I have done this with hi res compared to undecoded MQA and the Un Decoded MQA wins for me.
I did some blind testing with a friend (easy to do with Roon) and he was convinced the MQA file was, in his words, Hi Res.
For what it’s worth, Chris
Based on my analysis on the available files, undecoded MQA has worse technical performance than plain RedBook file I create from the original DXD master. There is so much added noise.
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If theoretical technical performance/measurements was all that mattered why are people still buying tube amps…
Yes but its the same noise that all vinyl and valve heads like. Some people think that Audiophiles actually want to hear the real music as it was recorded, they don’t they like it coloured and limited in range. This begs the question why do they want higher and higher resolution distortion, afraid I don’t have the answer.
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Even if you think that MQA without MQA decoder sounds better as HiRes, the more adequate comparison is against CD red book. And this sounds better to my ears, can only be because of the reduced time smearing.
Against HiRes I’ve found it to be a mixed bag.
I thought reduced time smearing required the MQA decoder. Isn’t it dependant on the decoder reading the ADC information in the file, using the DAC information and making some kind of apodising adjustment ?
Any time smearing due to the recording equipment is corrected in the file, so even without a MQA decoder there is some improvement … However, you are right that that for playback correction then a MQA decoder (that is aware of what the DAC is in the chain) is required.
I have the Meridian Explorer² and Prime with the Prime Power Supply and the 2L MQA and not MQA recordings (mostly 24/192, but 24/96 and one 16/44,1, too).
For me without the Meridian hardware decoder MQA sounds better than 16/44,1 but 24/96 and 24/192 sound better than MQA. With the decoder it is a very different story. MQA is for me the winner all the time and by a wide margin.
That experience is, I believe, exactly what MQA is claiming.
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Nice to know. I found a cheap demo unit of Explorer2 and can’t wait to try out Tidal’s MQA. Hope they don’t remove my Master setting.
My current headphone/dac needs repairs, so figured this would hold me off for while until I can afford to fix it. Can also up sample to 24/192k using HQPlayer. Only have up to 96k on current dac. It’s also possible this little headphone/dac combo will sound better than my expensive unit.
Update the firmware first and if it will be not possible contact Meridian. In that case you will get a brand new Explorer² unit.
Thats’ even better to know.
Now I just need to figure out what happen to my Tidal app. Currently saying Bad Network and has a Reload button that does nothing. Hope it’s resolved by the time the dac arrived. Suppose I can download all the test tracks if I had to. Also hope it’s not too much longer before official rollout and Roon update to pull in the Master setting from Tidal.
Master setting now gone. I had to reinstall Tidal app and sign back in. Copying library cache just brought back the Bad Network error.
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@iamoneagain
To have more fun with the Explorer² (and MQA :)) I use a linear power supply ( AQVOX), USB filters (Audioquest Jitterbugs) and a different USB cable (Audioquest Coffee). I know they are more expensive than the Explorer² itself :), but maybe you have or can arrange them for some days to find what sound quality is possible even with a 250$ DAC.
I’m confused on how volume control on the Explorer2 works since it’s done thru the computer. Anyone know especially on the Mac.
For my question of Roon Streaming Tidal’s MQA, I meant Roon will need special access to the Master setting once it’s available. When I had Master setting in Tidal app, the same track in Roon was only the HIFI version. So Roon will need option to choose whether you want HIFI stream or MQA like Amarra for Tidal has. Even though I think the MQA sounds better even with a non-MQA dac, some people still want the option to get HIFI version instead.
This entire topic about roon being MQA compatible sounds a lot like asking if roon is HDCD compatible.
Roon plays all my HDCD files at 44.1/16 to my non HDCD DAC. That same file sent to my DAC that can decode HDCD recognizes the stream is HDCD and a red light comes on. Even iTunes will send the HDCD stream in ALAC correctly to the HDCD DAC. It won’t do much more that that but it’ll send an HDCD stream.
Getting off topic for a minute, it sounds as if you will not be able to re encode the mqa file as you can with HDCD, ie extracting the HDCD to 44.1/24 with DSP software and be able to hear the full HDCD quality without the HDCD DAC. HDCD files actually are smaller in 44.1/24 with level 8 flac compression than they are in 44.1/16 with flac default (level 5) compression. But decoded HDCD is not even in the same ballpark as what MQA is. Why would you want to re encode MQA… their goal was to create a small hi res file. Hi res content taking up a fraction of the space needed by 192/24 files.
Meridian has made a better HDCD. Send that stream to a DAC that can’t decode MQA you get SACD redbook layer quality, some are saying it’s actually better than redbook layer quality. But send that same stream to a DAC that can decode it, the magic happens.
Just as in the HDCD files, as long as you don’t convert or re sample the flac file, the stream should be recognized when sent to a DAC that can decode MQA.
I’m only assuming, since there are none that I know of yet, but if you could/did purchase a cd that was mqa and ripped it to a flac file the mqa encoding would be preserved in the file and when played back with a bit perfect player, such as Roon, to a DAC with MQA it would be seen as MQA. I assume this because MQA was designed just as HDCD was. All the bits and resolution folded up in that tiny cd quality file.
The volume thing could be important because I know for a fact if the volume is lowered in iTunes when playing an HDCD encoded file, my DAC will not recognize it as HDCD. Turn the volume up to 100% in iTunes and the red light comes on. I haven’t tried this in Roon yet.
I guess it all boils down to good flac files, a bit perfect player, and the means to decode it.
Just be aware that the MC200 or indeed any of the Meridian Sooloos Cores can’t “decode” MQA files right now either.
The Explorer 2, Prime and 818v3 / 808v6 can decode MQA files sent to them in a Bit-Perfect manner.
And Roon and Sooloos can do that currently.
Reading this: http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2016/02/measurements-impressions-meridian.html I’m kind of left wondering what all the fuss is about.
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Clearly I missed something recently.
Ronnie, thanks for the response. Just to confirm, sounds like you’re saying:
- An MC200 can decode an MQA file and output a 24/96 file to my Meridian end point
- Roon can also decode an MQA file and output a 24/96 file to my Meridian end point
yes?
There was a typo in Ronnie’s post, now corrected.