TIDAL, HifiBerry DAC+ and MQA

Audio Gear Talk
1

Hi there,

I have a self-assembled RPI with a HifiBerry DAC+ connected via HAT running ropieeexl. What are the recommended settings to get as much as possible out of the MQA signal as possible?

My current setting for the ropieeexl are:

  • MQA capabilities: No MQA support
  • Enable MQA core decoder: yes

Signal Path: Source(TIDAL FLAC 48kHz 24bit 2ch MQA96kHz) → Authentication(MQA Studio 96kHz) → MQA core decoder (to 96kHz 24bit) → ropieeexl (Roon Advanced Audio Transport) → HiFiBerry DAC+ (ALSA)

Many thanks!
Jesko

2

I’ve the same setup in my kitchen, that’s the optimal path.

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3

You have it set as best it can be.

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4

Thanks folks for the confirmation! MQA keeps being a seven-sealed-book to me - I am curious if a different DAC would do “more unfolding” origami stuff.

5

Yup, a DAC that had full MQA support would be able to go past 96kHz for recording’s that had it, and also apply the “correct” filter.

But it is all very contentious as to how much this matters in the end. I have a bunch of listening setups in my house and one is a full MQA DAC (Topping D90 MQA) but I couldn’t say it definitively makes a difference, though you will find people that swear it either makes it worse or better.

I am entirely content with Roon doing the first (and in my opinion most important) unfound.

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