It seems likely that any Warner Music title currently available for hi-res download somewhere has a MQA version on Tidal, even if not listed in the Masters section. As noted, they do say "Master" on the bottom status bar
MQA now on Tidal
- Thread starter Mike
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La Dolce Vita
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I am not a MQA haters... quite the opposite. I am in fact someone who tries to take an objective view and play devil's advocate. If a product proves itself to me then I am just as vocal exclaiming their virtues.
If Tidal fails I believe it will be a huge issue or hit for MQA. The streaming, Tidal using audiophiles are exclaiming it's second coming status, as well as they should since it is like comparing Redbook CDs to high resolution.
However, the few head to head comparisons that I have seen done; comparing a MQA file running through a MQA DAC, of reasonable price level such as the Brooklyn or the Explorer 2, against the same album in high resolution download running through a similarly priced non-MQA DAC have preferred the high resolution download. Honestly I have not seen many of these true head to heads done, but every one I have seen have came to this conclusion.
I also totally understand those who have the insanely expensive Meridian unit will fully exclaim the second coming... that is to be expected since obviously they are drinking from the Meridian kool aid... just kidding, just kidding.
I also believe that if Tidal does really go down some one will step in and buy them. It is very much a needed and popular service. Everyone had better hope it is not Apple though.... they will bring it into the Apple fold and using other manufactures products will slowly fade away.... I can see an Apple MQA DAC.... it will become part of iTunes...
I also believe if Tidal is in as serious shape as you say then Meridian has to be looking elsewhere since streaming really is the only way for MQA to truly make in roads into the audio market.
Randy...regarding Apple I hear you! My point is that we are going to see consolidation. Not necessarily those mergers or acquisitions. Perhaps instead Spotify will merge with TIDAL. Something along these lines.
Have you actually heard decoded MQA? Especially through a MQA decoding DAC? I don't think you have as of yet. But when you do...well...look out! You'll be speaking like Bob (Rhapsody) - hehe - in no time! [emoji6]
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BayStBroker
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Just completed with my wife a rather fun shootout using Joni Mitchell's "All I Want" (Blue, Track 1). Focus was MQA (unfolding at 24/88.1 by Tidal through Macbook Pro to PS Audio Directstream DAC) vs PCM 24/96 downloaded from HD Tracks (Aurender N100H to the PS Audio DS). Same Nordost Heimdall USB for both. We agreed the PCM from the Aurender was superior in every way. But we also felt that the mastering we were listening to was very different. The MQA stream sounded brighter and guitar and voice levels were higher. The presentation was not as cohesive as the PCM, which sounded decidedly more balanced and musical. The MQA is very impressive though. Joni's voice is dynamic and detailed and lovely in its nuanced high frequencies. For fun we streamed the Redbook HiFi version from Tidal. The "Master" (MQA) killed it when it came to detail, separation, and air. No doubt the noisy Macbook Pro is part of the problem for the MQA feed. Says something about me that I just got back from a week's vacation and this is the most fun I've had so far in 2017. The year ahead promises good times for audio enthusiasts!
Randy Myers
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Nice comparison... thank you for you and your wife's impressions.
Many thanks, BayStBroker, for sharing your observations.
Most certainly a fun year ahead for everyone here.
mep
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Rob-Are you changing your mind regarding the quality of sound from MQA?
Another comparison of redbook vs MQA vs DSD on Mytek Brooklyn:
http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/mqa-controversy/page-10/#p65707
http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/mqa-controversy/page-10/#p65707
I'm pretty much in a holding pattern as far as opinion goes here. The partially decoded MQA is nicer to listen to than CD, not necessarily than hi-res PCM though. For me to be convinced that it is not just a gimmick I think I'm going to have to be able to do more extended listening with a good MQA DAC; I'm not sure when that will happen though. The big question, I think, is content. If Warner's entire catalog becomes available on Tidal in MQA (with only limited amounts in hi-res PCM) that alone makes it attractive. We'll also have to see what the other major labels have in mind; streaming hi-res FLAC is certainly possible, it's being done on a limited scale, file sizes are only a little bigger than MQA. The other question is more firmware related: can or will Meridian work out some way to make MQA work with DAC's that can continually upgrade, like PSAudio's?
It's interesting that as far as measurements go, it appears that even properly decoded MQA has a high frequency cut-off (essentially a low-pass filter) in the low to mid 20's kHz, with a lot of noise above that. The fact that it sounds better than CD suggests that it is not the high-frequency content of hi-res PCM or DSD that improves the sound, but rather something in the digital filtering, or perhaps something about the increased bit depth in the "audible" frequency range. That's really not a big surprise.
Just want to be the Yang, if the Yings are doubting MQA and it's sonic results. I am NOT telling you that MQA sounds better than 16/44.1, I am suggesting that anyone that has not heard MQA in either 24/48, 24/96 (SW decoded) or 24/192(Hw decoded) even with a non MQA dac to give it a try for yourself. If you have the opportunity to hear MQA through a MQA DAC again I would suggest that if you have the opportunity again try it out for yourself.
Who knows if someone else's opinion would jive with yours? Especially people who for whatever reason are "doubters". That's totally fine if the "doubters" feel that way for themselves, it is certainly their prerogative, but I am cautioning anyone that has not heard MQA in a good system to not be negatively influenced by the "doubters".....try it for yourself and have your own opinion.
Who knows if someone else's opinion would jive with yours? Especially people who for whatever reason are "doubters". That's totally fine if the "doubters" feel that way for themselves, it is certainly their prerogative, but I am cautioning anyone that has not heard MQA in a good system to not be negatively influenced by the "doubters".....try it for yourself and have your own opinion.
mep
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I respect your opinion, but I certainly feel we should all be doubters when it comes to marketing claims for new products or technologies we are potentially interested in until we see them, touch them, or hear them ourselves and form our own opinions on the claims being made. Otherwise, we would just all be sheep blindly following the herd.
I totally respect your opinion as well. All that I am saying is that people should try it for themselves nothing more nothing less.
I would also even respect your opinion more once you hear it in a good system with the full implementation.
Mark, honestly I mean NO disrespect, it's a personal itch that after a week of being available for a 60 day trial you or anyone could just download Tidal, set it up (maybe 20 minutes total at most) if you have any kind of 24/96 and play it for yourself. Then let's talk about the +'s and -'s, which there are. I have several issues with the Tidal rollout and available MQA tracks in the Master section and when they are going to make more available.
I think discussing the positives and negatives, of MQA are fun and useful to others, once you have heard it. Again, if you choose not to do so, that's totally up to you, I just want to make sure that a first time reader is not put off by the "questioning" of the new technology and gives it a try for themselves.
I would also even respect your opinion more once you hear it in a good system with the full implementation.
Mark, honestly I mean NO disrespect, it's a personal itch that after a week of being available for a 60 day trial you or anyone could just download Tidal, set it up (maybe 20 minutes total at most) if you have any kind of 24/96 and play it for yourself. Then let's talk about the +'s and -'s, which there are. I have several issues with the Tidal rollout and available MQA tracks in the Master section and when they are going to make more available.
I think discussing the positives and negatives, of MQA are fun and useful to others, once you have heard it. Again, if you choose not to do so, that's totally up to you, I just want to make sure that a first time reader is not put off by the "questioning" of the new technology and gives it a try for themselves.
I have to say that I don't know, yet, if I'd buy MQA massaged download files if offered, for example, over hi-res or dsd. But I am ecstatic with getting even a modest bump in sound quality for my streaming sessions via software in the desktop Tidal app. If purchased MQA music played back through a proper hardware dac is even better, count me in. When I hear Tidal MQA Masters in their full glory through a proper dac, I am sure it will be a new day. I love what I hear now.
I would not characterize MQA in terms of bit depth and sample rate, as you are doing here. "Partial" (or "software") decoding and full (hardware) decoding is more appropriate and more accurate, since analysis of fully decoded MQA files appears to show that sampling rate is somewhere around 48 kHz no matter what, and bit depth is hard to determine exactly (maybe 19bit equivalent?).
Fine, I was on a treadmill when I wrote that. Let's use your definition instead.
Joe, that's a great point. I probably would NOT buy MQA files, it's just a personal thing. I don't like buying DSD or High Res PCM either. They sounded better than 16/44.1 and I didn't buy them so even though (to me) MQA is a mind blower I would not buy MQA files, ESPECIALLY because I am a Tidal Addict......I've been a Tidal Addict for over a year and have never enjoyed music more than the last year and that goes back to the 50's and 60's!
A LOT of my enthusiasm with MQA is that it is available in Tidal. For a few days I was frustrated with the amount of Tidal/MQA albums that became available. Over the last few days I am totally happy and grateful to even have the 500 titles available in the Masters list on Tidal.
At night I've started to listen to the Masters list, at least a track or two, starting with Beyonce (that lasted 10 seconds) and then moved to the second album Sturgill Simpson, who I never even heard of and ended up listening to his entire album and really enjoyed it. I plan to at least play a track or two from all of the albums that I have never heard in the list of current 500 and search for new treasures.
Anyway, good point about buying MQA files, personally that would not make so excited.....MQA on Tidal does.
And who knows how many are actually available?? For sure, way more than are listed in the Masters section
This point is driving me crazy
I saw that list that had almost 800 actual titles that are available, but finding them is too much effort and not really knowing if they are even there. Even looking for an album in the 500, unless you fav it, is a pain. Tidal has not done a good job with the user experience, but personally I am grateful to have what we have for now. Hoping it gets clearer in the future.....and a lot more available titles.Well said Bob. The fact that MQA makes my streaming sessions soooooo much more enjoyable is a treat. Seeing all the new music available, it's broadening my horizon and getting me to try new artists that I never would have clicked on before. The bonus is that there is a lot more great music than what's in my comfort zone.
Agree totally.
What irritates me the most is that Tidal just says they will be adding more titles on an on-going basis. They surely have some type of roll-out plan, why don't they just give some idea about the roll-out of new titles......"we will be adding more titles on an on-going basis" is irritating to me
Supposedly, Warner Music has finished encoding its entire music library to MQA, although as we have seen one doesn't know until you listen which mastering of a given recording you will get. I suspect Tidal just keeps adding them on a daily basis, but whether or not MQA titles end up in the "Masters" section is pretty hit or miss.