BLS-KB17-501
Bluesound Players provide a complete MQA playback solution. They decode and render MQA playback up to 24 bit / 192 kHz. If you connect an external DAC to NODE or VAULT, the maximum output is 24 bit / 96 kHz and MQA processing does not happen in the DAC.
To render MQA using the certified external DAC, you should bypass Bluesound's inbuilt MQA rendering process, and send the original unprocessed music directly to the external DAC via Optical OUT (TOSLINK), COAX OUT* (Digital), or USB (NODE X and NODE (N130) only) for processing.
Optical OUT (TOSLINK) and COAX OUT (Digital)
Perform the following steps to enable rendering by MQA external DAC via Optical OUT (TOSLINK) and COAX OUT* (Digital):
- In the BluOS Controller App, select the Player Drawer
. The list of Players connected to the BluOS Controller App is displayed. - Select the context menu (3 dots) of the required Player and select Audio Settings. The Audio settings screen is displayed.
- Toggle to disable Tone Controls.
- Set the Replay-gain to Disabled.
- Toggle to enable Output level fixed.
- Toggle to enable MQA external DAC.
USB
To enable USB Audio OUT on NODE 130, refer to our Help Center article.
Notes
- *COAX OUT not available on Generation 1 NODE and VAULT.
- MQA external DAC option is greyed out in the BluOS Controller App when Tone Controls is enabled or Output level fixed is disabled.
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When the Bluesound Player is connected to external DAC via digital outputs, non-MQA content is bypassed and not processed by Bluesound's internal DAC by default - this setting cannot be modified.
- External DACs that are not MQA certified cannot process MQA content and would result in distorted audio output or no audio at all.