I’m based in the UK, and I can see 2 versions of ‘Green River’ by CCR on Tidal - both MQA. They are labled in Roon as:
24bit/96k (MQA) and 24bit/44.1k (MQA)
As an aside I have 2 other FLAC versions of the album in my own NAS based library. They are:
16bit/44.1k (FLAC) and 24bit/96k (FLAC)
I’m pretty sure that there used to be a 16bit/44.1 (FLAC) version of the album in Tidal until recently.
That’s not what I’m talking about. It’s the multiple MQA versions. Why does that happen? Why would they release 44k version in MQA if they have a 96k or 192k version as their best master. I get it for the ones where the master isn’t beyond 44k.
I do find that surprising that studios weren’t recording beyond that for a lot of these 80’s albums. The fact that R.E.M. has all their earlier 80’s albums in 192k before they hit it big and were on smaller IRS label but Warner Bros was only using 44k for something like Dire Straits.
So In the US the Green River is album is available in 192k on Qobuz. So wouldn’t that be the best master to use for MQA? I get that MQA is at the mercy of what the labels send them to decode but goes against whole point of using the best master.
The 192 version may not be a master and may be upsampled, we don’t know…
Encrypted signatures.
And what is with all the new MQA files. A few albums are available in 192, 96 and 48khz. Are all three version the best available version?
Are all three playable on any MQA DAC or are they available because of differing DAC capabilities? IDK.
The DSD releases are the best, imho.
Yes, this can be true but doesn’t explain multiple versions, does it?
At this time I would expect so, better version may appear in time if work is needed to be done, who knows?
Good questions to ask MQA LTD directly. They may well have more to say on the subject.
To me it looks like the labels just send the same hires copies already out there to MQA for the conversion process and then post to Tidal. At least this is happening in some cases.
Now whether this has any impact of your enjoyment of MQA is another matter.
Just because you think that’s what happens, doesn’t mean that is what happens. MQA say they go for the most authentic version. I see no reason they would say this and not do this. If something is lost or destroyed, you have to find the next best thing. If the lost is found, a new version can me released.
Yes I know that’s what they say but I’d like them to explain multiple versions.
And really what control do they really have over what the labels provide? How can MQA know what the best master is for millions of tracks. They can really only take the labels’ word on that.
It’s a noble strategy to want to have the best masters but it’s another thing to actually achieve this is practice.
Why don’t you ask them and then let us all know. It’s no good making assumptions that some kind of fraud is taking place…
I don’t think it’s fraud. I think they ask the labels for best master and process what they receive. If a label sends them 3 different versions, that’s what you see on Tidal. I actually believe MQA has the best intentions here. I just don’t think MQA has much control of knowing what the best master is. That falls back to the labels.
There must be contracts and the like or a good understanding. because it would not be in the interest of MQA regarding their reputation to be casually misled.
Ok then let’s go further and say even the labels have the best intentions but when dealing with this many albums, mistakes can be made.
I am certain there will be mistakes as nothing in life is perfect, but a mistake is one thing… I am sure these will be spotted and rectified over time.
I also expect that the continuing major release program is being monitored to see what goes well, what goes wrong as a matter of course.
We allow an open debate, but when posters start “slugging it out” against each we are forced to step in.
A reminder to all, please discuss the topic in hand, not the author of the posts.
That’s strange, because I’m pretty sure that the 24bit/96k hi-res FLAC file that I have on my NAS was purchased as a download from Qobuz. Do they now only have a 24bit/192k hi-res version?