02-Jun-2016, 17:01
I have the Explorer 2 that I use for all my traveling, and also at home to decode MQA. Some comments:
- the "deblurring" is based on 2 different techniques: a new quantisation method, whereby each sample is not a "photograph" of a moment, but an average of several samples using a spline as averaging law (the exact law being "trade secret"); and a filter with no pre ringing and very limited post-ringing. The beauty of the filter is an incredible time-fidelity; the drawback is that it lets a lot of aliasing go through. However, and based on the fact that avg spl at these frequencies are quite low, it was deemed an acceptable trade off - in my opinion it sounds significantly better than the originals.
- if we pass it through the ADC of the Devialet, we re-blur what had been deblurred! (albeit at much higher frequency and therefore less damaging than with 44.1). It is not that all ADCs are wrong - it is that letting aliasing happen has always been considered very poor design, based on the frequency domain view. What is new in Meridian's approach is that, using sampling techniques used in other fields like medicine or astronomy, they have trusted their ears and followed the time domain perspective instead of the frequency domain - like 99% of designers have been using in the past.
- to appreciate MQA in its entirety, the rest of the chain must be up to speed. I reckon that the frequency response of all chain elements -in particular, loudspeakers and headphones- need to be capable of reaching 40-50 kHz. I see a big improvement when I move from my UE10 custom in-ears (limited to 18khz) to a pair of Stax Lambda earphones (over 40 kHz) . We don't hear these frequencies but we're able to appreciate the transients (according to the research on which Meridian based its development)
From the fidelity point of view, it trumps everything else I have heard, including DSD; but I fear that it doesn't get enough market traction and follows the way of Betamax, DVD-Audio (this would be Bob's second defeat!) or ambisonics (the third defeat!).
At the end, I think it will depend on Apple's adopting it or not.
- the "deblurring" is based on 2 different techniques: a new quantisation method, whereby each sample is not a "photograph" of a moment, but an average of several samples using a spline as averaging law (the exact law being "trade secret"); and a filter with no pre ringing and very limited post-ringing. The beauty of the filter is an incredible time-fidelity; the drawback is that it lets a lot of aliasing go through. However, and based on the fact that avg spl at these frequencies are quite low, it was deemed an acceptable trade off - in my opinion it sounds significantly better than the originals.
- if we pass it through the ADC of the Devialet, we re-blur what had been deblurred! (albeit at much higher frequency and therefore less damaging than with 44.1). It is not that all ADCs are wrong - it is that letting aliasing happen has always been considered very poor design, based on the frequency domain view. What is new in Meridian's approach is that, using sampling techniques used in other fields like medicine or astronomy, they have trusted their ears and followed the time domain perspective instead of the frequency domain - like 99% of designers have been using in the past.
- to appreciate MQA in its entirety, the rest of the chain must be up to speed. I reckon that the frequency response of all chain elements -in particular, loudspeakers and headphones- need to be capable of reaching 40-50 kHz. I see a big improvement when I move from my UE10 custom in-ears (limited to 18khz) to a pair of Stax Lambda earphones (over 40 kHz) . We don't hear these frequencies but we're able to appreciate the transients (according to the research on which Meridian based its development)
From the fidelity point of view, it trumps everything else I have heard, including DSD; but I fear that it doesn't get enough market traction and follows the way of Betamax, DVD-Audio (this would be Bob's second defeat!) or ambisonics (the third defeat!).
At the end, I think it will depend on Apple's adopting it or not.
Oslo: sources: Mac Mini/Itunes/Audirvana, glassfiber toslink/Mapleshade clearview USB to D200;
Double helix to Gallo Strada 2 with mapleshade stands, TR3 subwoofer.
Spain: Oppo 95 vacuumstate modded, Kimber select 1021, Linn Classik Movie Di to Gallo Solos through Goertz Python cable
Double helix to Gallo Strada 2 with mapleshade stands, TR3 subwoofer.
Spain: Oppo 95 vacuumstate modded, Kimber select 1021, Linn Classik Movie Di to Gallo Solos through Goertz Python cable
