oldson
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Post by oldson on Mar 31, 2015 21:38:39 GMT
Javier mentioned this software on the ifi idsd thread. just curious to know how many of you guys have tried it, and what you think of it? excuse my ignorance but i did not know pcm could be upscaled to dsd! would like to know how it works, but something tells me i probably would not understand anyway. sounds too good to be true.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Apr 1, 2015 5:12:08 GMT
I use Winamp (not the last version though) as it can handle large libraries pretty well and plays many formats.
No experience with HQ player though, I did try other players.
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Javier
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Post by Javier on Apr 1, 2015 7:49:24 GMT
I'll write about it tonight, too long for typing it on the phone
Sent from my GT-I9100 using proboards
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Apr 2, 2015 8:45:57 GMT
Ive just purchased it after the 30day FREE TRIAL.Covers all the formats available with numerous filter options. Just drag music files or folders into it and set up PCM or DSD to your own tastes. Best i have used and worth the asking price IMHO. Mick. have downloaded the trial, will give it a go at the weekend. can i ask how much the full version is Mick? did not see it on their site.
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Javier
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Post by Javier on Apr 2, 2015 10:50:02 GMT
HQPlayer is quite different from all other media players I know, and I know and have used quite a few. AFAIK is the only player available almost exclusively focused on accurate, powerful and flexible digital processing of audio allowing the user to select different algorithms for each step of the process and convert from any format to any format. Its "usability" and functionality are quite weak at best, you get nothing even remotely similar to what Foobar can do or even basic stuff every player under the sun can do but that is not the aim of this software, only SQ.
Nearly all DACs, with the odd exception of NOS - Non OverSampling - type, perform some digital signal procesing and it is done inside chips with very limited resources/power due to size and cost reasons. This is true for all Sigma-Delta chips present in nearly all DACs from the early 90s and for most of the preceeding generation R2R/Ladder chips which usually had a supporting external processing IC like the SA722x, AD1860, PMD-100 or later on async models like TI's SRC4192 and SRC4392. Size and cost restrictions limit the processing these can perform on the signal which in most cases is reduced to fixed (ie non configurable by the user) simple oversampling algorithms, basic dithering and decimation. There are, of course, exceptions but they come at a price. HQPlayer uses the huge amount of processing power available on modern PCs to do as much as possible of the required processing in the computer using much more complex and sophisticated algorithms that would be impossible to implement on DACs letting the user decide which combination suits him/her, his/her music and his/her mood.
It includes:
14 Resampling filters:
6 linear phase 5 minimum phase 3 impulse optimal
8 Dithers and noise-shapers:
4 dithers 4 noise shapers
plus Delta-Sigma conversion: 7 modulators 11 oversampling filters (64x - 1024x) Direct rate conversions Digital volume control Convolution engine
The author dwells at computeraudiophile.com and there are a few threads there about this player, including many measurements.
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Javier
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Post by Javier on Apr 2, 2015 16:33:40 GMT
Btw, new 3.7.0 is out:
"New adaptive seventh-order modulator, new file access method on platforms except 32-bit Windows. Traditional search function now available also on desktop mode. Plus usual small bug fixes, improvements and optimizations."
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Apr 2, 2015 19:22:58 GMT
i will obviously not be able to try this at the weekend , as i dont have a dsd dac yet. i will wait until i can buy the micro idsd. i got a feeling i would need help with the settings for it, but nothing to lose with a free trial i guess. i will take a look on computer audiofile, been a member there for a while but never looked in the software forum. thanks guys
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Post by chinook9 on Apr 2, 2015 19:52:56 GMT
Sounds intriguing. I have downloaded and will try it this evening.
Don't know if it will work, however, because I'm using the DIYINHK USB to I2S/DSD adapter/converter and its proprietary (I think) asio driver.
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Javier
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Post by Javier on Apr 2, 2015 19:58:17 GMT
Sounds intriguing. I have downloaded and will try it this evening. Don't know if it will work, however, because I'm using the DIYINHK DAC and its proprietary (I think) asio driver. Yes it will work fine but I believe the Xmos based DIYINHK only supports DoP method for DSD which limits it to DSD128. For PCM the limit is 384KHz. You can setup HQP to output either and compare, the BIII is a Sigma Delta DAC so it works better if you feed it DSD so I'd suggest setting up HQP for DSD128 and then play with its different options (modulator, etc.)
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Apr 2, 2015 20:42:29 GMT
I heard a dsd file for the first time tonight and it is absolutely incredible. First thing I noticed straight away was superior imaging. Bowled me over. It just sounds so 'crystal' clear with no sense of 'nasties' in the sound.
Basically not a lot different from a master, I'd say. It's surprising that 'spacial' information can become less clear on cd. Always been a disappointment to me, but dsd really does get you closer to the music.
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Post by ronzo56 on Apr 2, 2015 21:54:49 GMT
Always makes me wonder how Sony botched the SACD format, but now are back supporting DSD playback files. I have always thought DSD sounded better than CD, but have been told by experts I am wrong. Maybe Sony should stay out of it before they pull another Betamax blunder. Remember that one?
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Post by chinook9 on Apr 2, 2015 22:00:51 GMT
Yes it will work fine but I believe the Xmos based DIYINHK only supports DoP method for DSD which limits it to DSD128. For PCM the limit is 384KHz. You can setup HQP to output either and compare, the BIII is a Sigma Delta DAC so it works better if you feed it DSD so I'd suggest setting up HQP for DSD128 and then play with its different options (modulator, etc.) Thank you Javier. You provided the information I was going to look for. I set it up and tried it for a couple of minutes. I did get sound out of it but haven't had time to do any testing or comparisons. At the default settings, the output (volume) was quite a bit lower and there was about a 1 second delay. I'll try out the settings you suggest.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Apr 2, 2015 22:26:48 GMT
Always makes me wonder how Sony botched the SACD format, but now are back supporting DSD playback files. I have always thought DSD sounded better than CD, but have been told by experts I am wrong. Maybe Sony should stay out of it before they pull another Betamax blunder. Remember that one? From the bit I had, I'd say it's the best I've heard at home, although expectation and all that....... The first thing I noticed was the imaging and how the sound seemed placed in a room. Not anything as obvious like more bass or sharper treble, but the more subtle clues were there in the placing of sounds. Something I do find difficult with headphones but it felt much easier with the file that I heard. Breathtakingly good and made me feel that the future of 'good' listening is there. Not on cd, which to me has always been a disappointment, whether its the result of poor mixing or the format. I am definitely thinking of setting up a pc with a micro dedicated to music now. I need to find a dsd source though!!
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Apr 3, 2015 9:30:28 GMT
Archimago did some tests with DSD to PCM converters. It has some relevance but HQ player is not tested, foobar is.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Apr 3, 2015 10:10:13 GMT
I have always thought DSD sounded better than CD, but have been told by experts I am wrong. Are those the same experts that feel the best option the Ember has is the 'off' switch ? One should always trust their own hearing, not rely on that of others.
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