Best portable DAC/Amp with MQA?

[somy]

Hi I'd like to get a DAC/Amp in my office for Tidal playback, hence I'd like something with MQA support.
I currently own Hifiman Ananda (seems easy to drive), and plan to buy Sennheiser HD650. I'm looking for something portable so I can also use with iPhone and iPad as well, but the primary use case is MacBook. Is portable device enough to drive HD650 well or should I consider desktop product? I'm looking at Lotoo Paw S2, but are there better options?
Many thanks in advance!

 

[NiagaraPete]

Hi I'd like to get a DAC/Amp in my office for Tidal playback, hence I'd like something with MQA support.
I currently own Hifiman Ananda (seems easy to drive), and plan to buy Sennheiser HD650. I'm looking for something portable so I can also use with iPhone and iPad as well, but the primary use case is MacBook. Is portable device enough to drive HD650 well or should I consider desktop product? I'm looking at Lotoo Paw S2, but are there better options?
Many thanks in advance!

What are your reasons for wanting MQA?

 

[Turambar]

I'm using now the FiiO BTR7 and it's working fine. Connecting thru the balanced 4.4mm output it should be able to drive the HD650 quite well, in my view.

 

[symphara]

I have an iFi Gryphon, it’s portable, works with the iPad, can charge from it, supports MQA.

What are your reasons for wanting MQA?

He literally states it in the first sentence.

 

[NiagaraPete]

I have an iFi Gryphon, it’s portable, works with the iPad, can charge from it, supports MQA.

He literally states it in the first sentence.

Does he? He says he wants it and I’m asking why? I asked because he seems to be in a Apple environment. There is no sensible reason to want MQA and I get he’s using Tidal but I’d also have to ask why?

 

[somy]

Does he? He says he wants it and I’m asking why? I asked because he seems to be in an Apple environment. There is no sensible reason to want MQA and I get he’s using Tidal but I’d also have to ask why?

Do you mean why I use Tidal or why does Tidal use MQA? I want MQA because Tidal uses MQA mainly.

 

[symphara]

Does he? He says he wants it and I’m asking why? I asked because he seems to be in a Apple environment. There is no sensible reason to want MQA and I get he’s using Tidal but I’d also have to ask why?

Yes, he does. Irrespective of my opinion of MQA, the OP wants Tidal, Tidal uses MQA compression, it's better to have a DAC that can decompress MQA than decode it all as PCM blindly, i.e. treat the MQA bits as noise and thus effectively use a lower depth bit stream.

 

[NiagaraPete]

Do you mean why I use Tidal or why does Tidal use MQA? I want MQA because Tidal uses MQA mainly.

Why I asked and while I don’t believe a vote here on ASR has been taken I think you’d find the majority of us believe MQA is snake oil. I can appreciate that you may prefer Tidal over Apple Music but realistically there is no sonic difference MQA or not.

 

[somy]

Why I asked and while I don’t believe a vote here on ASR has been taken I think you’d find the majority of us believe MQA is snake oil. I can appreciate that you may prefer Tidal over Apple Music but realistically there is no sonic difference MQA or not.

Not sure if your comment any help for my search for a portable DAC, but thanks anyways.

 

[voodooless]

Tidal for iOS will do the MQA core decode, so most of the presumed advantages of MQA can be had without an MQA DAC. Something like Topping G5 will probably offer quite a good bang for buck.

 

[Leiker535]

The Fiio lineup is your best bet, the btr7 being the most versatile. Be mindful that it won't play MQA through Bluetooth though.

 

[Leiker535]

Tidal for iOS will do the MQA core decode,

In honesty, if he doesn't mind getting the 8x unfold and 192k "hirez" playback, his MacBook HP Out would suffice, period, for those headphones, as EQ probably wouldn't be used.

 

[Gradius]

mqa is a SCAM. The quality is horrible, distorced, and even CD-DA is better specially because is untouched.

Think of mqa as a mp3pro wanna be.

 

[v.koutensky]

I would check Shanling UP5, Qudelix 5k and Fiio BTR7. All good devices, with slightly different pros and cons depending your personal tastes.

UP5 is fine allrounder, BTR7 seems to be most advanced one, but also most expensive, Qudelix is having most customizable settings of all three.