MQA Discussion

My take on this is that as lossless digital audio formats are still evolving, it continues to be a world of consumer frustration. IMO, MQA is yet another regurgative money grab with no true guarantee of what it promises to deliver. The only predictive way to enjoy the digital format today is to simply consume it without trying to analyse its honesty. Digital reproduction will forever be dishonest because we will ALWAYS have to convert it TWICE. The industry will continue to build and sell a better digital mouse trap for as long as the consumer remains convinced to take the cheese. As raised earlier on this thread and rightly pointed out, this is a historical fact. Many format war examples can be drawn from which go all the way back to Raiders of the Lost Ark.

That means the following to me:

  1. I will continue to purchase and collect vinyl and tape formats.
  2. I will continue to listen to the analogue radio. I have zero affinity towards DAB+.
  3. I will stay up late to watch RAGE through my rig when the ABC broadcasts in HD from July. Sure, it's still a lossy broadcast but music videos give me nostalgic gratification.
  4. I will continue not to buy digital music downloads for the foreseeable future.
  5. I will consume digital music by:
    1. Creating some digital copies of my analogue collection for my personal convenience using an ADC and PC. My choice of ADC is the Korg 10R. http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/ds_dac_10r/page_1.php
    2. subscribing to TIDAL.
    3. Continuing to spin SACD, redbook, the occasional BD/DVD.

The Analogue format continues to rule my spend because:

  1. More often than not, you know what you are getting.
  2. The format forces you to listen to the publication sequentially as intended.
  3. It is already analogue.
 
Steve said:
  1. I will consume digital music by:
    1. Creating some digital copies of my analogue collection for my personal convenience using an ADC and PC. My choice of ADC is the Korg 10R. http://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/ds_dac_10r/page_1.php
    2. subscribing to TIDAL.
    3. Continuing to spin SACD, redbook, the occasional BD/DVD.

The Analogue format continues to rule my spend because:

  1. More often than not, you know what you are getting.
  2. The format forces you to listen to the publication sequentially as intended.
  3. It is already analogue.
Click to expand...
Aren't some vinyl LPs cut from digital masters nowadays?
 
wisnon said:
Aren't some vinyl LPs cut from digital masters nowadays?
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Yes, and it's why you have to be careful and do some checking before you buy if your intent is to buy an LP that was sourced from the original master tapes. Some sellers of vinyl are intentionally vague when it comes to the source used to make the LP.
 
wisnon said:
So, its Caveat Emptor everywhere.
Click to expand...

Sure it goes without saying. More often than not though, you know what you are getting. There are dubious labels that are vague about their recording processes. If I know its a direct digital master, then I don't believe there is a valid reason to buy the vinyl. Certainly most new recordings use modern, digital recording processes. I don't believe such titles should be pressed to the vinyl LP format. Digitally recorded and mastered needs to stay in the digital realm. A tape recording on the other hand, has always had greater potential as a mastering medium because of its analogue representation.

I have been duped and have heard some shockers. The Great Gatsby Movie Soundtrack comes to mind. To me this digitally derived soundtrack on vinyl are like nails to a chalkboard.
 
This is more suited to my needs now that I no longer spin discs after ripping my entire redbook collection to flac.
The new Ultra dac is future-proof with DXD, DSD, MQA on board.
Can't wait to hear how it sounds next to the 808v6 or 818v3.
It is surprising that Meridian is finally doing DSD after having resisted it for years.
 
CPP said:
From the Tone article of course an artist will sign off as it increases sells of their merchandise.
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Yes indeed; we are continuously told that artists "sign off" on all of today's overcompressed, overprocessed masterings, that's why the engineers are making them that way.
 
This is from Mono & Stereo The SHOW report: "Sunil reported that MQA is forbidding dealers from conducting A/B comparisons. I thought he was kidding, but he is not. I would like to understand the business rationale for that consumer-unfriendly position."

I think the evidence is mounting I will most likely not need MQA. Someone declaring this kind of policies obviously has something to hide and is most likely rather optimistic about his value proposition.


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