MQA via Tidal.........

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  • photonblur
    Junior Member
    • Nov 2013
    • 20

    MQA via Tidal.........

    Any chance the resident geniuses will enable
    MQA streaming from the Tidal touch app?
  • terjehaa
    Member
    • May 2008
    • 68

    #2
    I also am curious about this....... any hope?
    So far Tidal has only enabled it in the Tidal desktop app for PC and Mac, but I would like to play the MQA albums through my SB Touch

    Comment

    • garym
      Senior Member
      • May 2008
      • 13396

      #3
      Originally posted by terjehaa
      I also am curious about this....... any hope?
      So far Tidal has only enabled it in the Tidal desktop app for PC and Mac, but I would like to play the MQA albums through my SB Touch
      It's about to be enabled in the ROON music server too according to posts at the Roon forum.
      Home: Pi4B-8GB/pCP8.2.x/4TB>LMS 8.5.x>Transporter, Touch, Boom, Radio (all ethernet)
      Cottage: rPi4B-4GB/pCP8.2.x/4TB>LMS 8.5.x>Touch>Benchmark DAC I, Boom, Radio w/Battery (Radio WIFI)
      Office: Win11(64)>foobar2000
      The Wild: rPi3B+/pCP7.x/4TB>LMS 8.1.x>hifiberry Dac+Pro (LMS & Squeezelite)
      Controllers: Material Skin, iPhone14Pro & iPadAir5 (iPeng), or CONTROLLER
      Files: Ripping: dBpoweramp > FLAC; Post-rip: mp3tag, PerfectTunes, TuneFusion; Streaming: Spotify

      Comment

      • LeeRankin
        Junior Member
        • Jan 2015
        • 14

        #4
        MQA via Tidal

        Can i add my weight to this question. I run a squeezebox touch via a LMS on a home network with Tidal plugin.

        Over on the Meridian forums there has been considerable debate around accessing MQA titles both via the Tidal desktop application, and via Roon and Sooloos platforms. To be clear, those platforms are not performing any software decoding at this stage, but allowing the titles to be accessed and played on appropriate hardware rather than using the Tidal desktop route. This can be done easily by accessing the masters page in the Tidal desktop app, selecting titles as favourites and creating named playlists which are then accessed and played via the relevant/prefered CUI.

        I can therefore access and play this MQA material via the Tidal App in LMS via the player and web interface. If played via an appropriate MQA enabled device - ie a Meridian Explorer 2 connected to the Touch via usb (via edo) the material 'should' render in the unfolded 24/96 or higher resolution given the squeezebox's bit perfect chain - it isn't. The material is capping out at standard Tidal hifi quality 16/44.1. Others have tested this via the Roon / Squeezebox route and the MQA material plays as it should, when swapping back to LMS however the high resolutions are lost.

        This suggest an issue with LMS or the Tidal app interface in passing on 'currently' undecoded MQA files. Any thoughts ideas?

        Clearly an ability to access decoded files is also very desirable, as per the questions earlier in this thread - ie software decoding in LMS or passthrough of the Tidal software decoded streams but the question above at least provides for MQA if there is some capable hardware in the chain via the LMS architecture.

        here's hoping....

        Comment

        • terjehaa
          Member
          • May 2008
          • 68

          #5
          Originally posted by LeeRankin
          Can i add my weight to this question. I run a squeezebox touch via a LMS on a home network with Tidal plugin.

          Over on the Meridian forums there has been considerable debate around accessing MQA titles both via the Tidal desktop application, and via Roon and Sooloos platforms. To be clear, those platforms are not performing any software decoding at this stage, but allowing the titles to be accessed and played on appropriate hardware rather than using the Tidal desktop route. This can be done easily by accessing the masters page in the Tidal desktop app, selecting titles as favourites and creating named playlists which are then accessed and played via the relevant/prefered CUI.

          I can therefore access and play this MQA material via the Tidal App in LMS via the player and web interface. If played via an appropriate MQA enabled device - ie a Meridian Explorer 2 connected to the Touch via usb (via edo) the material 'should' render in the unfolded 24/96 or higher resolution given the squeezebox's bit perfect chain - it isn't. The material is capping out at standard Tidal hifi quality 16/44.1. Others have tested this via the Roon / Squeezebox route and the MQA material plays as it should, when swapping back to LMS however the high resolutions are lost.

          This suggest an issue with LMS or the Tidal app interface in passing on 'currently' undecoded MQA files. Any thoughts ideas?

          Clearly an ability to access decoded files is also very desirable, as per the questions earlier in this thread - ie software decoding in LMS or passthrough of the Tidal software decoded streams but the question above at least provides for MQA if there is some capable hardware in the chain via the LMS architecture.

          here's hoping....
          Interesting stuff Lee, thanks for sharing.
          Have you tried Tidal via the Ickstream proxy or only the official plug-in?
          Really hope this will be adressed by the guru's of ths forum

          Comment

          • DanSmedra
            Senior Member
            • Mar 2014
            • 185

            #6
            Me Too!

            Originally posted by terjehaa
            I also am curious about this....... any hope?
            So far Tidal has only enabled it in the Tidal desktop app for PC and Mac, but I would like to play the MQA albums through my SB Touch
            I've been away for awhile from the Forum, but was aware that TIDAL is rolling out MQA. Let's go!

            Hopefully, one of the genius types can create a tweak for TIDAL > SqueezeboxTouch > Explorer2/MQA DAC > amp/speaker system of your choice.
            Last edited by DanSmedra; 2017-01-14, 03:04.
            Music Sources: Digitally Imported (6), TIDAL, Spotify, etc. > LMS 8.2.1 > Three SBTs X iPeng 9.7.4 app. Bluetooth streaming as well.
            Great Room: SB Touch(1) > AudioQuest TOS > PS Audio DL3 DAC > Audio Envy 10' cables > 200w powered Martin Logan (ML) Purity speakers
            Library: SB Touch(2) > Wyred mINT > ML Motion 4 & AudioEngine 5.
            Big Garage: SB Touch(3) > CullenCoax > Dayton Audio amp > Cullen Cables > ML Motion 12
            Use/Go Anywhere: Music apps > Bluetooth-enabled systems.

            Comment

            • DanSmedra
              Senior Member
              • Mar 2014
              • 185

              #7
              Current TIDAL app capability for MQA

              Is it correct to assume the TIDAL app for Squeezebox needs to be modified to allow MQA files to flow through? Or is that already the case? If so, then all that's necessary is an MQA-certified DAC with either optical or coaxial digital input. I do know that Squeezebox digital output bypasses the built-in DAC.

              Here's a recent informative article by John Darko over at his website: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/20...re-are-we-now/

              The TIDAL computer app (both Windows and Mac) unfolds the MQA file (1/3) without any special hardware. If the author of the TIDAL app for the Squeezebox system did similarly, it would be a 'home run' for current users with TIDAL premium service.

              From what I've learned from both reading and listening to Bob Stewart, there a four levels of improved audio. If I understand correctly: folded MQA (which can be streamed and played everywhere) is better than CD quality, 1/3 unfolded better yet, and finally 2/3 and 3/3 unfolding at the hardware level being the best.

              The best SQT users, without a MQA-certified DAC, can hope to hear is a 1/3 unfolded MQA file.
              Last edited by DanSmedra; 2017-01-14, 20:36.
              Music Sources: Digitally Imported (6), TIDAL, Spotify, etc. > LMS 8.2.1 > Three SBTs X iPeng 9.7.4 app. Bluetooth streaming as well.
              Great Room: SB Touch(1) > AudioQuest TOS > PS Audio DL3 DAC > Audio Envy 10' cables > 200w powered Martin Logan (ML) Purity speakers
              Library: SB Touch(2) > Wyred mINT > ML Motion 4 & AudioEngine 5.
              Big Garage: SB Touch(3) > CullenCoax > Dayton Audio amp > Cullen Cables > ML Motion 12
              Use/Go Anywhere: Music apps > Bluetooth-enabled systems.

              Comment

              • DanSmedra
                Senior Member
                • Mar 2014
                • 185

                #8
                Logitech Opportunity

                Originally posted by photonblur
                Any chance the resident geniuses will enable
                MQA streaming from the Tidal touch app?
                I never really understood Logitech's business decision to cease production of the Squeezebox line or not sell the rights and patents. Logitech's employees are tight-lipped. Maybe audio engineers are too high priced?

                I could be wrong, but I see a huge potential market for an MQA-certified Squeezebox Touch with a $299 price point. It's only a matter of time until some entrepreneur/venture capital group fills this space, imo.
                Music Sources: Digitally Imported (6), TIDAL, Spotify, etc. > LMS 8.2.1 > Three SBTs X iPeng 9.7.4 app. Bluetooth streaming as well.
                Great Room: SB Touch(1) > AudioQuest TOS > PS Audio DL3 DAC > Audio Envy 10' cables > 200w powered Martin Logan (ML) Purity speakers
                Library: SB Touch(2) > Wyred mINT > ML Motion 4 & AudioEngine 5.
                Big Garage: SB Touch(3) > CullenCoax > Dayton Audio amp > Cullen Cables > ML Motion 12
                Use/Go Anywhere: Music apps > Bluetooth-enabled systems.

                Comment

                • LeeRankin
                  Junior Member
                  • Jan 2015
                  • 14

                  #9
                  MQA via Tidal

                  Originally posted by terjehaa
                  Interesting stuff Lee, thanks for sharing.
                  Have you tried Tidal via the Ickstream proxy or only the official plug-in?
                  Really hope this will be adressed by the guru's of ths forum
                  Not personally, however one of the other Meridian forum users did - direct comparison and with a MQA ready DAC - the explorer2 and Prime. No difference, MQA passed as it should would illuminate the respective display on both device and it doesn't. Swapping the same set up back to Roon - Touch enabled MQA as it should.

                  As such not a player or network issue, seems to be pointing at LMS interface with Tidal. Were there any any bandwidth limitations or other restrictions imposed by the developers of the TIdal app architecture when MQA was not a factor that would need to be addressed?

                  Lee

                  Comment

                  • LeeRankin
                    Junior Member
                    • Jan 2015
                    • 14

                    #10
                    Originally posted by DanSmedra

                    I could be wrong, but I see a huge potential market for an MQA-certified Squeezebox Touch with a $299 price point. It's only a matter of time until some entrepreneur/venture capital group fills this space, imo.
                    The touch as an end point does seem capable, it's the backend that is preventing MQA goodness. It may be that Roon is the answer without any pointers from the development community here.

                    Lee

                    Comment

                    • LeeRankin
                      Junior Member
                      • Jan 2015
                      • 14

                      #11
                      Originally posted by DanSmedra
                      Is it correct to assume the TIDAL app for Squeezebox needs to be modified to allow MQA files to flow through? Or is that already the case? If so, then all that's necessary is an MQA-certified DAC with either optical or coaxial digital input. I do know that Squeezebox digital output bypasses the built-in DAC.



                      The best SQT users, without a MQA-certified DAC, can hope to hear is a 1/3 unfolded MQA file.
                      Point 1 - yes agree, or USB via edo in the case of the 'current until end of January' £130 fully MQA enabled Meridian Explorer2.

                      Point 2 - still 24/96 streamed content however, lets not forget this would have been have been nirvana 2 years ago.

                      Lee

                      Comment

                      • hidef
                        Junior Member
                        • Oct 2014
                        • 16

                        #12
                        Originally posted by DanSmedra
                        I never really understood Logitech's business decision to cease production of the Squeezebox line or not sell the rights and patents. Logitech's employees are tight-lipped. Maybe audio engineers are too high priced?

                        I could be wrong, but I see a huge potential market for an MQA-certified Squeezebox Touch with a $299 price point. It's only a matter of time until some entrepreneur/venture capital group fills this space, imo.
                        Considering that any decent Hi End streamer cost at least 800 $ and none of them is as capable of half the things the SBT can do with all its 3rd party apps, there is a huge market for a re-issue of SBT even without MQA.
                        Support for higher sample rates (196/24, 382/24) and support for DSD would be a valuable bonus.

                        Comment

                        • Julf
                          Senior Member
                          • Dec 2010
                          • 2567

                          #13
                          Originally posted by DanSmedra
                          I could be wrong, but I see a huge potential market for an MQA-certified Squeezebox Touch with a $299 price point.
                          You are assuming two things- 1) that MQA licensing fees would be low enough to allow a $299 price point, and 2) that MQA certification would somehow significantly increase sales of the device.
                          "To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953

                          Comment

                          • Julf
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2010
                            • 2567

                            #14
                            Originally posted by hidef
                            Support for higher sample rates (196/24, 382/24) and support for DSD would be a valuable bonus.
                            Neither really make sense in a network/stream product, considering it would be a huge waste of bandwidth.
                            "To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953

                            Comment

                            • Julf
                              Senior Member
                              • Dec 2010
                              • 2567

                              #15
                              Originally posted by LeeRankin
                              The touch as an end point does seem capable, it's the backend that is preventing MQA goodness.
                              I assume that is a licensing issue.
                              "To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953

                              Comment

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