HQPlayer 6 Desktop
Upsampling multichannel audio player for Linux, macOS and Windows
Screenshots (click to enlarge)
Streaming partners:
Supported source formats:
‣ CDDA (Audio CD)
‣ FLAC
‣ WavPack (PCM and DSD)
‣ DSDIFF (DFF, non-compressed)
‣ DSF
‣ RIFF (WAV, including DXD/RF64)
‣ AIFF
‣ MP3
‣ RAW streams
‣ Realtime audio inputs
Supported playlist formats:
‣ M3U / M3U8
‣ PLS
Features:
‣ Software upsampling / downsampling with selectable algorithm up to 32-bit 1.536 MHz or down to 8-bit 32 kHz PCM (71 options)
‣ Delta-Sigma modulators for upsampling PCM/DSD content up to 98.304 MHz 1-bit SDM (36 modulators, 78 PCM oversampling options and 3 DSD rate converters)
‣ Selectable dithering / noise shaping algorithm (10 options)
‣ DAC specific output signal correction
‣ 128 DSP pipelines for routing and mixing with various algorithms (max 48 DSD source channels)
‣ Selectable convolution algorithm (FIR) for equalization, such as digital room correction (2 options), for PCM/DSD content
‣ Optional high-frequency expansion for the convolution engine
‣ Parametric equalizers for PCM/DSD content, minimum- and linear-phase
‣ RIAA equalization for vinyl sources
‣ Software-based digital volume control for PCM and SDM (DSD)
‣ Source content analysis to detect need for apodizing oversampling filter
‣ Source content metering and analysis displays
‣ Source content cleanup filters (7 options)
‣ Playback of DSF/DSDIFF files through any supported audio interface (PCM conversion and DSD rate conversion)
‣ Selectable algorithm and noise filters for DSF/DSDIFF PCM playback (14 / 12 options)
‣ Native/direct playback of DSF/DSDIFF files (ASIO DSD, DoP v1.1 with both 0x05/0xFA and 0x06/0xF9 markers)
‣ Playback of stereo, 2.1, 3.0, quadrophonic, 3.1, 5.0, 5.1 and 7.1 channel material
‣ Speaker configuration for multichannel playback (delay and level) for PCM and SDM (DSD)
‣ Matrix processing for routing, filtering and mixing channels with gain, for PCM/DSD content
‣ Bypasses operating system software mixer and sample rate conversion
‣ Support for professional ASIO drivers
‣ Network endpoint support with Signalyst Asynchronous Network Audio Adapters
‣ Support for ID3v2 tags on AIFF, DSF, WAV and MP3 files (versions 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4)
‣ Smooth level limiter for clipped material
‣ “Dual wire” channel bonding support to reach 2x rates, PCM and DoP (DSD)
‣ 64/80/128-bit and arbitrary precision floating point processing
‣ Support for 128 channels (max 48 DSD source channels
‣ Full support for multi-core processors
‣ Light weight desktop-GUI to lower graphics noise
‣ Touch-aware remote control client
‣ DSP offload to GPU using NVIDIA CUDA offering additional 2500 – 24000 DSP cores to aid processing
‣ Headphone cross-feed processing
‣ Adaptive loudness control
‣ Library analysis for true peak and RMS levels, loudness, and need for an apodizing filter
‣ Support for ReplayGain 2.0 metadata
‣ UPnP 2.0 AV Media Renderer
Resampling filters:
‣ 48 linear phase
‣ 4 intermediate phase
‣ 12 minimum phase
‣ 4 impulse optimal
‣ 3 closed form
Dithers and noise-shapers:
‣ 4 dithers
‣ 5 noise shapers
Delta-Sigma conversion:
‣ 36 modulators
‣ 78 oversampling filters (64x – 2048x)
‣ Direct rate conversions, 3 algorithms
‣ Digital volume control
‣ Convolution engine
‣ Parametric equalizer
‣ Routing and mixing
Control applications:
‣ HQPlayer Client (Windows / macOS / Linux / iOS)
‣ JPLAY (iOS)
‣ Roon
‣ Cordata (macOS / iOS)
‣ mconnect Player (iOS/Android) / mconnect Player HD (iOS/Android)
‣ BubbleUPnP (Android)
‣ VeraVox (macOS)
See also UPnP compatibility table.
HQPlayer is a high quality audio player for macOS, Linux and Windows. HQPlayer also features several selectable high quality upsampling and downsampling algorithms as well as selectable dither, noise shaping and modulator algorithms.
All modern DACs employ oversampling and delta-sigma modulation, however the hardware implementations are more or less resource constrained. Higher quality oversampling and delta-sigma modulation can be done by utilizing vast amount of processing power available in modern PCs. Many AVRs also resample internally to 48, 96 or 192 kHz, with the HQPlayer, these can be fed at the native rate.
Want to buy 192/24 or DXD files for future but currently own only 96/24 capable hardware? Or want to buy DSD128 or DSD256 files but currently own only DSD64 or 192/24 PCM capable hardware? Resampling and dither/noise shaper can be used to playback high resolution files on a lower resolution hardware, allowing future-proof investment on high resolution files.
For digital room correction and other equalization purposes, selectable convolution algorithms and parametric equalizers are included. Convolution engine supports RIFF (WAV) format FIR impulse responses, which can be produced with suitable software, such as Acourate, Audiolense, Room EQ Wizard, rePhase, Focus Fidelity, HouseCurve or DRC. Some of these tools like Room EQ Wizard and HouseCurve can also provide parametric EQ settings suitable for HQPlayer’s unlimited band parametric EQ.
Modern CPUs can operate at speeds exceeding 6 GHz and process multiple data items per clock cycle, while modern GPUs offer vast amount of additional processing power that HQPlayer can utilize for the DSP processing needs. Nvidia GPUs offer from 2500 to 24000 additional DSP cores operating at GHz speeds to offload processing tasks from CPU. HQPlayer can distribute workloads between CPU and GPU in such way that particular strengths of either architecture is utilized to the maximum extent possible. Both also offer several gigabytes of high speed RAM enabling huge DSP data sets to be processed at high speeds.
System requirements, Windows version:
‣ Windows 10 x64 or Windows 11 x64
‣ CPU support for AVX2 instruction set
‣ Display adapter with OpenGL support
‣ Minimum full-HD resolution (1080p)
System requirements, Linux version:
‣ Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (x64), Linux Mint 22 (x64), Debian 13 / RPi OS (arm64) or Fedora 43 (x64)
‣ CPU support for AVX2 instruction set, or RaspberryPi5 or instruction set compatible (ARMv8A)
‣ Display adapter with OpenGL support
‣ Minimum full-HD resolution (1080p)
System requirements, macOS version:
‣ macOS version 14.0 or later
‣ Minimum full-HD resolution (1080p)
System requirements, CUDA offload:
‣ NVIDIA GPU
‣ Minimum Compute Capability level 7.5
‣ Latest NVIDIA drivers
Recommended hardware:
‣ Holo Audio Red NAA, shops: US/EU (also supported by NAA OS)
‣ iFi ZEN Stream NAA
‣ aqua LinQ NAA
‣ T+A DAC 200/HA 200 (Win/Linux/Mac)
‣ T+A SD 3100 HV/SDV 3100 HV/PSD 3100 HV (Win/Linux/Mac)
‣ Holo Audio May, Spring or Cyan, shops: US/EU (Win/Linux/Mac)
‣ Marantz SA-12SE, SA-KI Ruby, SACD 30n, SA-10 (USB only, 30n network interface is incompatible)
‣ TEAC UD-701N (USB only, network interface is incompatible)
‣ iFi NEO iDSD/xDSD Gryphon/NEO Stream
‣ RME ADI-2 Pro/DAC AKM chip version (Win/Mac/Linux)
‣ Denafrips Ares II/Pontus II/Venus II/Terminator/Terminator Plus
‣ CAPS Twenty Server and Endpoint
‣ Eversolo PLAY Series, T8, T10, DMP-A6 Series, DMP-A8 Series and DMP-A10
‣ exaSound DACs, streamers and servers (Win/Mac)
‣ Raspberry Pi 4 or Pi 5 as a NAA with Linux (using provided bootable image)
‣ CompuLab fitlet2/fitlet3 as a NAA with Linux or Windows
Note! If you have audio problems when using USB audio device with default settings, try increasing buffer time to 100 ms. This will most likely help.
Quick Start Guide
A really brief quick start guide can be found here
ASIO is a registered trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH