Unable to use MQA functionality on iFi Go Link DAC/AMP (ref#DGEB1W)

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

Affected Product

Roon

Roon Issue Category

Playback

Description of Issue

I have a iFi Go Link DAC/AMP (with MQA), but I’m not able to use MQA functionality on it. I already change the device setup MQA capabilities to be “Decoder and renderer”

Roon Server Platform

Windows

Roon Server Specifications

Windows 10 PC, i5-8350U CPU with 8GB RAM, with iFi Go Link USB driver installed

Connected Audio Devices

iFi Go Link (USB DAC/AMP). The audio format LED doesn’t go magenta (MQA), it’s green

Home Network Details

PC WiFi connected to a NAS server

Screenshot

[mjw]

@filipe.ferreira.neve

iFi Go Link

Mist iFi DACs are renderers only, so this needs to be reflected in the settings. Moreover, set the Roon zone as “Renderer Only”, then Roon will perform the MQA decoding.

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

Thanks for your quick answer! I set the iFi DAC to be “Renderer Only”, but the DAC still doesn’t change the led color to MQA.
Is there any setting that specific sets the Roon as the decoder?

[mjw]

Please share an image of the signal path, and confirm that you have enabled MQA core decoder in Roon.

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

[mjw]

Accirding to the signal path, the album is not MQA encoded.

I note that MQA appears in the version, and it is a local file, not streaming from TIDAL. How did you rip the CD, or was it a download?

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

It was a download

[mjw]

Do you have access to other MQA material to test your settings?

Otherwise, use a utility to check the file for MQA encoding. If you use Windows, this may work for you.

GitHub - purpl3F0x/MQA_identifier: Master Quality Authenticated codec reverse...

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

Thanks for identifying that the file that I was using wasn’t a real MQA and sorry for creating this misunderstanding.
Nevertheless, I tried with a different file (correctly identified by Roon and by MQA_identifier), but iFi Go Link doesn’t change yet its color to magenta.

[mjw]

The Roon full decoder isn’t functioning. If it were, there would be an additional step in the signal path. Furthermore, the indicator would be a blue star.

[Carl]

@filipe.ferreira.neve,

The zone settings look right now, so it’s odd that Roon is not performing the MQA decoding.

As troubleshooting step, could you reboot the Windows machine Roon is running on.

[Rugby (aka Daniel or Big Dan)]

Try setting the Volume to Fixed as a test and see if that changes things. Remember to adjust the volume down on the connected speakers or even disconnect them for the test.

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

Thanks all for your help! Changing the “Volume control” to “Device volume” (or “Fixed volume” as Rugby suggested) solve the issue, iFi Go Link is now using MQA!

Nevertheless, it seems that Roon isn’t yet fully compatible with iFi Go Link, it limits PCM to 96kHz (instead of 384kHz) and any DSD. Changing some parameters, don’t take immediate effect (after saving). I’m using WASAPI (ASIO appears as “Device not found”)

The final setup was:

[filipe.ferreira.neve (Filipe Ferreira Neves)]

Note: in “Identify this device”, iFi Go Link isn’t available (yet, hopefully).

After re-installing the ifi USB Device Driver (for Windows), I was able to choose ASIO (and also WASAPI started to have more audio options like PCM over 96kHz, but not native DSD).
But Roon isn’t able to play with ASIO: no sound is outputted, the time line doesn’t move (athought the “equalizer” shows activity) and sometimes appears a message “too many errors”