So, does the introduction of MQA change/alter your plans going forward?

audiophil said:
How are you connecting to the Oppo?
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USB from my laptop to the rear USB input on the Oppo. Playing hi-res files from Foobar 2000 or JRiver it does up to 24/192, and as I said I'm getting 16/44.1 now, and Windows says the device is working properly, but Tida won't let me choose the option to let the computer control things
 
Rhapsody said:
It shows 24/44K on this title on my dac playing through the Aurender. I maintain that this has been decoded/unfolded in the Tidal app and has passed the MQA version of the file at 24/44 to the msb. If I had a mqa module in the msb then it would read higher to ??? and I hope that it does sound much better once it is hw decoded, BUT I still think this 24/44 is an MQA file and not by what I am hearing, just by the fact of what is shown in that review that I just passed on to you.

Sincerely, this if fun and exciting times....learning and enjoying!!!
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That is what it is 24/44 and it is MQA. It sounds very good too.
 
audiophil said:
I'd like to point out that this article is more than 7 months old, and doesn't take into account the introduction of software decoding by the Tidal Desktop app (I've added to your post to bring it up to speed with the times).

Besides that, Michael Lavorgna doesn't say anything that I haven't already said. An MQA file in it's 24/44 or 24/48 container can still be read by a non-MQA DAC, but it's not going to be decoded to its full encoded sample rate (88.2 or 96k). In other words, an undecoded MQA file is just another 24 bit audio file, much like those for sale @ hdtracks.com and other sites.
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"but it's not going to be decoded to its full encoded sample rate (88.2 or 96k).", This is what I am thinking that yes it's not decoded fully BUT it is decoded to some extent and I am saying that you can hear that "some extent" coding.
 
still-one said:
Just to let you know my 808v6 display shows MQA 44k on this title.
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Interesting, Jim. I assume you're not directly connected to your DAC and using the Tidal app for playback.

For the sake of experimentation, could you do so and select "Passthrough MQA" and report what sample rate is displayed?
 
rbbert said:
USB from my laptop to the rear USB input on the Oppo. Playing hi-res files from Foobar 2000 or JRiver it does up to 24/192, and as I said I'm getting 16/44.1 now, and Windows says the device is working properly, but Tida won't let me choose the option to let the computer control things
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You're having the same issue that I and Rhapsody encountered. Try plugging in another USB device into your computer with the Tidal app open and see if it forces it to recognize the Oppo.
 

Lampi can play MQA if the streamer can play it, so no change for me. I have to find a good streamer at some point
 
tunes said:
Bob,
In settings of the desktop tidal app, if you are seeing your msb dac selected, hover the mouse/cursor over the end of that text (ie to the right of "msb dac") and a tool icon will come up that you need to click to open the box that allows you to select exclusive mode.
Chris




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Hi Chris,

Thx. My pc is seeing my msb, BUT the Tidal app does not see it.
 
Rhapsody said:
"but it's not going to be decoded to its full encoded sample rate (88.2 or 96k).", This is what I am thinking that yes it's not decoded fully BUT it is decoded to some extent and I am saying that you can hear that "some extent" coding.
Click to expand...


I've seen nothing to indicate that there is any form of "partial" decoding when relying on software, so I will continue to respectfully disagree.
 
audiophil said:
Interesting, Jim. I assume you're not directly connected to your DAC and using the Tidal app for playback.

For the sake of experimentation, could you do so and select "Passthrough MQA" and report what sample rate is displayed?
Click to expand...

I am connected to Tidal thru Meridian/Sooloos. The Tidal ap has no affect on my system. There is no place to select MQA Passthrough. That must only show up it you have a USB DAC connected to your laptop.
 
audiophil said:
I've seen nothing to indicate that there is any form of "partial" decoding when relying on software, so I will continue to respectfully disagree.
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I think this is where all the confusion starts and I have no definitive answer.

I am guessing if you are not using a MQA DAC and using the Tidal ap you are getting a software decoded MQA file that assumes everyone is using Generic DAC A. Since they do not know what DAC you re actually using you get some improvement in SQ but not specific for your DAC.
 
still-one said:
I think this is where all the confusion starts and I have no definitive answer.

I am guessing if you are not using a MQA DAC and using the Tidal ap you are getting a software decoded MQA file that assumes everyone is using Generic DAC A. Since they do not know what DAC you re actually using you get some improvement in SQ but not specific for your DAC.
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Exactly:)
 
still-one said:
I am connected to Tidal thru Meridian/Sooloos. The Tidal ap has no affect on my system. There is no place to select MQA Passthrough. That must only show up it you have a USB DAC connected to your laptop.
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Correct - it only shows up when directly connected to your computer. Furthermore, per Tidal's own website (again, emphasis theirs):

How can I listen to TIDAL Masters (master-quality recordings)?
All you need is a TIDAL HiFi membership to access thousands of master-quality albums only through the TIDAL desktop application.

So what I'm asking you to do is connect directly to your DAC and compare the sample rate of a file played back via the desktop application, passing the undecoded MQA file to your DAC.

I have verified that software decoding via Tidal Desktop of Iron and Wine's "Ghost on Ghost" results in 88.2k sample rate, however your findings seem to indicate that hardware decoding displays 44.1k.

I'm interested to learn if files passed directly from the Tidal Desktop to an MQA enabled DAC display the decoded sample rate (88.2) or the original container rate (44.1) when decoded on your DAC.
 
audiophil said:
Correct - it only shows up when directly connected to your computer. Furthermore, per Tidal's own website (again, emphasis theirs):

How can I listen to TIDAL Masters (master-quality recordings)?
All you need is a TIDAL HiFi membership to access thousands of master-quality albums only through the TIDAL desktop application.

So what I'm asking you to do is connect directly to your DAC and compare the sample rate of a file played back via the desktop application, passing the undecoded MQA file to your DAC.

I have verified that software decoding via Tidal Desktop of Iron and Wine's "Ghost on Ghost" results in 88.2k sample rate, however your findings seem to indicate that hardware decoding displays 44.1k.

I'm interested to learn if files passed directly from the Tidal Desktop to an MQA enabled DAC display the decoded sample rate (88.2) or the original container rate (44.1) when decoded on your DAC.
Click to expand...

I know you asked Jim this, but this is one of my points. I am NOT using a MQA dac, so even if I got my Tidal app to see my dac, it's not an MQA dac and it's never going to show anything more than what the Tidal app is decoding to, which is 24/44 or 24/48 max. If you have a MQA dac, that's a different story.
 
audiophil said:
Correct - it only shows up when directly connected to your computer. Furthermore, per Tidal's own website (again, emphasis theirs):

How can I listen to TIDAL Masters (master-quality recordings)?
All you need is a TIDAL HiFi membership to access thousands of master-quality albums only through the TIDAL desktop application.

So what I'm asking you to do is connect directly to your DAC and compare the sample rate of a file played back via the desktop application, passing the undecoded MQA file to your DAC.

I have verified that software decoding via Tidal Desktop of Iron and Wine's "Ghost on Ghost" results in 88.2k sample rate, however your findings seem to indicate that hardware decoding displays 44.1k.

I'm interested to learn if files passed directly from the Tidal Desktop to an MQA enabled DAC display the decoded sample rate (88.2) or the original container rate (44.1) when decoded on your DAC.
Click to expand...

I have no way to connect my laptop to my system.

My DAC displays the original rate. Either 24, 88, 96 or 192. (I don't think I have seen 384)

If you are seeing 88 I think your DAC is upscaling.
 
Rhapsody said:
I know you asked Jim this, but this is one of my points. I am NOT using a MQA dac, so even if I got my Tidal app to see my dac, it's not an MQA dac and it's never going to show anything more than what the Tidal app is decoding to, which is 24/44 or 24/48 max. If you have a MQA dac, that's a different story.
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I'm sorry, but this is where you're simply wrong. Since the announcement of MQA on Tidal I've been listening to 88.2 and 96k files all day long. I don't have an MQA enabled DAC - I'm using Tidal's built-in software decoding.
 
Rhapsody said:
But the file came from the desktop app and the Aurender did not do anything to it other than pass it to the dac.
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No, you flagged the file using the Desktop App so that you could later identify it, but Aurender pulls music directly from Tidal, it does not interface with the desktop app to do so.
 
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