MQA - Revolutionary, Evolutionary or Hyperbole?

http://meridian-audio.us4.list-mana...94b8136fba4aef543a&id=e1b1421f7a&e=6c1d7d3173

I've re-read this entire thread. There seems to be some confusion about what MQA is, people seem to think it's another type of digital format, it is not. This is not a new format war. It's an additional encoding process that can be contained in any lossless file,FLAC...etc.
It is completely backwards compatible, and anyone can play a MQA encoded recording with the gear they have now. Let's say a company like Lumin wants to license the MQA software, then when playing a MQA encoded recording, the Lumin would provide the superior sound quality that MQA promises. If you don't have a player with the MQA software, you would still hear the same quality of music that you did before.

Personally,I'm excited at the prospect of higher quality digital. Whether it succeeds with the record companies is the real question.
 
I spoke with someone in the industry the other day and they said, "from a brief look, it sounds like an updated idea of HDCD, which use "useless/un-auditable" bit (area) in 24/48 to store data from higher sample rate, and recover those info during playback. But, I'm afraid it will fail in commercial just like HDCD. Regular consumer won't care one way or another. And audiophiles won't care about the added file size and bandwidth of a real 24/192K file. In face I think many audiophile actually want the bigger size and higher bitrate of a more audiophile audio file!"


Personally, like Mark, I'm open to any and all new ideas for improving listening. Truth be told, digital has been circling the wagons for quite a few years now: WAV, FLAC, AIFF, 16/44, 24/96, 24/192, yada, yada, yada. Something new and refreshing is welcome.
 
MDP said:
http://meridian-audio.us4.list-mana...94b8136fba4aef543a&id=e1b1421f7a&e=6c1d7d3173

I've re-read this entire thread. There seems to be some confusion about what MQA is, people seem to think it's another type of digital format, it is not. This is not a new format war. It's an additional encoding process that can be contained in any lossless file,FLAC...etc.
It is completely backwards compatible, and anyone can play a MQA encoded recording with the gear they have now. Let's say a company like Lumin wants to license the MQA software, then when playing a MQA encoded recording, the Lumin would provide the superior sound quality that MQA promises. If you don't have a player with the MQA software, you would still hear the same quality of music that you did before.

Personally,I'm excited at the prospect of higher quality digital. Whether it succeeds with the record companies is the real question.
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And of course whether it truly sounds better.
 
Mark, I think its slightly different.

MQA is as you said back compatible but to RBCD SQ. So if you dont decode, that is what you will hear. If you do, you get something better. The debate is whether it's better than full lossless hiRes, as Meridian says its "audibly" lossless. Furthermore, they contend that their filter tech is such that they can undo the "damage" that the original encoding ADC did back in the day (as there was just a finite universe of ADC devices and their use was well documented for almost every album, so they know exactly what the damage is by brand/model). This is where they contend they can even get a performance boost over FULL lossless hiRes that have (aggessive) ADC filter damage still embedded in the files. So audibly lossless+filter damage correction and application of modern apodizing (gentle) filters = better SQ. That is the formula they are trying to sell.

Truth be told, they are setting the bar too high for themselves, as commercially all the need is "near parity" of SQ, as they offer 2 things that are commercially valuable to on-line music vendors/streamers and consumers:
1) RBCD bandwidth for better than RBCD sound (faster DLs and streams)
2) Provenance assurance from digital signatures embedded in the files themselves so authenticity can be proven.

As of a few weeks ago, 7 streamer/DL sites have signed up with meridian. IIRC, Tidal or Quboz was one oe them.

To my mind, this is a no-brainer venture sucess, UNLESS Meridian screws it up by being greedy. The ONLY thing they need is market expansion (in the playback arena), ie ubiquitousness. They need to be everywhere and DOLBY has long ago paved the way with that successful licensing model. Be reasonable, go in "cheap" with modest margins and make your money off massive/deeeeep market penetration. What HP used to call PERVASIVE technology.

Yes, I am ex-HP.
 
Thanks Norman, while I've read as much as I can on the subject, I certainly don't understand all the technology.

But I really respect John Atkinson, and he has heard it and thought it could be a break through product.
 
I wonder how many more "breakthrough" digital products we are going to have until digital starts sounding as good as they told us it was going to sound in 1982 when CDs first hit the commercial market? Call me jaded, but I'm up to my eyeballs in digital "breakthrough" improvements. RBCD, HDCD, XRCD, SACD, HRx, DVD Audio, 24/48, 24/96, 24/176.4, 24/192, 24/384, and now MQA which is beyond "breakthrough" because it's "revolutionary." :skeptical:

Bottom line is that any new digital "breakthrough" that doesn't sound better than DSD is just more digital smoke and mirrors.
 
I had some interest in this and a possible opportunity to try it out, but I'm so confused now, it no longer matters.
I'm at the point where I might be sick and tired of digital, I don't know. All these damn acronyms and claims of one acronym or format or process being better than thou over another and none really taking hold and new ones coming out every couple of months or something it seems, etc. I'd love for someone to come out with a standard once and for all or something to clear up all this noise.
At the end of the day it's all in the ear of the beholder. What sounds like crap to one person will be nirvana to the next and visa versa.
Doesn't just boil down to that?
 
This vintage record player is close to what my first home audio system looked like five and half decades ago. It had the plastic needle you flipped over for different speed records and the fat 45 rpm adapter. I was 14 years old and had that record player sitting on a table at the end of my bed. I remember laying with my head on the pillow right in front of the speaker listening to records thinking how great the sound was. No cares in the world, just me and the music. We've come a long ways, baby!


record-player.jpg



Now it's all about analog verses digital, CD verses DSD, high-res verses MQA. Time waits for no one and progress happens despite the general consensus to the contrary. Time will ultimately reveal what advances in our hobby survive or fall by the wayside. Some days I find myself longing for the simplicity of my youth. :)
 
Double-D said:
This vintage record player is close to what my first home audio system looked like five and half decades ago. It had the plastic needle you flipped over for different speed records and the fat 45 rpm adapter. I was 14 years old and had that record player sitting on a table at the end of my bed. I remember laying with my head on the pillow right in front of the speaker listening to records thinking how great the sound was. No cares in the world, just me and the music. We've come a long ways, baby!


record-player.jpg



Now it's all about analog verses digital, CD verses DSD, high-res verses MQA. Time waits for no one and progress happens despite the general consensus to the contrary. Time will ultimately reveal what advances in our hobby survive or fall by the wayside. Some days I find myself longing for the simplicity of my youth. :)
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Dan, you said it, man! I have the same story and your post reminded me. I'm always thinking back to how much better it was in some respects back in my day, longing for that carefree simplicity when the only thing that mattered is the music. Thanks.:audiophile:
 
Dan.. Cute.

Nostalgia isn't the answer. New is better and Science & Technology proves that.

Back on topic, MQA is a well thought out solution with limitations. PCM encoding is specifically used by all digital music creators and I don't think there will be a change large enough to shift course. For now, I think its should be known that MQA is a good solution to playing back our previously recorded music.
 
Thanks Bill. It seems Hans and I have the same thoughts after hearing MQA.
 
I just received a call informing me that the date for Spire Integrated's MQA demo event has been set for the 21st of this month. I have already confirmed my attendance and am looking forward to the opportunity to hear MQA for myself.
 
still-one said:
I just received a call informing me that the date for Spire Integrated's MQA demo event has been set for the 21st of this month. I have already confirmed my attendance and am looking forward to the opportunity to hear MQA for myself.
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Jim - I think you better bring your checkbook.
 
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