I just got a little portable MQA DAC from Auris Audio that has USB in and stereo RCA analog outputs. I want to try and decode MQA while using Roon if possible. The Earman is not listed as Roon-Ready or anything but when I connected its USB in to the USB digital out on my Auralic Altair, it shows up as an Unidentified Device on my Auralic device screen in Roon. I somehow managed to select the correct output for the Auralic (using the Lightning Server setup page) and got Tidal to play through my Line Magnetic 518ia integrated amp (the Earman has a Pre-Out selection toggle and I connected the RCA cables from the analog outs of the Earman to the Pre-In of my amp). Selecting the Pre-Out input on the Line Magnetic gave me sound using Roon to stream Tidal. However the Earman did not show the magenta LED indicating MQA stream. I then fiddled with the Auralic MQA settings in Roon. Auralic has no MQA support so I clicked the box saying use Auralic as Decoder only. The Earman then showed magenta LED but only for one album even though I was playing supposedly Masters albums from Tidal. The Roon stream screen would show MQA authentication then DSP volume added (I don’t use DSP but this seemed related to the fact that the Auralic volume control was active as well as the Earman volume control). But the Earman LED only showed magenta for one album.
Frankly I couldn’t hear any difference with the MQA light illuminated so maybe I should just forget the whole thing. However I thought I’d ask the far more knowledgeable people here if I have set all this up properly. I don’t like the fact that both vol controls on the Earman and the Auralic were active. The amp volume knob was not active at least (I was using the Pre-In input on the amp). I am amazed any of this worked at all frankly given the Earman is not a Roon Ready device.
Hi Sarah,
Just to clarify, “Roon Ready” means that the DAC has a network interface and run’s Roon’s RAAT code. A DAC that attaches via USB is never “Roon Ready” because that requires a network interface. On the other hand, “Roon Tested” means that the Roon team has reviewed the device and has evaluated its use with Roon. So, the Auris Audio DAC could become “Roon Tested”.
That being said, DACs don’t have to be Roon tested to work perfectly fine with Roon, as you have found out.
For more information on what Roon Tested and Roon Ready mean check out the FAQ:
https://kb.roonlabs.com/Roon_partner_programs
Thanks I was surprised to see the “XMOS Earman TR-amp” identified as hooked up to the Auralic bc it’s not advertised as Roon-tested or compatible or anything else. Nevertheless Roon detected it by name but couldn’t “Identify” it bc as you point out Auris hasn’t arranged for Roon to test it. I’ll email them! Looks like their device is partway there already.