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MQA master quality files?


JoeJoeThe3rd

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Ok so I’m trying to figure out a route to listen to Mqa master quality on tidal. I’m paying for it and get the master quality songs but I don’t think I’m actually getting the higher quality media for reasons unknown to me. I’m listening to tidal masters on windows 10 through my computer but how do I actually take full advantage of a master quality recording. Even though I’m listening to a master quality recording I don’t think my system is properly unfolding it or whatever it’s called, I think it’s the same quality as say a hifi recording. How do I check to make sure the music coming through my speakers is actually the master quality 24bit 196hz or what ever it is? Sorry I feel like I’m just repeating myself. I think it’s only playing in 16bit 48hz. 
 

 

I also have another question. When I try to configure my speakers on my computer as a 7.1 Surround sound system or the Dolby Atmos for home theater format(I don’t have any Atmos speakers but I didn’t know if should use this mode or the other) On avr mrx720 when I try to do this and apply it it says multi pcm 3/4 and sound only comes out of the front left and right speakers no matter what mode I put it in. I have to set it up as a stereo system only then sound will actually come out of all 7 speakers. I’m also using a HDMI cord vs an optical which I thought would make it possible and I thought I had it going the night before but then couldn’t get it to do it again today. How do I get sound to come out of all 7 speakers while having it properly configured on my computer? Also does this even make any difference in sound quality either way?  It’s very confusing and frustrating any help would be appreciated, I hope you guys understand what I’m trying to say. 
 

also I thought before when I got it to work It was going through Realtek high definition audio but now it’s running though the nvida and I can’t get it to work, idk if that helps but ya...

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3 hours ago, No.4 said:

As I understand it MQA is unique to tidal and not all DACs support MQA files. Does yours?

Acually I saw somewhere that says it can so I think it can. But still I don’t think I’m getting the better quality master brings to the table. I can’t figure this shit out...😔☹️

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MQA requires specific device support to see it fully realized. Here's Tidal's support page to ensure you have everything setup on the software side:  https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

 

But you do need to have a device with a DAC that supports it:  https://www.mqa.co.uk/playback-devices

 

 

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8 hours ago, JoeJoeThe3rd said:

Should I have these selected?

F62EE26F-5CCA-4246-B88D-B3F655A3929E.jpeg

I am not an expert on this either. I have been using digital lately just because I have been so curious. I have been a holdout up until recently. I am using an iphone and iPad for a source through a Schiit modi Into my system. The modi will support the file sizes that amazon hd and ultra hd broadcasts. MQA is supposed to compete with ultra hd I believe, but don’t quote me on that. I started looking into MQA because I am back and forth about upgrading my DAC and during that research, many reviewers would bring up whether or not the particular DAC I was looking at would support MQA. I do not need MQA necessarily, but you definitely do. As to your above settings when you do get an MQA supported DAC you will probably want to have all three of those options selected. That is assuming you are using your AVR to control volume. The third setting will bypass all processing internal to your computer and let the DAC do the work which is what you want.

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if your system is not reassembling the files, then you would not be getting a signal. if you are indicating MQA as source, and you are getting sound, that's it.

 

but as others have stated, many DAC's will not realign a MQA file.

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5 hours ago, Schu said:

if your system is not reassembling the files, then you would not be getting a signal. if you are indicating MQA as source, and you are getting sound, that's it.

 

but as others have stated, many DAC's will not realign a MQA file.

I can’t find anywhere that says my dac  supports mqa. I can’t even find for sure what the name of the mrx720 dac is. So if I have pass through mqa selected and there’s sounding actually coning through does that mean my dac is unfolding those files? 

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The Anthem MRX 720 does not support MQA so it's just playing those MQA files you are sending it as regular CD quality - slightly less actually.  MQA files can play on non-MQA devices in a backwards compatibility mode, but at slightly less than CD quality.  The best you can do with your setup is to decode (1st unfold) MQA in software.  This takes it up to 88.1 or 96, and then send that stream to your MRX 720.

 

Or, just stream regular hi-res FLAC files to your Anthem.

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14 hours ago, pbphoto said:

The Anthem MRX 720 does not support MQA so it's just playing those MQA files you are sending it as regular CD quality - slightly less actually.  MQA files can play on non-MQA devices in a backwards compatibility mode, but at slightly less than CD quality.  The best you can do with your setup is to decode (1st unfold) MQA in software.  This takes it up to 88.1 or 96, and then send that stream to your MRX 720.

 

Or, just stream regular hi-res FLAC files to your Anthem.

How do I do that, what software do I need? Ok so I shouldn’t have pass through mqa on? I had it on before and it still played. What setup would I need to get the full effect? When I have is set to exclusive mode it’s sets it too 48hz.  I thought it might have been able to becasue when I had it set on pass through mqa sound was still coming through but I guess that doesn’t matter and it’s only playing at 44-48hz.

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The Tidal app will do the first unfold for you.  Turn off "passthrough MQA" unless you have an MQA compatible DAC, which you don't.  If you do the first unfold in Tidal, then your Anthem should see an 88.2 or 96 PCM stream.  Read this a couple more times: https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005773698-Optimizing-HiFi

 

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I suspect that by selecting “Passthrough MQA”, you won’t be hearing MQA sound, because it states under that that the setting “Disables software decoding of MQA”.  Some decoder or other will have to be operating to get it.

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7 hours ago, Islander said:

I suspect that by selecting “Passthrough MQA”, you won’t be hearing MQA sound, because it states under that that the setting “Disables software decoding of MQA”.  Some decoder or other will have to be operating to get it.

Correct - the Anthem is playing the PCM file unaware of the embedded MQA encoding.  This backwards compatibility mode is a feature of MQA that results in slightly less than CD quality PCM.

 

8 hours ago, codewritinfool said:

 


Careful not to get too invested. What will you do if you can’t hear the slightest difference?

GIGO. You aren’t getting some magic effect out of recordings that don’t have it to begin with, no matter how carefully the bits are folded.

Just my opinion.

 

I haven't used Tidal in over a year, but they used to have the hi-res PCM-FLAC version of every MQA album.  Assuming they are the same master/lineage, the OP can compare to see if he hears a difference.  I never could.

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23 hours ago, codewritinfool said:

 


Careful not to get too invested. What will you do if you can’t hear the slightest difference?

GIGO. You aren’t getting some magic effect out of recordings that don’t have it to begin with, no matter how carefully the bits are folded.

Just my opinion.

 

The way I look at it, I want to use my system to it’s full potential and not squander it. But ify.more peace of mind thing I guess then. When you have a head injury and you’ve been stuck in your house all year you look for anything that will keep you busy and it’s something I love. 

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On 10/12/2020 at 9:34 PM, pbphoto said:

The Tidal app will do the first unfold for you.  Turn off "passthrough MQA" unless you have an MQA compatible DAC, which you don't.  If you do the first unfold in Tidal, then your Anthem should see an 88.2 or 96 PCM stream.  Read this a couple more times: https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005773698-Optimizing-HiFi

 

I read it through again. I already have it set to master quality and I exclusive mode and force volume selected. Is there a way to see and make sure what quality the music is playing at? 

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Your receiver doesn't support MQA, so once it leaves Tidal you're only playing PCM files. I'd stop worrying about MQA unless you want to put in the research and financial investment to acquire MQA supported equipment for the entire signal chain. Anything less than that level of effort will result in PCM conversion at some point, thereby defeating the entire purpose of MQA.

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6 hours ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

Your receiver doesn't support MQA, so once it leaves Tidal you're only playing PCM files. I'd stop worrying about MQA unless you want to put in the research and financial investment to acquire MQA supported equipment for the entire signal chain. Anything less than that level of effort will result in PCM conversion at some point, thereby defeating the entire purpose of MQA.

 The beard of digital knowledge has spoken.

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