No MQA light despite playing MQA files on Dragonfly Cobalt

Studio
3

Thank you for your feedback.

Here’s the Debug Info :

Audirvana Studio 2.2.5 (20205)

macOS 13.2.1 with 8GB physical RAM

Connected account of : (name)

SIGNAL PROCESSING:

Polarity Inversion:
Globally: OFF
Per track: ON
Effects plugins NOT 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: None
SW volume control: OFF

LIBRARY SETTINGS:
Sync list: 1 folders
AUTO: /Users/username/Documents/Bibliothèque locale Audirvana
iTunes/Music library synchronization: not synchronized
Library database path: /Users/username/Library/Application Support/Audirvana/AudirvanaDatabase.sqlite

Remote Control server:
Listening on 127.0.0.1 on port 57375

ACTIVE STREAMING SERVICES
TIDAL: Connected as HIFI

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

Active method: Local

Max. memory for audio buffers: 7168MB

Local Audio Engine: CoreAudio
Exclusive access: ON
Integer mode: ON
Use max I/O buffer size: ON
Actual I/O buffer frame size: 512

Preferred device:
AudioQuest AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0
Model UID:AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:21B4:0085
UID:AppleUSBAudioEngine:AudioQuest:AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:AQDFCB0101020123:1

Currently playing in Integer Mode:
Device: 2ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24bits little endian Signed Integer, 6 bytes per frame 88.2kHz

Active Sample Rate: 88.2kHz
Hog Mode is on

Bridge settings:
Sample rate limitation: none
Sample rate switching latency: none
Limit bitdepth to 24bit: OFF
Mute during sample rate change: OFF

Selected device:AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0
Manufacturer: AudioQuest
Model name: AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0
Model UID: AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:21B4:0085
UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:AudioQuest:AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:AQDFCB0101020123:1
USB Vendor ID: 0x21b4
USB Product ID: 0x0085
ID 0x50

4 available sample rates up to 96000Hz
44100
48000
88200
96000
Audio buffer frame size : 29 to 4096 frames
Current I/O buffer frame size : 512

Volume Control
Physical: Yes
Virtual: Yes

MQA capability
Auto-detect MQA devices: Yes
MQA Renderer device
DSD capability: Unhandled

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 0x51 2 channels starting at 1
8 virtual formats:
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 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

8 physical formats
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 96kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 88.2kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 48kHz
2 ch Non-mixable linear PCM Interleaved 24 little endian Signed Integer 44.1kHz

Local devices found : 2
Device #0: ID 0x50 AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0
Manufacturer: AudioQuest
Model UID: AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:21B4:0085
UID: AppleUSBAudioEngine:AudioQuest:AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0:AQDFCB0101020123:1
USB Vendor ID: 0x21b4
USB Product ID: 0x0085
Model name: AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt v1.0
Device #1: ID 0x44 Haut-parleurs MacBook Pro
Manufacturer: Apple Inc.
Model UID: Speaker
UID: BuiltInSpeakerDevice
Model name: Apple Inc. Haut-parleurs MacBook Pro

Chromecast

Chromecast devices found : 0

4

Correct me if I’m wrong but the Cobalt is a MQA Renderer and the Q3 is a Decoder, right?

5

It is my understanding, indeed. Why do you ask?
Is the MQA light appearing only when the DAC is decoding and not when it’s rendering only?

6

Yes it is.

Audirvana integrates the MQA Core Decoder that performs the first unfolding (up to 88.2 or 96kHz) to benefit from the high resolution of the MQA audio files even without an MQA audio device. By MQA decision, the second unfolding (to 176.4 or 192kHz) can be performed only in a MQA renderer/decoder DAC.

Non MQA capable audio devices can benefit from the high resolution (doubled sample rate compared to the encoded file one) thanks to the MQA decoder integrated in Audirvana.
In this case, Audirvana brings, in addition to the general Sound Quality improvement, the decoding of the MQA file that would be played only at little above CD quality otherwise, losing all its high resolution benefits. Note that decoding the signal beyond twice the sampling rate of the encoded file (for the few rare recordings actually made above 96kHz) can only be done in a DAC MQA.

You then need to leave “Not MQA decoder” for your DAC in the Audio Settings, so that Audirvana performs the MQA decoding.

If you have a DAC that is “MQA decoder” then, you can select MQA decoder. That means that no audio processing done in Audirvana, as the DAC is doing all of the MQA decoding.
If you have a DAC that is “MQA renderer” then, you can select MQA renderer. That means MQA first unfolding done in Audirvana, and no other audio processing as the DAC is doing the other unfolding

The Blue color means that the file is “Studio authenticated”.
The Green color is for other MQA audio file.

8

I have been a 3.5 user for some time and was having issues which I have been unable to resolve. As such, I just started my free trial of Studio, and for the first time have joined the “forum” to try and solve an issue I seem to be having with this new software. I am hoping this is the place to jump in, as I am having a similar problem to the one described here.

I am exclusively streaming Tidal “Master” through Audirvana Studio, feeding a Dragonfly Cobalt DAC. My issue is that I am getting absolutely no MQA indicator light of any color. My DAC is being recognized as a “renderer”, and my Volume Control and DAC Input both show as 24/96 MQA, however my DAC volume indicator in the lower right hand corner only reads 24/96Hz Stereo, no MQA indicator light. I have read through the above thread, but am not understanding what my issue might be. This was never a problem in 3.5

Apologies in advance if this is an obvious “nubie” issue. Any help would be appreciated.

9

@sloopjazz I think I ran into a similar problem as yours, check out my post.

11

The Dragonfly as I understand it, is a “renderer”, and is autodetected. I actually have not found any settings on Audirvana, or my computer (for Dragonfly) which will allow me to specify.

1 Like
12

I am not getting an indicator in either color.

14

I have checked for updates…all current. And unfortunately, my computer is not currently available, but I will try posting the debug tomorrow when I am able. Thanks!

15

Hey,
From what I was able to understand, the lights only appear when you use a decoder, not a renderer. Your Dragonfly is a renderer so Audirvana won’t show any color but the unfolding will be done anyway and you will hear an unfolded version of the track you’re listening to.

16

No, even if it’s a Renderer, Audirvana will show the Dot MQA light anyway.

Screenshot 2023-04-03 113113
Screenshot 2023-04-03 1131131920×1092 341 KB

17

What DAC do you use, though?

18

Zorloo Ztella :arrow_right: MQA renderer

19

Alright this piques my curiosity. It is indeed a renderer so as of now it would mean that the issue seems to only happen with Dragonfly DACs.

@Antoine Can you please bring some enlightenment on this topic?

I’ve marked the thread as open again.
Thank you guys for your feedbacks.

20

Ok guys, I know it can be confusing with this MQA indicator you see on the right side.

The thing is it doesn’t matter if your device is a MQA Decoder or MQA Renderer, what matter the most is:

Does your device send us the information of actively decoding a MQA track?

In the case of any dragonfly, it’s NOT the case. Which is why you will never see the MQA indicator on the right side with a dragonfly. You will then need to only take a look at the LED of the Dragonfly to know if it effectively play s a MQA track.

We need to have more information from MQA about what is going on here on the MQA identification of MQA Studio tracks and I will keep you updated about this.

1 Like
21

Alright thank you for the quick answer !
So it definitely is a Dragonfly-related issue.

22

Thanks for the responses, but the thing I find curious is why the indicator light light worked in 3.5?

23

Do you mean the light on the device or the indicator on the app?

24

The indicator light in Audirvana 3.5. I can go back and try it just to confirm.

25

I you can :wink: