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Joined: Jan 2016
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Harmless
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Harmless
Joined: Jan 2016
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Listening report from the Absolute Sound. If Meridian has a working MQA decoder for these demos, why all the talk of "only recently receiving the necessary software" to update the firmware in the Explorer2 and other DACs? Anyone else curious why it is taking so long? Are the other players in the game holding up the release? E.g. other DAC manufacturers wanting to play level with release dates, record lables still reluctant to hand over master tapes?
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 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9
Knows where his towel is
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Knows where his towel is
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9 |
I wonder whether those listening to non-decoded MQA files on 818v3 gain any advantage over those listening on 818v2?
And is there any advantage listening to non-decoded files through SE DSPs with the latest MQA-enabled firmware compared to the superseded version?
Asa Post
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9
Knows where his towel is
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Knows where his towel is
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9 |
If Meridian has a working MQA decoder for these demos, why all the talk of "only recently receiving the necessary software" to update the firmware in the Explorer2 and other DACs?
Anyone else curious why it is taking so long?
Are the other players in the game holding up the release?
E.g. other DAC manufacturers wanting to play level with release dates, record lables still reluctant to hand over master tapes? Meridian have been offering decoded MQA demos for two years to closed-door sessions; and to the public ever since the grand Shard debut. This has been not only at CES and Bristol but toured around the world. So a version of the firmware has been in place for two years. However, we do not know all the details. Last year there were MQA files being demoed via the Explorer at the Bristol Show which were not available for the demos with the 818 and 8kSE and 7k2SE etc. at Sevenoaks, where different files were being played. There may have been a reason offered for this seeming anomaly but I cannot remember. But why there should be a delay in getting out firmware so that the now-public MQA files can actually be played is something of a mystery and a PR problem.
Asa Post
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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 |
Antipodes CX + Roon, 818v3, DSP 7200SEs, 218, DSP3200s
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88
Don't Panic!
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Don't Panic!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88 |
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,505 Likes: 78
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
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President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 8,505 Likes: 78 |
Thanks for posting, a well balanced article I thought. I thought this would be the case: While the MQA decoder can incorporate software-based DSP for room correction or EQ (e.g. in AV Receivers), any such processing (including sample-rate conversion or software-based upsampling), can’t be introduced between the decoder and the DAC chip without breaking the chain. And I suspect this is why the 808.6/818.2 does not have MRC (yet?) and also why the 861v9 is not ready for release. Regards, Carl
861v6+ID40, HD621, 8000.2, 7200HC, 7200.2, SKYQ Silver, PS3, PDP-LX6090, QNAP TS870-Pro (8*6TB), Roon, iPadAir2.
[In Reserve] C15, MD600 (2*3TB), TwinStore RM (2*2TB)
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,053
Pan-dimensional being
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Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,053 |
Carl that makes sense. I don't like it but it makes sense.
Ken
Main: G68J, 5K2s, 5Ks, HSU subs, Pio 151FD, Dish VP722, Roku, Wadia I70, Anti Mode Dual Core, Oppo 103D Vanity Lite
Office: SBT, Berkeley Alpha DAC 2/MQA, Magico S3 Mk II, Boulder 2060, Lumin U1 Mini streamer, Roon.
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,165 Likes: 43
Pan-dimensional being
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Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,165 Likes: 43 |
Presumably (based on what Carl is suggesting) that any processing (e.g. Trifield) would also break the chain?
(and congratulations on 7000 posts)
Brian
Main: G65, MD600 Sooloos, MC200 Roon Core, MS600, 210, 218, UHD722, DSP5200SE, DSP5200HCSE, M6 & DSW.2
System 2: AC200 MS200, WiiM Pro+, M6.
Other: DSP5000 (96/24v1), DSP3300.
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 726 Likes: 15
Paranoid android
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Paranoid android
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 726 Likes: 15 |
I assume that everyone else has received today's e-mail from MQA, which only serves to increase the frustration level - as it mentions what an amazing success MQA was at CES2016 - while completely ignoring the fact that it's not available to anyone yet....
Trinnov Altitude CI-12; Meridian 861v8 + ID41 + UHD722v2 + 271, 2*SE-update DSP8.2Ks, SE-update DSP7200HC, 4*DSP3200, 4*DSP33, 218, 251
JVC DLA-NZ8; Panasonic TX-P60ZT60E; Lumagen Radiance Pro 5348
Roon [13i7 Win.11 NUC]; SKY Q; Oppo UDP-203EU; AppleTV / Fire Cube / Roku / NVidia
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 495
Paranoid android
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Paranoid android
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 495 |
So presumably if 808/818 to DSP speaker functions such as treble, bass, position , EBA and EBC are performed in the speakers then these functions will be possible with full MQA?
MC200, Twinstore, 808v6/ID41 -> DSP8000SE (+ SB Touch, Sony BDP-3300, SKYHD, legacy cassette player)
2nd system: MC200 analogue out, Linn LP12, SB3 -> Quad 34 -> M60 rosewood
F80 (Rubino Micallizzato)
F80 (Rosso Corsa)
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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 assume that everyone else has received today's e-mail from MQA, which only serves to increase the frustration level - as it mentions what an amazing success MQA was at CES2016 - while completely ignoring the fact that it's not available to anyone yet.... No consolation to anyone but MQA Ltd would doubtless argue that availability of kit that will actually play MQA in its full glory is out of their hands - we are now waiting for the manufacturers such as Meridian to implement the coding libraries provided to them by MQA before Christmas. The walls are better than Chinese, unfortunately.
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 2011
Posts: 166 Likes: 2
Hitchhiker
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Hitchhiker
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 166 Likes: 2 |
Hopefully Tidal don't automatically switch people to an MQA enabled stream by default, otherwise there'll be a whole load more frustration and bad press when a percentage of the Tidal user base who haven't kept up with the MQA rollout suddenly find they can no longer listen reliably to their music.
Matt.
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