2. digital
  3. 149522-10218

upsampling/mqa dac

This is a question showing my lack of understanding of dac performance and technology, but here goes.  I currently use mytek brooklyn + dacs with node 2i streamers digital output.  i am wondering if there is a dac (including the mytek) that automatically switches from mqa to other hi rez (Qobuz) to tidal cd quality streaming upsampling to nas flac streaming upsampling.  In other words a dac that will get the best resolution automatically from any digital source without my having to manually adjust settings.
(the mytek may do this automatically but if so i am lost on how to do it.)  I want the hi rez sound from stream or upsample, but want the comfort of not having to go to the dac whenever i switch a source.  budget for such a dac would be around 5k.  thanks for the thoughts and sorry i cant be more digitally articulate.
emster
3 responses Add your response
kren0006
1,859 posts
 
If you are asking whether upscaling of MQA occurs, I don't think so on Teac.  In fact, for a time I thought my Teac DAC wasn't working properly because while MQA songs were playing I was unable to change upconvert (or filter) settings on the dac in real time, and I thought something was wrong.

But then I found a note in the manual that said those features don't apply to MQA recordings.

Teac disables the feature during MQA play, it seems.  When I played a regular FLAC album from Tidal then I had access to change the upconvert and filter settings again on the fly.
kren0006
1,859 posts
 
The Teac NT-505 ($2k new) also does. Has two upconvert settings, one for pcm and one for dsd, that you set and then it works for sources providing those types. Leaves MQA unchanged. 

I set mine to upconvert to dsd512. 

Manual has nice chart chart that shows the equivalent up sample frequency for all the options. 

Also has filter options that im still evaluating 
nekoaudio's avatar
nekoaudio
489 posts
 
If I correctly understand what you're asking, the Lumin network streaming DACs with upsampling will do that. You can permanently turn on upsampling in the options, with different upsampling options. But when you switch to MQA it will use that, and it will still accept whatever bit-rate and sample-rate you want to feed it from Qobuz/Tidal or local files.

The Lumin T2 will fit in your budget. We carry the Lumin product line because they work great, sound great, are built to exceptionally high quality, and are easy to use.

If you still want to feed into the Mytek, the Lumin U1 which only has digital outputs also supports upsampling, to even higher bit-rate and sample-rate formats, and fits in your budget as well.
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