Tidal Mqa on Raspberry

[Welms]

Hi

 

My setup to get Tidal Mqa is a Raspberry Pi 2 with LibreElec Kodi and Tidal 2 plugin. The plugin is set to 24bits.  The Raspberry is connected to Onkyo A/V receiver with 192 kHz/24 internal DAC through hdmi cable. When I play Mqa tracks the info codec shows a bitrate of more than 1000kbps. Every song has a different bitrate. So I think that Kodi are receiving and decoding correctly the Mqa tracks. My doubt is if the Onkyo receiver are getting the full Mqa sound through hdmi cable. Exist any limitation with Mqa in the Raspberry through hdmi? The Onkyo A/V shows that receives PCM  48 khz

[Cebolla]

Hi Welms,

 

I believe you may be mistaken in thinking that any version of Kodi can decode MQA files to the MQA Core (aka 'first unfold'). So Kodi cannot decode MQA to the MQA Core resolution of either 24bit/88.2kHz (source undecoded/distrubution MQA file is 24bit/44.1kHz) or 24bit/96 kHz (source undecoded/distrubution MQA file is 24bit/48kHz).

 

The Tidal 2 plugin only allows Kodi to receive the MQA masters FLAC file tracks exactly as supplied by Tidal's online server, ie, at the undecoded/distribution resolution of either 24bit/44.1kHz or 24bit/48kHz and that's what Kodi will output after playing them. The 1000kbps bitrate and higher info that you have seen for those tracks is consistent with FLAC files of those resolutions.

 

Also, I have no idea what then happens to the audio output signal from Kodi when it goes via HDMI, given that the RPi normally uses its HDMI output for video purposes - the standard resolution for LPCM audio used in video is fixed at 16bit/48kHz. For example, I know that if you used USB audio, instead of HDMI, with a DAC supporting those resolutions, the output should be bit perfect.

 

So to summarise:

- Kodi does not decode MQA masters files and any FLAC MQA masters file tracks received from Tidal using the Tidal 2 plugin will be played by Kodi undecoded at their original resolution of either 24bit/44.1kHz or 24bit/48kHz;

- The RPi may not even be outputting Kodi's playback of those files bit perfectly anyway, when using HDMI, as it's likely to be resampling everything to the 16bit/48kHz LPCM audio standard, used by video.

 

 

BTW, what model Onkyo AVR are you using?

[Welms]

Hi Cebolla

 

Many thanks for the info. I'm new to audiophile world and MQA. My Onkyo is a bit older, TX-SR607. I use the Onkyo with my Home Cinema and music. Possibly not the best option for a serious audiophile

 

What DAC do you recomend for RPI?. Hifiberry DAC+, USB DAC, any model?

 

How can I unfold Tidal MQA to my Onkyo A/V? I tested another setting with a Windows 10 PC connected to my network, BubleUPNP server, BubleUPNP android rendering to a SAMSUNG TV with Chromecast built-in. I'm waiting a Chromecast audio to test. The TV is connected to the Onkyo through optical cable. There is no difference with the RPI in audio quality

[zacster]

As far as I know, there is no MQA software decoder for a RPi.  What I am doing is running Audirvana on a late model iMac which will do the first unfold of MQA, which then sends it via UPNP to a RPi running Volumio.  I've used 4 different DACs so far with this, an Audioquest Dragonfly Black, an iFi Nano iDSD, both of which will do a second unfold and have a headphone out, and to a Hifiberry Dac Pro+ and an Allo Boss 1.2.  The latter two are RPi HATS with RCA outs and don't have MQA.  I've used all 4 in my main system.  My favorite so far is the Allo Boss, with the Hifiberry a close second.  I find the iFi to have issues with the starting of MQA tracks by cutting off the first second.  It is really annoying, but it otherwise sounds really good.  I can't say I hear a difference between the DACs that do the second unfold and those that don't.  Aurdirvana shows them all running at either 24/96 or 24/88.2.  All except the DF support bitrates up to 24/384 or maybe 32/384 and DSD256.  

 

The cost of all these DACs is really minimal and I can't say I've compared them to high-end units, but they all sound really good, much better than the DAC in my Oppo 93.  It is all streaming via the wifi in my house.  Volumio also supports Airplay so my kids just stream directly from their phones and bypass Audirvana.  

[Welms]

Hi

 

I`m watiting an AudioQuest Dragonfly Red and an Allo Digione to compare and get the best alternative. Then I think that there is not great difference between full unfolded MQA and first unfolded MQA. Maybe it depends of the rest of the chain, amplifier, speakers, etc

[Tiago]

Hi, any updates on Hats for the RPi which will unfold MQA?

 

I’m new to this (please bear with me) and have a similar setup to Welms. I can either get a Boss2 and connect it via RCA or a DigiOne and connect it via coaxial or optical. 

 

I'm looking to buy a Pi as a streamer (maybe with Volumio) but really want to make sure I get MQA without an additional DAC.

 

Cheers!

[stefano_mbp]

With MyVolumio subscription (an “add on” to free Volumio) you can have access to Tidal MQA.

No HAT dac is MQA compatible (cannot be decoder) but any usb dac with MQA “full decoder” capabilities will work