Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music MQA decoding in Tidal App

"ID41", but the TIDAL app does not stream to Meridian Sooloos endpoints?!

I've spent some time comparing the TIDAL app (sent to a Musical Fidelity 24/96 DAC) vs. passthrough to my Explorer² plugged into the C61's analog inputs.

No contest. Even though the music is digitized again for use by a legacy system, the Explorer² reveals so much more.

One example would be American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, which I own in various versions, including DVD-Audio. Listening to the song Brokedown Palace, I hear a completely new and startling recording. Garcia's vocals and layers of accompaniment are effortlessly and distinctly present. The TIDAL app decode sounds flattened and cluttered by comparison.

"Music so true, it’s like you’re there."

There are too many components and digital conversions going on in those two chains to draw any meaningful conclusions about the efficacy of the TIDAL decoding. Is it not possible, for example, that the Explorer 2 DAC is simply better than the Musical Fidelity DAC? Why not make the direct comparison between the Explorer 2 DAC with TIDAL decoding against internal MQA decoding within the DAC?

The thing is, endless AB testing is tedious at least and not accurate unless done very carefully over longer times and making sure your brain has breaks between tests.

In the finish you just have to go with your own judgement on the equipment you own. If you are very familiar with the music you will know what pleases you more. Just go with that and enjoy.

I have to say the Explorer 2 analog in to my system sounded very liquid (whatever that means) with Trifield on.

I figure the Exp2 is a good analog source and my G61R was designed to make the best of it at the time it was designed. So maybe not Full Fat MQA but a sound that will floor your average citizen who comes around for a listen.

Thoughts... Chris

so if I have understood this correctly the Tidal app decodes MQA based on a "standard" DAC profile and outputs a digital stream at 96/24. Presumably then there is a "standard" DAC that best suits this profile for optimum s/w decoded MQA and minimal blurring. Which DAC?

An interesting review by 'Archimago'. He's less negative about MQA than usual.

Archimago on Tidal MQA

Read Archimago on this and got bored as it is well above my points of reference. I will continue to let my ears and brain tell me how it really is.

MQA offers more to me than previously offered audio replay solutions.

Hector

He's become very quiet on the Roon forum since MQA. I did see a post from him on another forum, following the Tidal releases saying that MQA was not for him.

Altus - Agree that this is not apples-to-apples, but how can I use the same chain of TIDAL > Explorer² while switching the Meridian DAC on and off? It seems to be always enabled whether Passthrough is selected or not.

In the meantime, it sounds good. Of course I would prefer to keep everything in the digital domain with a new hardware decoder that could sit between the TIDAL app and my C61R's "all MHR" coax inputs. And I'd set this device for optimum performance using my "smiley" speakers!

I have also been playing around with the Tidal app and noticed that the Tidal player always opens the sound device at 48kHz, not matter what the source. Anybody else also noticed this, or is this a problem on my system?

The Intel High Definition Audio device in my system should be capable of all sample rates. Obviously sample rate conversion will ruin the MQA advantage.

Apparently there are some issues with the TIDAL app at the moment... Watch this space.

In the meantime, users of Meridian MQA enabled products who wish to play MQA music direct from the TIDAL app should make sure that the "MQA pass through" box is checked.