set to device volume, not fixed) and THEN transfer to the HQPlayer zone, the volume level is increased along with it. (So, it seems I can get plenty of volume in HQPlayer, but I just need to increase it in the previous zone.)
Volume in HQPlayer stays at -2.0 dB either way.
Does that make sense?
Are you using the volume control in HQPlayer?
Sounds strange, but Roon volume control controls HQPlayer’s volume when output is to HQPlayer.
Looks like an old HQPlayer version, so there may be something strange going on, because I think nobody is doing testing with old versions anymore.
With Ropiee you can control the volume with alsamixer, losging in w ssh (Advanced, Turn on ssh, then ssh your ropiee, root/ropieee)
yes it’s all the way up, and I’ve kept it at -2.0dB, which is recommended.
yeah, weird thing is that when I have roon volume at, say, 50% in non-HQP zone and I move to HQP, there’s no more headroom. If I want it louder, seems I can turn the volume up in the non HQP zone roon before transferring.
But you’re right, I’m using HQP 3. (I think the newer version had more options with DSD than with PCM, so i never felt the need to upgrade. I could probably do that at this point!)
At least you could use the free trial to check if the volume behavior is still similar.
yep, totally. I’ll likely upgrade. Was waiting for the Roon 1.8 insanity to mellow out first. 
