Use external USB DAC: S.M.S.L SU-1 MQA AK4493S to play MQA Files

[Jarny]

Hi

I want to buy a new DAC. I previously use an old Allo Boss DAC (via i2c) but now I want try an external USB DAC.
There are some MQA files in my music collection that I want to play in the best possible quality.
Does anyone know if the MQA-CD4493 can play MQA files nativ with Moode (Moode runs on an Raspi4)?

Product Link: https://thehificat.com/de-de/products/sm..._zXCtiqPU3

Thanks in advance
Jarny

[Nutul]

Hi

I want to buy a new DAC. I previously use an old Allo Boss DAC (via i2c) but now I want try an external USB DAC.
There are some MQA files in my music collection that I want to play in the best possible quality.
Does anyone know if the MQA-CD4493 can play MQA files nativ with Moode (Moode runs on an Raspi4)?

Product Link: https://thehificat.com/de-de/products/sm..._zXCtiqPU3

Thanks in advance
Jarny

In theory, it should. In practice... why bother with the scam MQA is (well, was)...?

[Jarny]

Thanks for your reply and your assessment about MQA.
Maybe some other user has expirience with this DAC and can say more about its MQA functionality or the overall soundquality.
It is not very expensiv.

regards
Jarny

[the_bertrum]

MoOde knows nothing of MQA and can't send a decoder it the information it needs to light up the lights that say that it is "unfolding" the data. You will get none of the claimed MQA benefits feeding a signal from moOde to any device.

The SMSL SU1 that you link to gets very good scores on Audio Science Review, so I'd buy it quite happily and not worry about the MQA bits.

[PJVervoorn]

Hi

I want to buy a new DAC. I previously use an old Allo Boss DAC (via i2c) but now I want try an external USB DAC.
There are some MQA files in my music collection that I want to play in the best possible quality.
Does anyone know if the MQA-CD4493 can play MQA files nativ with Moode (Moode runs on an Raspi4)?

Product Link: https://thehificat.com/de-de/products/sm..._zXCtiqPU3

Thanks in advance
Jarny

If the data stream reaches the DAC bit perfect, the DAC should recognise MQA encoding.
So, yes, it should, when you disable all signal processing on moode (DSP, resampling etc.)


But, I am sure using DSP can potentially improve the quality far more then a debatable Pavlov stimulus 
You can try that with the SMSL too, at no extra cost...