Recommendations for upgrading my system
- Thread starter bshikari
- Start date
MikeH
Well-Known Member
Yep. When I looked into upgrading my streaming setup, I did research on MQA for both my DAC and choice of Tidal vs Qobuz. I don't like how MQA is a form of DRM. I ended up taking MQA out of my must-haves for my streaming setup and am very happy with Qobuz and my DAC and streamer now.
bshikari
Active Member
I'm definitely giving Qobuz a try, but so far, I've been quite happy with Tidal, and there's been very few things I couldn't find there and had revert back to Spotify for them. The app is quite lacking when compared to Spotify's. I kind of just wish they hadn't dropped the Spotify Hi-Fi idea.
MikeH
Well-Known Member
Yes--I still have an Apple Music sub as well. Qobuz seemed to have more of the music I tend to listen to when I did a very brief Tidal subscription. But there's still a lot not on either Qobuz or Tidal so I supplement it.
bshikari
Active Member
I think ultimately I'll go with what has the most music I listen to. I listen to a lot of Hip Hop so Tidal seems like a great fit. But also listen to a ton of Jazz, and I haven't felt like it's lacking there either. Once my trial is up again I'll switch to Qobuz and test that.
displayname
Well-Known Member
I do use it for Tidal as my primary streaming source. One thing that they don't make clear, is that 1) Almost every album that Tidal has in MQA they also have in normal Hifi. 2) The master files still play just fine, it just doesn't have the MQA decode to unfold the "lossless" element.
I've heard a few systems bounce between MQA and high res files, but I've never done a true hard A/B test of it. I also have never once felt that I've missed anything without MQA, even on extremely high end systems that are highly reveling (over $50K systems).
I also have heard some people swear by certain formats such as DSD, but I've never met anyone who says they simply cannot live without MQA. They never say "If only this album was in MQA." No one seems to gripe when an album isn't offered in MQA as long as CD quality is available. As a matter of fact I've heard a LOT more people say actual CDs still offer higher sound quality than streaming - even with the technically higher res of MQA.
So I don't sweat the MQA factor. It doesn't effect my listening experience in any way. I don't hate it like some do, more indifferent about it personally. As a matter of fact, if MQA suddenly didn't exist I think the only reason I'd notice is because I regularly browse the "New Masters" suggestions on Tidal, and I'd miss that list for about 2 seconds.
I'm trying to think which streamer/ Dac combos I looked at when I picked mine up that run MQA as a standard and operate as roon endpoints. Off the top of my head the bluesound is the only one that isnt horrible money. I picked up the Teac NT 505 and its great. Super great. but it was an open box so I got a chunky deal and they're like gold dust now. Pretty sure decent quality you're looking at the Nad 658 (which also works as a pre and has Dirac) but it was about a grand and a half and after that it's full on madness money for the Brooklyn Bridge (which I loved at demo but couldnt afford.) and the Lumin D1 (which to my cloth ears sounded identical to the Teac) .
bshikari
Active Member
Thank you very much for sharing your experience! I've used both the CXN V2 with the StreamMagic app and the 851N with Roon and I really enjoyed the experience. I'm really leaning towards a refurbished CXN V2, since you can get them for £600. Your comments on MQA just reinforce that feeling.
The Bluesound and the CXN are the two I'm mainly considering. For the CXN I'd have to drop the MQA functionality until I upgrade again, but the other features it has might make up for it, and justify the extra £100-200. I might just get a new Bluesound to see whether I'm happy with the quality of the hardware and the interface, and just return it if the experience does not match the CXN's, and just get that instead.