Is DEQX a game changer?

And on top of all that, some designers like B&W or Focal do totally wonky things like putting the tweeters ahead of the mids. Never ends well.

One odd thing I'm still wrapping my head around are companies that make multiple driver enclosures, but are still not fully time aligned. Wilson, the old KEF robots, B&W, among others do this. Check the step response in a review, if available.

Best,

Erik

Goldmond did that as well, but they were one of the best sounds I ever heard coming from a box speaker in my life.  Mechanical coupling.  That is how they achieved linear bass.  Seems to be the key to that uber sound.  The non-linear bass just smears everything in the midrange just a tad.  Linear bass and incredible things happen.

@cerrot

I'm sorry but what exactly do you mean by "linear" bass?  I'm afraid I could interpret that about a half dozen ways and not be sure I got your intention.

Best,

Erik

I too have followed MQA very closely.  Very promising, crazy enthusiasm, but so far...nothing.  

I wrote to DEQX a few weeks ago with some questions, one of which regarded MQA integration.  Their response was that the jury is still out on MQA, they place significant burdens on the DAC manufacturer, and the availability of media remains far too limited.  So it does not sound like they are getting on board anytime soon.  

MQA integration was one of my few hesitations regarding the HDP5.  I assumed that something would be lost in the additional AD/DA required using a separate DAC.  The comments above more than confirmed my suspicions.  So I recognize that if I go forward with the HDP5, MQA is likely not happening for me for quite a while and I think that's okay.  The real benefits of the DEQX seem to outweigh the promises of MQA.  

@jeffrubin, I'm glad you reached out to DEQX and shared their general feedback. I was curious to get their take. I'm not surprised at the response at all. Despite my enthusiasm for MQA, I think i'm in the same boat as you. I think the positives of speaker/room correction and crossover of the DEQX would outweigh the benefit of MQA. That's my current leaning, anyway. 

That said, my music library is HEAVILY based on CD-quality digital streaming via Tidal (controlled by Roon which I'm now using and ecstatic about). If Tidal flips the switch on MQA this century and starts streaming most if not all of their library in that format, I hope it sounds as good or better through a non-MQA DAC than the current format. That's what MQA promises, but I've heard doubters. I tend to trust MQA, backed by reviewers at Stereophile, Audiostream, etc.