I’ve read many of the technical arguments bashing the MQA format and have wondered if the authors ever took the time to actually listen to an MQA track with an open mind? On the vast majority of tracks I have heard in comparison to the non-MQA track, the MQA track sounds better - even when compared to the HD FLAC file. Having worked in the audio business years ago I learned to ignore the specs and trust my ears. I welcome MQA as a new and better format and hope to see more and more titles offered.
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W_Anders,
I have questions related to yours but from the opposite direction:
I have read many of the subjectivist MQA shilling and have wondered if the authors ever took the time to actually listen to an MQA track with an open mind? On the vast majority of MQA tracks I have heard in comparison to the non-MQA track, the MQA track sounds different - and the reason is obvious, it is a different mastering. Having lived an adult life familiar with consumerism and capitalism, I have learned that sometimes folks just want to sell you something. Why is it that folks with years of real experience in the Audio industry chuck their healthy skepticism out the airlock and fail to recognize an oversold/overhyped yet-another-mastering and technobabble $sells$ job when they hear one? Why would they “welcome” yet-another format scheme when none is needed, let alone one that is DRM?
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I could take the bait here, but there is no point. A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still… and there is no DRM in MQA 
Tedeschi Trucks Band’s new album Signs is out today.
Looks like Tidal has only the MQA version.
Qobuz has 16/44.1 and 24/192 for streaming and purchase. (The CD quality download is $12.99 which is a good price.)
€ 10,99 for the hires in Europe (incl VAT) if you have sublime+
$7.49 US. Nice.
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Off topic but how is the mastering? Brickwalled?
There is a CD quality version of this album in Roon/Tidal
Ah, see it now. In the app, it only shows the MQA version when you click view all albums under artist. But then when you click the album, it shows the other version under more albums. Guess roon does a better job with versions.
Doesn’t appear to be. DR8 to DR11. Sounds pretty good.
Thanks for defending our lossy proprietary format once again, the money transfer is on the way
Larry
You might want to update Your knowledge concerning the MQA process, simply search arch image and MQA.
It sounds like You might be surprised.
MQA is going to destroy the sound quality of streaming
You are very welcome…
Well, I fully appreciate the logic there and the way you’ve put your argument forward. However, I don’t agree and can’t quite see where you’re coming from. Last time I streamed MQA (1st unfold only) it sounded great. I must have been mistaken clearly.
Arch image = Archimago
Thanks Dave
A case of autocorrection
Yes, You might think so today, but as is You are actually listening to what almost amounts to CD quality with some clever engineered noise added.
And CD quality is actually better than MQA, (by Mr. Stuarts own admission the MQA file is about 15 point something vs CD’s 16 bits) and CD has been around since the early eighties.
Since the MQA files are at least the same size as the FLAC’ed CD’s where’s the point ?
Please don’t let clever marketing fool You (go to any audio show and most rooms will tell You what to hear - tadah as by magic You actually hear it)
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Not much new there… Still not getting “destroying the sound quality of streaming”?
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Says the man repeating the same phrases over and over again
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I’m asking about “destroying the sound quality of streaming” that’s new to me, I don’t want to hear the anti MQA mantra, simply enquiring about this point. If someone says its destroying quality and I’m not hearing it, I shouldn’t point it out?
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