What are you doing in HQP with MQA files?

[andybob (Andrew Cox)]

You could do that, but I would find it annoying to change the Decoder setting according to format. Instead I decide which version to make Primary. If all that is on offer from Tidal Masters is 44.1/48 ORFS, then I’ll make a local or Tidal Redbook version Primary. If I can get 88.1/96 ORFS or better, then I make the MQA version Primary. That way I can just leave the Decoder on.

It’s not a huge issue for me and I wouldn’t be bothered turning the Decoder off if all I can get is 44.1/48 ORFS. The Decoder is just upsampling that material, there is no recorded hi res content there. Might as well get HQP to upsample.

It also depends, of course, on the mix. A good mix preserving DR is preferable to a compressed loudness warrior, no matter what MQA status it has.

Edit: Brian has noted that when the Decoder outputs an 88.2/96 stream for an ORFS 44.1/48 MQA file then Roon is not upsampling. The decoded content has been created in the MQA encoding:

Roon 1.5 Feedback Thread

My understanding is that they employ a variety of techniques (which are not “just upsampling”) during encoding in order to extract as much quality as possible from the original master, and that there are sound quality advantages to distributing the output of that process at a higher bitrate than the original master. At the same time, the file is honest about what the source material was, so you have that information to provide context.

I’m not convinced that ORFS 44.1/48 MQA files have an audible advantage over non-MQA and will judge between versions according to mix. I doubt my ability to hear any audible difference except between different mixes in this case.