Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital MQA dropouts

[Patrick_Daloiso]

Continuing the discussion from MQA dropouts during play:

Core Machine (Operating system/System info/Roon build number)

INTEL NUC with ROCK latest SW-Version

Network Details (Including networking gear model/manufacturer and if on WiFi/Ethernet)

CAT 5 Ethernet

Audio Devices (Specify what device you’re using and its connection type - USB/HDMI/etc.)

NUC with ROCK -> USB Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital

Description Of Issue

Hello support team,
I just today received my Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital and played around with it.
I do have one problem discovered: with some MQA songs there are dropouts.

Found the linked thread but it was closed without proper solution, or I am wrong?

Kind Regards and merry X-Mas!
Patrick

[dylan (Dylan Caudill)]

Sorry for the trouble, @Patrick_Daloiso!

Is it always the same MQA songs that trigger this?

Can you share a screenshot of the Signal Path when playing MQA content?

[Patrick_Daloiso]

Hi Dylan, thank you for the support!

It seems to be always the same songs but not exactly at the same part of the track.
So for example I do have dropouts always with this track, but sometimes within the first seconds and sometimes in the middle or at the end or both…

If I set the Pre Box to only renderer it works without problems…but that is not satisfying at all.

Kind Regards
Patrick

[noris]

Hi @Patrick_Daloiso,

Does local MQA also display this issue? If you need to download a few you can do so from the 2L Test Bench (right-click on the file size -> save as).

[Patrick_Daloiso]

In the meanwhile I read a lot in different forums and it seems that the problem is related to the MQA tracks itself and some full MQA HW which is more sensitive than other MQA HW.
As long as you use the HW only as a renderer (it does not matter if the decoding is done with Roon, Tidal or something else) the dropouts are gone.

[noris]

Hi @Patrick_Daloiso,

Thanks for letting us know you were able to resolve this issue! That’s strange that MQA full decoder wasn’t working for you, I’ll also forward this remark to our hardware team in case they wish to persue further. Happy New Year!