Digital Drive

RE: MQA

88.97.21.18

This Post Has Been Edited by the Author

In Reply to: RE: MQA posted by slartybardfast on June 02, 2017 at 23:51:17

A good question but , taken literally, it cannot conform to the redbook standard as that does not relate to any media platform other than CD and , insofar as the data aspects are concerend is limited to 16/44.1( redbook covers many other aspects including disc dimensions, player output voltage etc.)
Is it compatible with 16 bit systems though? Apparently, yes, as Bob Stuart has said that use with 16 bit systems is feasible and a small Japanese label has produced an MQA encoded CD. Again that cannot conform to redbook standard but may be, in some way, compatible. I do not know how one is supposed to play it though, at least in a standard redbook standard CD player as any information beyond 16/44.1 will not be decoded even if it can be read (if). I can only imagine the use of such a CD as a source within a computer audio system . And of course the data file could be downloaded to such a system (the label does provide a download) so its entire purpose defeats me.
So redbook standard per se? No, although the non MQA data could be playable. MQA decoded - no , not redbook and not 16/44.1 either as the sample rate would be higher than 44.1. So even if it could be decoded the playback system will need to handle sample rates higher than those specified in the redbook standard.
Of course, so far in practice and overlooking that quirky Japanese CD, MQA seems mainly to be available within a 24 bit " wrapper".

Edits: 06/03/17

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