HQplayer - do I need it?

[MisterDee]

Hello,

I have been looking into HQplayer and was wondering if it would benefit me. I currently use Tidal for all my music listening.

My set up config is as follows:

1. Andriod Phone running BubbleUpnp Client (Tidal)
2. PC running BubbleUpnp Server delivering streams to Foobar
3. Foobar playing streams to my DAC
4. DAC connected to Amp and Speakers

Reason I do this is because I like to use my phone to select tracks and get my PC to play them via my DAC. I tried the Cast feature in the Tidal Andriod App to a Chromecast but it didn't sound good. The Tidal Andriod Cast feature doesn't see the Tidal desktop app as a device (if it did I would quite happily forget all of this and use that instead!)

Anyway, the above set up works OK but I'm only getting around CD quality sound and I was wondering if upsampling using HQplayer would provide a benefit rather than having the DAC do it? If so, would it be possible to fit this bit of software into the setup I have above? Perhaps between step 3 and 4 - Something like:

1. Andriod Phone running BubbleUpnp Client (Tidal)
2. PC running BubbleUpnp Server delivering streams to Foobar
3. Foobar playing streams with HQ Player as an output
4. HQ Player upsampling and playing streams to my DAC
5. DAC connected to Amp and Speakers

I appreciate I may be misunderstanding the whole process when it comes to HQplayer! I'm really just asking if this is a viable solution rather than how to do it as I'm sure I could figure it out if it's possible.

I have these DAC's in my possesion

• Chord Mojo
• Topping D10
• Denon 1600NE (has its own internal PCM1795 DAC)

Also have a SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII on its way.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[chips666]

Hello,
Hqplayer and Roon have free trial periods
Both can upsample PCM and DSD
Try both for free and see what you like
Just my 2 cents
Enjoy...

 

[QMuse]

Hello,

I have been looking into HQplayer and was wondering if it would benefit me. I currently use Tidal for all my music listening.

My set up config is as follows:

1. Andriod Phone running BubbleUpnp Client (Tidal)
2. PC running BubbleUpnp Server delivering streams to Foobar
3. Foobar playing streams to my DAC
4. DAC connected to Amp and Speakers

Reason I do this is because I like to use my phone to select tracks and get my PC to play them via my DAC. I tried the Cast feature in the Tidal Andriod App to a Chromecast but it didn't sound good. The Tidal Andriod Cast feature doesn't see the Tidal desktop app as a device (if it did I would quite happily forget all of this and use that instead!)

Anyway, the above set up works OK but I'm only getting around CD quality sound and I was wondering if upsampling using HQplayer would provide a benefit rather than having the DAC do it? If so, would it be possible to fit this bit of software into the setup I have above? Perhaps between step 3 and 4 - Something like:

1. Andriod Phone running BubbleUpnp Client (Tidal)
2. PC running BubbleUpnp Server delivering streams to Foobar
3. Foobar playing streams with HQ Player as an output
4. HQ Player upsampling and playing streams to my DAC
5. DAC connected to Amp and Speakers

I appreciate I may be misunderstanding the whole process when it comes to HQplayer! I'm really just asking if this is a viable solution rather than how to do it as I'm sure I could figure it out if it's possible.

I have these DAC's in my possesion

• Chord Mojo
• Topping D10
• Denon 1600NE (has its own internal PCM1795 DAC)

Also have a SMSL Sanskrit 10th MKII on its way.

Any advice would be appreciated!

In your listening scenario you can easilly replace PC and all the software running on it with RPI running Volumio. You would get ability to play HD audio and also ability to apply EQ via BruteFIR plugin.

Upsampling CD quality recordings to higher rate wouldn't result in better SQ but Volumio can do that as well.

Topping D10 would work fine in the scenario I proposed, but any DAC would do.

 

[MisterDee]

@chips666

Thanks - I might just download HQplayer and try it - it does seem that you need quite a powerful PC to run it on though. I did have a Roon subscription but found it really frustrating to return any of the results I wanted from Tidal via the search function so gave up in the end, although I did like the sound - maybe it's improved, I'll check.

@QMuse

Thanks, I do have a RPI3 knocking around so will give this a try. I didn't know this software existed to thanks for the info, it looks pretty impressive based on the brief look I have had on the website.

Glad I posted here, there seems to be a wealth of knowledge around!

 

[dashendorf]

Install Jump Desktop on your phone and Jump Desktop Connect on your PC. Control Tidal directly. Done.

 

[MisterDee]

@dashendorf - Yes, fair comment! I did try controlling Tidal directly on the PC with AnyDesk, whilst this works it's pretty clunky to do it with a phone, searching and selecting tracks is fiddly (especially after a couple of gin and tonics!)

 

[dashendorf]

@dashendorf - Yes, fair comment! I did try controlling Tidal directly on the PC with AnyDesk, whilst this works it's pretty clunky to do it with a phone, searching and selecting tracks is fiddly (especially after a couple of gin and tonics!)

While I don't know AnyDesk, I can say that Jump works easily on my PC to control the networked Music Server running standard Win 10 controlling Roon. I then use Roon Remote on either an Android or iOS device. This approach would work with Audirvana, etc.

 

[gvl]

One other free option is Daphile, runs on x86. It has a Tidal plug in, but you use Daphile UI to navigate, can't use the native Tidal app on your phone. It has some sort of upnp plug in iirc but I never tried it. It can upsample via SoX and has BruteFIR ss well.

 

[Stevenich]

HQplayer support from the developer sucks!!!

 

[gvl]

HQplayer support from the developer sucks!!!

Can you elaborate? I thought he was pretty responsive on that other forum when I had questions, was it computeraudiophile?

 

[Purité Audio]

Move your head 5cm it will make far more difference, cheaper too,
Keith

 

[Stevenich]

I downloaded HQplayer and had a question. I sent the developer 3 emails and PM'd him. No responses. Can you elaborate on "ta
hat other forum" ?

 

[gvl]

I downloaded HQplayer and had a question. I sent the developer 3 emails and PM'd him. No responses. Can you elaborate on "ta
hat other forum" ?

Try asking here: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/19715-hq-player/

Miska is the developer of HQPlayer.

 

[Stevenich]

Try asking here: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/19715-hq-player/

Miska is the developer of HQPlayer.

Thank you

 

[topside3]

HQPlayer has made a huge difference in my system. I find Roon directly to be a bit shouty. HQPlayer with the right settings has been fantastic!

 

[Igor Gaich]

Good day to all !
Today I tried HQplayer. Without ROON yet, I used my PC Lenovo with WIN10 with GUSTARD X26pro DAC output. I really liked this program because listening to my local files all day I noticed that simply resampling from 44.1 kHz to 705.6 or 768 kHz is not very noticeable to the ear. But the conversion to DSD512 really improves the sound of my DAC, it becomes less harsh on upper frequencies. This experience confirms that ESS9038pro, being a delta-sigma converter, prefers a ready-made DSD stream at its input, rather than forming it on the fly....

 

[amirm]

Good day to all !
Today I tried HQplayer. Without ROON yet, I used my PC Lenovo with WIN10 with GUSTARD X26pro DAC output. I really liked this program because listening to my local files all day I noticed that simply resampling from 44.1 kHz to 705.6 or 768 kHz is not very noticeable to the ear. But the conversion to DSD512 really improves the sound of my DAC, it becomes less harsh on upper frequencies. This experience confirms that ESS9038pro, being a delta-sigma converter, prefers a ready-made DSD stream at its input, rather than forming it on the fly....

It doesn't though. Make sure volumes are not changing. And then do a test 10 times blind and see if you get 8 out of 10 right.

 

[dc655321]

This experience confirms

It does not.

 

[Igor Gaich]

I do not pretend to be the ultimate truth. But I repeat that when everything in PCM upsampling does not give anything, then I agree with you, but the conversion to dsd was noticeable, I have bi-amping, the mid-high frequency amplifier has lower distortion than the DAC, and I have a fountek neo cd 2 tape head. Again, this is all in my system..

 

[Igor Gaich]

I will also add, perhaps the differences were due to other filters that the software gives ... in any case, I have 30 days to understand what's what ....