MQA Tidal to launch MQA Hi-Res audio streaming in 2016

In NYC, no MQA DAC. Two computers: mini has Master, macpro does not. Same exact version of TIDAL (ie all version in About match). Same OSX (10.11.3), same account, same network, same everything… No, it’s not a regional thing.

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See for yourself… Left is my mini over screen sharing, right is my macpro.


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It’s the secret internet police. They’ve deemed me unworthy and put a block on me.

I think it’s probably that you didn’t go to Meridian to get your ears and opinions MQA-certified.

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From what I can tell the Tidal desktop app is some sort of shell that displays an HTML/JavaScript UI. Something on the backend probably decides what you see and at the moment they only show the Master option to a select few.

Sounds like a blind trial maybe to see how many people swap to it… or maybe a clever marketing ploy to create some envy :slight_smile:

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I’m in the UK and don’t have the Master option in Tidal.

Updated the Firmware on my Meridian Explorer2 today and downloaded a sample track from 2L. Blue light shining on the Explorer2 so very happy.

Hope Tidal sort the MQA streaming asap.

How does it sound? Far more important than the blue light!:grin:

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Thought someone would ask that :smile:

It sounded amazing. Clarity off the scale, sound stage better than anything I’ve heard before. I know it’s a cliche but it does sound as if the instruments are in the room with you.

Should point out it was a classical track and although I do listen to classical music, it’s not the genre of music i listen to the most.

Like when CD’s first came out, we need more variety of releases, 2L major on classical with a little bit of Jazz as far as I can see. That’s why I’m hoping Tidal release MQA sooner rather than later.

It does seem there is a consistent opinion from early listeners that this is more than marketing and the actual sound quality is noticeable. From what I am learning that could be related to the reduced time smearing even vs 192khz HD lossless.

Yes I agree. I don’t see this as a marketing exercise, I liken it to when CD’s first came out compared to what we had before. ( I know some purists will disagree but the brightness of CD’s suited my preferred listening experience) MQA is a technical marvel and Bob Stuart and his team should be congratulated on what they are providing for us.

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And even without a MQA Dac, I can hear an improvement between the MQA file and the HIFI one. More space, decay, clarity. Not a major improvement but more like a better recording. It does make me curious how much better the MQA Dac would sound.

Folks. To end speculation. This has nothing to do with territory or selection or any other magic. We have implemented the function to stream Master quality for the future with Exclusive Mode and WASAPI. It shouldn’t show unless you have a user that allows for it to show. Somehow, a campaign type that can be set on HiFi users opens this up - and that’s an old fashioned bug. We wish it was clever marketing :smile:.

Given how many times we have demoed this in public (two CESes, two Rocky Mountain Audio Fests and a High End show in Munich) it’s no surprise that we’re working on things. But this is not the roll out.

It does sound good though!

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We just have to hope you do not prioritize fixing this bug then :relaxed:

Can you indicate when MQA will be open to more people ?
Weeks, months? After or before Easter ?
Possible to obtain a test access ?

Haha. :wink:

Since this is a big eco system moving in all aspects I do not have anything firm as for dates. It will very much be a judgement when there is respectable amounts of music to call it a product. Technically this is more straightforward (in spite of glitches like this one).

But we will of course hit the drum loud when this is ready.

Ha thats great - a genuine ‘pressed the wrong button’ moment then. I like that. Very human.
I’m really looking forward to the roll out as I am hearing some great things. I already love the TIDAL service, ths is just going to make it even more of a benefit over the competition.

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Wow, so just a bug. So no reason to go out get the Exployer2 just yet. I’m going to do some more listening to 2L catalog while I still have the Master setting. See if I really am hearing an improvement without special dac.

Not a bug per se. It’s just that some users have had a campaign in the beginning that’s not supposed to open for this but does. So it actually works as intended but from way back when a campaign with wrong settings. Listen and enjoy.

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Well I do get a warning that subscription needs to be upgraded if try to play Master setting on first listen. If I start it in HIFI and then switch to Master, it works fine.

So it there anything else to listen to beside the 2L catalog?

Enya !! Dark Sky Island