Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music MQA CDs and connecting players to a 218 via SPDIF

Unfortunately, when it comes to MQA, none of us mortals know what a MQA enabled endpoint sends to an SE speaker. (We assume it is 96k). But, the 8kSE indicated 176k at the master speaker

Would this indicate the Oppo set to 176.4/192K output could pass 176K PCM to the 218 SPDIF, which is downsampled and passed to the SE speakers at 88.2/96K. This would include the MQA data to be unfolded/further unfolded in the SEs to the CD spec of 176K. IF this is the case would an initial unfold occur to 88K occur in the 218? I assume it would so regular DSPs get the benefit of 96K unfolded.

The MQA file is 24/48. The extra data is hidden within this. The 218 should recognise this an unfold as required.

How should an Oppo 103 digital coax output be setup for MQA CDs? Are there choices among auto output, 48k or higher LPCM, or bitstream, to send the MQA data to a 218 when playing this MQA CD? Would the unfold to 96k be done in the 218 with further unfold to 176 in the SEs. I am away from my SE setup and the disc arrives there next Tuesday.

The whole idea of MQA is that it can be distributed in a CD size file with the extra data hidden below the noise floor. This would otherwise just contain random data anyway.
It's a smart packed suitcase, if you like.
The 218 should be able to recognise this file from metadata and unfold it as required.

This is as I understand it. Am I wrong?

" This is as I understand it. Am I wrong?".

Hell if I know. I just want to know what will happen in reality when I put the Rebecca Pidgeon CD in the Oppo next week. I think I know it will ultimately end up 176, with the final unfold in the SEs. I just want to know 1)the proper/optimum settings in the Oppo, 2)what the Oppo should send(44/88?, PCM?) to the 218, 3)confirm the unfold to 96 K happens in the 218. I assume the 218 will pass 96 K partial unfold to SEs.

It really doesn't matter if the sh*t just works. I have lived with the illusion of having the proper settings ticked in an Oppo/M setup only to learn otherwise. Sound output options are auto(Maybe), bitstream, or LPCM-48,96,192. Since further processing kills MQA markers and this CD is MQA encoded up to 176/192, would the Oppo on auto seize the highest option(192), downsample to 96,etc., and would such downsampling kill MQA at that point. The Oppo knows nothing about MQA so seems 48 as you stated is logical .

If it helps my Marantz is set to 192k

I’ve ripped the Rebecca Pidgeon CD to FLAC and the 218 MQA lights up playing back through Sooloos and the 7200SE identify the tracks as MQA 176k.

So it seems the CD player's 192 bit perfect PCM output signal will enter the 218, and, I guess the 218 will output via coax, a 96K PCM signal/wrapper which will contain the info to unfold to 192 MQA in SEs.

Last question (for now)- what will the 218 output via SpeakerLink, encrypted MHR 192?

Thanks for your patience.

I just checked with mine. The 218 outputting via the digital aux coax into the 8kSE via the coax digital input results in the indication of MQA192k while playng via Sooloos. So I get the same thing playing the same content on both speakerlink and coax input.

@Mtns
The CD player must output what it reads *unaltered* from the MQA CD : 16kHz / 24bit.

The 218 (or other MQA-enabled device) reads that signal & detects it's MQA. It then performs as many unfolds as it's allowed to do, and passes-on whatever signal it's allowed to pass.
e.g. the Tidal app is licensed to and capable of unpacking a MQA file to 96kHz / 24bit, but it's not allowed to do anything else.

If your 218 is connected to Meridian SE speakers, they will receive a digital stream from the 218 and perform the final processing themselves.
If your 218 is connected to anything else, it'll output an analogue signal which may not have been unpacked to the 'ultimate' resolution.

AFAIK the only way to get a digital stream to speakers is if you have a direct processor (which is a category into which you can include the 218) to speaker 'link' - which is currently only possible with Meridian kit.
If you 'mess' with the signal e.g. by upsampling with non-MQA-approved equipment, or by applying DSP / Room-correction etc, you either destroy the MQA-identification information or the encoded / encrypted MQA music information - and you will not get unpacked MQA.

Rolski - Thanks for the detailed response. I agree with your statements based on my "latest" readings.

Question - With respect to the 218 analog output being "unpacked" to the "ultimate" resolution" (Ultimate I take to be the encoded sample rate received up to 192), Is it possible for the 218 to limit the analog output to less than "ultimate" in the analog domain without downsampling?

I assume downsampling 192 (this CD's native rate)to 96 would break the MQA chain or would that be just a refold? 😳