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  1. #1
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    Mythbusting tidal’s mqa format - how does it measure up?

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  2. #2
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    Re: Mythbusting tidal’s mqa format - how does it measure up?

    Sunlight is the best disinfectant. MQA is already a niche format on a streaming service that is no different than (some will say much worse than) at least two others, allowing people to vote with their feet. For MQA to survive, it needs to present itself without further secrecy or shenanigans.
    Tom

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  3. #3

    Re: Mythbusting tidal’s mqa format - how does it measure up?

    "Additionally, MQA’s “blue light” authentication system, designed to guarantee to listeners that they’re listening to a identical-to-studio release, is demonstrated to be misleading at best, if not entirely fake."

    It is fake. If one of the purposes of MQA is that it is able to "correct" for inadequacies in the original AD/DA converters used in making the original digital files, that means their file can't sound "identical to the studio release." How can it possibly sound better if it sounds identical?
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  4. #4
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    Re: Mythbusting tidal’s mqa format - how does it measure up?

    MQA is not the format to be the end all be all... what... say it ain't so... what a surprise... was it not mainly marketing hype from the get go?

    I'll stick with PCM and DSD, thank you very much. My A&K does full MQA un-folding... direct comparisons of same albums sent to me by the artist himself... the DSD version sounds much better to my ears. Oh, by the way, the artist is a huge advocate of DSD and records mainly in DSD but also is a huge fan of MQA and advocates it for portable and streaming purposes.
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    “One of the great challenges in life is knowing enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong”
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  5. #5
    Senior Member
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    Oct 2019
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    The Netherlands
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    Re: Mythbusting tidal’s mqa format - how does it measure up?

    My opinion, I have serious doubts about MQA. Not by reading articles, or opinions on sites like this, but on my gear it does not sound well.

    Does MQA stand for Marketing Quality Audio?

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