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Starting with a Nottingham 294, Einstein Turntables Choice, Ayon 07s cd player, C-J CT 5 pre amp and Quicksilver 88 amps, where do I insert an MQA device? Can I do so? Do I have to go digital with all sorts of Apple stuff and esoteric software, special cables and all the accoutrements of digititus with the accompaning technobabble?
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As things are with your existing setup you cannot play MQA files. Not that I would lose any sleep as there really isn't much available yet anyway. Who knows if there will be?MQA decoders are so far included in a few DACs or media players (a very limited number) and it is predicted that there will be software versions included in the players of some streaming services such as Tidal later on. I have never seen any reference to the development of a black box device that you can just hook into a system, a bit like early Dolby or dbx decoders.
Finally , yes you do have to go digital as MQA is a method for producers to authorise the highest audio quality of their work and then to distribute it (presumably in hi-rez) via digital means. It has no analogue component except for the final conversion in the DAC although the original master recordng could be analogue. I believe that theoretically there could be MQA encoded silver discs but as optical disc systems are now seen as old technology and have a limited future span of life (like it or not) I doubt this will ever happen.
Edits: 05/04/16
The "package" or "envelope" or "grocery bag" that MQA-encoded data travels in is 24-bit PCM; therefore, a CD cannot be the delivery vehicle for MQA.
You would have to get a DAC such as the MYTEK Brooklyn and feed its analog output to your preamp. You may or may not choose then to use your CDP only as a transport.
Then, to feed MQA-encoded content to your MQA-ready DAC, you would need something like an Apple Mac mini computer, most likely running Roon, and then most likely an iPad as a control surface. And preferably a hard-wired (such as Ethernet) connection to your network. And a large-capacity external drive, preferably solid-state.
There are one-box music-server options that claim MQA-readiness, but I don't know if any of them are as comparatively inexpensive as what I outlined above.
Stereophile's in-print and web-only content on this has been very timely and thorough.
But a good audio store should be able to save you a lot of research.
jm
808 CD Player
" The latest edition of this ground-breaking product offers several significant improvements including the decoding and rendering of MQA sources to deliver studio quality reproduction - guaranteed - via both digital and analogue outputs. "
As the case with many new CD player or SACD/CD players over the past 10 years, that Meridian has digital INPUTS as well as the ability to spin Plain Old CDs.
All the verbiage you quoted is really saying is that that unit can accept an MQA-encoded digital INPUT and then provide an analog output. Nowhere on the Meridian site does it say that a Plain Old CD can carry MQA data. Furthermore, I asked their publicist right after JA's Epiphany experience at an MQA demo, and the answer was, MQA works only with downloads or streaming. Although I could imagine possibly that you could put MQA files on a Blu-Ray disc the way Blu-Ray Audio is just a hi-res file for people who do not want to muck around with computers.
Here's from the specifications section on that player:
CD Audio (CD-DA), CD-R, CD-R/W
MQA decoding on digital inputs, plus rendering to analogue outputs.
DSD64 on S/PDIF coaxial inputs and USB (DSD over PCM) with suitable media player
# # #
Don't feel bad; I found MQA's rollout PR (which they have climbed down from in view of the glacial pace of actually delivering files to consumers) very vague, to the point of potentially misleading those who read quickly. They had then a since-abandoned tagline along the lines of "Everything has changed," except by definition "Everything" should include Plain Old CDs, which they were very reluctant (it seemed to me) to disclose were not invited to the party.
The current version of the website is incrementally more clear in that regard.
ATB,
John
Nowhere on the Meridian site does it say that a Plain Old CD can carry MQA data.
What is the distinction between "decoding" and "rendering" since the latter is done on all analog outputs?
"MQA decoding on digital inputs, plus rendering to analogue outputs ."
Decoding: converts encoded MQA to higher resolution digital.
Rendering: produces analog output.
Real meaning: Unit will decode and play MQA digital streams out the analog outputs. Unit will not decode the MQA and output a decoded digital stream. You are locked in (DRM) via the "analog hole". This means: if you purchase an MQA download you will not be able to play it on a non-MQA DAC except at degraded resolution. If you receive an MQA stream you will not be able to play it at full resolution on a non-MQA DAC.
Contrast that with the situation were MQA an open format. Then you would be able to receive and decode an MQA stream and play it on any DAC.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
Much like what crippled SACD acceptance via Sony's DRM.
Didn't you know that "DAC" stands for Digital Audio Convenience?
I thought it stood for D aily A dapter C hanges. :)
It is rumored that "DAC" stands for many different things as the mysteries unfold.
I hope that one day I fire up some digital source in my home system that makes me think of all my records as a quaint but amazing part of history like LP makes me think of my 78s and cylinders.
Maybe this is it? I hope so. I haven't heard the magical DAC that makes it so that "D" never existed and it was only "A".
Somehow I have a feeling it's going to happen when a stereo system makes live music obsolete. And you all know when that's happening....
Vinyl is always going to sound different. It simply has a different character than digital. Different, may I say distortions than digital. I love vinyl but I listen to digital much more. The closest I have come to digital is with my Audio-GD Master 7 dac. Mqa is very good but it is different than vinyl. I get great enjoyment from vinyl and digital and most of my digital is streaming from Tidal
Alan
Hey I'm no purist. I have a CD player sitting right next to the record player. I spend just as much time scouring the CD racks at the thrift as I spend scouring the LP shelves. In fact I've said that CDs right now are where LPs were 10 years ago. Dirt cheap and no one wants them. Sheffield Labs sitting on the rack? For 25 cents? Yes please.
since the MQA file is 24 bit it could not be put on a 16 bit CD. Besides CDS will soon be gone. Streaming and downloads is currently what MQA can do although there is no streaming available yet. Hurry up Tidal, I am waiting
Alan
nt
Right now the cheapest wat is to get a Meridian Explorer2 dac $299. Then you have to download MQA files to your computer and play them from your computer with a program like JRiver. This is what I am doing
Alan
Edits: 05/04/16
What are your opinions now that you are actually using MQA at home? You are the first to say that you are listening to MQA in a home system.
bigshow
Today was the first day. I would like to break it in for a while and then give it a full review. All I will say at this stage is that MQA is the real deal. I have a MQA classical piano recording from 2L audio and it sounds like a real live piano. Amazing.
Alan
Truth is that 2L has many 96/24 piano recordings that sound like live pianos. No need for MQA encoding to save a few bits.
If you are streaming, there may be some benefit to the format if your bandwidth is limited to 44/24. You will get some portion of the additional quality available at 96/24 compared to 44/24. However, most people stream background music, rather than listening critically, making small sonic differences irrelevant. Streaming is, by its nature, incompatible with audiophile activities, which includes critical listening, including tweaking the playback, comparing equipment, etc., none of which can really be done with something like a "live" stream.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
I disagree with everything you say in your post. When I compare the MQA piano recording with its original 16/44 it is clearly better. Yes the original is very good but the MQA is better. Also I am a serious audiophile and listener to music and I stream from Tidal and Classicsonline all the time and with really good equipment it is serious high end reproduction
Alan
You need to compare the MQA with a high-res version of the recording, at least 96/24. (I am assuming that the original 2L recording was made in DXD.)
If the specific recording you have in mind started out in 44/16 format then the discussion is different and more complex. In effect, the MQA process performs a remastering of the original recording, but if this is done automatically it will be little different from what you could do yourself using software such as HQPlayer and a non-MQA DAC.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
No the specific recording is a 2L DXD recording. On the 2L testbench I downloaded it in 16/44 and MQA to see what the difference would be
Alan
When I compare the MQA piano recording with its original 16/44 it is clearly better.
Was that the Nielsen piano work mastered at 16/44?
If so, that is an odd approach. Master at 16 bits and require 24 bit playback. Go figure.
Have you compared the MQA version with any of the others mastered at DXD?
No. It is a 2L recording called Chaconne and it was recorded in DXD. You then can download this recording at almost any resolution. All MQA files are 24/44 or 24/48. That is why the can't be put on a 16bit CD. Streaming or downloads only for MQA at least write now
Alan
just confused why you are comparing it to 16 bit Redbook?
When I compare the MQA piano recording with its original 16/44 it is clearly better.
Have you compared the MQA version to one of the 24 bit flavors?
I have a MQA classical piano recording from 2L audio and it sounds like a real live piano.
Indeed, 2L is known for producing fine recordings. How does it differ sonically from the non-MQA version?
It is cleaner with better dynamics and better resolution
Alan
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