The Node 2 can render full Tidal MQA through the BluOS controller, which wouldn’t affect your path setup, and once Roon does it you’ll already be set, and BluOS has most of the Tidal MQA offering already highlighted for you through the controller, it’s a stop gap and wouldn’t require such a convoluted path that would be “future proof” to the extent that’s possible.
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okay so I can stick to the Node 2 then once this issue is resolved. I would rather like it that way.
thanks
Bernard, why are you so certain that the node 2 is not unfolding the bit perfect stream that roon is feeding it? Because you don’t see the mqa logo that you see in the bluesound app? Because when peeking at the bluesound app while roon controls you don’t see the logo…You don’t see cover art either…My node 2 certainly sounds excellent , easily better than 44/16, could be the 24 bit, but a strong difference. Unfortunately the node 2 has no lights to verify what’s going on, but that doesn’t mean it’s not got it all going on. Would be good to get a comment from NAD/Lenbrooke. They need to weigh in and tell us if this non functionality with roon, blueos and mqa is real news or fake news.
I hope the Trump virus of referring to “fake news” isn’t spreading to this board, but the only way to ascertain what Roon is doing is through Roon, I haven’t spoken about any certainty, but rather it is an issue that is acknowledged by both BLUESOUND and Roon, who are actively working on a solution, as well as a majority of users who are mildly concerned , if you are satisfied with the performance of your system then it doesn’t sound like this is a concern for you, so I say enjoy your listening experience and this will be sorted out and eventually we’ll join you.
Bernard, can I call you Bernie?
Where on this board do either Bluesound or Roon acknowledge that this is happening, or not happening as it were. All I have read is that a room support person is going to reach out to see what is happening, that to me is not an acknowledgement of an issue, just a response that they are looking into it.
I provided a link to the Bluesound board, where Bluesound normally responds to Bluesound issues, Roon has also spoken on the issue, if you look you’ll find it, I don’t feel inclined to try to convince you there is a problem if you don’t think there is one, it would then seem to be a non-issue which doesn’t seem to be worth either of our time.
My experience on my home system, that I have recently changed from
NAS > Ethernet > Node 2 > Coaxial > Audiolab M-DAC > Balanced analog > Krell KAV 250 > Sonus Faber Concertino
to
Roon server & NAS > Ethernet > Node 2 > Coaxial > Mytek Brooklyn > Balanced analog > Krell KAV 250 > Sonus Faber Concertino
The result do not sound good to my ears… it was empty and… let my say… flat…
I have tried also to exclude Roon using the BlueOS app, but i found that the results do not changes. Low frequencies are missing.
With the M-DAC I could not remember the same ugly sound and in first instance i regretted the buying of the new DAC.
Then I try changing the Node 2 with a HiFiBerry:
Roon server & NAS > Ethernet > HiFi Berry Digi+ > Coaxial > Mytek Brooklyn > Balanced analog > Krell KAV 250 > Sonus Faber Concertino
I have found the usual fealing of my system, hearing the benefits of the Mytek (speed, control of low frequences, analyticity).
And with Roon and HiFiBerry I can test also the advantage of MQA… thing that at the moment are not testable due to compatibility problem between Bluesound - Mytek side (seems problem from Mytek side this time… I hope in the next firmware update)
Bye
Mark the issue came from the first post, which was not a Node 2, but a Blu Os device that can display at the DAC the resolution it is rendering; which in this case, was 24/48 or unfolded MQA as being sent by Roon. The general assumption is that the implementation of MQA is probably standard across all Blue Os devices.
There’s an issue currently where certain Bluesound devices are requesting Roon to send 48kHz only (the Pulse Flex is one of them). Roon and Bluesound are aware and investigating.
Your first SP shows a 48kHz file – which is sent losslessly ‘as is’. The second shows a 44.1kHz file, which is upsampled to 48kHz per the device’s request – and hence not lossless anymore.
Pretty sure this will be resolved shortly.
One of those tracks is local and the other is Tidal.
The Tidal is 48, the local 44, the 44 is being upsampled.
Does the node require MQA at 48?
.sjb
Ah Daniel got there first but I think the problem he refers to was due to Raspberry Pi with dietpi being in the chain also, if memory serves.
Good catch on local file.
So here are both MQA Tidal.
The pattern seems to be that Tidal MQA 44.1 kHz are upsampled and shown as " high quality":
Whereas the Tidal MQA 48 kHz are shown just fine in Lossless:
Rene:
You are right.
Tested the same two Tidal MQA albums (44.1 kHz and 48 kHz , 24 bit) on my Bluesound Node 2.
They are both showing “Lossless”:
Anybody knows of any Tidal MQA album higher than 48 kHz that I can test?
All of the MQA files on Tidal (or any local files you may have) are all 48kHz or 44.1kHz.
That’s the whole point of MQA. It take a high-rez file and “folds” it down into the lesser sampling rate.
Once this issue with Roon/Bluesound/MQA gets resolved, those files will “unfold” within the hardware to 88.2, 96, 176.4 & 192kHz.
Paul:
Thanks. It makes sense.
Can you please explain a bit more your last paragraph? Especially as it pertains to Bluesound.
Sure.
Take, for example, the MQA version of a-ha’s Take on Me on Tidal.
If I use Roon to play that album on my NAD M32 (equipped with BluOS card), Roon will indicate it is playing a 48kHz 24bit file (because that’s what this “unfolded” or undecoded MQA file actually is) and the display on my M32 shows 48kHz sampling rate, because (due to an issue that apparently folks are working on) the BluOS system is not working well with Roon and does not sense that album is MQA encoded.
If I use the BlueOS app to send that same Tidal album to my M32, the front display now shows 192kHz, indicating that the M32 has recognized the source as MQA encoded, and therefore properly unfolds it to its full “glory.”
Note that this issue also holds true for local MQA that one may have. It’s not just Tidal.
Once this issue is resolved, Roon will still indicate that it is sending a 48kHz file to my M32, but my M32 will recognize the content as MQA encoded and display the unfolded sampling rate.
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Is there a display on the Bluesound Nodes?
Nope. And there is nothing on BluOS app to show the resolution details.
Thanks!
Now let’s hope Bluesound and Roon folks figure out a fix.
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So I am confused. I have a blue sound node 2 hooked directly into a pair of speakers. Streaming MQA from Tidal.
With the blue sound app I can listen and hear full MQA?
But with Roon app I can not get full MQA output?