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. |
Good question (& thx for the reply).
I have Tidal app on my iPhone (dropped the service bc imo the sq was not worth the $). I read, somewhere, that Bluesound + an mqa dac would play Tidal mqa streaming. Haven't, yet, purchased a mqa dac or resubscribed to Tidal. Don't want to install a computer in my sound room. Hoping to find a way to get full mqa at least investment. Trying to learn how.
Thanks |
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? |
Question:
If I have 1) Tidal, 2) Bluesound iPhone app, 3) Meridian Explorer 2, can I stream full mqa through my iPhone?
Thanks
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Question:
If I have 1) Tidal, 2) Bluesound iPhone app, 3) Meridian Explorer 2, can I stream full mqa through my iPhone?
Thanks
|
I have the Bluesound Node 2 and Rotel ra-1592 integrated amp connected via a Transparent Optical interconnect. I too was initially confused about whether my Rotel DAC was decoding the mqa. Someone above said it first, but I want to validate that not all Tidal MQA albums are 96 kHz - Beyonce comes in at 44.1, though Joni Mitchell comes in at 96 - my Rotel automatically switches its display from 44.1 to 96 when the data being send to it changes.
Bluesound’s app lets you stream the MQA via your phone/ (I have the iPhone 6s) - Bluesound also sorts all the MQA albums for you on my phone app which is really helpful.
I’m sort of a audiophile newb, why does my Rotel only display the 44.1 vs 16/44.1, it does this for the 96khz too - doesn’t display the "24 bits" portion of the frequency - do those numbers go hand in hand? - should i assume 96khz is also 24bits? thanks |
I agree with mcroth. I don't think the Oppo can access the higher res Tidal MQA info. MQA argue that their un-decoded files in the standard FLAC wrapper will sound better than Redbook 16/44, but I have not been able to discern that by listening. |
@jank
Are you sure you're getting the MQA software decoded through the Oppo? I attempted doing what you said with the Oppo 103 and only getting 44.1 according to the Anthem D2 processor. I would like to remove the laptop and just use the 103, but I don't think it's possible yet. |
Kalali said: "You may want to try bypassing the Bel Canto and see/hear if those same contents sound better."
The fully decoded analog output of the Bluesound Node 2 is quite pleasant and a screaming deal for a $500 streamer-DAC, but it is not up to the SQ out of the Bel Canto 3.7 via SPDIF after the first MQA decode in the Node 2. |
You need the desktop app to select the masters and add it to your favorites. No need to stay running or even the PC to stay on. |
@jank
Thanks! Do you need to have the desktop on, open and running? Or can it be done completely through a smartphone app?
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No USB, wifi stream directly from an Android app on a phone.
All the masters I selected on the desktop are showing up on the Android phone and I can play them on the Oppo. |
@jank
Do you run a desktop to the BDP-105d via usb? Or can it stream Tidal MQA independently? I currently don't have the Oppo (nor Tidal) and I'm researching best ways of integrating MQA into my system.
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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. |
I'm using a Bluesound Node 2 into a Bel Canto DAC 3.7 via SPDIF and I'm getting either 88.2 or 96 kHz on most Tidal MQA material. |
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. |
The above method 'jbhiler' describes even works on non-MQA DACs. I'm listening to TIDAL Masters (MQA) tracks with my Lumin S1. The tracks show as 48K / 24 bit, which is of course is higher than the Redbook standard TIDAL HiFi usually delivers. I'm guessing if my DAC was MQA capable, it would show as 96K / 24 bit.
Does this prove you don't need the TIDAL desktop app to decode the Masters (MQA) tracks? |
This works on an OPPO 105d player too. |
Thanks for posting this! My weekend suddenly just got really busy
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Thanks for the post. I am streaming MQA, at least that is what the bluesound app is telling me. It sounds great but then again so do the originals (16/44.1 hifi streams). |
Yes, and if you use analog out you will get the full "deblurring" magic of MQA up to and including 24/192. |
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? |
I don't remember, does blue sound decode MQA?
Alan |
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. |
