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Question on how DAC’s work...

Hello all!

In my system, my digital sources are a Denon DVD-2900 disc player (CD/DVD-Audio/SACD) & a Bluesound Vault 2. Most of my listening these days is done with the Vault 2 streaming Tidal, especially the growing catalog of MQA offerings. 

My first question is, if I were to start using an external DAC, and that DAC does not have MQA compatibility, would I still be getting the potential of “better sound” from the external DAC even though the Vault is doing all the unfolding?

My second question is if my disc player exports SACD at a different bit-rate than what the DAC is capable of, will the DAC upscale or alter the bit-rate to get better performance?

Sorry if these are rudimentary questions, but the only DAC I’ve purchased to this point is a Meridian Explorer 2 that I’m using in a PC audio setup & was pretty much plug & play. 

Thanks for any help...Hope you’re all doing well!

Arvin
128x128arvincastro
erik_squires
16,373 posts
 
I'm on the "i don't think MQA is better" camp.

AFAIK, you'll get a 96k/24 bit stream from MQA sources, which is still higher than before.

I'm also in another weird camp: "Modern DACs don't benefit so much from high resolution data."

So, honestly, I'll be surprised if you find a big difference going either way.  My advice to you is to get the DAC which sounds best, regardless of MQA.
arvincastro's avatar
arvincastro OP
121 posts
 
Hi @erik_squires 

Understood...thanks for your response. So, in other words, even if the Vault's on-board DAC is still doing the MQA unfolding, the potential for better quality sound from an external DAC exists...even if that external DAC has no MQA capabilities, correct?

Sorry if I seem "dense" on this subject, but DAC specs & compatibility confuse the crap out of me.  Thanks again!

Arvin
djones51
4,947 posts
 
The Vault isn't unfolding MQA if you're passing the digital signal to another dac via digital out, it unfolds if you use the Vaults dac and analog outputs. 
erik_squires
16,373 posts
 
What I mean is, don't buy on MQA.

Buy the dac in your price range which gives you the best sound presentation. Dynamics, bass, extension, smoothness, imaging.  Whatever qualities you want, buy on that.

Don't buy a DAC you feel so-so about because it has MQA.
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 
"The Vault isn't unfolding MQA if you're passing the digital signal to another dac via digital out,"

This statement is not necessarily true. If the "external" DAC is MQA capable, you can select that as an option in BlueOS settings and allow the external DAC handle the unfolding.
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