Thanks Peter!
Actually your comments confirmed my doubt about this new implementation of MQA decode by iFi - that is that iFi's MQA firmware only detects a software DECODED stream as MQA stream WITHOUT further participation of 2nd or 3rd unfolding by iFi hardware. Call it "vapor" ware? Or simply a gross negligence?

Just as a matter of record, I am posting the answer that I received from iFi tech in response to my same question. It makes me even more confused:


Ridiculous as is, his suggestion about use of Tidal's "passthrough" is consistent with what I found with XXHE -- with XXHE MQA decode ON I got 96; decide OFF, 48.

Best,
ZH

Peter,
One more observation is that even with iFi DAC detecting the stream from XXHE as MQA stream, I don't see anywhere that indicate that the DAC is performing second or third stage "unfolding" with MQA albums marked as 192kHz. But iFi clearly states that it is capable of decoding MQA stream upto 384kHz.

Also none of the MQA tracks I downloaded from 2L are played in XXHE as MQA at all, either with MQA decoding on or off in XXHE settings. The little logo always show FLAC while playing and input-output is 44-44. iFi DAC always see it as PCM stream.

ZH

Peter,
I did some testings and the findings might be of interest to you. The iFi DAC2 with MQA firmware update detects MQA streams from XXHE ONLY in the following conditions:

XXHE settings:
Volume +0dB
fx=OFF (ON if you leave it at 1x)
upsample=1x (input-output, 96-96)
MQA decoding in settings=ON
MQA logo showing on bottom of window while playing

Only the Tidal MQA albums with logo sticker marked as 192, 176, 96, 88.

ONLY all above conditions are met, iFi iDAC2 will detect it as a MQA stream (with specific indication light). But it DOES NOT perform further unfolding.

----------------

If you adjust or change any parameters above, iFi iDAC2 will detect it as a PCM stream instead (again with indication light) with appropriate sample rate indicated by XXHE output value.

If you do any one of the following examples, you will lose MQA stream:

1. if you turn off XXHE MQA decoding in settings, iFi DAC will see it as either 48 or 44 PCM stream.

2. Play any MQA albums marked as 44, or 48, even with MQA logo on bottom showing while playing, iFi DAC see it as PCM stream.

3. if you touch the volume in any way, iFi will see it as PCM stream.

4. if you upsample in any way, 2x, 4x and so on, iFi will see it as PCM stream with a sample rate as indicated by XXHE output.

5. Also both 2.10 and 2.10c behave the same in this test.

Best,
Zheng

Hi Peter,
I just replaced XXHighEnd.exe with the new version 2.10c in audio PC. It seems solid without any issue so far. Next I am going to replace it in music PC too. But I need to ask a question. In the above quote you mentioned audio PC in particular but at the download area where you did not mention audio PC at all. Just wondering.

Also on the MQA hardware decoding front, after consultation with an iFi tech I was able to let my MQA enabled (recent firmware 5.3 update) iFi iDac2 to recognize MQA stream but only upto 96kHz!

Second while playing in XXHE with MQA decoding OFF, I was not able to let the same DAC to recognize its MQA stream so it remains at 48kHz mostly with a few at 44.1

Now you just mentioned that with 2.10c, you resolved some FLAC headings issue, which makes me think that if I re-download some Tidal MQA albums I might see something different. So I am going to update right now in my Music PC and will report back tomorrow.

Zheng

Peter,
Thanks! I'll do ASAP.
ZH

Peter,
I did download a MQA encoded track "MAGNIFICAT 4. Et misericordia" from 2L but XXHE played it as 44.1 FLAC with either mqa decoding on or off. And the iFi MQA enabled DAC processes it as 44.1

I always set the volume at 0.0 to be bit-perfect.

ZH

Hi Peter,
Today I downloaded iFi newly release firmware 5.3 that enables MQA decoding upto 384kHz sources. But to my disappointment that I was not able to decode 192 MQA albums to its original sample rate. the best I could do via XXHE is upto 48kHz with MQA decoding off.

If I play directly from Tidal with MQA passthrough on, I got upto 48kHz and with passthrough off, upto 96kHz

Now I searched iFi company troubleshooting forum and found this answer from iFi technician:


I think I started to understand what Tidal is doing with MQA right now... I just want to get your opinion first. In the meantime I want to find a true 192 or up MQA encoded file to see if the iFi tech is not lying!

Best,
Zheng

Hi Peter,
This is just for improving my knowledge in XXHE world. I am still vague about the function of this button.

When this little square button is lit in blue:
1. Does it mean that XXEngine3 is resided in memory?
2. Or it means either XXEnine3 or 4 is resided in memory?

If (1) is true, my question is: this button always lights up in blue when the song is starting to play in my current audio PC, and I am using KS as audio device in XX settings with WASAPI is disabled, which I presume that I am using XXEngine4. Why XXEngine3 needs to be loaded?

I can click the button to clear memory but as soon as I start a new song it turns blue again.

Thanks,
ZH

I am just thinking... This might sound strange but somehow I find it to be related to the issue of RD session to an audio PC in minOS. The RD session would freeze during XX playback and never restored until a force reboot. We solved the issue by eliminating Gateway number in ethernet adaptor property in win10.

Now I don't know exactly how Roon connects to HQP. I am just wondering if the same trick can be used on PC with Roon (leaving gateway blank) to see if it will connect to HQP in minOS. Maybe try to specify local IP number instead of network ID in Roon to identify HQP.

Call me crazy... 

ZH

Found this online spreadsheet of Tidal MQA listings. It might be interesting to some.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10VtON9VjMAt3uyHC2-Oo2MjIa3orv9DKZfwiRQKmTAA/edit#gid=945476039

I don't use RAM-OS, so I don't think I deployed virtual memory, not that I know of anyway.
ZH

I remember I also got "MemOrg #2" message when I was still on 2.08d trying to use 5.19 and Straight Contiguous together. I could cured this issue by using 5.19 and "Mixed" or "Contiguous Mixed" combos. All this went away after installing 2.10.

ZH

This may not be relevant at all. But I checked my Tidal related operations: Tidal is installed in music PC with all related folders in local HDD (local to music PC). All Tidal stream preparations are formed locally and all downloading, preparing and moving are performed one album by one album. My audio PC accesses all Tidal files from music PC via LAN. So in a sense my audio PC also serves a NAS.
ZH

I will report here once I get one of these glitches. I don't remember the reboot requires a trip to Normal OS state and back. Just want to be of some help. 
ZH

Hi Peter and Arvind,
I don't want to be rude but this happened to me few times - a seemingly well prepared MQA album is played back at 48kHz as Flac. But everytime I resolved the issue simply by rebooting the audio PC (right-click "Stop" and select "Reboot"). For some reason it has stopped occurring now.
Best,
Zheng