Question About Tidal MQA and My Current DAC

M

Mister Pig

Pigamus Maximus
Ok my current DAC is based on the Burr Brown PCM 1704 chip set, which tops out at 24/96 conversion. If I use Tidal desktop streaming option, will I get the full benefits of the MQA encoded software? I hear the desktop program does the decoding and that the outputted signal is 24 bit max. Anyone know an answer to this?

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Will you get the full benefits of MQA using your present DAC? No. That is part of contention of DAC manufacturers. They will update their software/hardware to accomodate MQA.
 
So what will the output be from the web interface. Any idea what the feed would be to a non MQA enabled DAC.

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Mr.Pig, MQA files will play as 24/44 or 24/48 PCM on a non MQA DAC. An MQA software only enabled dac will get you up to 24/96. To go up to higher resolutions you need an MQA software and hardware equipped DAC.
 
Audioraven said:
Mr.Pig, MQA files will play as 24/44 or 24/48 PCM on a non MQA DAC. An MQA software only enabled dac will get you up to 24/96. To go up to higher resolutions you need an MQA software and hardware equipped DAC.
Click to expand...

OK, so if I follow this right, the MQA files will play as redbook quality through the desktop program into my DAC. Which is still a win in my book, as I didn't care for what I heard out of the standard catalog of Tidal versus a redbook CD.

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Mister Pig said:
Ok my current DAC is based on the Burr Brown PCM 1704 chip set, which tops out at 24/96 conversion. If I use Tidal desktop streaming option, will I get the full benefits of the MQA encoded software? I hear the desktop program does the decoding and that the outputted signal is 24 bit max. Anyone know an answer to this?


Regards
Mister Pig
Click to expand...
The "full benefit" depends upon the source file Tidal uses. See below

Mister Pig said:
So what will the output be from the web interface. Any idea what the feed would be to a non MQA enabled DAC.

Regards
Mister Pig
Click to expand...

MQA decoding can be done in software and/or hardware. Software decoding maxes out at 24/96. The Tidal desktop app (not web) includes the MQA software decoder. So if the source file is 24/96 you will get 24/96 via Tidal's desktop app. If the source is 24/192 then you will get 24/96 via desktop app. In order to get 24/192 requires hardware--->an MQA enabled DAC.

index.php
 
Last edited:
+48V said:
The "full benefit" depends upon the source file Tidal uses. See below



MQA decoding can be done in software and/or hardware. Software decoding maxes out at 24/96. The Tidal desktop app (not web) includes the MQA software decoder. So if the source file is 24/96 you will get 24/96 via Tidal's desktop app. If the source is 24/192 then you will get 24/96 via desktop app. In order to get 24/192 requires hardware--->an MQA enabled DAC.

index.php
Click to expand...

Well max output of my DAC is 24/96. But would the downloaded desk top app have any issues streaming the Mqa file from Tidal

Regards
Mister Pig
 
Download the software and give it a whirl. Worst case, you're out 20 bucks for the month if you don't like what you hear!
 
botrytis said:
Right now all I can see it is another way to get you to buy your digital songs again.
Click to expand...
Unless I missed something, Tidal/MQA is a streaming service. You're not buying the songs per se, you're paying a monthly fee for a huge library of music, possibly more than you might already own in a physical collection.
 
since it's software or hardware defined MQA "decoding" there will be the inevitable shoot-outs
of software-1 vs software-2 and hardware-1 versus hardware-2 then the comparisons
with non-MQA 24/96 or 24/192 RIPS and downloads.

to paraphrase what Botrytis says, how many times are you going to buy the same music.

It is probably OK if you are starting out and looking for the "latest"
 
botrytis said:
Well, if you read the actual articles, I linked, there is 3 different things that happen with MQA files. MQA files are supposed to be 96/24 and/or 192/24 files but, the decoding will be: W/O either DAC or software will be CD quality; With software will be either 44.1/24 or 96/24; With a MQA DAC it will be the quality of the original file.

I do not like this gating system. Also, one has a hard time testing and getting information on whether or not these files are actually from a high res masters or just upsampled files. It doesn't really matter when you are streaming from Tidal because, TO ME (MY OPINION), sounds like crap and wouldn't spend the money to pay for it or the MQA system. If you like it great.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if you're replying to me or someone else, I'm assuming me since it's just below my post....

I'm not sure what any of this has to do with what you wrote. But, for the record, I've read about the format and how it works, we've been talking about this for some time on another thread here. Right now, for Tidal, this is for streaming. You're not re-buying your music, you're renting it. Another way to look at it is you're just paying for a streaming service (not different than Spotify, iTunes, etc.), that claims to have better sound, which requires MQA decoding with a certified DAC (for best decode) or not, for a supposedly better but not quite top-notch decode. No one is being forced to rebuy any music, nor are you with Tidal.

If this leads to new digital downloads or physical format with MQA, that's another thing. But, I could have sworn this was a thread about Tidal, a streaming service.
 
I already have Tidal HiFi, get it thru Chrome. I still need to download the desktop app to get the MQA? Actually I hope there is some compression as I kinda like it. Also hate to say it but Sirious XM has compression I like. AL
 
Hi Carl, thanks. Tried it last night and it was ok, really could not tell the difference between that and HIFI setting. Will try again tonight. :) Al
 
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