(UHQCD format x MQA technology). Disc's-DAC's-Streamers and Tidal

[marpow]

I have purchased two Japanese MQA discs. I do not have anything that will decode them so without I am just listening to CD.
I am not looking for, your crazy, there no good, type of talk, but more informative information.
Buying the discs is the easy part.
Questions:
If Tidal Masters is MQA based and you do not have an MQA decoder than you are really not hearing anything better than Tidal's non masters?
Are there any players that are universal players, CD-DVD-SACD-Blu Ray that also have a built in MQA decoder?
Is it your only choice to have a CD player with a separate MQA decoder?
I know there are streamers, MYTEK Brooklyn, etc that have built in MQA but they are not CD players.
Anyway, be nice to hear if anyone has experience I guess with the gear rather than the listen.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I have purchased two Japanese MQA discs. I do not have anything that will decode them so without I am just listening to CD.
I am not looking for, your crazy, there no good, type of talk, but more informative information.
Buying the discs is the easy part.
Questions:
If Tidal Masters is MQA based and you do not have an MQA decoder than you are really not hearing anything better than Tidal's non masters?
Are there any players that are universal players, CD-DVD-SACD-Blu Ray that also have a built in MQA decoder?
Is it your only choice to have a CD player with a separate MQA decoder?
I know there are streamers, MYTEK Brooklyn, etc that have built in MQA but they are not CD players.
Anyway, be nice to hear if anyone has experience I guess with the gear rather than the listen.

Markie, the ONLY commercial Universal Player which decodes MQA, AFAIK, is the OPPO 205. Your only other option is to purchase an outboard MQA decoder.

 

[marpow]

Markie, the ONLY commercial Universal Player which decodes MQA, AFAIK, is the OPPO 205. Your only other option is to purchase an outboard MQA decoder.

Am I to assume, I need baby steps here, put the CD in the CD player, the output, optical, digital, whatever, goes to decoder and then likely HDMI to the AVR?

 

[4-earredwonder]

Am I to assume, I need baby steps here, put the CD in the CD player, the output, optical, digital, whatever, goes to decoder and then likely HDMI to the AVR?

If you HAD an OPPO 205 just output the audio via HDMI to your pre/pro and the OPPO would do the MQA decode. Otherwise, what you said would be the prescribed method.

 

[davidjpoole]

I had a similar question. I am playing MQA discs on Oppo 205 with analog out. My thought was the processing happened in the Oppo. Should it be HDMI out? Now I'm A-B-ing both scenarios and not hearing a difference.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I had a similar question. I am playing MQA discs on Oppo 205 with analog out. My thought was the processing happened in the Oppo. Should it be HDMI out? Now I'm A-B-ing both scenarios and not hearing a difference.

I think you answered your own question. MQA is internally decoded and should apply to both analogue and HDMI out.

 

[marpow]

Does the OPPO 205 give you an indication that it is decoding MQA, or just trust and listen?
I have noticed some external MQA DAC's have a light/diode, whatever that lights up when decoding MQA.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Does the OPPO 205 give you an indication that it is decoding MQA, or just trust and listen?
I have noticed some external MQA DAC's have a light/diode, whatever that lights up when decoding MQA.

A light comes on the front panel indicating MQA and if you have your flatscreen on will likewise show up on the screen as MQA decoded! The 205 is a powerhouse unit but the current prices, NEW if you can find one or USED are OUTLANDISH! I should've bought 2!

 

[davidjpoole]

Thanks @4-earredwonder !

I'm playing a MQA disc and not seeing a light on the front panel of the Oppo 205 indicating MQA. It just shows "CD" (pics below).
I have the screen on and it references "CDDA (MQA)".

Hmm. Have I not updated the firmware properly?

Separate note, but is there a simple way to A-B MQA vs. regular using the same disc? For example some sort of disabling function or toggle?

 

[marpow]

I am trying to find out if this product would work in my system as i already have the E38 MCH DAC, waiting for owner to reply.
https://www.exasound.com/Products/SigmaStreamer.aspx

 

[uffeolby]

A light comes on the front panel indicating MQA and if you have your flatscreen on will likewise show up on the screen as MQA decoded! The 205 is a powerhouse unit but the current prices, NEW if you can find one or USED are OUTLANDISH! I should've bought 2!

No light or indication on the Oppo unit, just on the connected screen as shown above.

 

[Mobster]

The easiest way to find playback devices that supports MQA is here:

https://www.mqa.co.uk/playback-devices

 

[Owen Smith]

Surely if the Oppo 205 plays MQA discs the Oppo 203 will as well? On previous Oppos the only difference between the xx3 and xx5 is the analogue DACs, which are irrelevant if you use HDMI audio out.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Surely if the Oppo 205 plays MQA discs the Oppo 203 will as well? On previous Oppos the only difference between the xx3 and xx5 is the analogue DACs, which are irrelevant if you use HDMI audio out.

https://hometheaterreview.com/oppo-adds-mqa-support-to-the-udp-205-universal-disc-player/

 

[Owen Smith]

Thanks. So either the Sabre DACs in the 205 are doing some of the work in hardware, or Oppo deliberately restricted MQA to the 205 in software. If the 203 did it they probably would have said so.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Thanks. So either the Sabre DACs in the 205 are doing some of the work in hardware, or Oppo deliberately restricted MQA to the 205 in software. If the 203 did it they probably would have said so.

Unfortunately Owen, even though the 203 did receive the DOLBY VISION/HDR10+ firmware upgrades for UHD4K VIDEO, MQA was NOT included.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Thanks @4-earredwonder !

I'm playing a MQA disc and not seeing a light on the front panel of the Oppo 205 indicating MQA. It just shows "CD" (pics below).
I have the screen on and it references "CDDA (MQA)".

Hmm. Have I not updated the firmware properly?

Separate note, but is there a simple way to A-B MQA vs. regular using the same disc? For example some sort of disabling function or toggle?View attachment 56404

View attachment 56403

Sorry for the misinformation regarding MQA light on front panel. I have my 205 behind frosted glass and just assumed like the older OPPOs which had HDCD which DID light up on front panel that MQA also included this as well.....but alas, NOT. Even tried pressing the INFO button on the remote and no dice.

 

[Mobster]

Thanks. So either the Sabre DACs in the 205 are doing some of the work in hardware, or Oppo deliberately restricted MQA to the 205 in software. If the 203 did it they probably would have said so.

I found this in another forum:


For those wondering about the UDP-203 gaining MQA support:

Q: The beta firmware gives MQA capability to the UDP-205, will there also eventually be support for the UDP-203 or is this exclusively for the 205? Thanks.

A. At this time we need the additional processing capabilities in the ESS DACs to process the MQA audio after it has been unfolded/decoded, so we are not able to confirm if we are able to get this working with the less powerful/programmable AKM DACs used in the UDP-203.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.

If you want to know what the different firmware updates for 203/205 did include;

https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-udp-203/blu-ray-UDP-20x-Firmware.aspx

 

[Mobster]

I am trying to find out if this product would work in my system as i already have the E38 MCH DAC, waiting for owner to reply.
https://www.exasound.com/Products/SigmaStreamer.aspx

This product wouldn’t work in your system. The DAC must be capable of doing MQA decoding/rendering and your E38 DAC doesn’t do that. However the E32 DAC does.

I’ve been on the lookout for MQA capable DAC’s myself recently (albeit for streaming MQA on Tidal and not playing MQA CD’s) and did some researcher beforehand. Looking at the MQA site will save you a lot of time compared to checking if different DAC’s has MQA capability. Very few do, and if you can’t find it on the MQA site it won’t have MQA support either I eventually found out. The 205 isn’t listed under playback devices since it’s no longer being made, but it can still be found mentioned on their site:

https://www.mqa.co.uk/newsroom/partners/oppo-announces-support-for-mqa
The MQA site it also a good read if you want to read up on what MQA is and how it works.

 

[Rhinojack]

I also wanted play MQA enabled discs on my system. After purchasing a Chinese MQA DAC (S.M.S.L M400 MQA Audio DAC, AK4499 Chip Full Balanced Hi-Res Decoder) and not getting the indicator light that it had decoded the disc, I contacted the UK MQA site and inquired. They said that an external device must be “MQA authenticated” in order to fully read (unfold) the discs. I got my money back and gave up on the technology. I didn’t want to invest so much money to play my four MQA enabled discs.