Thread: Ever notice this?

When listening to MQA tracks on Tidal I will sometimes play a track and hear distortion, like digital noise, popping sounds. Very obvious, I'll stop the track. The noise will occur again when playing the same track over. So the issue is repeatable.

I have two theories, one being I only can decode MQA but my DAC can't complete the unfold, only play the higher resolution, it's not a MQA compatible DAC, so maybe something due to that.

The second, so far this only seems to have happened with Pop type tracks, so I'm wondering if these tracks may have had the levels boosted too high. I thought of this because the distortion seems to go with the beat of the music, like it happens when a bass line hits. Sort of like a blown speaker might do.

If it makes any difference I can only use USB from my ACS10.

Haven’t had that issue. My source for Tidal is a Lumin. I play both MQA and regular files.

Don't recall having that problem. We usually listen to the MQA version of a file on Tidal when given the option, in my case via an Aurender N100h. Just like you, my DAC won't do the 2nd stage of the unfold, so we have fairly similar setups. If you tell us a couple of the files that give the issue, I'll give them a listen and report back. My DAC also serves as a streamer, but I never use it that way. I can try listening to your tracks that way too, just to see what happens. Come to think of it, the DAC will do a full MQA unfold, but only when using its (awful, relative to Aurender) app interface. It's so bad that we simply don't use it even if it might sound better.

It is, only the MQA file of the track. No issues with the 44.1 version.
A couple things off the top that has the distortion, Freya Ridings, or, Tom Misch, What Kind Of Music, MQA.

It could be just something with my set up if no one else has had the issue.

Originally Posted by Mr Peabody

A couple things off the top that has the distortion, Freya Ridings, or, Tom Misch, What Kind Of Music, MQA.

I tried a couple of Freya Ridings tracks and the title track from the Misch album, each using 4 different playback methods: 1. not MQA via Aurender; 2. MQA via Aurender (1st unfold only); 3. not MQA via DAC network bridge; 4. MQA via DAC network bridge (full unfold). No pops or crackles or electronic distortion on any of them. Well, the Misch track had definite distortion throughout, but it was clearly part of the track and was present on all 4 attempts. As an aside, I preferred the sound quality on both Aurender versions to either of the DAC versions, reinforcing my belief that whatever Aurender is doing in their players, they're doing it well...

Not sure what you're dealing with, but my similar setup isn't doing it. Maybe check firmware and app versions for your components, and/or reload them?

Looks like just something I will have to sort out with my rig. I'm already in touch with Levinson on the handshake issue, so maybe this will need to be added to the query.

I agree, happy with my ACS10. I am also happy with my 526 sound quality but if some of the issues can't be dealt with...... I'll have to be doing some thinking. The ACS10 will be staying but not so sure I can say the same on the 526.

I've had really good luck with my W4S STP-SE stage 2. In a completely different price bracket from a new Levinson 526, but I haven't found anything I'd change, with the possible exception of how noisy the volume relays can be. But that has gotten better with time/wear, and it certainly doesn't interfere with the music. It's just a "dumb" preamp that happens to have an active stage. For me, that's great. For you it might be a problem since it doesn't have a phono stage. You could certainly add a top quality DAC for the savings relative to the 526, but the phono is harder.