2. digital
  3. 155977-144506

MQA DAC with Coax Output

I’d like to fully unpack MQA with a DAC but also want coax out from said DAC. I use Tidal Masters streaming from Roon which is running on an Antipodes DSGT with coax out to a pair powered Dynaudio 200 XDs. The MQA DAC would need to have a USB or coax in (the two digital outputs from the Antipodes) and and coax out to the Dynaudios. I don’t want a super expensive DAC but certainly one to do the system justice. Any thoughts?
krilll
krilll OP
20 posts
 
Does this unit not do MQA unfolding to coax out?

https://ifi-audio.com/products/nano-ione/
clearthink
1,421 posts
 
Why would their be any benefit, advantage, or functional use to a digital coax output?
krilll OP
20 posts
 
I guess keeping the signal digital all the way to the speakers with the built in DAC / amp maintains the quality of signal until conversion to analog until the last possible moment. 
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drrsutliff
834 posts
 
@krilll

Looking at that specific ifi nano-ione it does not appear to do any MQA processing.  With the digital pass through it appears to reclock and regenerate digital signals.  There are ifi products that act as DACs with MQA unfolding and have analogue output.  The final MQA unfolding is dependent directly on the DAC chip in the final conversion unit.  Does your speakers built in DAC have MQA capability?  If not, and you want to listen to the full MQA product, you will need a DAC with that capability and have analogue signal cables between the DAC and an analogue input on the amplifier in the powered speakers.
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