MQA?

Well, i don’t even know what to ask. So I’ll ramble.
Let’s put aside the real discussion which is the basic merits of MQA, and accept it for what it claims to be; an improvement in digital coding ("better HD"). Not playback mind you, coding. Bob’s a smart guy, I do presume that there is something to MQA, but that's my opinion.

We will assume that HD differences, if they are audible, will be audible on better systems.

Yo note the OP has a top flight DAC. So that seems to be a good foundation for a appreciating HD coding, and specifically MQA. Again, MQA may be total BS or music’s savior - it doesn’t matter for now.  But how on earth does having a good system make good source material less relevant?
Heck, I’d argue that all this talk about equipment misses the point -- the big differences are in recordings, masterings and pressings. And in rock, the state of the art has been low.
G

I should add that I have not heard MQA in my system or any system i know and trust, nor in a well controlled comparison (any offers in the Morristown-Summit corridor?). All 4 of my DACs do not support MQA. One's 20 years old (and still excellent BTW), two are Franken-DACs either of my own design or vastly different than originally built, and one is the new Denefrips which i have not yet heard (or seen).  So MQA is not on my near-term radar.  Honestly wish it were, out of curiosity if nothing else.

@itsjustme so maybe you didn’t read my further comments, but I’m a fan of MQA and also have a Metrum DAC (Onyx) <no MQA card>. My point is that the 2nd/3rd unfold of a MQA DAC maybe less relevant with high level DAC’s especially NOS(non MQA) ones.

He’s getting the first unfold of MQA with Tidal HIFI. My argument is that he may not hear any difference at all if he was to get the MQA card for the Pavane.

I spoke with the CEO of Metrum and he said not to bother with getting the MQA card for my DAC (Onyx), so I would assume he would suggest the same for the Pavane.

The whole MQA thing is very confusing to begin with and sometimes I feel its that way on purpose, but I listen with my ears, not my eyes and MQA on many songs sound great in my system....Roon >Metrum Ambre- Onyx> McIntosh MA6600

I do understand why you might think that logic doesn’t make sense, but I’m thinking the final unfolds in MQA are more effective with lower tier DAC’s. The higher tier esp NOS don’t have filters, so a lot less "noise" to remove.

That’s how i understand it at least and I could be wrong.

I suppose I should also state this. My previous setup was Bluesound Node 2i with a Rotel 1572. The Rotel’s DAC is not MQA compliant, but the MQA tracks playing through Bluesound to the Rotel DAC sounded better to me and I know i’m not the only one who has done this comparison.

We are talking about different DAC’s of course AKM vs Bur Brown and that could just be my taste, but I’ve read other people’s comments on the internet that said the same thing. You would think the bluesound node with a MQA DAC would sound superior to a non mqa DAC, but that wasn’t the case in my setup at least.

Hope that helps to clarify, but I may have confused you even more ;)

Data points are always good.
The unfolding however, is reputed to be much more than filtering.  Its proprietary so we cannot say for sure, but they claim that additional resolution and time coherency are restored. This is why i used the terms "coding vs playback". Its vague, but so is Bob on this point. It's his secret sauce.

(specifically i wrote: Let’s put aside the real discussion which is the basic merits of MQA, and accept it for what it claims to be; an improvement in digital coding ("better HD"). Not playback mind you, coding.)
And no, i did not read your later comments at the time, never got that far, and thanks for the pointer.

G