How can I add MQA decoding with my current setup?

I spent a couple of hours at my dealer listening to several recordings that I knew really well with Roon and MQA.  I was very familiar with all of the equipment used except the amplification, which was McIntosh.  There were 2 pieces where I slightly preferred the MQA, in the rest Qobuz won every time.

If I were to get a new DAC that has MQA capabilities what would be the recommendation for a price point around three thousand? I would be ok with used if that presented a better deal. 

@ricmech23 

Hello!  

At the $3K price point, you’ll have many choices. However, one manufacturer that gets universal praise for how their DACS perform with MQA is Mytek, specifically their Liberty and Brooklyn models.  The main difference between the two is the Liberty is strictly a DAC, while the Brooklyn adds pre-amp functionality.  You can get the older Liberty or the new Liberty 2 DAC for under your price point; the first generation Brooklyn will also be under $3K, however the latest version lists for just under $4K. 

Both DACS will perform the full MQA un-fold, as well as handle files at up to 384K resolution.  I’ve heard both and have found them to be similar, presenting a rich, detailed sound that is easy to listen to; closer to an analog presentation, most definitely not “digital’.

Another DAC to look for on the used market would be Berkeley Audio Design’s Alpha DAC.  Pre-owned first generation Alpha DAC’s are usually out there for under $3K; if you find one, make sure it’s had the MQA upgrade performed.  If not, you can buy the upgrade from Berkeley, but not sure how much it costs.  While I’ve never listened to an Alpha DAC, the reviews of it (and Berkeley DAC’s in general) place it among the best DAC’s regardless of price.  

Good luck…Happy listening!

Arvin

@arvincastro Thank you. I was actually looking at the Mytek dacs. 

I found the Mytek Liberty to be very analytical. It didn't last in my system very long.