Tidal Introduces MQA

stangman67

I've been messing with this a bit using my Node 2. I can see MQA albums being played through my BLUos app, as expected my Node 2 sends the standard 16/44 signal over coax to my M1DAC.

Nightfall

Anyone have any thoughts on how MQA sounds yet?

doctor r

My thoughts about MQA listening last evening.

I am focused on vinyl and have been since the early 70s. I never fully converted to CDs as my software source, though I did have a Lector cdt7 in my system for many years. The Lector left a few years ago and I decided to slowly burn my CDs to a hard drive and temporally use a Logitech Touch to stream. Last year MQA began looking interesting and since I needed a temporary DAC I decided the Meridian Explorer2 would be a fun experiment. I have used it to receive the upgraded digital output, up to 192/24, from the Touch which included being able to stream Tidal. Then I patiently waited, and waited, and waited, for the actual MQA Tidal release...

I was disappointed that initially they only are offering it through their own desktop application. This required me to bring my laptop into the system and relegate the Logitech to the sidelines. This also took away my control app on my iPad, but my curiosity prevailed. Tidal software and the required PC drivers for the Explorer2 were downloaded and installed. I spent the next .... few hours comparing the true MQA "blue led" Tidal playback to 44/16 FLAC files, a few 192/24 high res files, and to vinyl. For reference all the digital was streamed through the small Meridian DAC.

My system is adequate, but not ultimate high end. What I experienced using the MQA through my lap top was slightly different than my own burned CDs or Hi res files. The upper frequencies in the high res files were a little "crisper" than the MQA, but the MQA was just as detailed but more enjoyable and to me more musical. The lower frequencies were also perceived to be as articulated as the hi res files, but again just a little more "right" in my perception of the music. There was a definite improvement over the 44/16 files on clarity and smoothness. I was able to configure Tidal to not pass the MQA signal to the DAC and it output a 96/24 signal. This sounded fine, but not near the level of enjoyment as with the Explorer2 doing the MQA processing provided previously in my system.

After spending a good amount of time in the above comparisons I decided to spin a few sides of vinyl. The reality is in my system the vinyl was still superior. There is a liquidity that MQA presents that I truly enjoyed (for a few hours more than I had planed) over my other basic digital sources. That liquidity, smoothness, and ability to create the environment that surrounds the music is superior to my ear with vinyl playback in my system.

Employing a simple low level Meridian Explorer2, a non-optimized laptop PC, and Tidal MQA set to pass through to the Explorer2, I was truly thrilled by the musical presentation. I was engaged in a way that surprised me and already has me wondering how it will sound with a better DAC that also includes the hardware MQA capability.

Rick

gudnoyez

I figured that Meridian would be a good choice and Crutchfield has them on sale for $199 plus you get 3 free months of Tidal when purchasing the Meridian so knock another $60 off the price and you got a heck of a deal.

vcwatkins

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @doctor r. I didn't realize the Meridian2 was MQA capable. I had pretty much resigned myself to waiting a few years for MQA and have not been watching too closely. But, since I can use a Meridian2 in my little desk rig, I decided to order one and give it a spin. Hopefully, Roon v1.3 will be out soon and up the MQA resolution.

Mikey081057

Did the setup yesterday and am listening this morning.

Created a Tidal playlist of about 830 MQA tracks.

Streaming from Bluesound Node2 to Marantz SA8004 via Coax. Front panel says 96kHZ.

Listening with my tubes and my Ushers...

Overall SQ difference is very noticeable. Very much liking the experience.

Soundstage is remarkably wide and deep to me. Background is deep and dark.

The Ushers have never sounded better. The Diamond tweeters are superior to anything I have heard/used before and this format brings out the best in them

Bottom end is richer ... Listening to Yes Fragile at the moment and I am mesmerized... like listening to it for the first time. Detailed. not going to say I am hearing things I never heard before but hearing them with a precision that is very appealing on my modest rig.

Tidal is on to something here if they can keep the $$$ down and continue to add content.

Mikey Likes It!

stangman67

I'd the 8004 mqa compatible? If you are showing 96 and it's not mqa compatible, then I am confused as my node 2 is only sending 16/44.1 to my dac on mqa tracks?

Mikey081057

So the 8004 predates MQA by many years. What connection are you using from the Bluesound to the M1dac? I am using coax but if you are using USB that might be the answer depending on your M1.

stangman67

I'm using coax as well

Mikey081057

HMMM...

stangman67

I'll have to mess with it some more tonight and see

stangman67

Reset my my player and applied the update. And now it is streaming 96khz to my M1Dac, very exciting. So maybe the MQA dacs are not required as said in the article?

Joey_V

Does anyone know if the Rotel RA1592 has MQA ability?

erniejade

vcwatkins wrote: »

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @doctor r. I didn't realize the Meridian2 was MQA capable. I had pretty much resigned myself to waiting a few years for MQA and have not been watching too closely. But, since I can use a Meridian2 in my little desk rig, I decided to order one and give it a spin. Hopefully, Roon v1.3 will be out soon and up the MQA resolution.

I think I read Meridian has their hands in MQA as far as developing it.

txcoastal1

erniejade wrote: »

vcwatkins wrote: »

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @doctor r. I didn't realize the Meridian2 was MQA capable. I had pretty much resigned myself to waiting a few years for MQA and have not been watching too closely. But, since I can use a Meridian2 in my little desk rig, I decided to order one and give it a spin. Hopefully, Roon v1.3 will be out soon and up the MQA resolution.

I think I read Meridian has their hands in MQA as far as developing it.

That is correct

erniejade

I don't have a component that's compatible yet but I've been doing quite a bit of reading on it. Whenever my LH labs VI tube SE dac is done, I'm being told once they have the firmware and license done, it will be compatible.

stangman67

I gotta say, this is pretty cool. A very welcome surprise I was not expecting. I don't know exactly why the Node is able to transmit the 96khz signal to any dac but it does and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

Hoping the MQA tidal on Tidal grows exponentially, but for now it is enough to keep me listening for a while. Jamming out to some Muse right now and it sounds great through my Node/M1Dac combo. The Node 2 just keeps on impressing me, gotta be one of the best values out there if you like Tidal

stangman67

On further inspection, only some of the master CD's seem to transmit in 96hkz. Most still transmit at 16/44.1

Mikey081057

stangman67 wrote: »

On further inspection, only some of the master CD's seem to transmit in 96hkz. Most still transmit at 16/44.1

I had some displaying at 88kHZ..

stangman67

If you get a chance, try to plan Death Cab For Cutie:Plans and see what it plays at. It's been half and half 96/44 for me

Nightfall

So the Node 2 can decode MQA in software it would seem or is the Tidal software itself decoding MQA? What's the big deal with MQA DAC's then? This would be a big hit to all the companies that paid to implement MQA into their DAC's.

Nightfall

The title selection so far is pretty diverse. Motörhead, Black Sabbath, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Talking Heads, ZZ Top, Dio, Phil Collins, INXS, The Cars, and Depeche Mode all starred on my account.

polkfarmboy

If you sign up now guys you get 3 months free for a sub to the masters editions.

Mikey081057

stangman67 wrote: »

If you get a chance, try to plan Death Cab For Cutie:Plans and see what it plays at. It's been half and half 96/44 for me

Yup that one shows 44.

Try Steely Dan Two Against Nature....

BTW I counted over 450 albums today.

stangman67

Not seeing a MQA version of that, sounds good either way though

[Deleted User]

Great thread! Please keep it coming.

Mikey081057

The Doobies stuff sounds awesome...

In general i am finding everything i sample to sound excellent. I loved the way the bass sounded/felt on Two Against Nature.

DaveHo

Hopefully the upcoming Oppo 205 will have MQA support since the current 105 supports Tidal streaming.

DaveHo

Or not. After further research it appears the Oppo 20x series has zero streaming support. WTF Oppo!

stangman67

Looks like Bluesound is releasing an awesome upgrade at the end of the month to include Roon support. Pretty pumped about that