MQA, where is decoding done, what is required?

[Jimbob54]

the OP is using Tidal, and he’s asking in that particular context. He’s not purchasing MQA tracks and playing them independently.

Edit: Sorry there are two people asking questions here, and only one of them said that they’re using Tidal.

Indeed. But we still need to separate tidal (the source) and tidal (the app). I recall reading some albums had recently had their non mqa versions totally removed from Tidal. In that situation I am totally confused as to what you get, for example, if you stream those files to a chromecast audio. I would guess a 24/48 pcm stream for the most part? If someone can point me to one of these new mqa only albums I can actually check on my cca.

 

[abdo123]

Indeed. But we still need to separate tidal (the source) and tidal (the app). I recall reading some albums had recently had their non mqa versions totally removed from Tidal. In that situation I am totally confused as to what you get, for example, if you stream those files to a chromecast audio. I would guess a 24/48 pcm stream for the most part? If someone can point me to one of these new mqa only albums I can actually check on my cca.

This would be interesting with CCA, Tidal should be directly switched to 'Hi-Fi'. Let me check which albums are MQA only for you to try out.

 

[Sukie]

the OP is using Tidal, and he’s asking in that particular context. He’s not purchasing MQA tracks and playing them independently.

Edit: Sorry there are two people asking questions here, and only one of them said that they’re using Tidal.

You're equating Tidal and the Tidal app. You can access Tidal in numerous ways without using the Tidal app. Tidal doesn't do any unfolding per se. The unfolding is done by the control app. This might be the Tidal app or it might not. Either way, the whole unfold can be done by a full decoder MQA DAC.

 

[abdo123]

If someone can point me to one of these new mqa only albums I can actually check on my cca.

I think a lot of albums published by Warner Bros got their pure FLAC versions removed on Tidal.

From my Library I think all of Madonna's early work is MQA only.

 

[Glasvegas]

the OP is using Tidal, and he’s asking in that particular context. He’s not purchasing MQA tracks and playing them independently.

Edit: Sorry there are two people asking questions here, and only one of them said that they’re using Tidal.

Yes, sorry I about that. I seem to have hijacked the thread. I think the actual OP got his question answered.

I could start another MQA thread, but as Brenda from Bristol might say “You joking - not another one“. (British joke).

 

[Sukie]

Tidal doesn’t support Master quality streaming at all with CCA, it instantly changes the quality to ‘Hi-Fi’ (CD).

Again, it depends on the source. Tidal on Roon, using a CCA and full MQA decoder DAC, will support Master quality streaming.

 

[Sukie]

Yes, sorry I about that. I seem to have hijacked the thread. I think the actual OP got his question answered.

I could start another MQA thread, but as Brenda from Bristol might say “You joking - not another one“. (British joke).

To be fair, most people's access to MQA will be through Tidal.

Agreed on the desire not to inflame Brenda from Bristol! The last "discussion" on MQA seemed to descend into an argument over the difference between DRM and proprietary formats.

The problem is that it's difficult to give precise answers on MQA because so much of it depends upon what software and what hardware a person is using. This is the way - as the Mandalorian would say!

 

[Glasvegas]

To be fair, most people's access to MQA will be through Tidal.

Agreed on the desire not to inflame Brenda from Bristol! The last "discussion" on MQA seemed to descend into an argument over the difference between DRM and proprietary formats.

The problem is that it's difficult to give precise answers on MQA because so much of it depends upon what software and what hardware a person is using. This is the way - as the Mandalorian would say!

Well, this might sound a bit selfish, but I really just want to know what is happening when I stream a Tidal MQA-only track from the Android Tidal app to CCA, then on to a non-MQA DAC. From the answers so far I think I am getting CD quality with a slightly lower bit depth.

I notice when playing on the Android device Tidal indicates the track is “MASTER”. As soon as I cast to CCA it changes to “HIFI”

 

[Sukie]

Well, this might sound a bit selfish, but I really just want to know what is happening when I stream a Tidal MQA-only track from the Android Tidal app to CCA, then on to a non-MQA DAC. From the answers so far I think I am getting CD quality with a slightly lower bit depth.

I notice when playing on the Android device Tidal indicates the track is “MASTER”. As soon as I cast to CCA it changes to “HIFI”

Does you DAC give you any info on resolution?

 

[Glasvegas]

Does you DAC give you any info on resolution?

It’s a Topping D50.

It displays “PCM 44.1kHz 24Bit“ for both standard FLAC and MQA files.

 

[Raindog123]

A couple of my posts on Auralic forum. Might be relevant here, for what it’s worth...

Some MQA and “normal hi-res” comparison

My subjective assessment

 

[Jimbob54]

Does you DAC give you any info on resolution?

Well I have just done a parallel investigation. Madonna- "Madonna"- track Borderline. @abdo123 reckons this is one of the "MQA only" Warner albums announced last month. The tidal app only shows the "master" version in her catalogue.

Playing on the tidal app phone speaker- Its "master" (sample rate/ bit depth not shown, but its MQA)

Playing via Tidal app on android phone but casting to a CCA (not an MQA enabled device)- DAC shows 44.1 Sample rate (bit depth not shown)

Playing on same phone via Bubble UPNP as client (Not MQA compatible)- shows file as 16/44.1

So I would guess the CCA is getting and outputting 16/44.1 as would any other non MQA enabled device receiving the stream from the Tidal server.

How that stream differs in terms of actual structure and content from a "true" 16/44.1 stream with no MQA flags/ containers I do not know.

 

[Jimbob54]

It’s a Topping D50.

It displays “PCM 44.1kHz 24Bit“ for both standard FLAC and MQA files.

I suspect there is some upsampling there then as I thought "non" MQA tidal was 16/44.1

 

[abdo123]

I suspect there is some upsampling there then as I thought "non" MQA tidal was 16/44.1

There are two kinds of MQA, 16 bits and 24 bits.

The MQA CDs (16 bit) have 13 bits of un-encoded PCM.

The regular MQA (24 bits) have 15-16 of un-encoded PCM.

 

[abdo123]

Well, this might sound a bit selfish, but I really just want to know what is happening when I stream a Tidal MQA-only track from the Android Tidal app to CCA, then on to a non-MQA DAC. From the answers so far I think I am getting CD quality with a slightly lower bit depth.

I notice when playing on the Android device Tidal indicates the track is “MASTER”. As soon as I cast to CCA it changes to “HIFI”

Yes CCA is not supported for Tidal Master.

I really wonder whether CCA is bit perfect because of this.

 

[Glasvegas]

I really wonder whether CCA is bit perfect because of this.

You mean just with Tidal MQA?

 

[Sukie]

Yes CCA is not supported for Tidal Master.

I really wonder whether CCA is bit perfect because of this.

Has anybody tried using a CCA with a full MQA decoding DAC?

 

[MDAguy]

Am I the only one who finds it ironic how much debate and discussion we have on the topic of MQA here on ASR, where the mantra is pretty much all (or the overwhelming majority) of DAC's and musical equipment (baring speakers) pretty much sounds the same to the human ear?

I mean if 44.1/16 is indeed "plenty" .. why does anyone care if we have MQA or not?

 

[Sukie]

Am I the only one who finds it ironic how much debate and discussion we have on the topic of MQA here on ASR, where the mantra is pretty much all (or the overwhelming majority) of DAC's and musical equipment (baring speakers) pretty much sounds the same to the human ear?

I mean if 44.1/16 is indeed "plenty" .. why does anyone care if we have MQA or not?

I care because I'm interested in how things work. There are certainly more important things to be concerned about, but it's fun to find things out.

 

[abdo123]

Has anybody tried using a CCA with a full MQA decoding DAC?

I meant the Tidal App itself, not Roon or any other application.

I don’t think having anything downstream would change anything.