Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Streaming DSP5200SE & full MQA decoding

Hi everybody, after reading a lot of post in this forum I still haven't understand one important thing. Maybe someone can help me and explain.

Actually I have a pair of DSP5200SE: I use an Auralic Aries connected via USB to a explorer2 -> analog output to a G68. In this way I have at the end an analogue decoding on MQA tracks, but not a FULL digital decoding, like I'd like to have.
My goal should be get something like "MQA 352K" in the display of the speaker.
Which hardware should I buy to get it? do you think it is possible only via speakerlink?
or it is also possible via digital connection to the speaker?
I'm also using Roon: could Roon do a software decoding of MQA? I remember this feature was in their plans..

Thank you for your comments, Gaf

Hi

Roon does not currently offer MQA decoding when it does it will likely be the same as currently offered by Tidal.

What is the source of your MQA files?

Russ

"Full" MQA decoding includes the DAC elements so you will never get fully decoded MQA in digital form by definition. Your Explorer2 (which has no digital output) does provide full MQA for this reason.

Any non-Meridian MQA decoder will be limited to 24/96 in digital form over SPDIF. *

So only an MQA-capable source with encrypted digital output delivered over speakerlink will do what you want - which is to get a partially decoded MQA stream WITH METADATA into the DSP5200SEs.

So you need an 818v3 (or possibly a 218 when they become available) to meet your specific goal.




* I may be wrong but I think that the SPDIF digital stream does not include the metadata needed by any downstream MQA-capable DAC.

I think a Meridian 218 (possibly available sometime later this month) is probably the simplest method to get "full-fat" MQA into your DSPs.
[Oops, sorry, Gianni beat me to it !]

I'm using Auralic Aries with Tidal account, with Aurlalic software or Roon

I agree with you at 90%, I was thinking the same, BUT the 10% mysterious is: do I get a partial MQA decode if I use an 818v3 and DSP5200SE? Does it have sense? I mean: I buy all the digital Meridian hi-end hardware and I get a PARTIAL MQA decoding (that is a Meridian patent)??

Ok, but even with this chain I have a full digital chain, so.. where is the DAC for the full decoding?

No, an 818v3 and DSPxx00SE will give full MQA (as long as the speakerlink connection is used) because the speaker has internal MQA-capable DACs which perform the final MQA rendering.

Another interesting thing should be do this two config:

a) Auralic USB -> 818v3 (USB in input card MQA) -> speakelink -> DSP5200SE
b) 818v3 (as Roon endpoint) -> speakelink -> DSP5200SE

What will happen in your opinion?

For Gianni: I could do the test for metadata via digital output, BUT I think you are right, so no metadata on the speaker display...

Gaf

The metadata to which I was referring relates to telling the DSPxx00SE DACs about the incoming MQA stream and what to do to it, rather than just display information.

Is the metadata not part of the MHR? I.e. Embeddd in the audio?

@Gaf
As far as I understand it, the MQA DAC is in the 218.

I don't know if your processor has DSP / Room-correction, but if it doesn't, then (as far as I know) the 218 could make your Auralic entirely redundant, although I might be wrong.

You'd run Roon from a Core & Remotes, connect the core to your home LAN, connect the 218 to your home LAN, tell Roon that the 218 was your Roon endpoint (or one of your many endpoints) and hopefully - with a software update - control the volume & switching through (Roon or) your processor.
You connect your speakerlink (output) from your processor to the 218 input, and the output from the 218 into your DSPs.

Does that make sense ?
It's the same as I'm going to do for my 861v8 processor - the 218 seems the simplest way to get full-fat MQA into my DSPs....