MQA DAC with Coax Output

I've gotten a couple "tut, tut, oh you poor boy" responses from other posters here but I really like my Mytek Brooklyn Bridge.  A good fifty percent of the time I get better fidelity streaming Qobuz and Primephonic through the device than I get from my vinyl.  If I have an LP of a performance I want to hear, a good fifty percent of the time I'll leave the vinyl in the jacket, crank up the Qobuz and just read the record's liner notes.  As for the MQA I got from Tidal, I liked it an awful lot but the hi-rez I get from Qobuz was better enough to induce me to bid farewell to the Swedish streaming site.

Thanks. I’m familiar with the website. I’m looking for recommendations from individuals with experience. 

You might want to look at the MQA website for the equipment that is currently capable.  They break out streamers, DACs, etc.  this could give some direction for research.  Most MQA equipment is very capable of other formats even before the license was obtained to add this additional format.
https://www.mqa.co.uk/how-to-get-mqa

Okay. I’m looking forward to getting some suggestions. My hope is that a decent MQA capable DAC will also be good at other file formats too I suppose. Not too hung up on MQA but I do want it. 

You’ll have plenty to choose from with that budget. Be prepared to get some pushback from members regarding MQA, as it’s not universally accepted as being the greatest thing since sliced bread. Plus, you eliminate a lot of excellent DACs if MQA is a prerequisite. 

Good question. I guess I’d probably go up to $5k or so for great sound. Less would be better obviously. 

Now you’re on the right track. Next thing we need from you is a budget.

Thanks so much for the info. Would anyone have a suggestion then on a good MQA capable DAC that would pair well between the Antipodes and Dynaudio powered speakers?

@krilll

Looking at that specific ifi nano-ione it does not appear to do any MQA processing.  With the digital pass through it appears to reclock and regenerate digital signals.  There are ifi products that act as DACs with MQA unfolding and have analogue output.  The final MQA unfolding is dependent directly on the DAC chip in the final conversion unit.  Does your speakers built in DAC have MQA capability?  If not, and you want to listen to the full MQA product, you will need a DAC with that capability and have analogue signal cables between the DAC and an analogue input on the amplifier in the powered speakers.

I guess keeping the signal digital all the way to the speakers with the built in DAC / amp maintains the quality of signal until conversion to analog until the last possible moment. 

Why would their be any benefit, advantage, or functional use to a digital coax output?

Does this unit not do MQA unfolding to coax out?

https://ifi-audio.com/products/nano-ione/

The purpose of a DAC is to convert a digital signal into an analog signal. At this point the signal is sent via RCA (or XLR). 

You mean you want a streamer with coax out. :)

Even if you find a streamer with coaxial out, the highest level of unfolding is only allowed at the DAC itself, that is, with ANALOG outputs.

You can't buy a DAC that streams MQA and hope to get around this limit because it is a DAC. :)

Best,

E

I’m confused as to why you wouldn’t want the DAC to connect via RCA?

Yes, I did mean digital coax out. Any thoughts on a work around?

If you mean digital coax out, the last I heard, the MQA terms prohibit output of a fully decoded MQA digital stream. But maybe there are work-arounds?