Have mqa module in dac, not outputting correctly

Audio Formats
1

Hi

I’ve had audiravana for ages and I have just subscribed to studio (radio, at last!).

Now, I have the following dac and mqa module:

  1. dac - Metrum Onyx™ (dac3 modules)
    2 mqa nodule - MQA Module

I am using a 2012 macmini connected to dac via usb with tidal master.

When I set to renderer I get a max output of 24/96 (to be expected, software unfold), but when i set to decoder the max I get is 24/48 (see pic):

audiravana studio
audiravana studio2613×2033 385 KB

I’m using version 1.7.2 and have tried everything to achieve full unfolding. Any advice people are able to give is very much appreciated.

I have asked for advice on hifiwigwam: Audiravana. dac mqa module, only decoding to 48k - advice appreciated - 2 Channel - HiFi WigWam

2

Hello @Alboy, I suppose It was you who made a tweet earlier about not having the possibility to download Studio. Glad that you have been able to install it.

Can you send us a copy of the “Debug Info” when you have this issue? You can get it in Audirvana Settings>My account

Please remove the line corresponding to your logged-in account to avoid displaying your email address and first name/last name publicly.

Note: By clicking on the Debug Info button, Audirvana automatically copies all its content, all you have to do is paste it in response to this message

3

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
	Globally: OFF
	Per track: ON
Effects plugins ACTIVE in realtime mode
	No plugin active

UPSAMPLING:
r8brain not in use
r8brain filter parameters
Bandwidth = 99.5%
Stop band attenuation 218dB
Phase linear

AUDIO VOLUME:
Max allowed volume: 100
Replay Gain: by album
SW volume control: OFF

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 1 folders
Manual: (OFFLINE) /Volumes/music/
iTunes/Music library synchronization: not synchronized
Library database path: /Users/administrator/Library/Application Support/Audirvana/AudirvanaDatabase.sqlite

Remote Control server:
Listening on 127.0.0.1 on port 52117

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

=================== AUDIO DEVICE ========================

CoreAudio audio path, buffer I/O frame size: 512

Max. memory for audio buffers: 15360MB
Exclusive access: Enabled
Integer mode: Enabled

Preferred device:
M2TECH HIFACETWO UAC2 OUTPUT
Model UID:hiFaceTWO UAC2:249C:930B
UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:M2Tech:hiFaceTWO UAC2:14200000:1

Active Sample Rate: 48kHz
Hog Mode is off

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: 192kHz
Sample rate switching latency: 1.5s
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: ON
Mute during sample rate change: ON

Selected device:
Local audio device
ID 0x32 hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output
Manufacturer: M2Tech
Model Name: M2Tech hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output
Model UID: hiFaceTWO UAC2:249C:930B
UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:M2Tech:hiFaceTWO UAC2:14200000:1

8 available sample rates up to 384000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
176400
192000
352800
384000
Audio buffer frame size : 15 to 4096 frames
Current I/O buffer frame size : 512
Volume Control
Physical: Yes
Virtual: Yes
MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
Not a MQA device, user set to MQA Decoder
DSD capability: DSD via PCM 1.1
Device audio channels
Preferred stereo channels L:1 R:2
Channel bitmap: Ox3, layout:
Channel 0 mapped to 0
Channel 1 mapped to 1

Audio channels in use
Number of channels: 2
Use as stereo device only: No
Simple stereo device: Yes

1 output streams:
Number of active channels: 2, in 1 stream(s)
Channel #0 :Stream 0 channel 0
Channel #1 :Stream 0 channel 1

Stream ID 0x33 2 channels starting at 1
24 virtual formats:
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 32 little endian Signed Float 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

32 physical formats
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer aligned low in 32bit 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 384kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 352.8kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 192kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 176.4kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 16 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

Local devices found : 2
Device #0: ID 0x45 Built-in Output Manufacturer: Apple Inc. Model UID: AppleHDA:88 UID: AppleHDAEngineOutput:1B,0,1,2:0 Model Name: Apple Inc. Built-in Output
Device #1: ID 0x32 hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output Manufacturer: M2Tech Model UID: hiFaceTWO UAC2:249C:930B UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:M2Tech:hiFaceTWO UAC2:14200000:1 Model Name: M2Tech hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output

UPnP devices found : 0

4

Does the DAC recognize it as an MQA stream?

5

No idea how to tell. It’s NOS resistor to resistor dac. All it has is input select.

A

6

So it’s a Non Oversampling Dac. To which an MQA module has been added. This module unfolds the MQA stream.
I have no idea if this ensures that Audirvana can display this properly.

Normally the MQA stream should then be sent to the DAC as the original 24/48. After which the DAC performs both the decoding to 24/96 and the upsampling to 24/192.

Edit:
Is there an USB SPDIF convertor in between the DAC en PC?

Selected device:
Local audio device
ID 0x32 hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output
Manufacturer: M2Tech
Model Name: M2Tech hiFaceTWO UAC2 Output
Model UID: hiFaceTWO UAC2:249C:930B

Edit:
Maybe this the is normal behavior from the USB DAC.

7

No, just usb. There used to be and for some reason when i connect straight usb, mac says hifacetwo (the previous usb/coax interface)

usb
usb2304×1296 141 KB

8

I can’t find anything about it on the internet or manuals. You could check with Metrum.

It’s just how they did it at Metrum. As far as I can estimate, the correct 24/48 is sent to the USB chip. After that you just can’t see what happened to it anymore. If all is well, the MQA card intercepts the stream. Unfold these and then offer to the ladder DAC.

9

It’s MQA decoder, so set Audirvana accordingly. There should be some light to confirm that it’s receiving MQA stream. Maybe the light above the selected source.

10

Honestly, no light. Well’ there is a light, but goes off whenever any signal passed through

11

Check with Metrum, they mention some indicator for MQA and MQA Studio.

12

But, as you can see from screenshot, the source is 192

13

What you see is Audirvana doing the first unfold.

14

Should it not at least unfold to 24/96, ie software unfold max?

15

If you set it as MQA decoder it will transmit the stream bit-perfect, without any unfolding. The unfolding will be done by the module in the Metrum DAC. Make sure you keep the upsampling and the software volume control disabled.

If you set it to non-MQA, the first unfolding will be done by Audirvana. Similarly, if you set it as MQA renderer Audirvana will do the first unfolding and transmit the result with the MQA signaling to the DAC for further processing.

16

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