Signalyst HQPlayer - Is it worth the upgrade?
I have been reading high praises in audio forums about HQPlayer rendering the best sound quality from Qobuz or Tidal. I realize best is subjective in the context of one’s system and end user’s personal preferences driven by choice of gear and budget.
I have been a long time Aurender user and also been using Roon now for past 3 years. Those who have read my posts knows my take on Roon as not the best sounding renderer when directly compared with Aurender’s Conductor app. Others may disagree with my position on Roon but those are my findings within the context of my system. I do enjoy Roon interface for obvious reasons but not so much the sound.
The purpose of my post is to explore the possibility of elevating the sound of my existing Roon player (Merging Technologies + player) by integrating HQPlayer as the final renderer. By doing so, Roon will pass along a stream of bits from my local stored files on SSD and stream from Qobuz. This configuration allows me to enjoy the benefits of HQPlayer SQ and the fabulous library management capabilities of Roon at the same time.
I am seeking opinions from those who have actually compared Roon vs HQPlayer or using HQPlayer exclusively. Did you find HQPlayer worth the upgrade? What hardware or device you’re using to enjoy HQPlayer in your system.
Thank you!
PS: Please refrain from posting if you’re in bits are bits, 1’s and 0’s camp or believe high end streamer/servers are over priced and waste of money.
Congratulations on SDV 3100. The SDV 3100 is a serious upgrade, especially if you’re already impressed by the DAC 200 with DSD. It’ll be interesting to hear your impressions once it’s settle down in your system. T+A knows how to do justice with DSD files much to the tune of my Merging Tech +player. I had the same holy crap moment when I first heard my collection of DSD files. You’re in for a royal treat with SDV 3100. |
That is a fascinating upgrade to look forward to - completely different league. Before you sell the DAC 200, I hope you get a chance to experience DSD 512 on this DAC. In my experience the DAC 200 without DSD 512 is like Clark Kent. And with DSD 512, it is like Superman. At least in my setup, when you gop from DSD 256 to DSD 512 there is this "drive" or "zest" along with a "naturalness" that makes the recordings come alive. There is no real tinkering, if your PC/laptop is set up correctly. The best part is that you can experiment with the filters/modulators from your phone/tablet. T+A's chipless design is optimal for DSD playback and was one of the reasons for me to get this DAC.
Actually living rooms with large open space and high ceiling makes music sound so spacious. Unfortunately I do not have that liberty and hence had to move to the basement. Luckily that space is under the morning room, so that even if I play at 85db level, sound does not go to the bedrooms, since there is nothing above the morning room. |
Thanks @milpai I hope it’s the upgrade you suggest. I wasn’t able to audition the new DAC in my system against the DAC 200. But, it also comes with a particularly nice preamp. So, I’m reasonably confident I’ll be pleased. (It does mean I’m now selling my integrated and getting a new amplifier - it’s an expensive hobby…). And, you’re right about the DAC 200 and DSD 512. That’s what I currently give it with my Sirius processor and it’s very, very good. Sourced that way, I found it to be better than any other sub $20k DAC I’ve auditioned. I look forward to giving HQPlayer a trial and will certainly circle back to you and the group with my progress and findings. With the built in NAA, it’s sounds like I might actually be able to get down to 2 boxes - the SDV 3100 and whatever amp I settle on. Best, |
One thing I will mention is that "not all the bits are the same". So when I got the T+A new, I used Foobar to send DSD 512 and DSD 1024 to the DAC and noticed a difference over the previous DAC. But it was not a "game changing" experience that folks talking about. So I decided to give the HQ Player a try. All I will say is that with 30 seconds of 512 DSD with HQ Player to this DAC, I simply purchased the HQ Player. Hence I hope that you are able to try out the HQ Player with the new DAC. |
