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In Reply to: RE: HighResAudio dumps MQA. posted by jusbe on March 29, 2017 at 16:18:02
I'm not sure about you folks, but I'm enjoying the "Masters" MQA files on TIDAL. I have the Meridian Exp2 DAC so I've been running through all my favorite albums that are available on MQA.I'm mostly a vinyl guy and will probably always remain so. But it's mind bending that I can pay $20 a month for thousands of Albums in MQA quality which to me sound better than redbook CD. So, I take advantage of this opportunity to listen to music that I don't have on my record shelves.
I'm in my late 60's and I was very slow to add streaming to my music listening. But when I heard that TIDAL had not only CD quality streaming but something that promises to be even better I didn't hesitate.
There are plenty of opportunities to listen to the same song at 16/44.1 and MQA 24/96 on TIDAL. It doesn't take long to determine that the MQA version is obviously better.
One last comment. As TIDAL puts more and more MQA files online the pressure on DAC manufacturers to add MQA to their products is going to build and build. It won't be long that every DAC will have to offer MQA decoding/rendering. Here's a case in point - AudioQuest have announced MQA ("render" only?) upgrades for their popular DragonFly USB DAC's already this year.
Edits: 04/06/17 04/06/17Follow Ups:
"There are plenty of opportunities to listen to the same song at 16/44.1 and MQA 24/96 on TIDAL. It doesn't take long to determine that the MQA version is obviously better. "Yest gain the SAME false nonsense is getting posted.
What you are "comparing" is a CD master of undetermined origin against the MQA version which began with 24 bit files.
When Meridian actually allows DIRECT comparison to the original hirez file approved by the mastering engineer against their "MQA'd version" then people will give a damn.
"As TIDAL puts more and more MQA files online the pressure on DAC manufacturers to add MQA to their products is going to build and build. It won't be long that every DAC will have to offer MQA decoding/rendering."
I am afraid you are living in a fantasy world.
MQA is one of the most shameful attempts we have seen yet to move boxes out of the factory and to save a dying company like Meridian.
Edits: 04/06/17
IJG, I could agree with your whole "better than what" concept, except that. I don't have access to the original master file and never will. What I have access to is "a" CD quality file. Yes, of undetermined pedigree, but nonetheless it is what has been made available to me.
And if MQA sounds better than that - for free - then that's pretty good.
Sure in a perfect world I'd have access to the original master file and could compare the MQA to that - but I don't and I can't so the point is moot.
I'm not trying to prove anything other than I personally like what I'm hearing and that's good enough for me. I will grant you that it may not be good enough for you.
And, I'll try not to berate you about it in response to your posts. 'Cause as you say, I'm just here to "post that same old false nonsense."
Actually you do have the ability to source the original master file...they are being sold on HDTracks, Qobuz, ProStudiomasters, Hiresaudio.com, Superhirez, and soon again, PonoWhy have not seen or heard ANY comparisons of those files to the ones run through the MQA sausage machine? What are they afraid of.
If you believe that MORE processing an reduction in resolution are better than the original source, then so be it.
To clarify, I did not want to imply you are knowingly posting false information. What I MEANT to say is you are restating the same false premise, one that many others have excitedly posted before being confronted with the fact that comparing MQA Tidal to non MQA Tidal is a false comparison.
Edits: 04/06/17
I didn't realize that those Hi Rez file outlets you mentioned were now offering those files for free, or even as subscription of $20 a month. I was already a TIDAL HiFi subscriber and I already had a Meridian Exp2 DAC. So, to me the addition of their MQA Master files streaming is, well, FREE. Sure I could pay $19.95 or more for one album file from a HiRez Download company and listen to it. OR I can stream 30,000 MQA tracks for no additional cost over what I was already paying for.
Thing is I'm not trying to prove the concept of MQA. I'm not defending it or making any claims about it. I'm simply enjoying it.
I have to assume that your MQA DAC is very very good and you're making your claims of how false MQA is based upon your review of the service and it's resultant sound. You must feel it just doesn't sound good. Correct?
No, those files for download are not free. You have to buy them just like you would an CD, LP, SACD, or Blu Ray. I will take that over a streaming service that lost a combined 35 million between 2015 and late 2016.
And yes, I have heard MQA, extensively, not on a dinky $200 DAC, but on their flagship $24,000 DAC.
Good. That's what I was hoping to hear. My Benchmark USB DAC was just not doing it for me any more, so I decided to take a flyer and get the little $299 Exp2. I thought at a chump change price how could I go wrong.
I'm guessing you didn't get a chance to compare the MQA to a known HiRez file?
I listen 99% of the time to vinyl. And, don't personally care for CDs. At first I subscribed to Spotify. It's was convenient but not great sounding. So, I switched to TIDAL HiFi. I heard about MQA coming to TIDAL and thought, I've been meaning to try the Meridian or the Audioquest USB DACs just for fun and chose the Meridian just in case MQA really did start to take off.
First I downloaded a HiRez Sampler from HDTracks and then I got some of the same files from 2L in MQA. I did like the HiRez files, but I felt they compared well to the MQA files of the same music.
In fact I found one classical piece in 44.1, 96, 192, and 384 with the 96 and 192 versions being MQA encoded files. They all sounded pretty good for digital files and the 192 MQA and the 384 HD File sounding very close but obviously putting more air in the music.
OK, I'll stop going on now. It will be fun to see how this unfolds. I guess the "market" will decide. Maybe.
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