Bill.......After having done some reading I think I am catching on. The reason my Aurender N10 handles Tidal MQA files at 24Bit/48KHz and passes them to the K-01X DAC has nothing to do with any hardware or software decoding going on in the N10 or Tidal. The MQA files themselves are stored in a folded fashion on the Tidal servers in 24Bit/48KHz or 24Bit/44.1KHz depending on the fully unfolded resolution when using an MQA DAC. All that is happening is my N10 passes the 24Bit/48KHz MQA file directly to the DAC.
If I was streaming from Tidal’s desktop app, the first unfold would take place even without an MQA DAC, so a 24bit/48kHz MQA file streamed via the Tidal desktop app will arrive at my DAC as a 24bit/96kHz file. This happens whether that DAC is or is not MQA certified. With my Aurender N10 the folded MQA file stored on Tidal's servers is simply being passed right through to the DAC. As I interpret what I have been reading, that is all that is going on with my Aurender N10 music streamer.
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Dan
STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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