MQA not decoding using Moon 280D DAC connected to Roon via USB

Core Machine
Windows 10 machine

Description of Issue

I have a moon 280d dac. Trying to run MQA files from a windows CORE via the dac, but can’t get the high resolution files to work. I’ve selected an album version of The Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed as follows: FLAC 48kHz 24 bit, MQA 192Hz

In Roon settings, the moon DAC is recognized and I have it set up as decoder and renderer and MQA decoder is enabled.

When I play the album via ROON the signal path says LOSSLESS, the file source is recognized as MQA 192, the AUTHENTICATION says MQA192, but then there is nothing indicate decoding is happening and the DAC is showing it is playing 48 kHz.

I’ve tried rebooting, logging out of tidal and restarting, deleing the tidal account within the ROON database registry. None of these work. I’ve tried multiple MQA albums via ROON and none of them come through at high resolution.

Any suggestions?

Hi Robert,

It looks as though you might have the dac connected via USB. MQA decoding is only via Network input (I believe).

Hook it up via your network and enable it under Roon Ready in Settings > Audio.

Cheers, Greg

Thank you Greg. Yes, my DAC is connected via USB. When you say connect if via the network do you mean via a streamer? I do not currently have a streamer.

Can others confirm if MQA decoding is possible or not via USB?

The Moon 280D DAC is a Roon Ready device, listed on Roon’s Partners page, this means the Roon Core will see it on your network and stream to it using the RAAT network protocol.

To facilitate this … disconnect the DAC from USB and connect it to your LAN via an RJ45 patch lead.

Hi Robert,

I’ve looked into the 280D’s manual and it says that MQA is only support on the mind2 module. This means that MQA is only supported via Ethernet or Wireless interface so the connection between Roon core and the moon must be via this interfaces, so you must streaming to the moon.
I’m not sure if all 280D came with this module, but if you have this module you have already a streamer.

He does not have a streamer as in his comment.Mind 2 module is needed.

Thanks @Outlaw,
I did not realise it was an optional module and hence thought @Robert_Rose was speaking of need to add a 3rd party streamer. All understood now.

Thank you all.
I bought the 280D without the mind streamer (it was optional) so I don’t have that feature.
Based on the responses above it sounds like I will not be able to use the MQA features unless I upgrade the DAC.

1 Like

Not what you were enquiring about, but as an alternative you could let Roon perform the MQA decode: enable Roon’s MQA Core decoder and set the zones MQA capabilities renderer only.

I don’t know if the Moon would still render MQA when setup like this but it’s worth a shot.

1 Like

Thanks Carl. I tried your suggestion. It does get me up to 96kHz, 24 bit MQA via the ROON decoder. Seems the 280D DAC still doesn’t do any further rendering when connected by USB.

Hello @Robert_Rose and a very delayed welcome to the Roon community :wave:

I am so sorry that we didn’t get a chance to reply to your post until today :pleading_face: and I can only thank you that in the meantime you’ve engaged with the Roon community to find the answers you were looking for.

I was wondering if at this point there is anything else we can help with? We’d love to :nerd_face: