Does Roon Ready mean the device will accept an MQA-decoded signal?

Support
1

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)

IMac Desktop/Latest Roon 1.6 (Build475)

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)

Comcast Internet Service

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

Kef LS50 Wireless

Description Of Issue

When it says it’s Roon Ready, does that mean that it will accept an MQA-decoded signal without any other hardware/software? Right now, I have a desktop setup using Meridian Explorer2. But I want to migrate to the Kef system which claims to be Roon Ready. Do I need anything to decode MQA or will Roon decode it before sending to a Roon Ready device? Thanks.

2

Roon software will do the first MQA unfold. Roon ready does not mean a device will do the MQA unfolds. If you don’t have an MQA capable DAC, you can play the MQA files using Roon, but you won’t get the full unfold or benefits of the MQA.

3

A Roon Ready DAC or network player will transparently discover and connect to Roon and is automatically configured for optimal playback. So, if you were to connect an MQA capable Roon Ready DAC it will be correctly configured for the best MQA experience.

Roon provides a software MQA decoder. This performs the first “unfold”. There are four settings to chose when connecting a DAC to Roon:

  • No MQA support, e.g. Chord Mojo–Roon unfolds the file to a higher resolution
  • Decoder and Renderer, e.g. Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital–Roon passes the MQA stream to the device
  • Decoder only–Roon passes the MQA stream to the device
  • Renderer only, e.g. AudioQuest DragonFly Red, Black and Cobalt–Roon unfolds the file to a higher resolution and passes MQA information to the device

I think you’ll find that KEF do not support MQA, so you’ll only get the benefit of Roon performing the first unfold.

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