Easy way to switch off all DSP when listening to MQA files

As it says really. To get the full benefit of an MQA DAC you have to go into settings and switch off the DSP engine when listening to MQA material (currently only Tidal Masters). Then remember to switch it back on when reverting to normal files.

Having Roon automatically recognise an MQA file and switch DSP off would be the ideal. If not have a one-click way of switching DSP off/on.

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Long press (or right/control-click) on your endpoint icon in the ā€œplay barā€ at the bottom of the screen. Select ā€œDSP Engineā€ from the pop-up menu. Change the switch at the top left of the resultant window from ā€œEnabledā€ to ā€œDisabled.ā€

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It looks like this is already on the roadmap for when Roon switches on MQA software decoding.

See here and Brianā€™s other responses in the same thread:

David - thanks; thatā€™s definitely easier than going in via settings.

Jim - well spotted, I did have a look through the community for posting as I thought I wouldnā€™t be the only one with this need.

Good to see itā€™s on the roadmap as I havenā€™t really bothered with MQA much (after an initial play with it) due to the faff of changing things. After another play last night Iā€™m beginning to think the SQ is actually quite a bit better, hence wanting to find a way around the faffing. Fingers crossed it reaches production, in the interim Davidā€™s method makes it a lot easier (god weā€™re lazy these days arenā€™t we?!)

This works but room correction is more important to me than MQA so I donā€™t bother.

I am hoping that when Roon adds software decoding of MQA it will be before DSP so they can be used together. Right, @Brian? I would still give up the DAC doing final MQA rendering, but that may be a worthwhile combination.

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A large +1 on Anders post.

(A +1ā€™s nowhere near as nice as a ā€˜likeā€™) :slight_smile:

Not even a Large +1?

Boys will be boys :slight_smile:

Iā€™m not using room correction yet, but understand your point Anders. I am using upsampling, which makes a difference to the extent that I didnā€™t think I needed MQA, even though Iā€™m using a Meridian DAC so am getting the full blue light benefits.

Then I tried MQA again and started to revise my opinion, hence the request. Being able to use both in parallel would be the ideal solution, so a big +1 for that suggestion (here we go again)

Anders, Iā€™m getting ready to attempt Accourat. DSP. Are you using in Mqa at all with your DSP? I havenā€™t heard anything, BTW, from Mqa thats impressed me so far anyway.

No, DSP breaks MQA.

I have acquired several MQA albums, both downloads and Tidal, and a few of them I have non-MQA versions as well, both CD and hi-res. I listened both with headphones and speakers, without DSP. I was not impressed by the effect. The effect of room correction is dramatic, MQA is not.

I even use DSP for my headphones with Audezeā€™s convolution.