MQA Discussion
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Ah! well, if Tidal's programming team knows the problem, we can all be calm ..........
Jack
Active member
They have known for a while just finally realizing they have to acknowledge it.
CPP
Active member
I guess Jay Z will get right on it. :derf:
rrwmd
Member
Not here. I'm playing MQA straight through the Lumin -- i.e. no Roon.
Jack
Active member
Jim
The problem is region and market specific for now but could easily spread. Major metropolitan areas like ones with NFL/MLB franchises will probably be the last effected.
The problem is region and market specific for now but could easily spread. Major metropolitan areas like ones with NFL/MLB franchises will probably be the last effected.
CPP
Active member
What gear you using, MQA or not.
No MQA yet. At home, Oppo 103D into a Parasound Halo Integrated using the Oppo Media Control and my phone for control. Signal is wireless from my home network, but I don't think that's the weak link, I can stream video flawlessly. I think that when I've had problems with it freezing it has been when I haven't listen to a song or two all the way through and advance to another selection. Anybody know if that could be the problem?
In the car I stream through my iPhone. I expect a little stuttering when first starting up, but the 10-20 second dropouts come later and seem to happen for no apparent reason. I never had that kind of problem with Pandora One, but I realize that Tidal is a bigger data stream. Had no problems driving in this morning after being out of town for a week.
Interesting Mike. There is a lot of vitriol out there which I am happy to steer clear of. If, and when, I do get a chance to hear a comparison of MQA then I will decide. There's no rush Imo.
Howie - you're exactly right and for the most part, those quacking the loudest have never truly heard MQA in their systems. The TAS article above does a great job outlining the silly "on paper" arguments. The problem I have experienced is that people want to come in and rapidly switch back and forth between the PCM version and the MQA version. I oblige, but to truly appreciate MQA, it requires you to think about your listening experiences in more of a subliminal manner. As I said back in February (http://www.audioshark.org/computer-digital-audio-11/my-take-mqa-11498.html), you won't jump up and down and say "WOW - look, I can hear that cymbal so much more clearly!!!" or "wow, I never heard that instrument before in this song."
What you will find is that digital fatigue is reduced greatly. If people don't find they suffer at all from digital fatigue, GREAT! Move on, ignore all this MQA stuff and buy more music. But I do, and I know it's real (for me). I don't suffer from digital fatigue listening to full blown MQA. In fact, I find I can listen for hours - entire album after entire album. Is it all in my head, that it's all in my head? HA!! Don't know, don't care. I know what I hear and frankly, my digital listening is now 99% MQA only. I've tried to go back to a regular old redbook album and digital fatigue sets in.
Some people relate this digital fatigue to time domain accuracy and temporal smearing. MQA sets out to fix both of these things (https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/mqa-time-domain-accuracy-digital-audio-quality)
If people think it's a bunch of hooey to just make an already rich Bob Stuart richer, that's their prerogative. If they think it's some lossy scheme no better than MP3 and a bunch of BS, fine, ignore it and go back to listening to your CD's ("perfect sound forever"). But attacking MQA without first keeping an open mind and second having ample experience listening to full blown MQA is just BS.
KeithR
Active member
I think the funniest argument is that Bob Stuart is "in it for the money" while the same naysayers talk about him marrying an "heiress with a fortune that saved Meridian." ok, so why does he need the money.
btw, Stuart is like 70 right?
btw, Stuart is like 70 right?
Yes. Agreed.
If MQA was a situation of "come buy all the SOS from our new MQA store - all albums are $30", I would be suspicious. But MQA albums are included in your Tidal or QoBuz subscription at no additional cost and if you look at a Lumin owner or PS Audio owner or Aurender A10 owner, etc., there is no additional cost on the hardware side either, just a simple firmware update. Not sure about MSB or DCS, but maybe them too!
So, why all the MQA haters? Jealousy? Ignorance? Has to be.
If you think it's total bunk, then ignore it, like the redbook lovers did with DSD years ago.
I love how new MQA albums are coming out every single week. Some brand new albums, some old, some rock, some jazz, some classical, some country - there is something for everyone!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I found this example of one album converted to MQA quite interesting:
http://www.bobtalks.co.uk/blog/provenance/provenance-series-1-madonna/
http://www.bobtalks.co.uk/blog/provenance/provenance-series-1-madonna/
I've been listening to Tidal MQA albums, from classical music DG, from the 60s and 70s, and although with MQA there is a diminution of the digital edge, I definitely have to say that I felt that I was missing something of the musical emotion. I almost always preferred version 16/44. I'm not so sure about recent recordings like 2L record
Using which DAC?
If you're not listening to full unfolded MQA, then as they say in New York, "fuhgeddaboudit"