audio.bill
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Just as another data point, the current Bluesound streaming products internally use a Wolfson DAC and they were recently upgraded to full MQA compliance via a firmware update.
MQA Discussion
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Kuoppis
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That is quite interesting, as I am not sure whether the Wolfson chips are still in production under that name since the company was sold. Hence the question, does the MQA addition require a rework of the DAC or is it just a string of add-on code. That could be possible, as MQA are tampering with the original recording material. Btw, the Daniel Hertz company (new company of Mark Lewinson after he sold his namesake company to Harman) has a similar add-on SW EQ, which end users can use to change the sound equalisation of the files themselves.
On a side note, I would not quite put Bluesound in the same basket with DCS, Meitner, Playback Designs or even PS Audio, so they might be able take some short cuts others cannot.
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Mytek Brooklyn uses an existing ESS chip. It has firmware upgrade to support MQA.
audio.bill
Active member
Of course that's true - I didn't mean to imply that Bluesound was a high end product like those you mentioned, just that it is possible to achieve a fully compliant MQA implementation with a conventional DAC via a firmware update alone. Bluesound was one of the first fully certified MQA partners.
This depends on the hardware architecture. Some will be able to do it entirely with firmware upgrade. Some will require hardware modification.
CPP
Active member
So true. My neighbor when he purchased his Brooklyn had to wait for the Brooklyn to pass MQA certification, then once passed, the firmware upgrade via download was announced. So now he gets the little MQA light on MQA music.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Even though, at this point in time, I have zero interest in MQA, this leads me to believe that any DAC utilizing the ESS chip would be able to add MQA support through a firmware update. Maybe they don't have the little MQA light (big whoopy doo doo), but the support should be able to be implemented.
CPP
Active member
So true Randy but the key thing is to play MQA music, the total DAC itself has to be certified by MQA or it won't do MQA. I wish someone would invent software that does the same thing or similar to the smoke and mirror approach by MQA and then all it takes is a download for any dac chip not just a ESS. Like you I have zero interest since for my music taste there is NO music I like available to warrant buying a new whoopie do dac. .
Randy Myers
Well-known member
I really can't seeing it ever truly going over well if it is going to require a new DAC and downloading their own encoded music (which I am 100% sure will be very limited for the foreseeable future). I guess we will see, but every glowing report I have seen is using a top notch Meridian DAC and a quarter million dollar system. I would believe anything would sound amazing. Very deceiving if you ask me. For my much more basic system I doubt I would be able to hear the difference anyway.
still-one
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Randy. You are probably correct that MQA will never have a significant impact on either the high-end or mainstream audio. At best it will be niche like DSD. That said your comments about playing it only on high priced gear do not hold water. If MQA sounds better than what is already great sound from a 808v6 or a 818v3 it's not "just" the gear. Like everything else in this hobby it's usually a small improvement, not night and day.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
I was not saying that it may only sound good because of the equipment it is on. What i was saying, if I can put it into words correctly, is that, in my opinion to have any meaningful impact it has to be demonstrated and shown on more mainstream, or at audiophile mainstream systems. There are very few people who could afford the type of systems they demonstrate it on and review it on. Demonstrate it and review it on systems that your average audio enthusiast could afford might go a long way in showing it might be a viable format.
audio.bill
Active member
David Elias MQA music review from Mono and Stereo with comments on its sound quality:
"And as I have mentioned before in my review of the Meridian Explorer2, which is capable of decoding MQA tracks, this is a technology that I really, really hope will have a breakthrough soon. The sound is just so much fuller, more easy on your ears, more breathable, more lively, more enjoyable - and last but not least sounding less digital! "
"And as I have mentioned before in my review of the Meridian Explorer2, which is capable of decoding MQA tracks, this is a technology that I really, really hope will have a breakthrough soon. The sound is just so much fuller, more easy on your ears, more breathable, more lively, more enjoyable - and last but not least sounding less digital! "
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Well these were recorded in DSD. So playing them back in MQA sounds better than the original.... hmmm maybe the DAC does not do DSD well... there are a ton of variables.... but if the MQA sounds better than the original recording then I would say... something sounds fishy to me...
The more and more I read about this the more and more this whole thing has a bad over tone to me. I think the more they try to prove how great they are the further away they are getting from gaining any true interest for me....
The more and more I read about this the more and more this whole thing has a bad over tone to me. I think the more they try to prove how great they are the further away they are getting from gaining any true interest for me....
still-one
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So now it not just Bob Stuart and MQA people are questioning? It is the recording artist too!
David Elias has been releasing his music in DSD for some time now. He is a proponent of DSD for SQ so when we read comments that MQA sounds good (not sure where I have read he says better) when compared to DSD why are we so ready to discount this? He could just continue to sell DSD"s.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
That is my point. There is no way it can sound better than the original recording. If it does than some type of game is being played. I was not questioning David Elias, or course, but instead the reviewer. And in the past the Meridian folks have made the claim that their system many times sound better than the original.
Making 4 tracks available to the MQA people does not in any way lead me to question David. But some of the claims and reviews being done on insane level systems very much does.
BTW- I do in fact own 3 of David's albums in DSD.
Making 4 tracks available to the MQA people does not in any way lead me to question David. But some of the claims and reviews being done on insane level systems very much does.
BTW- I do in fact own 3 of David's albums in DSD.
asindc
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Without offering an opinion on whether the MQA file in question sounds better than the original, I can say from recent experience that the Tidal-streamed remastered version of Sam Cooke at the Copa sounds much better than the download of the original CD.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
I would imagine a remastered would sound better than the CD. I am not questioning that MQA may be a good technology, and in many case may be very comparable. I am very much questioning weather it is better than some of the high resolution formats, especially DSD. And I totally understand if it is better than standard streaming resolutions but not larger in size, so it can be streamed. I have no issue in streaming, but I do understand the comparison for those that do.
I do question weather it can best the top download formats and SACD for that matter. When storage space is a non-issue, the compact size is irrelevant for anything but streaming. I also very much question their methodologies and the manner they came out of the gate with it. Reviews on these mega 1/4 million dollar systems, etc. And the way they are dealing with other top end equipment manufactures. Just my observations and concerns....
I do question weather it can best the top download formats and SACD for that matter. When storage space is a non-issue, the compact size is irrelevant for anything but streaming. I also very much question their methodologies and the manner they came out of the gate with it. Reviews on these mega 1/4 million dollar systems, etc. And the way they are dealing with other top end equipment manufactures. Just my observations and concerns....
FYI. The methodology by which MQA attempts to sound better than the original recording, is that since no recording equipment (ADC) and playback equipment (DAC) can be perfect, MQA profiled and digitally compensates for both when playing back through a MQA-compliant DAC.
Note I'm not saying MQA is better or not - I remain neutral in this matter.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
That is what I am referring to. I read something about them profiling and compensating. Anything different than the original, in any way is digitally changing the signal. Again, not saying that it is not as good or that it is better only saying they are changing the signal. I personally would rather have as close to the original as possible. Maybe call me a purest in this regards. I do remain neutral, but very skeptical at this point.