New Nucleus with latest software:
FLAC 192k 24bit being downsampled: why?
Meridian system can decode up to 324k
Hi Iain,
Speaking as an 818v3 owner…
The ID41 is only capable of 96k streaming; a real shame. Ditto the optical input.
The coax, SpeakerLink, and USB inputs are 192k capable.
No input on an 818v3 is 384k-capable; IIRC, the only Meridian device accepting 8x sample rates is the Ultra DAC (via USB).
Is this relating to MQA?
Thanks Joel,
When I stream Tidal MQA @ 352.8 the connected DSP5200SE display that rate. Does that mean a higher bit rate is permitted in the proprietary form but limited to 96k if raw / open FLAC?
Why is the default setting for ID41 renderer when it sounds much better as decoder + rendered?
Love the Roon UX by the way - well done!
Very best,
Iain
The dsp5200Se is upsampling the incoming stream to 176.4 or 192 and displaying the original file’s resolution.
Edited to correct, because I assumed that those speakers could actually upsample to 352.8.
The ID41 says it is getting 352.8 MQA
352.8 is the resolution of the fully unfolded and rendered file not the resolution of the undecoded MQA source file.
The MHR link between the 818v3 and the DSP5200SE’s is limited to 96k, and the first unfold of MQA is to either 88.2k or 96k, in your scenario the unfolded data together the rendering information is passed to the speakers over speakerlink, the speaker then renders this and depending on the source file you will see the rendered resolution displayed on the speaker, in your example 352.8.
This default setting seems incorrect. Cc: @john as I’m not sure what is going on there.
Personally, I am happy to let Roon decode and pass the 88.2/96k “MQA Core” stream (with rendering info) to my 818v3 and DSP8000SEs. I’ve not heard a difference between that and letting the Meridian system handle the decode + render. I wonder if something else wasn’t right in your configuration?
Edit: Oh… Do you have the latest firmware in your 818v3?
Not really. Those speakers only render to a MAX of 192. The display is just a display of the original file resolution, not any processing or output reality. That is why I corrected my initial response.
What transform happens at the decode stage? Just updated my firmware to latest version on both ID41 and DSP50200SEs - sounds better when letting Roon Nucleus decode. What is the rationale of letting Roon not ID41 decode?
If you let Roon do the decode (1x rate MQA --> 2x rate MQA Core), you can also apply DSP should you wish to do so (e.g. room correction filters, volume levelling). But if you’re not fussed, you can decode in the 818v3. If you set the 818v3/ID41 to “Decoder + Renderer”, Roon should intelligently decide what to do.
Iain, this may also help:
Very helpful, Thanks Joel. FYI: If I set the ID41 as Decoder and Render, so that Roon can decide, the path it chooses is hand off at authentication by Roon then decoding in ID41 (according to the path display on the Roon UX).
Yes, that sounds right Iain. If you were to add some DSP, including volume levelling, but not up- or down-sampling, then:
- Roon will authenticate, decode, and preserve the rendering information.
- Perform the DSP.
- Add back the rendering information (called “Signalling” in the signal path).
- The 818v3 and your 5200SEs should both display “OFs” (original sample rate/frequency) rather than “MQA”, because secure authentication is no longer possible.
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