MQA?

https://metrumacoustics.com/mqa/ I think this explains it fairly well.

"The second unfold corrects the impulse of the digital to analog converter as well as extracting the fine temporal detail of the original recording. This process is tailored because every single DAC has its own behavior. This is most beneficial for oversampling DACs that use steep filtering. The DAC’s oversampling filters are always applied just “above” the music and have a negative impact on the impulse behavior. To solve this, one can use their own up-sampling technology to push the DAC’s steep filtering up to higher frequencies. As a result the DAC’s filter is being detached from the music and causes less disturbance to the music. Gentle up-sampling can also create artefacts, but these are generally considered less annoying than steep filtering.

"Now let’s talk Non Oversampling. Per definition a Non Oversampling digital to analog converter does NOT use any filtering and is entirely focused at the perception of the human ear. As NON Oversampling DAC do not use any filters, in combination with MQA Core Decoder (first unfold), a NON Oversampling output will only benefit, and this is the case with every single DAC in the Metrum Acoustics range."  

I read that as the 2nd/3rd unfold for MQA is more beneficial to OS DAC’s.

@rbodner I can’t imagine you would hear much of a difference at all since you are working with their top of the line DAC. I run the Onyx with the Ambre and do think MQA sounds better on some albums compared to the normal 16/44.

I thought about adding the card, but Anjo @ Metrum told me not to waste my time and let the Ambre take care of the unfolding even if it’s no the "full" unfold.

@itsjustme baffled by what? Maybe, I can help clarify my understanding even if it's not as robust as some. 

I do understand why you might think that logic doesn’t make sense, but I’m thinking the final unfolds in MQA are more effective with lower tier DAC’s. The higher tier esp NOS don’t have filters, so a lot less "noise" to remove.

That’s how i understand it at least and I could be wrong.

I suppose I should also state this. My previous setup was Bluesound Node 2i with a Rotel 1572. The Rotel’s DAC is not MQA compliant, but the MQA tracks playing through Bluesound to the Rotel DAC sounded better to me and I know i’m not the only one who has done this comparison.

We are talking about different DAC’s of course AKM vs Bur Brown and that could just be my taste, but I’ve read other people’s comments on the internet that said the same thing. You would think the bluesound node with a MQA DAC would sound superior to a non mqa DAC, but that wasn’t the case in my setup at least.

Hope that helps to clarify, but I may have confused you even more ;)

@kren0006 curious if you had the TEAC before the firmware update for MQA? Did network player have the software for MQA already and the firmware just updated the DAC?

It would be interesting if say, only the streaming side of things was MQA complaint but your DAC wasn’t if there would be a difference in sound quality. That's the point of debate right now.

However, that seems like a really nice DAC.

@itsjustme so maybe you didn’t read my further comments, but I’m a fan of MQA and also have a Metrum DAC (Onyx) <no MQA card>. My point is that the 2nd/3rd unfold of a MQA DAC maybe less relevant with high level DAC’s especially NOS(non MQA) ones.

He’s getting the first unfold of MQA with Tidal HIFI. My argument is that he may not hear any difference at all if he was to get the MQA card for the Pavane.

I spoke with the CEO of Metrum and he said not to bother with getting the MQA card for my DAC (Onyx), so I would assume he would suggest the same for the Pavane.

The whole MQA thing is very confusing to begin with and sometimes I feel its that way on purpose, but I listen with my ears, not my eyes and MQA on many songs sound great in my system....Roon >Metrum Ambre- Onyx> McIntosh MA6600

@vinylfan62 my favorite is the people like you...Are you really that bored in your mom's basement that you feel that need to chime into a discussion you have no part in?? You're lucky I'm giving you the time of day....dork....what else do you have to say???

@shadorne do you guys both share a room together? 

@headspace but what about when you listen to the song not in MQA? do you notice a difference when using either DAC?