After a challenging period that included entering administration and being acquired by Lenbrook Media Group in 2023, MQA Labs is back in the spotlight with its latest innovations: Qrono d2a and Qrono dsd. These technologies aim to enhance the audio experience for users of digital-to-analog converters (DACs), especially in addressing timing issues and extending compatibility to a broader range of audio formats.

At their core, Qrono d2a and Qrono dsd are audio signal processors designed to address specific challenges in digital audio playback.

• Qrono dsd: This technology converts DSD (Direct Stream Digital) audio files into PCM (Pulse-Code Modulation) signals, allowing DACs that don’t natively support DSD to play these files. According to Al Wood, Director of Engineering at MQA Labs, the process is handled with "the lightest possible touch" to retain the critical timing details in the original recording.

• Qrono d2a: This innovation focuses on improving how DACs process digital signals into analog sound. By compensating for timing errors—commonly known as time smearing or ringing—Qrono d2a aims to produce clearer, more lifelike audio. This approach reduces issues like echoes or blurred sound that can occur during digital-to-analog conversion.

“The problems introduced by traditional digital audio filters are well understood, and QRONO is the platform that offers solutions for our hardware partners and licensees,” comments Al Wood.

“We focus on the meticulous application of fundamental signal processing techniques. These include filters and noise shapers that improve the overall impulse response and transparency of digital-to-analogue conversion to get the absolute best from each DAC chip."

One of Qrono d2a’s primary goals is to address timing inaccuracies that are inherent in most digital audio playback systems. These timing errors can lead to a lack of clarity and detail in sound. MQA Labs claims that new research in neuroscience highlights the importance of timing precision, noting that human hearing is incredibly sensitive to minute timing differences—down to as little as 7 microseconds.

By employing custom filters tailored to specific sample rates, Qrono d2a avoids the “one-size-fits-all” approach of standard DAC filters. MQA says this technique improves the impulse response and transparency of digital-to-analog conversion, resulting in an experience that feels more authentic and natural while reducing listener fatigue.

The Qrono technologies will make their debut in the new Bluesound Node Icon, a flagship network music streamer set to launch this month. This device will integrate both Qrono dsd and d2a, with Qrono dsd automatically handling DSD files and Qrono d2a enhancing all digital audio processed by the streamer.

However, users won’t have the option to toggle Qrono d2a on or off to compare its effects. MQA Labs says this decision was made after extensive listening tests, ensuring that the technology provides consistent audio improvements out of the box.

"DSD conversion is handled with the lightest possible touch to preserve all the crucial time details in the recording. We are delighted by the audio results from the QRONO integration in Bluesound’s NODE ICON and believe owners of the Icon will find the audio performance to be next level.” says Wood.

While MQA Labs is optimistic about the potential of Qrono d2a and dsd, the company has faced its share of criticism in the past. The original MQA audio format, which promised to deliver high-resolution, lossless audio, was met with skepticism from audiophiles due to its licensing model and perceived shortcomings in sound quality.

It remains to be seen whether the Qrono technologies will face similar scrutiny. However, MQA Labs appears confident in its approach. Wood emphasized the care taken in designing Qrono d2a, describing the enhancements as “subtle but immediate,” with improvements in micro-dynamics, stereo imaging, and overall musicality.

The company plans to showcase these innovations at major events like CES, NAMM, and ISE, where it hopes to attract interest from partners and hardware manufacturers.