MQA Playback - Node 2i with Gustard X16 External DAC

Answered
Daniel O’Donnell

Hello,

I've just purchased a Node 2i and am curious about using the new Gustard X16 to allow for full MQA playback with an external DAC.

Per the ShenzhenAudio website the "UBS port supports MQA full expansion decoding" and the "COAX/AES/OPT/IIS supports hardware rendering". 

I understand I would need to use the COAX or Optical. I am unclear on the difference b/t full decoding and hardware rendering?

If I leave External MAQ DAC off would the Node 2i do the first unfold and pass it to the X16 for further rendering resulting in full MAQ?

Or do I need to turn MAQ External DAC on? In this case is the app doing the first unfold, the signal then bypasses the Node 2i DAC and is being rendered in the X16 resulting in full MQA?

Is this further complicated if I use Tidal Connect vs. the Bluesound app?

Thank you!

 

0

Comments

32 comments

Date Votes
  • Hunter Show

    Thanks for the input Tony. Somewhat unrelated, but I have been waiting on the new software update that allows for the newest NODE to send output signal via USB.

    The longer I wait, the more I am starting to feel like this update may not ever come. To my knowledge, there is not an MQA-enabled device on the market today that allows for a digital output. I suspect that this is because MQA does not want the end user to have the option to truly test the decoded signal coming from the device due to proprietary concerns.

    Can you confirm if the USB playback is still on the roadmap for Bluesound?

    0
  • Tony W.
    Product Support Manager

    Not sure what you are waiting for.. Whenever prompted for an upgrade, we strongly recommend you take "I Want it NOW!!"

    https://support.bluos.net/hc/en-us/articles/4415227249175

     

    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Didn't find what you were looking for?

New post