Advice needed for an USB DAC

[Nutul]

I was so taken by the explanation of MQA in that same product description that I didn't spend a lot of time with the rest of it.

What new kind of madness is this?  "[MQA CD] can restore the original high-resolution signal heard in the studio".  From a CD.  Seriously, anyone falling for that?  It's a real shame because it looks like and absolute dream of a device, then they sully it it with such nonsense.  I was almost ready to lay aside my prejudice about about buying any device with an MQA light on it, but after reading all that I need to go and have a bath to feel clean again.

Green, or purple, light apart, I found these two videos have been very helpful to me, hope they are for you all too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRjsu9-V...oldenSound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHkqWZ9j...oldenSound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSv0lcHl...lAudioFest

many other interesting links in the video description(s)

But long story short: think just for a second, of reproducing the "exact studio recording meant by the artist" in YOUR room, with YOUR speakers and YOUR amplifier (I left the DAC out of the equation on purpose, because it is the subject that is, or should be, making the difference...) Now, seriously...?

Please, no fire.

[TheOldPresbyope]

@Nutul

I’ll take your word for it. I couldn’t force myself to watch this guy babble for 14 minutes. Great production, humorous delivery, low information transfer rate. I prefer to read technical information and watch YouTube for entertainment.

@the_bertrum

LOL.

Regards,
Kent

[Nutul]

I’ll take your word for it. I couldn’t force myself to watch this guy babble for 14 minutes. Great production, humorous delivery, low information transfer rate. I prefer to read technical information and watch YouTube for entertainment.

I would like, too, to read some good technical information. Problem being that it is not available to the public (MQA be like: "trust us: it's better."); hence people trying to gather it on their own, causing rumble in MQA HQ.

The 3rd video is far more interesting, as the guy presenting the conference exposes Archimago's findings, refusing (with reason) to give his name to the demanding MQA representatives. But you won't watch it either, as there is little tech - as to be expected - there too.

[the_bertrum]

I couldn't watch all of the third, did people pay to attend that? Suffice to say MQA is divisive even among people who agree.

To bring this back to the topic, with respect to choosing a DAC, and assuming you don't have a desire to use MQA, it's presence will not necessarily be a bad thing unless it has inflated the price too much. In the case of the SMSL DAC we were discussing, it's still a very good device with a good price. If you fancy a Tidal account and want that little light to shine, then it gives you that too. Win all round.

[Nutul]

I couldn't watch all of the third, did people pay to attend that?  Suffice to say MQA is divisive even among people who agree.

To bring this back to the topic, with respect to choosing a DAC, and assuming you don't have a desire to use MQA, it's presence will not necessarily be a bad thing unless it has inflated the price too much.  In the case of the SMSL DAC we were discussing, it's still a very good device with a good price.  If you fancy a Tidal account and want that little light to shine, then it gives you that too.  Win all round.

Totally agree here. It's interesting to me how these (relatively) old DAC chips are being understood and implemented today; achieving astonishing results that can compete with what demands (or was demanding) far higher prices in the very near past. Especially SMSL and Topping have amazingly interesting products in the 200-dollar-range that really bring Hi-Fi to everyone.

As I probably already said, have tried few MQA tracks, but couldn't find anything that brought my heart to a stop; I would need the very same tracks in regular FLAC for comparison. There is a lot of discussion about psycho-acoustics related to MQA, a field in which I cannot say a word, although believing in it. In the end, if it sounds better to you, that's all that counts.

So far, the thing that I find makes the biggest (really, no joke) difference in sound stage and instrument separation has been the mixing and mastering of the CD (I 99% listen to ripped, ordinary 16/44.1). Some albums are capable of rendering such a spatial sound with regular 2-speaker that I find it almost unbelievable...

[romain]

Hello,
my SMSL SU-9 Pro is operating well, it's definitely a noticeable upgade soundwise compared to the Allo Boss2.
Romain

[Nutul]

Hello,
my SMSL SU-9 Pro is operating well, it's definitely a noticeable upgade soundwise compared to the Allo Boss2.
Romain

The SU-9 is a very good device :-)