Quick How to Stream MQA via Tidal to Bluesound


Just recently (yesterday?), Tidal started offering "masters" recordings that are in MQA format @ 96khz as opposed to 44.1khz. But, the catch--at least right now--is that such offerings are limited to (a) <200 albums; and (b) streaming only through Tidal's desktop app--not through iPhone, iPad, etc. 

Here's how I got the MQA to work in Bluesound.  It's only a temporary fix. 

1. Go to Tidal on my computer/desktop app. 
2. Open Tidal. 
3. Go to "What's New"
4. Next to Albums just above the album artwork you'll see, "New, Recommended, Top 20, Masters."  Select Masters. 
5. When you see an album of Masters you like, add it to your Favorites. 
6. Open your Bluesound app on your favorite device (does not have to be your computer/desktop). 
7. Go to Favorites, Albums, and find the album.  It can be a bit difficult if you already have, for example, a previous non-masters version in your favorites.  But, when you stream the proper album your DAC--if so equipped--will indicate that it's streaming in 96khz as opposed to the standard 44.1khz. 

Tidal needs to make this browsing functionality available in its own app. That may not help identify the "Masters" in Bluesound's app, but til those two things are updated you can use this workaround. 

I tested Van Morrison's Moondance and several Led Zeppelin albums.  The 96khz is subtlely different streaming through Tidal - Bluesound - my NAD M51 DAC.  I like the sound of vocals, drums, bass and transients. 
jbhiller

Showing 6 responses by kalali

Thanks. I followed a similar process for streaming the MQA content using my Bluesound Node 2. I just made a note of the MQA selections that I liked from Tidal app and found them on my Bluesound app and saved them. My external DAC does indeed show 96 rate when playing those selections. A bit of a kludge but I did this mainly just to hear the difference.
My understanding is it does. Wouldn't getting a higher sampling rate- 96 vs. 44.1, for the streamed MQA content (via Bluesound) be a confirmation of this?
A couple of things. Not all of the Tidal MQA contents are delivered at 24/96 so your non-MQA DAC is just showing the original rate. Try a few other titles from the Masters list and you'll see 96 on most of them but that's the most you'll get from a non-MQA DAC. The benefit of an MQA enabled DAC comes in when the original content is being delivered at 24/192. Here's what I've learned: the Tidal app decodes the first MQA phase up to 96 via software and going 96 -> 192 requires the hardware in the DAC. I also verified with the Bluesound helpdesk that both analog and digital coax outputs can handle MQA content. 
You may want to try bypassing the Bel Canto and see/hear if those same contents sound better. The non-MQA DAC will limit the sampling to 96 if those contents were originally streamed at 192. The trade-off is going to be between the quality of the two DACs and the second MQA "unfolding" performed by the Node2.
Good question. Unless something changed in that couple of months, the only way to get the full MQA treatment was using the Tidal app on a PC/ MAC. That aside, why use a Meridian Explorer when you can do the same using your Node2. And more importantly, how can you use the Bluesound app on the Meridian?
Unless there's a hack I don't know of, regardless of what "component" you use for streaming, you still need the Tidal HiFi subscription in order to listen to MQA processed music.