MQA decoding and CD ripping

One box solution exists for the cd ripping and streaming.
Bluesound Vault 2
Rips cds to its internal 2tb harddrive
Streams Tidal direct and many other services and has built in mqa decoding.
Might not be the last word in sq but as far as everything in one box it is hard to beat especially at 1199 brand new.
Bluesound customer support is very good to boot.
I use one and an Exogal Comet Plus dac/pre to handle the rest of my chores.
I feed bluray via HDMI from player to tv, then toslink back from tv to Comet for sound, works pretty well for me.
Yes still need a phono pre so makes 3 boxes not 2

Check out Roon.  It should, pretty soon, do a software MQA decode and it is superb for managing collections.  Not very configurable or flexible, or inter-operable with other media software, but a nice user experience.

Kpiaru > I'd like to know what options might be available for ripping my CD collection to a server/hard drive

Blindjim > IF you are asking for a one box solution I can not advise.

As for ripping CDs, the world is your oyster.
Depending on your OS…

If PC I’d say Dbpoweramp for ripping and or converting between lossy or lossless formats, AIFF, WAV, FLAC, ALAC, mp3 or AAC.

For ripping Higher res files Google to see what is around.
After ripping , copy or cut and paste them into a folder on the NAS for anywhere LAN or depending, WAN, playback is desired.

Kpiaru > as well as gaining the ability to fully decode (as opposed to rendering) MQA files from Tidal

Blindjim > you understand MQA is a proprietary process presently, right?

I don’t think the actual codecs have been made public yet.

All MQA files will play back in SD without the need for added ‘approved’ licensed hardware.

The TIDAL app will do the rendering for output to whatever DLNA OR PnP is connected to your LAN.. PROVIDED OF COURSE, THE dlna SUPPORTS IT.

For HD rendering of MQA files, you’ll need as well a renderer likely a DAC which has the chips Meridian approved of for this format as the MQA file has a watermark of sorts which seeks a particular chip to be fully unlocked THIS IS THE ‘AUTHENTICATION’ PROCESS.

then THE FILE IS processed from its 44K or 48KHz ‘contained’ file type into its ‘unfolded’ 96K or 192KHz projected outcome. Thereafter, converted to analog and violin! Music.

More LAN boxes are coming online regularly. I’m not up on all of them. Just Google some. You should find options.

They Mytek Brooklyn is a much much better sounding dac than the NAD Masters stand-alone and does DSD via USB at all resolutions. Which is odd, in a sense, because the little NAD D 3020 integrated which I am listening to right now has a much better DAC in it than the big NAD DAC. << shrug >> YMMV.

Honestly, I have disabled MQA on the Mytek due to the filter settings I prefer. The one negative of the Brooklyn is you can’t select digital filters AND enable MQA. If you enable MQA you must use the Apodizing filter.

I find it too soft sounding.

Best,

E