iPad how to get MQA audio from my iPad Pro w/dac?

[TBoneMac]

Hello I have an iPad Pro 11 inch from 2018 and a meridian explorer 2 audio dac (which has an MQA decoder).

When I use it with my macBook Pro it’s able to enable and decode the MQA files (I see the green LED). When I use my iPad Pro it’s just the regular white LED (non-MQA).

Please help, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’m trying to play MQA files through tidal app and it doesn’t work.

 

[HDFan]

I’m trying to play MQA files through tidal app and it doesn’t work.

There have been a number of Youtube videos discussing the fraudulent claims of Meridian. MQA is not lossless, and it introduces additional noise. What didn't help was Meridian did everything they could to stop people doing the analysis.

If they had honest about it Meridian might not have had to declare bankruptcy. Tidal announced that they were going to move over to FLAC. This may mean that MQA is dead.

Is Tidal Getting Rid Of MQA?

Is Tidal Getting Rid Of MQA?

majorhifi.com

 

[TBoneMac]

Okay that doesn’t matter at all when it sounds better. I play it one regular and then master and people prefer master. MQA isn’t dead by the way it’s still being used constantly, most of the albums released are MQA because they know that it sounds better to a lot of people and it doesn’t change the sound in any negative way for people who do not have an MQA decoder. Filing for bankruptcy doesn‘t = dead/over. If you think bankruptcy means that then you don’t know what bankruptcy is.

Your answer is completely irrelevant to this post but thanks for trying to help.

If anyone has any advice please help! I know it’s possible to get MQA from my iPad because I’ve done it before. Not sure what changed.

 

[HDFan]

The Roiling MQA Debate: A Sound Quality Test on TIDAL That Leaves More Questions than Answers

We summed up the controversy between Tidal, MQA and audiophiles after a Youtuber did a sound quality test by uploading his music on Tidal.

www.headphonesty.com

If you like the altered MQA sound that's fine. Personally I want to hear the original, unaltered sound that the musician worked so hard for me to hear.

 

[solq]

Hello I have an iPad Pro 11 inch from 2018 and a meridian explorer 2 audio dac (which has an MQA decoder).

When I use it with my macBook Pro it’s able to enable and decode the MQA files (I see the green LED). When I use my iPad Pro it’s just the regular white LED (non-MQA).

Please help, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I’m trying to play MQA files through tidal app and it doesn’t work.

How do you play the files?

If through the Tidal app, just make sure you select the correct quality tier.

If you have MQA file rips, make sure you don't re-compress them (into AAC) when transferring to the iPad, which I think the Music app does by default. This will destroy the MQA meta-data. If you have an uncompressed, bit-accurate MQA file, the DAC should activate MQA processing automatically. At least my DACs do (iFi Gryphon and Teac NT-505).

 

[the future]

Personally I want to hear the original, unaltered sound that the musician worked so hard for me to hear.

Especially as this was the original promise from Meridian.

 

[HDFan]

Especially as this was the original promise from Meridian.

When, despite all of their efforts to suppress the research, it was proven to be untrue they modified their claims.

 

[TBoneMac]

How do you play the files?

If through the Tidal app, just make sure you select the correct quality tier.

If you have MQA file rips, make sure you don't re-compress them (into AAC) when transferring to the iPad, which I think the Music app does by default. This will destroy the MQA meta-data. If you have an uncompressed, bit-accurate MQA file, the DAC should activate MQA processing automatically. At least my DACs do (iFi Gryphon and Teac NT-505).

I am selecting the Master tier and it lights up two lights but they’re never blue or green. blue or green means it’s MQA. Two lights just means it’s a higher sample rate.

I don’t understand what I’m doing wrong…

Sometimes (randomly) the lights will color on but I never seem to be able to replicate it Or know what’s making it work properly.

I wish it worked properly because it works fine on my macbook.


I would appreciate it if there were no more people posting about their opinions on MQA. If you must then go ahead but please keep in mind this thread is about why MQA isn’t working on my ipad, it isn’t about our opinions on MQA.

 

[HDFan]

The resolution that Tidal reports can be quite confusing. Checked a number of MQA playlists on my Mac, such as

MQA/192Khz Vol.2 (Romad's Music Guide)​

Many of the tracks listed on the playlists seem now to be FLAC rather than MQA.

Playing the first track "the First Time I saw your face"

1. in Tidal it shows it as being FLAC with audio options up to 192 kHz. Tried it again and the only bitrate option was low.

2. Fired up Qobuz and it showed as 192 KHz. All 3 lights on my Meridian were lit white no MQA

3. Played it in Roon. Shows as FLAC with all 3 lights on the DAC are white and no color indicating 192 kHz without MQA:




Found a track on the playlist that gives me green (MQA): Hotel California:

 

[Snørrbjørg]

Tidal is switching from MQA to FLAC. No more MQA real soon now.

 

[TBoneMac]

The resolution that Tidal reports can be quite confusing. Checked a number of MQA playlists on my Mac, such as

MQA/192Khz Vol.2 (Romad's Music Guide)​

Many of the tracks listed on the playlists seem now to be FLAC rather than MQA.

Playing the first track "the First Time I saw your face"

1. in Tidal it shows it as being FLAC with audio options up to 192 kHz. Tried it again and the only bitrate option was low.

2. Fired up Qobuz and it showed as 192 KHz. All 3 lights on my Meridian were lit white no MQA

3. Played it in Roon. Shows as FLAC with all 3 lights on the DAC are white and no color indicating 192 kHz without MQA:

View attachment 2284333


Found a track on the playlist that gives me green (MQA): Hotel California:

View attachment 2284330

Okay interesting. So you’re saying that there’s basically not going to be MQA soon anyways so it won’t matter?

 

[TBoneMac]

The resolution that Tidal reports can be quite confusing. Checked a number of MQA playlists on my Mac, such as

MQA/192Khz Vol.2 (Romad's Music Guide)​

Many of the tracks listed on the playlists seem now to be FLAC rather than MQA.

Playing the first track "the First Time I saw your face"

1. in Tidal it shows it as being FLAC with audio options up to 192 kHz. Tried it again and the only bitrate option was low.

2. Fired up Qobuz and it showed as 192 KHz. All 3 lights on my Meridian were lit white no MQA

3. Played it in Roon. Shows as FLAC with all 3 lights on the DAC are white and no color indicating 192 kHz without MQA:

View attachment 2284333


Found a track on the playlist that gives me green (MQA): Hotel California:

View attachment 2284330

How are you checking these specifications on your ipad?

what is COreAudio Exclusive Mode?

are you on macOS Or ipad?

 

[HDFan]

So you’re saying that there’s basically not going to be MQA soon anyways so it won’t matter?

Don't know what Tidal is planning but it certainly looks that way.

How are you listening to the music on the iPad? Wired headphone adapter (with what headphones), bluetooth wireless headphones ....

 

[TBoneMac]

Don't know what Tidal is planning but it certainly looks that way.

How are you listening to the music on the iPad? Wired headphone adapter (with what headphones), bluetooth wireless headphones ....

Does this new update (no more MQA) mean that it “technically” should sound better since it’s “actual lossless flac” At high bitrate / khz ?

I use it with a dac into speakers connected directly.

I just updated tidal and it’s no longer showing me the MQA it’s different now like you showed. I think it sounds better than before.

It sounds like it did when it used to work properly on my ipad (when the colors for my meridian explorer turned blue or green for MQA).

 

[HDFan]

Does this new update (no more MQA) mean that it “technically” should sound better since it’s “actual lossless flac” At high bitrate / khz ?

If you accept the reports that MQA is not actually lossless then yes. Your ears are the best test.