MQA Discussion

So is the Innuos I brought to Keith's house. Not only a Roon endpoint, but a Roon Core as well, so a true turn-key solution.

And future proof too, given that once you go Renderer/Ethernet, you can keep using the Innuos as a Roon Coreo only, with the DAC plugged in its back, as it's also an Ethernet hub/switch.
 
Roon is fantastic. I will not consider any music server, DAC, renderer, or whatever if Roon is not supported. The Roon lifetime subscription is the best money spent in this crazy hobby to date.

I'd love to try Roon, but I don't use credit cards.
 
Thanks - I am indeed leaning to a Roon-based streaming system after asiufy let me demo it. I currently have a MSB Analog dac, but their renderer isn't Roon compliant and an upgraded version isn't imminent :( If I am reading things correctly, I'd need a microrendu type device.


MSB informed me that their Roon ethernet renderer should be available very soon...i took that to mean end of Sept at the latest....
 
I find it very interesting to read that those who most strongly oppose MQA have actually never heard it IN THEIR SYSTEMS. I remember when MQA was launched at CES, many manufacturers opposed it and some of those now are quite accepting of MQA and implementing it into their hardware. There still remains quite a few who have dug their heels in, but I feel they will eventually soften their stance. We saw this before with DSD. Those that refused to implement DSD, even DoP, suffered sales losses. I predict we will see this play out again with MQA, but it has the potential to have even a greater impact.

I had my friend Jerry over to the store tonight. 3 hours later we were still listening. Jerry, who has a great ear, was blown away by hearing full blown, fully unfolded MQA via the Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC 2 MQA and Lumin U1.

Much like vinyl, even old, less than stellar recordings are actually quite listenable.

Unlike DSD, MQA is coming out with new material every single day and does not distinguish between new albums, old albums, jazz albums, rock albums, classical albums or anything!

I personally do not experience any digital fatigue when I'm listening to an MQA album. The same cannot be said for redbook or even high res PCM. The filters applied to the music fixing time and spatial cues, significantly enhances digital.
 
I find it very interesting to read that those who most strongly oppose MQA have actually never heard it IN THEIR SYSTEMS.

I agree.

Do have any experience playing MQA files via an Audioquest Dragonfly Red?

PS- Roon let me try it without entering a credit card. I wasn't impressed.
 
I agree.

Do have any experience playing MQA files via an Audioquest Dragonfly Red?

PS- Roon let me try it without entering a credit card. I wasn't impressed.

Unfortunately not. I have listened to MQA extensively on the Aurender A10, Lumin A1 and Berkeley REF 2 MQA and some time on the PS Audio DS via its Network Bridge II.

The Berk REF 2 MQA is on another level. As good as any DAC I've ever heard at any price.


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Do have any experience playing MQA files via an Audioquest Dragonfly Red?

PS- Roon let me try it without entering a credit card. I wasn't impressed.

If you meant you used Roon to play MQA to Dragonfly Red, you were not listening to decoded MQA. Dragonfly is a MQA Renderer, and it requires something to perform the MQA Core decoding first. You have to use either Tidal desktop app or Audirvana. Roon does not currently support MQA Core decoding yet.

Case C:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/ca-academy/mqa-for-civilians/
 
If you meant you used Roon to play MQA to Dragonfly Red, you were not listening to decoded MQA. Dragonfly is a MQA Renderer, and it requires something to perform the MQA Core decoding first. You have to use either Tidal desktop app or Audirvana. Roon does not currently support MQA Core decoding yet.

Case C:
https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/ca-academy/mqa-for-civilians/

I didn't try MQA files with Roon, just Redbook and HiRez files.

I ordered a Dragonfly Red and will try MQA with the Tidal desktop app.
 
I didn't try MQA files with Roon, just Redbook and HiRez files.

I ordered a Dragonfly Red and will try MQA with the Tidal desktop app.

Dan, I'm glad you are giving it a real try unlike all the naysayers who are just speculating based on yada yada...

I intend to do the same with my MSB at some point.
 
Dan, I'm glad you are giving it a real try unlike all the naysayers who are just speculating based on yada yada...

I intend to do the same with my MSB at some point.

Yes, unlike Al M, I've heard DSD and Hirez recordings in my system and I'll give the MQA files a listen.
 
Although I've not verified this, there are other forum reports of Universal MQA showing up in Tidal.
 
I was fortunate to have a private audition of new Alexia 2's being driven by Dan A'gustino Momentum mono's and a Rossini DAC with the new MQA update installed. We played a lot of redbook and hi-res tracks and compared them to MQA tracks. The difference was very noticeable - hearing much more separation and tuneful bass etc. During the audition we started to notice the haze in the rebook and came to expect some of what the MQA track would do. We went back and forth and also played 24/192 versions and for a laugh an MP3 rip. It's made me start thinking about getting an MQA DAC. Possibly a Rossini or fingers crossed Bricasti add MQA to the M1.
On another note, the bass out of the Alexia 2's was incredible - a very impressive speaker.
 
I was fortunate to have a private audition of new Alexia 2's being driven by Dan A'gustino Momentum mono's and a Rossini DAC with the new MQA update installed. We played a lot of redbook and hi-res tracks and compared them to MQA tracks. The difference was very noticeable - hearing much more separation and tuneful bass etc. During the audition we started to notice the haze in the rebook and came to expect some of what the MQA track would do. We went back and forth and also played 24/192 versions and for a laugh an MP3 rip. It's made me start thinking about getting an MQA DAC. Possibly a Rossini or fingers crossed Bricasti add MQA to the M1.
On another note, the bass out of the Alexia 2's was incredible - a very impressive speaker.

The original Alexia's bass was also incredible when properly installed.
 
I listened to MQA fully decoded at Mike's this past Saturday. I AM STUNNED. The "Master cuts" were unbelievable. Even the regular 60's and 70's recordings had a real quality to them finally.
It reminded me of the days and nights I used to spend at a friend's studio, listening to original mixes. I have not been this excited about music in a long time. Unless Mike pulled a fast one and was somehow playing master tapes.....via an Ipad, I am a believer. I am buying in immediately. I am all in.
 
I listened to MQA fully decoded at Mike's this past Saturday. I AM STUNNED. The "Master cuts" were unbelievable. Even the regular 60's and 70's recordings had a real quality to them finally.
It reminded me of the days and nights I used to spend at a friend's studio, listening to original mixes. I have not been this excited about music in a long time. Unless Mike pulled a fast one and was somehow playing master tapes.....via an Ipad, I am a believer. I am buying in immediately. I am all in.

If he was using an Ipad, it wasn't MQA.

From the Tidal website:

** Currently TIDAL Masters audio is supported via our desktop application only.
 
If he was using an Ipad, it wasn't MQA.

From the Tidal website:

** Currently TIDAL Masters audio is supported via our desktop application only.

LOL. I was using the iPad to control the Lumin U1 which does full MQA unfold. That was passed to the Berk REF2 MQA which does the rendering.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
LOL. I was using the iPad to control the Lumin U1 which does full MQA unfold. That was passed to the Berk REF2 MQA which does the MQA rendering.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
If he was using an Ipad, it wasn't MQA.

From the Tidal website:

** Currently TIDAL Masters audio is supported via our desktop application only.



Maybe it was a Windows touchpad ?? All I know is he was using it to select the music.....and it was displaying Tidal, and which selections were Masters ??
 
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