Understanding MQA decoding - a (hopefully) simple explanation

Having been tripped up trying to explain MQA in my recent review, this video seeks to explain the various levels of 'unfolding' that different software and devices can perform when listening to MQA sources such as Tidal.

Here are a couple of links with supporting and more detailed information:

Thank you to Lan Yee Oh for calling out the errors in the explanations of MQA in the Cobalt review!!

PASSION FOR SOUND GEAR LIST

Desktop Sources

Active Speakers
Bang & Olufsen BeoLab 3 Speakers

Amps

Headphones
Closed: AudioQuest NightOwl Carbon (these may have been discontinued)

Portable

Earphones
FitEar ToGo! 334

[anuryry]

This has to be one of the clearest & most honest MQA explanations without being biased towards selling the MQA from Vendors to users. Thanks heaps :)

[akshayshetty]

The best and easiest explanation I have come across. I had so many questions but after watching this video all my doubts have been answered to the point that I do not need to ask anything more in the comments. Cheers to you mate!

[ZadiusTech]

I've been using Qobuz for my hi-res audio and have been pretty happy with it, don't have to deal with all the MQA stuff with Tidal which I used previously.

[telebiopic]

Best visual and streamflow based explanation so far on the internet. Bravo! 💐

[sakabatou]

This is an excellent response video. Thank you!

[UrielJanoach]

Thank you for this concise and clear explanation! I have a quick question: I own an NAD M32 (renderer only, NOT a full decoder) that communicates with Roon directly (no PC involved). In other words: I get the full benefits of MQA, including enhancement, as long as I use Roon and listen to my loudspeakers that are directly hooked up to the M32. But I also use the digital pre-out of the M32 to feed my Chord Qutest (non-MQA DAC), which in turn feeds my Violectric V280. What comes out of my HD800s that are connected to the Violectric? Roon does not know that I use the M32's digital pre-out... an answer would be greatly appreciated!

[VK-ocbx]

I understand that the external dacs which are mqa authenticated ( renderer + decoder), decodes mqa files from tidal to it's fullest potential without need of any other software renderers like uapp etc.

Now coming to my query if I purchase a dac that supports native 32 bit 384 khz sample rates such as ibasso DC 03 or BGVP t01 fiio btr5 to name a few, which are not mqa authenticated, will pairing it up with uapp unfolds mqa to it's fullest potential (2nd and 3rd level of unfolding) and does owning lg quad dac devices (which supports 32 bit 384 khz) such as lgg8x unfold mqa if paired with uapp.?

To sum it up will the following setups 👇🏻 decode mqa (tidal masters) to its fullest potential

1. Any mobile phone (non quad dac chip) + tidal masters + uapp + external dac such as ibasso DC 03, fiio btr5 (non MQA authenticated)

2. Lg g8x ( or any quad dac supported mobiles) + tidal masters + uapp 

Can you shed some light on these aspects. Do correct me if I was wrong in my deductions.

Thanks for your attention

[caleguillory]

Hello, my name is Cale Guillory, and I have a Dragonfly Red DAC, but so far I haven’t heard studio-quality sound from my speaker on the MQA setting, especially since the speakers I use are fairly new and probably haven’t fully broken in yet. During my first listening session with MQA, I heard what sounded like I was sitting outside at a live performance in the front row, even though I was actually sitting in my father’s office at home and I experienced listening fatigue after about an hour of listening. However, in my second listening session, all the harshness was gone and it just sounded like I was listening outside of the recording studio with the door closed.

[ShareHobby]

Meridian Explorer2 MQA full decoder has recording equipment compensation software built into the decoding DAC. That information is stored on a XMOS chip in the DAC that compensates for the recording studio equipment. The XMOS chip has a fingerprint of the equipment used in the master recording and applies the correct filter. How MQA works.

[feisalmazlan]

i own a Wiim pro streamer with has a MQA core decoder beta, i stream from TIDAL connect with the hifi+ subscription. im thinking of using an external DAC, do i need a MQA compatible DAC to fully unfold the MQA TIDAL master tracks or i can just use any DACs to utilize TIDAL since the Wiim pro streamer already has MQA core decoder built in. In hopes i dont bust the bank in buying unnecessary DACs with MQA etc. thanks!

[yifanzhu]

This is a great explanation. Easily understandable followable. Wonder if the chord mojo can decode/ render mqa.

[snowrangr]

One big benefit I've read of an MQA render or decoder is time correction in the DAC, aka less time smearing. Amazon Music HD just came to Canada so I've been comparing it with Tidal. Still trying to wrap my head around what's going on but what I can say is there is a difference between FLAC and MQA.

[valkyr]

What do you think of the goldensound break down of mqa?

[PaulGreeve]

You might find the series of MQA videos in The Hans Beekhuyzen Channel will provide more details on why MQA was developed, how it is encoded, how it is decoded, folding, unfolding, etcetera.

[Albertotube]

it’s like having a 4K movie player and my tv is 1080p
We have to get like $4, 000 speakers $5, 000 amplifier and MQA $3, 000 WTF 😂 like he said not much of a difference from a CD this is only for people that are rich 🤑 and have expensive hobbies…. And then I LOVE JAZZ KNOW you only try to love it because we are fake audiophile the truth hurts 😫 Wait and then I know about music I listen to Jazz like DUKE AND MILES DAVIS 😂 we are funny

[bigjt]

Awesome. Question because you're so informed and good at this: I have tidal premium, and a Galaxy s10, if I play usb to a portable dac amp that has the high res, will it play the full MQA, or does it need a MQA supported dac (portable dac has 32 bit to 384khz btw)?

[nagodio]

Doesnt the dragonfly do decoding and rendering with the update ?

[BMakk]

So you're are saying I don't need a mqa dac? I can use a standard dac as long a the software decodes it?

[maddog]

Why does the bitrate jump all over the place when playing FLAC files in J River?

[jaykeni]

How good is USB Audio Player Pro for MQA files? Does it include MQA decoder??