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RE: MQA Loses Part of Spectrum on Some Tracks?

Posted by Charles Hansen on May 30, 2017 at 08:24:35:
>> I still say the perfect experiment would be... <<

It seems to me that there is a problem with the vast majority of the listening tests to date - specifically that virtually all units use the stock digital filter built into the DAC chip for standard files and the slow rolloff, minimum-phase, MQA-mandated filter for MQA files. This is a variable that I would expect to have a large sonic impact, and *not* one that has to be included. Specifically there are other products on the market using a slow-rolloff, minimum-phase filter for standard files, which would presumably minimize that variable.

The only unit MQA-compatible unit I know of made with custom digital filters is the Meridian Ultra DAC, which has a selectable digital filter for standard files. All of them are minimum phase, with a choice of long, medium, or short filters. However when JA reviewed that unit recently, even the short digital filter exhibited about 10 cycles of post-ringing. (This would likely explain why JA noted, "if there were any differences to be heard among the filters, they were very subtle".) In contrast the MQA-mandated digital filter has only about 1/2 cycle of post-ringing. It seems to me that a fairer test would be to use a unit with less post-ringing in its digital filter with standard files, as that would reduce (or even remove) one significant variable when comparing standard and MQA files.

As always my posts are my personal opinions only, and not necessarily those of my employer or siblings.