[Karlthehusky721]

Why would Schiit involve themselves with MQA? There's nothing in it for them, or their customers.

Cons of MQA vs 24bit FLAC:
MQA isn't lossless.
DSP manipulation cannot occur before the hardware MQA decoder in the dac, making room correction impossible without introducing extra ADCs and DACs into the signal path.
No conclusive evidence that MQA can be differentiated between 24bit FLAC from the same master in a blind test.
Anyone who wishes to make an MQA enabled device must jump through Meridian's hoops and pay licensing for a technology that hasn’t actually been proven to have audible benefits.
When Meridian says "remaster," what they really mean is running a file through a DSP.
And many more...

Pros:
Smaller size when Internet streaming.

The fact that video streaming sites are engaging in 4k video streams leads me to belive that this "pro" is a crock of s**t.

 

[garbulky]

This is exactly what one of my friends wanted (preamp outputs + amp) but passed on the Uber because of its $150 price. The linear power supply is also a pro for me + the size.

 

[rlow]

When I found out that the Audioquest Dragon fly got MQA capability via a firmware update it was clear to me that no hardware is needed for MQA. I think that is the dirty little secret behind the launch of MQA, it can all be done with software and you do not need a new DAC or some MQA chip. When a non certified MQA DAC can sound better than a certified MQA DAC with MQA clearly the compensations Meridian would make for the weaknesses of your DAC do not mean much.

Firmware and software are not the same thing in this context. In order for Dragonfly to do the hardware decoding, it needed a firmware update for that specific DAC. Software only decoding of MQA (working in conjunction with a non-MQA capable DAC) will not give you the max bitrate "unfolding" nor the timesmearing correction benefits that the hardware decoder will provide (at least this is MQAs claim).

 

[Puma Cat]

Perhaps Schiit will surprise everyone and do a companion DAC that does MQA, Like Loki for DSD...you never know

Nope. They're not going to go around that block once again...

 

[DSNORD]

So if the software decoding by Audirvana- the first unfold- provides no benefit in my system, but it is supposed to per "The Experts," why should I believe that the real "Magic" will happen if I throw Yggy out and replace it with an "approved" DAC???

 

[oryan_dunn]

This is exactly what one of my friends wanted (preamp outputs + amp) but passed on the Uber because of its $150 price. The linear power supply is also a pro for me + the size.

Magni 3 is still an AC supply, not sure what a linear power supply has to do with anything.

Also, I feel like there should be an archive page that has the past model pages for reference.

Edit: also the choosing an amp page needs to be updated for Magni 3 and the new prices.

 

[mike138]

Perhaps Schiit will surprise everyone and do a companion DAC that does MQA, Like Loki for DSD...you never know

One of the main company philosophies is to provide equipment for the music people already have. Which is why I want them to make a price-disruptive CD transport.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Firmware and software are not the same thing in this context. In order for Dragonfly to do the hardware decoding, it needed a firmware update for that specific DAC. Software only decoding of MQA (working in conjunction with a non-MQA capable DAC) will not give you the max bitrate "unfolding" nor the timesmearing correction benefits that the hardware decoder will provide (at least this is MQAs claim).

Yes at least that is MQAs claim. I do not buy the need for a hardware decoder as I believe that it can all be done with software if Meridian would allow it. They allow software unfolding to 24bit 96hz but not 24bit 192hz. Now 24bit 96hz MQA, according to my discussion with Bluesound, will sound better on some high quality non MQA DACs than the MQA certified DAC in the Bluesound Node 2. So having an MQA DAC does not guarantee better MQA. I do not know this but I have a feeling that the Meridian marketers are destroying what could be a good digital mastering technique. Seems that's all MQA really is.

 

[RickB]

Magni 3 is still an AC supply, not sure what a linear power supply has to do with anything.

Also, I feel like there should be an archive page that has the past model pages for reference.

Edit: also the choosing an amp page needs to be updated for Magni 3 and the new prices.

Schiit does not use switching power supplies.

 

[oryan_dunn]

Schiit does not use switching power supplies.

They also don't use linear.

They use an AC-AC step down transformer.

 

[alpovs]

No conclusive evidence that MQA can be differentiated between 24bit FLAC from the same master in a blind test.

That's a pro, not a con. The idea is to reduce size for streaming.

 

[mike138]

Yes at least that is MQAs claim. I do not buy the need for a hardware decoder as I believe that it can all be done with software if Meridian would allow it. They allow software unfolding to 24bit 96hz but not 24bit 192hz. Now 24bit 96hz MQA, according to my discussion with Bluesound, will sound better on some high quality non MQA DACs than the MQA certified DAC in the Bluesound Node 2. So having an MQA DAC does not guarantee better MQA. I do not know this but I have a feeling that the Meridian marketers are destroying what could be a good digital mastering technique. Seems that's all MQA really is.

I think that no matter what it's destined to be a niche product at best. When a new format comes along and becomes dominant, it's because it either provides an easily identifiable improvement in sound quality (CDs) or an easily identifiable improvement in convenience (cassette tapes and mp3). For MQA to get to that level, it would have to become the default for streaming music, which means being the format for Spotify and iTunes. Apple isn't going to play ball on format with anyone, and there's not much incentive for Spotify to do anything other than what they are doing.

Companies like TIDAL are trying to compete on quality. While that appeals to a lot of us (I have a TIDAL subscription, although not because of MQA), they aren't really anywhere near the top of the heap.

 

[alpovs]

I added columns for price, crosstalk, and output impedance. I also used Way Back Machine to get the specs from the older versions, they really have put out a lot of products over the years!

Here's the spreadsheet if you guys want to tweak it or add your own amps for comparison, I hid all the rows for past products to make it easier to look at, just "unhide all" if you want to see everything from the beginning:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B4lpa_zoQltaX1ZEUkQ5NkRJUmM

Where did you get the Max Out Voltage values? Calculated?

 

[decodm]

Oh noes! I have to deliver my Ragnarok back after reading this chart, its upper range peaks at 110kHz. that's only 3 times over the audible range of humans. Cant use it to play music to my bottlenosed dolphin if i ever decide to get one.

LOL!

 

[Pyrolistical]

So the first flush was the Magni3

Second is undoubtedly a turntable. Maybe with a digital output?

Any guesses on the third? A Digital Audio Player? A card containing a Digital Audio Player that fits inside a Jot?

A battery that fits inside Jot so you have a portable amp