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Mytek Brooklyn DAC

JTC said:
I would love to help, but my tech is letting me down: my SBT-based system (two SBTs and a SBRadio) connect to a QNAP NAS. In theory, fine, but the necessary add-ins to support emergent files like DSD and (I assume) MQA are either incompatible with the CPU architecture of my NAS (i.e. DSD), or just don't exist (i.e. MQA).

I'd really rather stick with LMS/SBTs as that's a system that's worked well for me, but I am wondering whether I might need to rethink my streaming solution and move to something that IS supported. Or just give up on ideas of DSD and MQA (which would be a shame).

This isn't really OT for this topic, but I may add another asking for recommendations/advice. All I know is that I don't want to spend much more on hifi at all, so ideally I would be able to get what I have working, somehow....
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It's worth giving this thread a scan...

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?101641-LMS-7-9-and-DSD

...looks like DSD support is available via some LMS 7.9 plugins. I spotted a touch user who'd got it working via EDO/USB

Unfortunately my old QNAP is currently restricted to 7.8...
 
adamdea said:
Perhaps you apply the VC after unpacking.
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Sure, and then it is not a problem - but the original question was about a non-MQA-aware chain leading up to the DAC. So let me modify my reply - any volume adjustment or processing that happens *before* the MQA stream is "unfolded" will destroy the MQA-encoded HF stuff, so any volume control in the chain leading up to the MQA decoder/DAC has to be set to 100%.
 
vln said:
MQA categorically ruled out any involvement with Auralic's streaming devices with digital outputs only, such as the Auralic Aries. It appears to be not a technical issue?
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MQA does not allow to expose the full decoded data stream to the outside world, for instance on an SPDIF or USB link. This means that, to be compliant, digital volume control, equalisation, room correction, and crossover processing have to happen in one and the same MQA-certified box (*). You see the problem?


As an aside, the Bluesound Node 2 allegedly outputs a post-MQA digital signal, but this is limited to 96kHz, i.e. not the fully unfolded thing. It is not known whether this is in line with MQA policy, or just a fluke and thus something to disappear from future products.


(* There is an alternative allowed that employs several boxes, with each box unpacking MQA, processing the signal, and repacking MQA. This is not a serious proposition.)
 
Timcat said:
I also understand that DoP does not involve any conversion step and that the DAC "unpacks" the original DSD file when the DoP transmission reaches it, so no signal degradation takes place. Clever!
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Indeed, it is very clever - it is just packaging around the original DSD data that makes it look like PCM to the streaming chain (that doesn't care about the content).
 
Werner said:
MQA does not allow to expose the full decoded data stream to the outside world, for instance on an SPDIF or USB link. This means that, to be compliant, digital volume control, equalisation, room correction, and crossover processing have to happen in one and the same MQA-certified box (*). You see the problem?
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Sure - I figured it had more something to do with the protection of MQA's IP than anything else. A bit like you aren't able to get the (digital) SACD/DSD signal out of an SACD player.

Given that MQA is a D/D conversion, and the D/A conversion takes place afterwards, DRC would have to be in between the two conversions (inside one piece of equipment), up to the manufacturer of said piece of equipment - or would DRC also take place in the MQA component, i.e. will MQA also be in the business of DRC?
 
vln said:
Given that MQA is a D/D conversion, and the D/A conversion takes place afterwards, DRC would have to be in between the two conversions (inside one piece of equipment), up to the manufacturer of said piece of equipment - or would DRC also take place in the MQA component, i.e. will MQA also be in the business of DRC?
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I assume MQA is hoping DRC vendors will license the MQA technology. I wish them good luck... :)
 
In the Meridian architecture, the DSP speakers require an MQA-capable source (such as the 818v3 digital pre-amplifier) which, in combination with the SE level speakers, manages the MQA unfolding process within an encryted protocol called MHR running over Speakerlink (ethernet with RJ45 connectors) cables.

There is currently no Meridian DRC solution with MQA.

Sub-SE DSP speakers can do limted reproduction of MQA depending on whether they use Speakerlink or SPDIF cabling.

BTW, this is a highly simplified explanation of what is going on.
 
Is it too early to proclaim that "I'm done" with hifi? I'm there! Totally happy. Or am I digging a hole in saying this? ;)
 
JTC said:
Is it too early to proclaim that "I'm done" with hifi? I'm there! Totally happy. Or am I digging a hole in saying this? ;)
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You could say that, but you haven't tried a Chord DAC yet so the best is yet to come and then some. :)
 
AndyU said:
You could say that, but you haven't tried a Chord DAC yet so the best is yet to come and then some. :)
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I heard a Dac64 back in the day. It was ok. Don't know their latest stuff, but the aesthetics and price put me off.
 
WAD62 said:
It's worth giving this thread a scan...

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?101641-LMS-7-9-and-DSD

...looks like DSD support is available via some LMS 7.9 plugins. I spotted a touch user who'd got it working via EDO/USB

Unfortunately my old QNAP is currently restricted to 7.8...
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Not sure if this applies to your nas, but in the case of mine it was just a question of hacking a single line of code to allow version 7.9. Think there was a thread on the qnap forum and/or the squeezebox forum. Think I managed to get dsd working (just for the sake of it). 24/192 packaging only gets you dsd64.
I think you might need something higher powered if you want to explore the enormous catalogue of top quality music recorded in dsd 128 (and above!)
 
IceG said:
In the Meridian architecture, the DSP speakers require an MQA-capable source (such as the 818v3 digital pre-amplifier) which, in combination with the SE level speakers, manages the MQA unfolding process within an encryted protocol called MHR running over Speakerlink (ethernet with RJ45 connectors) cables.

There is currently no Meridian DRC solution with MQA.

Sub-SE DSP speakers can do limted reproduction of MQA depending on whether they use Speakerlink or SPDIF cabling.

BTW, this is a highly simplified explanation of what is going on.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the clarification!

Do you own any Meridian products?
 
adamdea said:
Not sure if this applies to your nas, but in the case of mine it was just a question of hacking a single line of code to allow version 7.9. Think there was a thread on the qnap forum and/or the squeezebox forum. Think I managed to get dsd working (just for the sake of it). 24/192 packaging only gets you dsd64.
I think you might need something higher powered if you want to explore the enormous catalogue of top quality music recorded in dsd 128 (and above!)
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Afraid my QNap NAS is an Arm-based one, and the necessary plug-ins are only available for i386 or X64 (PlayDSD etc.). In any case, I am already running 7.9 (with the hack, and also the patch for bash).
 
IceG said:
Yes but none of them is, as yet, MQA capable because of the lack of content.
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I was surprised to see how much (very relatively speaking) MQA content is already available on highresaudio.com - I was even more surprised to see ECM supplying MQA recordings. I got back to them to ask about their commitment to this format but sadly never got a reply.

However ultimately MQA shouldn't really be about downloading, but about streaming. If/when MQA content ever appears on Tidal, that's when I will seriously consider it - currently I'm very much on the fence.
 
I'm yet to be convinced from my own listening that there is any audible uplift beyond 16/44 (mastering being equal e.g. down-sampling from hi-res using something good like SoX -v). I might give it another go some time.
 
just wanted to post a quick survey:

if you're using the Brooklyn as a preamp, what amp are you using? Anyone using the Benchmark?
 
jamesd said:
just wanted to post a quick survey:

if you're using the Brooklyn, what amp are you using? Anyone using the Benchmark?
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I'm using a Primare I21 that drives a pair of MA GX100. A pair of REL R528 SE subs are connected via high level too.
 
jamesd said:
just wanted to post a quick survey:

if you're using the Brooklyn as a preamp, what amp are you using? Anyone using the Benchmark?
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Adam Active speakers, so no amp required :)

headphones are powered by a Stax 006T valve energiser however. This is connected to the balanced outputs from the Brooklyn, with the speakers being connected using RCA->XLR cables. I have it this way as the Stax headphones are way more resolving than any speakers I could ever afford, and so if there are differences to be had between XLR and RCA, they'd be more obvious to the ear this way. Sounds fantastic anyway :)
 
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