Aqua Formula - new upgrade, retrofittable!

[spiritofmusic]

Well, 1000 hrs should be fully burnt in. I know Blue58 was very patient w his Aqua.

 

[joaovieira]

At the beggining, before the 500h I wanted to return the dac. And than it magically opens up.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Well, be careful w the SR Blue fuse. I've heard reports that it can take hundreds of hours to open up. One reason I stick w the Black. Fully burnt in after just a few days.

After my brutal analog reinstall that took a couple of hundred hours to sound right, I'm reluctant to ever go down the route of any gear that takes even longer to open up.

 

[joaovieira]

I use the black too. No blue so far.

 

[LarryK]

If you want to try a song, please try Cecille McLorin Salvant on What’s the Matter Now.
The drums on the very start in my system is controled and ok for me. On my friend’s system I heard this music the first time and it shocked me unexpectedly

Thanks for the recommendation. She’s great! I see she sang on Jackie Terrasson’s album Gouache.

This is a bit ridiculous but can you conclude anything about the bass I’m hearing from a short voice memo clip from my iPhone?

OpeningWhatsTheMatterNow

 

[joaovieira]

Yes, Larry! That could help! Thanks

 

[LarryK]

Can you guys explain why this CD

https://listen.tidal.com/album/76650412

unfolds to only 88 on the DAC although it is 24/352? I tried through Roon and through the Tidal desktop app and set the quality to Master but it didn’t make a difference.

 

[asiufy]

That's just the "first unfold", as it's called in MQA-speak. To get the full resolution, you need an MQA-compatible DAC, and the Aqua isn't one of them.

 

[LarryK]

That's just the "first unfold", as it's called in MQA-speak. To get the full resolution, you need an MQA-compatible DAC, and the Aqua isn't one of them.

Do you think that could be an upgrade in the future?

 

[asiufy]

From my conversations way back with them, don't count on it. But as a customer, send them an email asking for MQA support. If enough people ask (that includes me!), maybe they'll consider it!


alex

 

[Blue58]

No, No, No! MQA never.
Read the 600 page thread on Audiophilestyle.
To paraphrase that famous quote :- There’s no detail in the Devil.

 

[LarryK]

No, No, No! MQA never.
Read the 600 page thread on Audiophilestyle.
To paraphrase that famous quote :- There’s no detail in the Devil.

I skimmed that thread, lol, but aren’t we at the mercy of what gains widespread acceptance?

 

[Blue58]

I skimmed that thread, lol, but aren’t we at the mercy of what gains widespread acceptance?

Probably, just like McDonalds, but let’s hope not.

 

[asiufy]

I find nothing wrong with MQA, it generally sounds great.
But MQA-averse folks, or those without MQA-enabled DACs, might want to have a look at Qobuz. I've found out they usually have the regular hi-res PCM version of those MQA albums available on Tidal.

 

[LarryK]

I find nothing wrong with MQA, it generally sounds great.
But MQA-averse folks, or those without MQA-enabled DACs, might want to have a look at Qobuz. I've found out they usually have the regular hi-res PCM version of those MQA albums available on Tidal.

I subscribe to both Tidal and Qobuz integrated under Roon and I am a happy camper. I will do what you say.

 

[LarryK]

Cristian told me to change the settings in Roon under Audio/Device Setup/Formula/MQA Capabilities to Decoder and Renderer and said to close my eyes so I don’t see the LED display 44, lol. Does this mean Roon does a full unfold? Does this mean the DAC handles it?

 

[sbo6]

Hi, do you happen to know the fuse size 5 X 20mm? in the xHD? ???amperage?....thx

here is what I had Aqua install along with the xHD upgrade:
Synergistic Research Blue Quantum Fuse Small (5x20mm) 250v Slo-Blo 1A
SKU: SYN|Blue|Sm|Slow-1A

No issues with blowing and it's been running 24 x 7 for months.

 

[sbo6]

Larry, thank you for your answer.
Acctually is my system that is under suspicion.
A friend came at home and he thinks the system has weak bass. I am trying to figure out if it’s my system with weak bass and his with correct bass, or my system with controled bass and his system with uncontroled bass.
So I am investigating all parts of my system to try to understand it better.
Someone told a few posts up on this discussion that the bass was deeper and better with the new analog board. So that is why I asked.
I am still waiting for the new board.

You may want to measure your room at the listening seat to see if you have prominent bass modes displayed as attenuated bass. This often sounds like weak bass if from 100 - 40Hz.

 

[asiufy]

Cristian told me to change the settings in Roon under Audio/Device Setup/Formula/MQA Capabilities to Decoder and Renderer and said to close my eyes so I don’t see the LED display 44, lol. Does this mean Roon does a full unfold? Does this mean the DAC handles it?

No, Roon doesn't do the full unfold. He's just messing with ya

 

[LarryK]

No, Roon doesn't do the full unfold. He's just messing with ya

Hmmm, is the DAC doing the full unfold? That Roon setting I changed was on the system settings for the DAC. Is the LED light wrong? It went from 88.2 to 44. I’m totally confused.