Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD
There are many who know that MQA is lossy : https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30381-mqa-is-vaporware/?tab=comments#comment-613530 This is is why some of the best dac designers will not include MQA. |
Toetapaudio (love the username!) The implementation of MQA is fascinating. And the point made about MQA developing a stronghold on the audio/music industry is even more fascinating; and a precedent has been set with Apple in that regards. I understand Schiit's points and respect some of them. Truth be told, it's a short lived technology (ten years or less) as our capacity to stream and transmit higher and higher bit rates become available. The first article questions the tech, but most agree that MQA offers a better quality reproduction than streamed 16/44 and it's certainly better then MP3; so for right now it's a great technology to augment SQ in streamed music; which we audiophiles want and identify as having monetary value. To be honest, I think it's a great invention and should be adopted universally by MQA loosening their valuation of its licensing. It would allow the music industry to implement it more universally and the manufacturing industry to incorporate it more affordable. But that's not the route MQA has chosen. I would like MQA in my portable solutions. I don't really care if it's in my high end solutions. And I think most audiophiles will have the same attitude. My high end DAC purchase has been unaffected by the existence of MQA. Would I like to see it in my DAC? Sure. But it's absolutely in no way affecting my purchase decision. But as I said, when I buy a DAP I'd like to get one with MQA. Although I don't think my new portable Chord Hugo2 does MQA nor do I think my iPhones Tidal outputs MQA at this time. I'm not even sure if Androids Tidal (ie. any Android DAP) outputs MQA yet. I think it may only be available on desktop Tidal. Please correct me as I may very well be wrong on that point. Someone came up with a better way. Let's see if their method to market, and market demand, will eventually allow that better way to thrive or die. I don't think the average listener (not we audiophiles) gives a flying frisbee if their sound quality gets any better then whatever comes out of their iPhone while listening to their Beats Solo headphones. I mean, these people love their MP3's and don't see the need for better! Either way, there will be no need for MQA in a few years as streaming bitrate channels widen and allow 384k audio and 4K video streaming without obstruction. Good times!!!! |
@mattnshilp Great post (thank you)! IMO, MQA has opened the flood gate on possibilities of higher bit rate streaming. Here's to good times 🍻 BTW, LG V30 smartphone will be the first to stream MQA playback. "The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with the highest multi-media capabilities and purest audio experience. MQA’s award-winning technology captures and reproduces the sound of the original studio master in a file that’s small enough to stream. The LG V30 handset features integrated MQA playback technology so that master quality sound recordings can be played back via the mobile device". |
Teaser: I have completed my evaluation of the Lumin S1 server/DAC (using both its internal DAC as well as its spdif output to my Davinci 2 DAC) and just plugged in and started burning in a Melco N1ZH/2 music server. I will give it a solid week of burn in and audition/compare next Wednesday. I have a 32 core MP64-32 Memory Player ($55k retail) server on order and that will be coming in about 4-6 weeks would be my guess. Possibly sooner. I'm dying to hear that!!!! Also, I have arranged for an audition/trial of the mighty Boulder 2120 ($65k retail) server/DAC. I'm giddy like a school girl for that to arrive as well!!! Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off. I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as well. Not enough time in the day my friends!!! Stay tuned! PS - Yes the Davinci hath arrived. It's got about 500 hours on it. I'll compare it to my cherished ODSX when it reaches a 1000 hours. In the meantime, Steve from Empirical Audio emailed me asking to send back my ODSX for further upgrades that he just came out with and were significant enough that he wanted to implement them into my ODSX. It was shipped out last week and will arrive today. As a side note, I just put together a "little" office system consisting of a Constellation Centaur stereo amp and Virgo 2 preamp with Focal Sopra #2 speakers. I also bought a pair of Scansonic 5.0 speakers from Larry of Distinctive Stereo (before I found the deal of the century on these Sopra #2's). Although the price is fairly different, I will compare both to see which suits the equipment and the room better. I also need to decide what source I'll be using. Will I go for a server/DAC like the Lumin S1 or A20? Or go crazy and do a server and transition my prized ODSX to the office?!? Don't know yet. Lots of listening to do to decide what's best for that system .... cheers!!! |
"Al from SGM has promised me an audition that will knock my socks off.
I'd like to absorb and report all that I mentioned above before taking
Al's time; I'm thinking December or January. He's shown me some other
cool little affordable grounding trinkets that might be worth trying as
well."
Matt, Ah, I think I said I did not want to over promise and nothing about your socks...or mine, lol. So keep your hose on, lol. But I did say that we are very excited about some testing underway and if it all pans out like we expect then yea. But I am sure you will enjoy what you experience once you hear the SGM. Hmm, "affordable grounding trinkets". Well since one version has silver and gold in it "trinkets" might be too much of a misnomer seeing how "trinkets" are not made of precious metals, lol. Matt, as soon as you have the time I should drop off some more of the Setchi grounding blocks for you to add to your system. If I can help it I plan on NOT removing the ones in my system. I have one on my SGM and one on my T+A DAC 8 DSD. Just those two made a significant difference. I did not expect that degree of improvement. I just started to try a pair on my Merrill Audio Veritas Amps. Well, enough of me. Alfonse Mirabella Ambassador, Sound Galleries & Taiko Audio Sound Test USA soundtest.info al.mirabella@soundtest.info |
