Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music "MQA" 818v3 is here!!

Thanks for the reminder, VK!

Can you comment on any Audible differences between the 2 methods when replayed thru your D8kSE's??

Thanks

Ronnie, as I'm sure you are aware, the 818v2 will down-sample to 88k at its USB input, so the comparison is, I guess, of Roon's down-sampling code and the 818's down-sampling code, plus the difference in the ID41 and USB pathways.

The 818v3 will, as Ludwig says, presumably maintain the 176k from the USB input internally within the 818 and send it intact to the 8kSEs using the "MQA mode" of MHR.

VK, that is how I am hoping the next release of Sooloos will handle it too. Am sure that if/when HQ make that capability available, it would be backed with some proper comms and details about file types, specs, audio paths, firmware updates, etc.

Hi Joel

Yeah, I'm aware of the differences in the paths, file formats and downsampling etc... hence my question to Ludwig was about the "audible" differences [if any] between the 2 methods.

I posted a week or so ago about differences I thought I heard on the analogue outputs of the 818v2 when feeding 192 or 96 via USB, which is tangentially relevant. I will try the test you suggest with my 8ks but that will take a week or two. (The 818 is not currently plugged into them, as I'm not finished setting up after a major move-around of rooms and equipment.)

Ok so apart from the fancy formats, could anyone who critically heard the new 818.3 elaborate on any soundquality differences or similiarites for Redbook 16/44.1KHz audio vs 818.2?

Between the lines I read the upsampling engine is new/different and in my world that could affect the 16/44.1 soundquality in different ways.

Also, how does the 818v3 sound on red book CD relative to the 818v3 prototypes that were used to demonstrate MQA earlier in the year?

Excellent point, I suspect there have been changes.

Russ

It would appear that the Meridian site is in the process of being updated.

As of typing this the 818v3 is now listed on their site although the support page points to the old config file (v3557) that does not contain the new 818v3 and 808v6.

Some time ago I noticed that the config pointed to by the 808v5 was newer (v3573) and did contain the 818v3 and 808v6. That is still there, however, is completely unstable when run under Windows 10 - at least for me.

I assume that the Meridian support pages with be further updated - what is the 'correct' version of the config program for 818v3 / 808v6?

John

So previously the DSP engine in 818.2 was 2x (24/96) . The new 818.3 DSP engine is now at 4x (24/192)? Not at 8x (24/384)?

I suspect that the internal data is still moved around at 96/24, but in a very clever way...