[Joe Bloggs]

It’s quite confusing. The same tracks that showed 384K (and yellow LED) before the Tidal upgrade, then showed 96K (and green LED) are now back to saying 384K (yellow LED) again, but I have found out why. When you test play an MQA without headphones, it plays at 96K, plugin headphones and it says 384K.

I’m confused as to whether this means there is real hardware MQA folding, and it’s intelligent enough not to do it when there’s no output, but that may be wildly optimistic thinking. Unfortunately I don’t have the equipment to test it.

It does sound good though

Shaun

The R6 defaults to coaxial digital output when nothing is connected. This is a digital output, so MQA data is only unwrapped to 96kHz. (MQA compatible devices connected downstream may further unwrap this to whatever rate their DAC is capable of) It is only in internal analog playback that the MQA data will be unwrapped 8x to the maximum sample rates supported by the onboard DAC.

This was done via a firmware update so it is not pure hardware.

MQA decoding is a software algorithm. It may be a proprietary algorithm licensed only to specific hardware, but there's no such thing as "pure hardware decoding" of MQA unless I haven't been keeping up with the latest PR talk ??

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The R6 defaults to coaxial digital output when nothing is connected. This is a digital output, so MQA data is only unwrapped to 96kHz. (MQA compatible devices connected downstream may further unwrap this to whatever rate their DAC is capable of) It is only in internal analog playback that the MQA data will be unwrapped 8x to the maximum sample rates supported by the onboard DAC.

I think that could be called oversampling since Tidal MQA tracks are not more than 192 KHz.

MQA decoding is a software algorithm. It may be a proprietary algorithm licensed only to specific hardware, but there's no such thing as "pure hardware decoding" of MQA unless I haven't been keeping up with the latest PR talk ??

I really don't know but I'm not sure why it shouldn't be possible to encode or decode MQA in hardware.

https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/

MQA HI-RES DECODER: built in certified hardware
MQA™ decoder

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I think that could be called oversampling since Tidal MQA tracks are not more than 192 KHz.

MQA standard includes resampling of any MQA audio to the highest sample rates supported by the DAC. There are "customizations" in the upsampling that are tailored to the analog hardware used by each device.

I really don't know but I'm not sure why it shouldn't be possible to encode or decode MQA in hardware.

https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/

MQA HI-RES DECODER: built in certified hardware
MQA™ decoder

It's an algorithm. You need software to realize the algorithm, and of course you need hardware to run the software. In that sense any MQA decoder consists of hardware. Which came first, the egg or the hen?

I really can't keep up with the quantum mechanical marketing here

 

[gimmeheadroom]

`Thank you @Joe Bloggs for straight talk

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Not sure about technical measurements, but it has a ton of power, especially from the balanced output. Drives my full-sized planars with ease.

I agree - listening to some guitar music right now as a matter of fact on my Audeze LCD-2's with a balanced cable and I can only take it up to about 60% volume or it's too loud. The sound is absolutely incredible with Tidal Masters and DSD's

 

[Luke Skywalker]

When using my Hiby R6 Pro as a source.

Connecting my dac/amp via usb, do I need go use UAPP for tidal support? Or is using the official Tidal app still bypass things for the amp?

I have UAPP and people rave about it, however I mostly use the regular Tidal app. One reason is that I save most of my music for offline music, which works awesome with a 512GB SD card in the Hiby. I honestly can't hear a difference between Tidal app and UAPP on a Master

 

[Luke Skywalker]

So... I upgraded Tidal from the Play store, and now, my MQA tracks (such as the one above) show 96K when they play. The side button now lights up in green when playing MQA files (which I believe is correct for 96K), whereas previously it lit up yellow (which I believe is correct for the 384K Tidal seemed to think it was playing).

I think that’s right now? I assume the 96K is a limitation of the R6Pro not hardware unfolding to 192K? Happy to be educated!!

Shaun

Hey I can confirm that it can go higher than 96. I googled and found someone's MQA playlist. When I play it, it shows the higher quality https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1cbce60c-2412-451e-a1e1-39faf87b617b

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Here's an interesting thing I discovered last night... I plugged my R6 into my new Nvidia Shield Pro (awesome device...) in USB-DAC mode and played a movie on VLC with my Audeze cans connected. The sound was awesome - way better than Bluetooth

And I was pleasantly surprised to see it shows 192 khz in the status bar at the top. Not sure if that's legit and if the Shield is actually putting out that high bitrate though. I plugged in my iFi xDSD and it did not show 192 Khz when I played a FLAC

Lot of variables but I thought that might be interesting to someone

 

[Infoseeker]

After the last major update, my status bar doesn't show the kHz message anymore.

Also if I hold the cog in the status bar and try to change the status top bar display option, there is setting for displaying it.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I have seen sample rates for MQA on Tidal from 88something to 192. As far as I know there is no MQA anywhere higher than 192.

This is based on what my Oppo 205 and Brooklyn DAC+ tell me.

They agree with each other on everything I have checked so far.

 

[michaelgordon]

I am looking at getting a hiby R6 pro and a new set of headphones either HD660s or LCD2 classics. Will the R6 pro be able to drive these properly?

 

[Infoseeker]

I am looking at getting a hiby R6 pro and a new set of headphones either HD660s or LCD2 classics. Will the R6 pro be able to drive these properly?

I can confirm the lcd2 easily driven.

No idea about the hd660s.

 

[michaelgordon]

I can confirm the lcd2 easily driven.

No idea about the hd660s.

Cheers. Was looking at new dac/amps and still using phone as source so thought for prices may as well look at a competent all in one.

 

[shauny]

I am looking at getting a hiby R6 pro and a new set of headphones either HD660s or LCD2 classics. Will the R6 pro be able to drive these properly?

Hi

I use the R6Pro with my Etymotic ER3-XR when travelling, but at home I use the R6Pro with my HD660s over a balanced connection, and they sound absolutely fantastic. Never have to have the volume high, the amp in the R6Pro drives them perfectly.

Hope that helps - let me know if you have any questions on them.

Shaun

 

[michaelgordon]

cheers