MQA is ... !

Surly Sid

Well-known member
Feb 6, 2020
274
113
2,070
Visit site
More proof, that MQA is the biggest fraud ever perpetuated on audiophiles in history:

 
D

Deleted member 116933

Guest
Little late to the party!

Always has been joke in my eyes, its a "format"( and I use that word in a very loose sense as it not technically a format but more a container for the PCM core file) to solve a problem that was never really a problem, It came out at the wrong the time. If MQA had come out in 2001 with the birth of the portable digital players and the original iPod then it would have made a lot of sense. We were still mostly using dial-up back then or for the lucky few 1-10mb broadband.

As it stands it a "format" that requires you to buy a specific DAC and is confusing for the consumer you only have to see how many questions are asked about it, people still don't get it and what they need., which is why only a handful of places sells and stream it and why it will ultimately never see wide adoption. It's just another badge on a DAC these days rather than the DAC's main selling point.
 

Friesiansam

Well-known member
Well my DAC/headphone amp doesn't support MQA but, does a very good job with FLAC and WAV, I don't feel I'm missing out. Added to which, on the odd occasion I feel like some streaming, Qobuz has more of what I want to listen to than Tidal does.
 

RoA

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
665
373
2,270
Visit site
My speakers support MQA. After the lengthy and tiresome thread over at PFM ... let's just say I enjoy it and no, I am not on the payroll.

After the bombastic and attention grabbing headline I will assume the OP has listened to properly unfolded MQA ... !

Don't like it, don't pay for it. Simples.
 
Last edited:

2xcess

Well-known member
Mar 7, 2011
22
11
18,525
Visit site
Just my thoughts on sound quality subscribing to Tidal and other streaming services.

I subscribe to Tidal HiFi and Amazon Music HD. Through the LS50 WIIs I prefer the sound of Amazon Music HD files, to my ears there's just that bit more detail and clarity and they have a closer 'sound' to my locally stored files. I continue to subscribe to Tidal as I like the convenience of the connect app, it's just quicker and more convenient when looking for my music than Amazon HD via the KEF Connect app. No 'connect' app option with Amazon Music HD currently, if there was I'd stop my Tidal subscription and save a bit of money. I also preferred the sound of Qobuz, but the Amazon HD family subscription is hard to beat price wise.
 
D

Deleted member 188533

Guest
Just my thoughts on sound quality subscribing to Tidal and other streaming services.

I subscribe to Tidal HiFi and Amazon Music HD. Through the LS50 WIIs I prefer the sound of Amazon Music HD files, to my ears there's just that bit more detail and clarity and they have a closer 'sound' to my locally stored files. I continue to subscribe to Tidal as I like the convenience of the connect app, it's just quicker and more convenient when looking for my music than Amazon HD via the KEF Connect app. No 'connect' app option with Amazon Music HD currently, if there was I'd stop my Tidal subscription and save a bit of money. I also preferred the sound of Qobuz, but the Amazon HD family subscription is hard to beat price wise.

I also have both and totally agree about Amazon having better sound quality and Tidal having the better app. If Amazon would work on making their interface better I'd drop Tidal in a second.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tinman1952

Tinman1952

Well-known member
Little late to the party!

Always has been joke in my eyes, its a "format"( and I use that word in a very loose sense as it not technically a format but more a container for the PCM core file) to solve a problem that was never really a problem, It came out at the wrong the time. If MQA had come out in 2001 with the birth of the portable digital players and the original iPod then it would have made a lot of sense. We were still mostly using dial-up back then or for the lucky few 1-10mb broadband.

As it stands it a "format" that requires you to buy a specific DAC and is confusing for the consumer you only have to see how many questions are asked about it, people still don't get it and what they need., which is why only a handful of places sells and stream it and why it will ultimately never see wide adoption. It's just another badge on a DAC these days rather than the DAC's main selling point.
I agree 100% It’s a ’clever’ solution to a streaming bandwidth problem which no longer exists! What concerns me is two things:
1. The MQA versions are actually different mixes…..
2. Equipment manufacturers who feel they have to offer MQA now on their products have to pay a hefty licensing fee which inflates the cost to the consumer!
 
D

Deleted member 188533

Guest
I agree 100% It’s a ’clever’ solution to a streaming bandwidth problem which no longer exists!

It does for me and millions of others. I'm rural and I still have copper lines which are limited to 18/1. A fiber to the home connection is coming soon. Not soon enough. Amazon's uncompressed stream is well over half my current bandwidth.
 

Office Dog

Well-known member
Dec 4, 2019
25
5
4,545
Visit site
Little late to the party!

Always has been joke in my eyes, its a "format"( and I use that word in a very loose sense as it not technically a format but more a container for the PCM core file) to solve a problem that was never really a problem, It came out at the wrong the time. If MQA had come out in 2001 with the birth of the portable digital players and the original iPod then it would have made a lot of sense. We were still mostly using dial-up back then or for the lucky few 1-10mb broadband.

As it stands it a "format" that requires you to buy a specific DAC and is confusing for the consumer you only have to see how many questions are asked about it, people still don't get it and what they need., which is why only a handful of places sells and stream it and why it will ultimately never see wide adoption. It's just another badge on a DAC these days rather than the DAC's main selling point.

The 'folding/bandwidth-saving' technique is one aspect of MQA's feature list - and one that doesn't appear as important to you as it may be to there others - but you're overlooking MQA's provenance of files, and its deblurring process.
What do you reckon when you actually listen to an MQA file? For example, a Tidal Masters track?
(And, remember, MQA says that MQA should sound 'better than CD' on even non-MQA compatible kit, plus the Tidal app itself performs the first MQA file unfold.)
 

Tinman1952

Well-known member
The 'folding/bandwidth-saving' technique is one aspect of MQA's feature list - and one that doesn't appear as important to you as it may be to there others - but you're overlooking MQA's provenance of files, and its deblurring process.
What do you reckon when you actually listen to an MQA file? For example, a Tidal Masters track?
(And, remember, MQA says that MQA should sound 'better than CD' on even non-MQA compatible kit, plus the Tidal app itself performs the first MQA file unfold.)
Well you obviously like MQA and believe the marketing hype about ‘deblurring’ and provenance and choose to ignore the fact that it is a ‘lossy’ system that discards audio data that cannot then be recovered. It has also been shown to add noise but MQA even suggest this is a benefit. I simply don’t buy the ‘time smearing ‘correction claims. Sorry.
 
Well you obviously like MQA and believe the marketing hype about ‘deblurring’ and provenance and choose to ignore the fact that it is a ‘lossy’ system that discards audio data that cannot then be recovered. It has also been shown to add noise but MQA even suggest this is a benefit. I simply don’t buy the ‘time smearing ‘correction claims. Sorry.
people's opinions of this format are obviously going to vary depending on their needs and indeed their hearing. If you can hear the bits that have been left out you're a better man than I am.
I always postulated that MQA would only be useful for a streaming environment and nothing else, and I don't stream. If you don't like the format them move on, there's plenty more available out there.
 

Tinman1952

Well-known member
people's opinions of this format are obviously going to vary depending on their needs and indeed their hearing. If you can hear the bits that have been left out you're a better man than I am.
I always postulated that MQA would only be useful for a streaming environment and nothing else, and I don't stream. If you don't like the format them move on, there's plenty more available out there.
I absolutely agree. It’s a streaming solution first and foremost ..the rest seems an attempt at marketing justification. Choice is always a good thing and opinions will always vary. What worries me a little though is when one ‘system’ becomes so dominant that is the only choice you get. For example if you subscribe to Tidal and want hi-res then MQA is your only option….
 
I absolutely agree. It’s a streaming solution first and foremost ..the rest seems an attempt at marketing justification. Choice is always a good thing and opinions will always vary. What worries me a little though is when one ‘system’ becomes so dominant that is the only choice you get. For example if you subscribe to Tidal and want hi-res then MQA is your only option….
does tidal not stream flac files?
as I say I don't stream, other providers must do hi res without resorting to MQA surely?
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts