Article: Audiophile 5: Elac DDP-2 DAC / Preamp / Streamer In 5 Minutes

[yahooboy]

Well I basically do not trust ANY company trying to push MQA.

So this company is of the list

[yahooboy]

4 hours ago, audiobomber said:

So you wouldn't buy anything from Elac, over this? I see no evidence that they are "pushing" MQA. The only reference I can find is a simple statement that the DDP-2 is MQA capable, but not functional yet. I assume this is a business decision. The marketing department likely determined that leaving MQA out would negatively impact sales more than including it. 

 

I'm not a fan of MQA processing. I believe the technology will fail and die, but no one knows for certain. My overriding interest is in buying the best sounding DAC/Preamp I can afford, with the features I want. MQA is not one those features, but inclusion will not affect my purchase decision. The DDP-2 is a contender, with all the features on my needs list, and the right price.

 

My main system has three clocks right now, in the wi-fi/ethernet bridge, renderer and DAC/Pre. I am well aware of the benefits of a single clock from past experience. The fact that this unit has I2S wi-fi puts it ahead of the others on my short list.

 

It's about the signal that ELAC sends as a company, by including it in their product they are endorsing all the ills that MQA is.

One way to rid the world of this illness, is letting manufacturers know that any association with a company that has been shown to have a strange take on the truth, looses them sales.

 

 

[yahooboy]

10 hours ago, audiobomber said:

Certainly that is your right. It's a no-win situation for the manufacturers. I have a friend who's also shopping for a DAC, and will not consider anything lacking MQA. As mentioned, I don't care that it has MQA or doesn't, I just want the best value DAC/Pre I can find. I suspect both opinions are more prevalent than someone who will boycott a company because they've included it.

 

I do believe as a manufacturer You should back each and every part of Your product. If You include MQA, that's an endorsement. As a constructor/manufacturer You are informed by MQA what that entails. In the case of ELAC (for instance) the information about the ills was available when the DDP-2 was under construction.

 

I have talked to a lot of manufacturers whose product i liked but that included MQA, almost all of them had included MQA because it was the latest buzzword. A lot of them don't even understand how MQA works (or the implications of this) So the manufacturers just included it to have another thing on the checklist.

 

When I buy from a manufacturer, I don't want buzzwords or "features" that have been proven to not do anything (good) for the sound

 

And I will not support anyone that endorse MQA