2. tech-talk
  3. 151126-123258

How many of you believe in MQA?

I have recently purchased a Bluesound Node 2i.  The dealer suggested I connect the Bluesound by way of digital coax to a Pro-Ject S2 DAC by way of RCA anologue to my ARCAM AVR550.  However, I found out I will not be able to control my Bluesound with an iPhone, iPad or PC notebook.  The only way to hear MQA completely unfolded is to plug in a computer USB.  This would mean I would have to get up from where I am sitting, go to the computer to change songs and albums.  I believe the Pro-Ject RS2 DAC would work, but not sure what the sales price is or if this is a good option.

The dealer asked me why I wanted to even bother listening to MQA completely unfolded when the DAC sounded better than the DAC inside the Bluesound.  He thinks MQA is way over rated and it may not be around a year from now.  If I hook things up with the Pro-Ject S2 DAC I will be able to hear one unfold which would be at 24 bit/88.2 kHz.  If I do this, I will be giving up the opportunity to hear MQA recordings recorded at 24 bit/96 kHz or 24 bit/192 kHz.  

How many of you are enbracing MQA?  
128x128larry5729
dbtom2
382 posts
 
I am enjoying MQA Masters from Tidal.  That first unfold provided by the Tidal app is all I need. More detail, kick drum sounds more real and the leading and trailing edge of bass notes are particularly well defined. 

It hasn’t cost me anything to listen to thousands of Hi-Res tracks I would have had to purchase otherwise.  I subscribed to Tidal well before MQA Masters were added to their library.  

Count me as a believer in MQA.  In general I like what I hear.  

I enjoy Qobuz also and listen to their Hi-Res selections as well.  Good stuff.  

My disclaimer is that I don’t have near the time or money invested in my hifi and music collection as a lot of others here do. I just like picking an album to play and if I wonder what the format is due to something I am hearing, I will investigate.  Otherwise it’s just the bliss of good tunes.  

I am enjoying hi-res in all the formats and consider my subscriptions to Tidal and Qobuz a bargain.  
big_greg
6,670 posts
 
Larry, I think you're confused about a couple of things.

First, you shouldn't need a PC in the chain.  You stream music from the Bluesound Node 2 directly to your Arcam or you can run it to the Pro-Ject DAC via a coax cable and connect the DAC to the Arcam.  You may find the Node 2i's DAC is as good or better than the Pro-Ject DAC.  Either way, you should be able to get a full unfold of the MQA files.

The Bluesound app will control streaming from music services like Tidal, Qobuz, Radio Paradise, etc. as well as stream music from your home network if you have files that you have shared on your network.  The DAC just converts digital signals to analog and passes them to the Arcam.  There's nothing to control on the DAC.
gs5556
1,237 posts
 
I personally would not invest in equipment with MQA because I don't want to be tied to what Tidal decides to stream in that format. And lately their new releases in classical is a couple of months behind Qobuz...
2psyop's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
2psyop
1,636 posts
 
Big_Greg is correct. You don’t need the computer. That is why the Node2 was designed as a one-in-all player. The Bluesound is a DAC and streamer all in one. It can be linked to a NAS or your own library of music as well, but one does not have to do this. I was surprised by how good the DAC inside the Bluesound sounded.  I am using a Node 2 for playing non-MQA and MQA material and it sounds fantastic. Not every album sounds good in MQA. Just like the old analog mastered albums, some good recordings, some not so good.

I am not sure I understand the MQA take-a-side argument. It is just another format to try, see how you like it. If not, try something else??? Am I believer?!? In MQA. That makes the format sound like a cult, or UFO, or elves ....which is kind of ridiculous.

Reel to Reel tapes, Betamax, cassette tapes, mini-discs, CD, turntables, aiff, FLAC, wav, streaming .....just another way to listen to music... not the end all, be all for music recording.
gdnrbob
4,458 posts
 
@big greg 
@2psyop .
I use a Bluesound Node and control it with a PC desktop app.
Though you could use an Android or Iphone, too. Either way, there is a computer.
I don't any other way to play music through the Node.
Bob
More to discover