2. digital
  3. 160187-150269

Tidal MQA vs Qobuz hi-res

My brief experience.. for posterity.

Comparing Tidal MQA to Qobuz hi-res, you -will- hear degredation/loss in the high frequencies (violins in an orchestra etc) on MQA... assuming you have reasonably resolving equipment. For me, that’s Macbook USB to a $150 Audio Engine D1 DAC going to a $600 used Parasound A23 going to used $600 Kef LS50’s, $100 Transparent speaker cables and cheap USB and RCA cables.

The Audio Engine is surprisingly good for it’s price BTW. Over the years, trying different DACs in audio stores when I had an opportunity, I feel like you’d need to spend close to $1,000 to get something significantly better.

The A23 and LS50’s are really good too for today’s used prices. New, they would’ve been $2,500 a few years go

bataras

Showing 2 responses by tom8999

tom8999
151 posts
 
Wow - OP - your system is only as good as your weakest link - you have multiple weak links - hear is my system - 

Source - Tidal Hi Fi with MQA accessed via a LUMIN T2 (has the Sabre DAC)
Integrated amp - Krell K300i
Speakers - Maggie 1.7i with Maggie base panel
Cables and speaker wire by Anti cable.

my results with Tidal using MQA are amazingly good - I find new music all the time and the Soundstage is the best I have ever achieved. Horns and strings and vocals POP. Retired my turntable.

just my 2 cents 
Happy Listening

tom8999
151 posts
 
To answer the questions posed - the Sabre DAC is more revealing and creates a better Soundstage than Lumin’s D1 or the D2 - I have owned the D1 (Wolfson DAC) for over 5 years, and just sold it on Audiogon6 months ago. I have a second system I use in my Mancave - just added the LUMIN D2 to that system 3 weeks ago - 

IMO - the Wolfson DAC is ‘warmer’ than the Sabre’ - vocals on my Mancave system are amazing - this system is as follows- 

Source - Tidal HiFi thru a LUMIN D2
Integrated - Krell S550i
Speakers - Maggie 1.6qrs that I had ‘Gunned’
cables and Speaker wire - Anti Cable

IMO - I like both the Sabre and Wolfson DACs - it all depends on what you like to listen to - Mancave System is best with Jazz vocals, Sabre is best for complex orchestrations and Classic  Rock. The LUMIN T2 creates a HUGH soundstage and instrument separation is bigger so you hear more detail.

people underestimate the benefit of a dedicated Streamer / DAC - note I do not work for LUMIN.

referencing cost - Lumin D2 is $2300 and the LUMIN T2 is $5200.

both systems cost under —$15,000 each all in - Love the quality. 

i have never tried Qbuz - happy with streaming Tidal HiFi with MQA - like I said earlier - retired my Thornes turntable - not cost effective.

More to discover