I want to upgrade my dac.

steve59 said:
I'm not arguing that as I've been a roon and tidal subscriber since at least 2019, I'm saying there's several bluesound users, bluesound of the lembrook group, the group that also bought mqa that have been telling on their screen mqa recordings are still showing up.
So after explaining why I'm saying the opposite of what we all know to be true, I was on the bluesound app yesterday and while there were titles with mqa designations, I didn't see any with resolution above 44.1.
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I've said it a 1000x before, but there is nothing wrong with 16/44.1. I prefer it to the vast majority of so called hi-rez files I have heard.

As for MQA, I never cared for how it sounded.
 
mep said:
I've said it a 1000x before, but there is nothing wrong with 16/44.1. I prefer it to the vast majority of so called hi-rez files I have heard.

As for MQA, I never cared for how it sounded.
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I agree. Many have said it thousands of times - it’s all about the recording - not about the resolution. I have many examples of crappy recordings in many resolutions. From CDs to SACDs.

However, in general, if you enjoy the music they publish, Native DSD makes great music.
 
completely agree about the recording quality and recording resolution and formats, well i can swap out megabuck speaker wires and not hear an improvement either way, but there's several 24/192 mqa's I'd happily pay to own specifically for their sound.
 
crwilli said:
I agree. Many have said it thousands of times - it’s all about the recording - not about the resolution. I have many examples of crappy recordings in many resolutions. From CDs to SACDs.

However, in general, if you enjoy the music they publish, Native DSD makes great music.
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And that's the problem. "If you enjoy the music they publish..." Just because some music was recorded well (regardless of format) doesn't mean it's music you want to listen to.
 
I had Tidal during the MQA days and enjoyed it. MQA typically sounded better but that's what encoding etc. was geared for. Right? The initial file, the software in your DAC. Now that it's FLAC it does sound different and I realize MQA was not as titled or claimed "master quality" but did have some type of manipulation that made it sound pleasant. Unless you had two separate music files from a HD I don't believe there could be a true A/B comparison between MQA and non-MQA. I don't think the actual sound quality killed MQA as much as the negative backlash, politics.

So many variables whether high res streaming sounds better than 44.1k. As mentioned the original recording is where you start. I don't care how high the res goes Rush isn't sounded that great, good music, just not typically recorded well. If you don't agree Moving Pictures everyone thinks is so great SQ, no, go back and listen to Caress of Steel, much better. Probably due to less compression on COS. I do find the 44.1k better in many instances mostly with Rock and Pop, maybe do to poor remastering. There are some high res that sounds great, much better than 44.1k that I've found mostly in Jazz recordings, even older ones.

When streaming in general 44.1k sound more close and thicker, higher res, especially 192k sounds back further and thinner. Anyone else get that? When available my sweet spot is usually 96k unless as mentioned before the 44.1k is just still better.

To me MQA made melodies easier to follow and vocals more natural, my guess is they may have been going for a more analog type sound. Highs by comparison was a bit more rolled off yet smoothed. It was nice to have the choice. Another way to say it MQA was going for a less digital sound.
 
steve59 said:
He was referring to any of the modern dac's. I mentioned my appreciation for several 24/192 MQA recordings on tidal {thru roon) and he said I could take home a bluesound node to compare to my nucleus so I'll see if it makes a difference, can't argue with the price.
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Was the reason for the Node to see if you could get MQA? If you want to step up streaming you need to try Aurender or Lumin. Node is good up to like Mid-fi. I've had HEOS and Node before they are toys compared to my ACS10. No comparison really.
 
Find a different dealer? A dealer who has something they feel is worthy and will let you demo. Even if you cannot afford the demo at least you can get a taste of what is possible.
Just as anything else in the world of stereo’s not everything is created equal.
 
I was sent home with the node lcon dac/streamer. I’ve spent several hours trying to get the icon to use roon because the Bluesound streaming menu, app is nowhere near as refined at this point and I can’t use the dac without it. This dealer carries lumin and maybe tomorrow I’ll return the icon for the dac he has on the floor. There’s a MSB dealer a couple miles away… Maybe it’s the 10 year old Silverado I drive up in? Idk but he wouldn’t even tell me what his MSB products cost. Perhaps my system isn’t considered resolving enough.
 
steve59 said:
I was sent home with the node lcon dac/streamer. I’ve spent several hours trying to get the icon to use roon because the Bluesound streaming menu, app is nowhere near as refined at this point and I can’t use the dac without it. This dealer carries lumin and maybe tomorrow I’ll return the icon for the dac he has on the floor. There’s a MSB dealer a couple miles away… Maybe it’s the 10 year old Silverado I drive up in? Idk but he wouldn’t even tell me what his MSB products cost. Perhaps my system isn’t considered resolving enough.
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The Bluesound DAC's won't compare to your current built-in DAC. I'm confused what your dealer is doing. You asked about DAC's but seem to be trying streamers.

I'm surprised there are dealers who still judge people, snobs. If you don't need the USB additional piece MSB starts around $12k. A N05xd with streamer and DAC is around $11k. I can't say how much better it is over what you have but it was a good step up from my built-in DAC inside the 526. BTW the N05xd can do MQA if ever available anywhere.

If you really just want a DAC and what I mentioned is more than you are looking to spend you could try Schiit Yggy or people seem to like the Eversolo stuff, I've not heard them. I've heard the Yggy in a friend's system it sounded good he eventually moved to a Chord. If just a DAC there are so many options.
 
I think he told me to try the node, even though he warned me it wouldn't sound any different, was because I told him bluesound owners were still claiming to get mqa on tidal thru their systems. I'm not dropping $12k on a dac, but if I can get one second hand, or get a demo box and the sound pulls me in.
 
steve59 said:
I think he told me to try the node, even though he warned me it wouldn't sound any different, was because I told him bluesound owners were still claiming to get mqa on tidal thru their systems. I'm not dropping $12k on a dac, but if I can get one second hand, or get a demo box and the sound pulls me in.
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Dude, with those speakers and amps what's $12k. :) Unless you don't believe the source matters. Any detail not from the source simply will not be heard, nothing downstream will bring it.
 
I just need to get to a shop that can do a side by side for me. Someone here recommended lumin and I can get a comparison between that the icon, dac1 and dac 2 all today which I'll do unless my offer on a pair of blade meta's is accepted.
 
steve59 said:
I just need to get to a shop that can do a side by side for me. Someone here recommended lumin and I can get a comparison between that the icon, dac1 and dac 2 all today which I'll do unless my offer on a pair of blade meta's is accepted.
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The new X2?
 
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