NDX and Tidal Master Quality Files

Spot on! I fully agree with your observation.
Too much controversy ongoing, between both MQA advocates or its opponents.
OP, just give it a try, whenever you have an opportunity: When I tested a decent MQA-certified streamer/DAC combination vs. a Naim NDX2 streamer/DAC, in nearly all cases, the SQ of Tidal Master MQA files wasn’t better, in comparison to ‘normal’ Qobuz Hi-Res files. I preferred the latter, also on a former NDX-platform.

Slightly off topic and I am going to lower the tone by mentioning the “S” word…SONOS…there I’ve said it!

Sonos are launching their new control system S2 in a week or two which is said to finally support hires audio on compatible products.Bearing in mind that most users will have their multi room setups using WiFi surely they will use MQA and Sonos already supports Tidal as a service, this could give MQA a significant boost in popularity/ awareness with Sonos being a very popular lifestyle product. All supposition on my part of course.
Chris

I notice that Sonos have been careful to say that “higher res” formats will be supported rather than just hi-res, so I wouldn’t get your hopes up for anything too exotic.

Yes indeed, but they certainly won’t ignore MQA which could just be what the format needs to gain greater acceptance and a way of selling hires to the “masses”

:crossed_fingers:

Life is too short… I am quite happy with the sound I have an no interest in spending the time or money exploring MQA. Not everyone needs to sample every product and jumps on every band wagon that comes through town. Quite happy where I am for the moment…

A point of view is not criticizing…

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You said that Tidal made a mistake from going with MQA. But you have never tried to listen to it through an MQA capable dac.

I signed on with TIDAL before they incorporated MQA. I had TIDAL for 2 1/2 years and if they went forward and provided hi res music they would still have me as a customer. Qobuz gave me what I wanted, Hi Res music playing on my equipment! To continue with Tidal I would have needed to change my system and I did not want or care to do that, it is that simple.

My monthly subscription fee now goes to Qobuz a company that delivers the product that I want and at a lower price.

TIDAL made a decision to go forward with MQA and my point of view that was a mistake. If they offered both MQA and HiRes options that may have been a better business model for them. So they were the vendor of choice for me in the US until another vendor offered Hi Res quality music that worked on my system. I believe they lost not only mine but other peoples business because they went with a proprietary product that required customers to spend more money on hardware/software in addition to their monthly subscription fee.

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I agree on one point: Tidal MQA with Naim is not interesting. Qobuz is better sounding.
However a lot of people have non Naim streamers, as DCS, Auralic, Lumin, Meridian…and find MQA files better sounding than 16/44.
It’s a bit sad that Naim could not provide both, Qobuz hirez and Tidal MQA, as a lot of other brands.
If MQA on Naim is not interesting and even without any interest, it’s not a reason to say that Mqa in general is a lossly and bad format.

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I have never said MQA in general is lousy and a bad format. What I said was since the equipment that I owned and enjoyed did not support the format I had no interest in looking at it. I was quite happy with TIDAL when I signed up, they then decided to go in another direction with MQA.

I was and still am quite happy with the products I own and use and did not need and still do not need or want MQA.

The heading of this thread is titled NDX and TIDAL Master Quality Files. That is what I am commenting on. I believe you should start a thread on MQA and discuss how people are using it and I will be happy not to say a word.

Just to close this finally out topic discussion, I was not commenting specifically your own post.
Stay safe.

But you can, and with the older streamers as well.

Roon with a UPnP Bridge

Yes, but only the first ‘unfold’ so you’re not getting the full effect of MQA.

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There is a view that if you optimise a DAC for MQA, it’s performance with non-MQA files will be compromised, and vice-versa. For me, that would be a good reason to avoid it.

I guess that probably is a view held by some. I guess there is probably a similar view that “if you optomise a DAC for DSD, or even cater for DSD then non-DSD files on that DAC will be compromised”, and vice-versa. Is this a legitimate reason for avoiding DACS that support DSD, such as the new generation NAIM Streamer DACs or the highly regarded Chord DACs?

There are also probably counter views to all of these views, although I would suggest that these in themselves are not good reasons to specifically buy DACs that support either MQA or DSD.

To 24/96, most of the Tidal Master material is MQA 44.1 and MQA 96, with some MQA 88.2, there is only limited releases at MQA 192, and only a handful higher than that.

If you are interest there is a CSV available here https://www.meridianunplugged.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=268318#Post268318 which catalogues all MQA files available on Tidal, with the MQA rate.

Just pivoted the CSV spreadsheet, and 90% of the available Tidal Master are MQA 96 and below.

image
So the 1st unfold deals with the majority of the content.

Plus with Roon & UPnP Bridge you can also use Qobuz with the NDX, NDS, ND5XS network players. You are just then using the existing streaming hardware as a UPnP connected network player, on the Ethernet input (optimized for the network players) and the DAC (which provides up to 24/192 and DSD64).
Roon deals with all the other file formats as well.

It’s very probably not the same as decoding through a real MQA dac.
As for compromised sound if both technologies are implemented ( @ChrisSU), it’s the Naim answer. But other brands could do it , as DCS.

My Chord DAC has settings for DSD and PCM modes, so you can switch between them at will. Whether or not you could do this for MQA, I have no idea. Having recenly jumped ship from Tidal to Qobuz, I can’t say I’m too bothered about it any more. Qobuz 24 bit material is a clear step up to my ears, whereas Tidal MQA was not.

The 1st unfold of MQA 44.1, MQA 48, MQA 88.2, MQA 96 does not require any capability in the DAC.
What is presented following the processing in the Roon Core is FLAC files, at their original sampling rate.

The 2nd unfold, and specific DAC actions are only required for the MQA 176, MQA 192 and MQA 352 files.

So as a NDS owner, I can access and play 90% of the Tidal Masters available (some 24k releases) through the UPnP Bridge integration with Roon.
If required I can also subscribe to Qobuz and access the HiRes there.

Does anyone have the figures for HiRes availability in the QoBuz catalogue?

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Try MConnectHD via an iPad.
Sounds much better than a Node 2i on my rig.

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