Hello Larry,
I do own a Project Pre Box S2. Since Feb. I also use Tidal HiFi. I "hear" a difference between the single unfold and the full unfold (which makes the Pre Box show a blue indicator). There are several settings that need to be correctly aligned in addition to the HiFi subscription to get the Master MQA stream. The dealer is correct regarding the USB connection. It is required for the full unfold. But unless you have all the settings correct, you can actually have the single unfold playing...and you wonder what happened to change the character of the sound from the last time you played that song in full MQA. I'm satisfied with the Pre Box sound in general after having changed the filter settings a few times, even though its relatively low priced. I only use it with Tidal but can stream to a different external DACs in my setup without MQA by using optical. Without any comment on the licensing strategy, I would prefer either full MQA unfold or non MQA....but not the single unfold. However, I am doubtful in other postings from different threads (not these) of whether people have actually heard the full unfold of MQA or just used a box that was MQA enabled. To bypass the rubbish and before considering any MQA DAC (mine was a birthday present), I had R&D invested in a handheld player that had MQA as one of its many features (included the latest hi-end dual DACs, one per channel, which beat everything I already have except my Esoteric). And as most people know, MQA encapsulated albums can be purchased and downloaded at various sites on the web. I downloaded 3 of my most listened albums / artists and took them and my handheld player on vacation. Then, I also had a teenager listen to the MQA version of the one album they were familiar with and give me commentary. Only after having spent headphone time and nothing else but the handheld did I decide there could be a difference. From there I could venture to integrate some MQA option into my system. Additionally, before trying to integrate any MQA DAC, I had Tidal app installed on my handheld (not a phone) and was able to easily flip through songs and playlists there, feeding it directly into my system as decoded 2 channel MQA as analog inputs....which I was also happy with. In the end, having a computer in your listening room can add noise (computer fan) and you have to make other settings to make the exclusive MQA mode work correctly. It's a little clunky, unless you sit at your computer or if you have a laptop and then a USB cord running to your system. Some vendors like Schitt have totally rejected MQA and it still seems to be finding purchase in the audiophile market. Personally, I like the options given no one truly agrees on analog vs. digital, streaming vs. non-streaming because most of it gets caught up in irrelevant issues regarding setup, equipment or apathy. The Pre Box is useful at its price point for dipping into MQA, but I invested in more direct paths as proof of concept (and took the listening opinions of others in my circle) before adding yet more electronics to my system. To me MQA seems like psychoacoustics, but in reading the specs, that's not what it is. I'm not sure I would sink real money into an MQA enabled DAC at this point but the Pre Box seemed like a reasonable way to go early this year if wanting a simple path requiring some user involvement. If not already received as a present, I would have purchased it.
I do own a Project Pre Box S2. Since Feb. I also use Tidal HiFi. I "hear" a difference between the single unfold and the full unfold (which makes the Pre Box show a blue indicator). There are several settings that need to be correctly aligned in addition to the HiFi subscription to get the Master MQA stream. The dealer is correct regarding the USB connection. It is required for the full unfold. But unless you have all the settings correct, you can actually have the single unfold playing...and you wonder what happened to change the character of the sound from the last time you played that song in full MQA. I'm satisfied with the Pre Box sound in general after having changed the filter settings a few times, even though its relatively low priced. I only use it with Tidal but can stream to a different external DACs in my setup without MQA by using optical. Without any comment on the licensing strategy, I would prefer either full MQA unfold or non MQA....but not the single unfold. However, I am doubtful in other postings from different threads (not these) of whether people have actually heard the full unfold of MQA or just used a box that was MQA enabled. To bypass the rubbish and before considering any MQA DAC (mine was a birthday present), I had R&D invested in a handheld player that had MQA as one of its many features (included the latest hi-end dual DACs, one per channel, which beat everything I already have except my Esoteric). And as most people know, MQA encapsulated albums can be purchased and downloaded at various sites on the web. I downloaded 3 of my most listened albums / artists and took them and my handheld player on vacation. Then, I also had a teenager listen to the MQA version of the one album they were familiar with and give me commentary. Only after having spent headphone time and nothing else but the handheld did I decide there could be a difference. From there I could venture to integrate some MQA option into my system. Additionally, before trying to integrate any MQA DAC, I had Tidal app installed on my handheld (not a phone) and was able to easily flip through songs and playlists there, feeding it directly into my system as decoded 2 channel MQA as analog inputs....which I was also happy with. In the end, having a computer in your listening room can add noise (computer fan) and you have to make other settings to make the exclusive MQA mode work correctly. It's a little clunky, unless you sit at your computer or if you have a laptop and then a USB cord running to your system. Some vendors like Schitt have totally rejected MQA and it still seems to be finding purchase in the audiophile market. Personally, I like the options given no one truly agrees on analog vs. digital, streaming vs. non-streaming because most of it gets caught up in irrelevant issues regarding setup, equipment or apathy. The Pre Box is useful at its price point for dipping into MQA, but I invested in more direct paths as proof of concept (and took the listening opinions of others in my circle) before adding yet more electronics to my system. To me MQA seems like psychoacoustics, but in reading the specs, that's not what it is. I'm not sure I would sink real money into an MQA enabled DAC at this point but the Pre Box seemed like a reasonable way to go early this year if wanting a simple path requiring some user involvement. If not already received as a present, I would have purchased it.