NuForce uDAC-5 DAC/Amp Discussions | Drop

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NuForce uDAC-5 DAC/Amp

Audiophile

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Blastar320

Feb 12, 2018

I was thinking of this as an alternative to the Dragonfly Red. Since the DF can render MQA from Tidal. How would the µDAC5 perform with Tidal Masters?
G

Feb 12, 2018

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A community member

Feb 12, 2018

Blastar320Masters and MQA work for me on uDAC3 ... so this one should also work. Also noticed that MQA can be played particulary on any DAC I used even on Icon HDP from 2010. Im talking about using this from computer.

Feb 12, 2018

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killerrabbit1961

Apr 16, 2018

Are you actually decoding the MQA? Any MQA recordings will play normally without being decoded, just without the increased resolution, as MQA is "folded" into the regular recording so as not to alter it.

Apr 16, 2018

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A community member

Apr 17, 2018

killerrabbit1961This DAC support 24 bits. MQA is 24 bits encoded in 16 bits. I Mark Masters and MQA in Tidal and this work as on DFR also this work on other DAC that support 24bits I'm using for example NuForce Icon. MQA is just form of encoding audio and I suppose Tidal feed DAC with 24 bit stream... Difference is only that I guess in case of DFR steam is decoded in DAC and in case of uDAC by your CPU but the effect is same. (0.01% more CPU consumption in case of uDAC ;)

Apr 17, 2018

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killerrabbit1961

Apr 18, 2018

MQA is a propietary system that needs specific hardware/software that is compatible. Any DAC that was produced before MQA was released is NOT decoding the MQA files, it is either working as merely an analog amp, or is decoding the 16 bit files that exist on all MQA recordings that are compatible with non-hi-res equipment. An MQA encoded CD will play back on any standard CD player no matter how old the player may be. The same process applies to any music done in the digital domain. So the fact that MQA is 24 bits does not mean that because a DAC can decode 24 bits that it can work with MQA, it is how the decoding is done that matters.

Apr 18, 2018

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Gilles61

May 16, 2018

killerrabbit1961MQA is a protection system, it has been designed in the way that when your device (DAC, player, ...) is not MQA compatible, you cannot play the file ...like DRM...

May 16, 2018

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killerrabbit1961

May 17, 2018

Gilles61MQA is actually a hi-res encode/decode system, similar to FLAC or other hi-res codecs. The difference is in the way the data is encoded. MQA "hides" the hi-res data on top of standard 16-bit files. If your decoding device is not MQA compatible, you will still be able to access the 16-bit files and play the music, just not in hi-res.

May 17, 2018