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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 4
Harmless
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Harmless
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 4 |
To encourage others to listen to these free, ground-breaking MQA tracks I offer the link to them here: free MQA tracksHi What DAC are you using to decode the MQA? Thanks
HPs: Oppo PM-3, Audeze LCD2F, NAD VISO HP50, Fostex T50RP with mods. Shure E2c in-ear.
Portable: CEntrance HiFi M8. Desktop: iFi iUSB > Meridian Explorer2 DAC > T.M.S. EL84 tube amp
Sources: iMac(Win7), Roon, Foobar2000. Touch 4 (FLACplayer), iPhone 4S (Tidal), iPad (Tidal, Netflix)
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 958 Likes: 5
Pan-dimensional being
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Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 958 Likes: 5 |
He is playing thru the DACs in his 8KSEs. There is no MQA decoder as the software has not been finalized. See the last paragraph before the tracks listing on the link you copied in your quote. It sounds better due to the encoding benefits but the full benefits are not yet available.
James
NC1: 861v8, ID41, 218, 251(to outdoors), DSP8000SEUG, 7200SEC, DSP520 rears, Apple TV, DirecTV, Oppo BD103, QNAP251, Roon
NC2-M7005, Triad Silver Speakers,Acurus Amps
FL1: 861v4, ID40, 218, MS200, DSP8000SEs, DSP7200SEC, DSP5000s, DirecTv, AppleTv, OppoBD103, QNAP469, Roon
FL2: Marantz 7005, 251, M60s,60C,33s, Oppo BDP-93,MS200, Roon
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,569 Likes: 13
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
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President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,569 Likes: 13 |
Here is a quote from the 2L Facebook page were a sceptic clearly hasn't read any of the MQA explanations or watched the videos.
He asks how you re invent the wheel etc.
"Yes, of course there are processing, but that's an optional part of the encoding on the mastering side, based on analysis of the AD and fine-tuned manually by ear. So you could say that MQA becomes a part of the mastering process. Audio is art and there is no perfect solution per se. What I'm chasing is emotional impact and MQA has provided us with a tool to crate an exciting delivery."
Chris 🙂
No 18 in the Hall of fame  I have simple tastes; I am content to settle for the best: GIK monster bass panels, rear wall. QNAP TVS 471i3. Roon into DSP5200SE via 210/ 218 zone... Explorer 2. Bluesound Pulse 2, Mini & Flex. 596v1, 518, Foxsat HD, Sony BDP, Pioneer 5090, 2 Chromecast's for LRB videos. MS200 to F80 for a Roon zone
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 866 Likes: 2
Pan-dimensional being
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Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 866 Likes: 2 |
To encourage others to listen to these free, ground-breaking MQA tracks I offer the link to them here: free MQA tracksUnfortunately these are in the "download" format (44.1 kHz 24 bits), and this means these need to be decoded to the "stream" format 88.2kHz 16 bits. Compressed with FLAC the "stream" format is even smaller than the "download" format and obviously will sound better on a non-MQA system. So it is beyond any reason to distribute MQA in this way, except to force people to buy a MQA-compatible system. My first post in a long time, and I am sorry to be a bit critical again, but that seems to be my style ...
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 169
Hitchhiker
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Hitchhiker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 169 |
Hi Evdberg,
Sorry I don't understand your post.
As I understand it...
A downloaded MQA file is an MQA file and can be played as an audio file. It is said that this will be CD+ quality as it is pre-apodised etc.
Once decoding software is out there, a MQA file can be decoded to gain the full benefits of MQA.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 280 Likes: 6
Hitchhiker
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Hitchhiker
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 280 Likes: 6 |
TKimages,
Even at 16/44, you're likely to hear the difference. I bought the Engegard Trio album, and was very impressed. While I didn't compare it to a non-MQA'd version of the same album, the one I bought sounded better than any other album I'd heard on our home system. I downloaded a couple of MQA files from the 2L free site but Sonos states that they are an incompatible format, and thus won't play them. I assume they are not 16/44 files.
Marj, my wife and best friend, says my passions are obsessions!
808v6, DSP5200USE, Roon, Gyro SE/Tecnoarm/AT33 PTG
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Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 866 Likes: 2
Pan-dimensional being
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Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 866 Likes: 2 |
Hi Fitcaz,
Yes, you understand correctly. But a major part of decoding MQA is to "unpack" the lowest 8 bits of the 44.1 (or 48) Khz 24 bits signal to reconstruct the original 88.2 (or 96) kHz 16 bits signal. So why not just distribute in the original form? That saves a lot of hassle and also saves space in the process.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 803 Likes: 7
Paranoid android
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Paranoid android
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 803 Likes: 7 |
That's puzzling - I wonder if Sonos thinks it is a 24 bit file, and therefore incompatible for that reason?
Streaming: Roon, NUC, QNAP869 NAS
2ch system: dCS Vivaldi, Audionet Stern, Audionet Heisenberg, Magico Q1
Retro system: 101/104/105, Red Rose Spirit
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1
Vogon Civil Servant
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Vogon Civil Servant
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,013 Likes: 1 |
All the MQA files I downloaded from 2L were 24 bit, hence Sonos can't play them.
Sooloos, Roon, G series (with LPS upgrade), 800 series (with LPS upgrade), HD621, AC200, Prime and PS, DSPs old and new.
Purdeys, Moke, Leica, 'Blad. Only the best.
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 615 Likes: 4
Paranoid android
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Paranoid android
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 615 Likes: 4 |
Bottom of this Audio Alchemy and TAD article says: "Look for MQA to be implemented in the AA gear in the future."
Antipodes CX + Roon, 818v3, DSP 7200SEs, 218, DSP3200s
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,660 Likes: 30
Working on the ultimate question
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Working on the ultimate question
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,660 Likes: 30 |
Can anyone here of the tech savvy people tell where the problem lies - that a 861v4 can not be updated to be MQA compatible. One by card modules and firmware update and upgrade-capable, so future-proof premium product. Hi Stefan, I'm not sure if its technically impossible, the Explorer 2 has more processing power than the 861v4 though. It could well be a commercial issue - How may cards would they sell? How much R & D would they have to put aside to develop the card? How much are people willing to spend on a card. Do you have a budget in mind? Cheers Tom
Main: G61SL, 218, HD621, 2*7200SE, 7200HCSE, M6s, DSW, Apple TV 4K, NUC (Roon server)
Secondary: Wiim Pro, 3200, Audio Core 200
F80
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 803 Likes: 7
Paranoid android
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Paranoid android
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 803 Likes: 7 |
I have a mixture of 16bit and 24bit MQA files on my system.
The MQA album I purchased from 2L (Hommage a Grieg/ Dena Piano Duo) is showing as 16/44 (master recorded at 35/352)
Ditto the Kate Rusby album from Onkyo is also showing as 16/44 (master recording not stated)
The free test tracks from the 2L website are showing as 24/44 on the whole (haven't checked them all) (mostly recorded at 24/352)
Streaming: Roon, NUC, QNAP869 NAS
2ch system: dCS Vivaldi, Audionet Stern, Audionet Heisenberg, Magico Q1
Retro system: 101/104/105, Red Rose Spirit
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