Hello all,
Today I received my new DAC/Amp, the Sabaj A20d. However, in the functional test, there is now a problem. MQA streams are not recognized as such. The device is connected via a USB-A to USB-C 3.0 cable from the PC to the DAC. I use the Tidal Desktop-app.
Troubleshooting
Devicesetting in the DAC
Even if it does not matter, here are the specs of the other sound devices in the system: Onboardsoundkart FX Surpreme I have disabled in the BIOS. The Soundblaster AE-7 is installed, the Nubert SP-200 with its own DAC (internal) and a Beyerdynamic MMX300 headset. Everything works flawlessly. My Operating System is Win11. Note: I’ve tested MQA on the Sabaj and it still works. MQA was now displayed with the purple Dot. In combination with my PC, I have checked it with a new USB Cable. In addition, I checked MQA with a TOSLINK Cable from the internal Soundcard and the Soundblaster. Without Success. Sound over PCM is on the headphones but without MQA decoding.
I still have a Windows 10 PC at home, with which I have also carried out the installation. The result was the same. I also installed the drivers from the SMSL M500 MK3 as a test. This DAC should be technically identical. This has not changed the result. I’ve no Conflicts in the Windows 10/11 Devicemanager. Here’s anything fine.
Package for Sabaj A20d is name as “XMOS_USBAudio_v5.0.0_2020-12-18_setup.exe”
The SMSL Installer is called “XMOS_USBAudio_v5.50.0_2022-09-08_setup.exe”
Dear thanks for reading, up to this line
Today I received my new DAC/Amp, the Sabaj A20d. However, in the functional test, there is now a problem. MQA streams are not recognized as such. The device is connected via a USB-A to USB-C 3.0 cable from the PC to the DAC. I use the Tidal Desktop-app.
Troubleshooting
- XMOS_USBAudio_v5.0.0_2020-12-18_setup.exe Driverpackage installed
- Reboot from PC
- Check: The driver was successfully integrated. Streams via Spotify/Tidal/Systemsounds can be played via the Sabaj. The Sabaj is correctly integrated in the device manager and the sound settings. MQA playback is only shown as PCM in the Sabaj display.
- Driver deinstalled, reboot
- Driver installed, reboot
- Check: MQA playback is still only as PCM in the display of the Sabaj
- restart of the PC, DAC was de-energized
- research on the Internet could not reveal any problems of other users
- a firmware update is not possible in the absence of a firmware package. This is also not possible via the driver. The Sabaj currently has the software version 1.0
Devicesetting in the DAC
- Imput: USB Audio
- Output HPA
- PCM Filter was set as „Fast Linear“
- Other position options. All of them have been tested with regard to the MQA problem.
- Slow Linear
- Fast Minimum
- Slow Minimum
- Apodizing
- Fast Hybrid
- Brickwall
- DSD Filter
- Default is 47k cutoff. 50k, 60k, 70k are still available. I have tested everything here
- HPA Gain, Standard is here “High”
- SPDIF Mode, Normal and Prozessor. Was set on Prozessor (but is use USB anyway)
- Pre Mode, defaultvalue Volume Variable
- FN Key for, defaultvalue Switch Line / HPA
- DPLL, ist set on the default of 5
- Dimmer, Brightness, Reset as last points, do not play any role at all for my problem.
- I also increased the sampling rate in the system settings of the PC to 32Bit, 384000 Hz. I thought maybe the system is limiting.
- everything brought no solution!!! I have reset the settings, except input and output source in the DAC back to original state. System reset in the DAC and manual reset in the PC.
Even if it does not matter, here are the specs of the other sound devices in the system: Onboardsoundkart FX Surpreme I have disabled in the BIOS. The Soundblaster AE-7 is installed, the Nubert SP-200 with its own DAC (internal) and a Beyerdynamic MMX300 headset. Everything works flawlessly. My Operating System is Win11. Note: I’ve tested MQA on the Sabaj and it still works. MQA was now displayed with the purple Dot. In combination with my PC, I have checked it with a new USB Cable. In addition, I checked MQA with a TOSLINK Cable from the internal Soundcard and the Soundblaster. Without Success. Sound over PCM is on the headphones but without MQA decoding.
I still have a Windows 10 PC at home, with which I have also carried out the installation. The result was the same. I also installed the drivers from the SMSL M500 MK3 as a test. This DAC should be technically identical. This has not changed the result. I’ve no Conflicts in the Windows 10/11 Devicemanager. Here’s anything fine.
Package for Sabaj A20d is name as “XMOS_USBAudio_v5.0.0_2020-12-18_setup.exe”
The SMSL Installer is called “XMOS_USBAudio_v5.50.0_2022-09-08_setup.exe”
Dear thanks for reading, up to this line
