External MQA DAC

Haim Sheffer

Hi there

I consider to purchase Mytek Liberty and connect it to my Node 2i as external DAC via optical/coaxial cable.

I know that Mytek is MQA  DAC, However, can it process MQA  stream from its optical/coaxial input or it just can process MQA  over its USB  input?

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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Wesley P.

    Hello Haim,

    For information regarding the functionality and limitations of a Mytek DAC, you will need to contact Mytek directly. Since Bluesound players do not provide audio over USB, you will need to ensure this external DAC is capable of receiving MQA content through its optical or coaxial input.

    Regards,
    Wesley P.

  • Bob Meinhard

    Haim - yes it will work.  I used a Mytek Brooklyn DAC this way, and it does the unfolding perfectly using coaxial digital cable.  You have to select "external DAC" in BluOS setup.

    Bob

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  • Gary Kreisberg

    Hi guys,

    I have used my node 2 with a mytek liberty using digital coaxial.  I recently changed my digital cable and I also started using the balanced output of the liberty instead of the rca jacks.  I have noticed that on the blueos app, where it used to say MQA when playing an MQA tune on Tidal, it now says HR (hi res).   The Liberty still lights up green or blue for MQA material so I think the liberty is receiving and decoding the mqa material.  I just don't know why the bluos is not identifying mqa.  I do of course have the blueos audio set to MQA external DAC.  If I disengage this feature the blueos does show MQA

    anymore.any ideas anyone?

     

     

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  • Sam R.

    Hello Gary, 

    That is normal behavior -- with MQA External DAC set to ON, the MQA unfolding is done by your external DAC, so the app is reporting that the Node is detecting HiRes but not doing the MQA decoding. 

    When you turn MQA External DAC Off, then the app will show the MQA symbol because the Node is doing the initial MQA unfold.

    Regards,
    Sam R.

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  • Gary Kreisberg

    Hi Sam,

    thanks for the info.  I just wanted to make sure that it all was working properly.  This makes sense.  So the MQA is only identified on the app when the Node is doing the decoding.  Bluesound should put that somewhere in their help info to clarify.

    thanks

    Gary

     

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  • Gary Kreisberg

    Hey Sam,

    Bluesound support is giving me different information than what I observe and what you have confirmed.

    Here's a response I got from tech support--

    "Based on how the MQA External DAC Setting works, that's not the case.

    When you turn this setting OFF, the decode of the MQA file is being done via your Bluesound player(as the players are 100% certified as such) but when the setting is enabled and the external DAC being used is not MQA certified, the file will show as HR through the BluOS app.

    We've tested this and confirmed this with a multitude of different DAC's from past customer cases on this same topic.

    This is the behavior which happens, otherwise you'd see MQA(in the BluOS app) since the external DAC would be decoding/unfolding the MQA file as certified devices are suppose to do."

    It looks like they are saying that the HR tag is present if the external MQA dac is enabled but the DAC is NOT MQA certified.  We know the Liberty is MQA and as I've noted with MQA external DAC enabled the LIberty is lighting up green or blue which signifies that it is receiving (and I assume decoding properly) an MQA track.

    please comment

    Gary

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  • Sam R.

    Hello Gary, 

    I believe we're saying the same thing in different words. I actually ran a test with the Node and Vault to confirm: Optical out from the Node to the Vault, MQA External DAC set to ON, and the HR symbol appeared on the app for the Node, and the Vault (an MQA certified DAC) did the unfolding etc. 

    Regards,
    Sam R.

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  • Gary Kreisberg

    HI Sam,

    Yes, I know we are saying the same thing.  The tech support finally understood the question and affirmed that the above behavior is 'normal'.  I suggested that they include the info in their on line support guides that using external MQA DAC would lead the app to signify HR and not MQA

    best,

    Gary K

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  • Adam B

    Gary.The Mytek DAC and all on the market only supported MQA by USB input so far .So Bluesound Node 2I do not have USB out.The app showed right-HR.Which is not MQA..And if you connected the Buesound Node 2i by coxal or opt you only get 24/96 resolution NO MQA :-)

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  • Gary Kreisberg

    Hi Adam,

    thanks for input but I"m pretty sure that this is not true.  My Mytek Liberty shows green or blue, indicating MQA when fed by the digital coaxial cable from the Node

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