I think poster is saying he only wants 16/44.1 updampled to whatever, but that when he sets this Audirvana will upsample MQA files if they are 16/44.1, which he doesn’t want. I believe he wants a setting that states, “upsample 16/44.1 files to ‘whatever’ UNLESS they are MQA, in which case ignore.
Thanks, @reddog1 , that’s exactly right. I want to upsample CD-quality files, because they sound much better when I do.
I do not want to upsample files that are already Hi Res, as they sound just fine to me as is. If I choose from the preset modes (x2, DSD, etc.), then all files are upsampled, and that’s not what I’m after.
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@Agoldnear, that is not what I was saying. I purposely chose “Custom” and a target frequency (88.1 but it could have been anything higher) I knew did not match the frequency of the MQA file (44.1) just to see if the Custom filter worked as it should, and it did. It was probably a waste of 30 seconds of time but again, proved to me that it was recognizing the file as MQA and passing it through to my DAC as MQA, not a bug that made simply choosing “Custom” a trigger for the software to no longer recognize it as MQA. I verified that Audirvana still does recognize MQA files when “Custom” is chosen, and will unfold it if it doesn’t match the target frequency (as one would expect). I’m saying I’d like Audirvana to treat MQA files that way (unfold and no more) even if it does match the target frequency I set so I can ONLY upsample CD quality files, not folded MQA that come in at 44.1 kHz.
What do you think you are losing when up-sampling all PCM files?
If you believe a 16/44.1kHz file benefits from up-sampling, what makes you think that a 48kHz, 96kHz or 192kHz file won’t benefit from being up-sampled to 384kHz, or a 44.1kHz, 88.2kHz and 176.4kHz file won’t benefit from being up-sampled to 352.8kHz? If you have DXD files (352.8kHz) files, these won’t get up-sampled (Because your DAC supports a maximum sample-rate of 352.8 or 384kHz) unless you choose “to DSD”… Are you trying to throttle all PCM to a target sample-rate?
The Nyquist Fs cut-off in the case of 352.8kHz is moved to 176.4kHz and in the case of 384kHz the Nyquist Fs cut-off is moved to 192kHz… The up-sampling algorithm produces a bit-perfect transition…. You will reveal low-level detail that is otherwise masked by the noise inherent in the lower PCM sample-rate source.
A user has paid for MQA files, an MQA DAC and software that can transmit MQA. There is only 1 very specific exception where this does not work. Then we can have all kinds of discussions about what is observable by the human brain. It just has to work as expected.
??? Of course… Audirvana does convey the MQA file to the DAC… It is this user that is setting a limitation based on some unfounded concern about up-sampling all PCM files…
You just really can’t help passing judgement on the merit of my request, right? I didn’t invent the “custom” feature, so it must have been concluded at some point that users may want to upsample some frequencies but not others. I just want that feature to work with MQA files the way it should. I don’t think I need to explain myself to you. Seriously, if you can’t contribute to a solution, don’t feel the need to speak to my post just to hear yourself talk.
I think you misconstrue the context of what is meant by the heading “Custom”…
From the Audirvana Up-sampling information guide:
The first command enables oversampling and the operating rule :
○ Power of 2 of the native track sample rate. This will be the highest frequency allowed by the audio device for a track natively at 44.1 kHz (88.2, 176.4 or 352.8 kHz)
○ Maximum sampling rate of the audio device
○ X2 only: Twice the track’s native sample rate (if acceptable to the audio device)
○ By frequency: Specific sampling rate for each track natively (selection made by clicking on “Settings by frequency”)
○ DSD option only available with a DSD compatible DAC.
If enough folks ask for the feature you would like, then perhaps it will be implemented… we’ll see… 
I fully understand that it’s working exactly as stated in the guide. While it doesn’t explicitly say under any of the other bullets that all files except MQA will have upsampling applied to them, that’s how it’s working in practice. Except for “by frequency” which treats MQA files like any other. It’s not that I expected upsampling to work counter to what’s in the guide, I just expected it to be consistently applied. It’s a request for a change, not a misunderstanding, and yes, we’ll see if it resonates and gets implemented. It really didn’t have to be this hard to come to that conclusion.
Well it all depends on your perspective regarding the sample-rate conversion tool(s)… I work in the 24/88.2k. and 176.4kHz production world… For example when I want to hear how my mix sounds at 44.1kHz, I utilize the sample-rate converter to do ‘real-time’ down-conversion from 88.2kHz or 176.4kHz to 44.1kHz… For folks with DAC’s that don’t support higher-resolution files like 88.2kHz or 96kHz the sample-rate conversion tool gives them options…
Up-sampling operates on the first-unfold PCM signal sample-rate of the MQA file, as has been presented through that un-packing mechanism… I don’t see a lot of folks requesting the feature function you wish to be implemented… Good luck! 
@Antoine , is a short response possible?
Another question out of interest, if you choose manual ‘renderer’ or ‘no MQA’ in the DAC settings. Any change in behaviour?
This description from the ‘DAC Input’ settings information guide, may answer your question:
If enabled, the detection of an MQA compatible device will be done automatically.
Audirvāna Studio features the MQA Core decoder that performs first unfolding (up to 88.2 or 96 kHz) to take advantage of the high resolution of MQA audio files, even if the connected audio device is not natively MQA compatible.
However, the second unfolding (to 176.4 or 192 kHz) can only be done in an MQA certified DAC/decoder.If your DAC does not support the MQA format, choose “Non-MQA decoder” in the DAC’s setting parameters. Audirvāna will perform this initial unfolding.
If it supports the MQA format but has not been identified as being capable of decoding, you have the option of forcing the “MQA Decoder” or “MQA Renderer” mode.In MQA Decoder mode no audio processing is done in Audirvāna and the DAC will be fully in charge of decoding.
If the connected DAC is an MQA Renderer only the first deployment will be done in Audirvāna, and the second deployment will be done by the DAC.
@David_Johnson … Take note…
And that is what is expected and not happening. If the DAC is a decoder, Audirvana will still perform processing with the custom settings. Anyway, I’ll let this move on. I hope for David that the Audirvana support team picks this up. His question doesn’t seem that difficult to me.
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@David_Johnson … Take note…
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The way I read this is,
If you do not tell Audirvana to ‘auto-detect MQA devices’ and then change the ‘DAC not detected as MQA, use as’ setting to ‘MQA Decoder’… Audirvana will not apply any processing to the MQA file, where the file is delivered to the DAC unfettered for complete decoding of the MQA file…
If this configuration is functionally correct, then all MQA files are presented to the MQA DAC without any processing (un-folding, up-sampling… etc) and any other PCM file can then be up-sampled as you desire.
So… if auto detect MQA is turned off then it will work as expected for David? @David_Johnson , Can you give it a try?
(I don’t see the difference between autodetect MQA and forced MQA decoder. But that must be my limitation in understanding.)
The settings must align with what is described in the user guide info…
No Auto Detect → DAC set as MQA Decoder
‘Auto Detect’ allows the system to make the first un-fold of the file…
I think that is only about determining whether a DAC is a Decoder/Renderer/No MQA. Audirvana can use Autodetect and if drivers/communication are completely correct, Audirvana knows how to handle the MQA file. If the autodetect is not correct, the user can override this. But the effect remains the same.
If an MQA decoder is present, the processing will have to be disabled. I don’t know how we have been able to revolve around this overly simple topic for so long. And also without any use, this conversation does not help David, has no influence on the functioning of the decoder. And apparently Antoine is too busy with other things and doesn’t read this.
So… when “Auto Detect MQA devices” is not enabled, Audirvana does not know the DAC is MQA capable…
That can also be a user choice. If a user prefers to use Audirvana’s core decoder and the DAC only as rendering then that is an option.
If a user wants to use Audirvana’s core decoder and then processing, the DAC must be set to ‘no MQA’. In Roon you can even run the core decoder, then perform processing and then add the bits back so that the renderer can simply render an edited MQA file as if it were still original.
It’s all possible, but it’s not related to David’s question.
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