I’ll clarify what I said. They are not remotely close to driving MQA into the dirt. And to be clear, if it were revealed tomorrow that playing MQA backwards summons demons from hell, I still wouldn’t be that concerned. The scaremongering around MQA is frankly pathetic and it has now gone too far to be rationalised in any sensible way. DRM is inevitable if people continue to steal music. If it doesn’t come with MQA, they will find another much less attractive way.
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If by ‘stealing’ you mean ripping a CD to disk so that it can be played by Roon, then we’re in trouble.
You’re right about one thing in that the genie is out of the bottle.
Bold words.
The timing on this thread is my favorite.
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I see what you mean 
Thx for the update to 1.5, my backups are now ‘migrating…’ takes a while… Time for a beer!
At the bottom of advanced settings for an endpoint there is the ability to disable the MQA Core Decoder completely. I know a few will be looking for it.
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You did a short, quick version release just to mess with me, right?
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All the relevant spectral and temporal information? How do quantitative this? Code the upper audio range with just 8 bit? Another magical ‘claim’?
When you compare 9.2Mbps vs a 922 kbps, logic will tell you there’s a lot of data is being thrown away! If you don’t understand the basic of mathematics skill, then you have failed your part. ‘Monkey see monkey do’!
No, I think that MQA is not bad, simply seems unnecessary for us listeners.
But for stream sellers - of course is…
By the way - Tidal forget to pack to MQA one 24/352 album and this “monster” was perfectly streamed to my DAC - even with my slow internet…
It’s funny, isn’t it?
I’m not making any grand proclamations either way, but, should I presume that most in this thread have sworn off Netflix/Amazon to watch movies, Steam to play games, Adobe to create, or Microsoft Office 365 to do work?
I see both sides of the issue, but, I don’t understand all of the venom, as seemingly every industry is moving in the same direction. Sure, you could crack the copy protection and rip a bluray, but, you’re not supposed to. You’re able to do so because some enterprising folks illegally cracked the copy protection mechanism that was in place, no?
We’ve now had two decades of rampant, unadulterated piracy. Again, I’m not making a moral judgment, I’m not saying I’m not guilty of it myself, nor am I saying that MQA is a viable remedy, but, all I’m asking is this: If EVERY other form of entertainment and leisure is moving in a similar direction, why should we expect music to be any different?
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What do any of those have to do with MQA? MQA isn’t streaming or subscriptions or whatever your point is.
Jeff, I know that Stuart & Co have big dreams and large plans, but, as of right now, aside from that announcement a week or so ago about a little over a 100 MQA CDs being released, MQA’s primary outlet is Tidal, a streaming subscription service, is it not?
No, unfortunately 1000s of MQA albums are available for purchase from Onkyo as one example.
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@DrTone Jeff, I thank you for this educational moment, as I am seemingly so often doing when we speak.
I knew that there had been a lot of hot air from Stuart about such developments since around 2014, but, I honestly had no idea that things had progressed even this far.
I admittedly won’t become overly concerned until we start talking in larger numbers, although, I am startled at the sudden realization of just how quickly the FLAC option COULD disappear, if the music-industry Overlords so chose.
The most worrisome aspect for me, at least at this moment, is the fact that this is now, for the very first time, visible for me, if not necessarily at the next mile-marker down, well, maybe just over the horizon.
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If the market removes the ability to choose between unfettered audio and mqa I will simply vote with my wallet and I’ll make sure the artists I’ve supported over the years know why. Social media makes that pretty damned easy. Luckily many of the artists I enjoy today are largely independent.
Guys enough of the measurement mentality it’s souhds better after one unfold period done.
Full unfold I actually don’t like , but what no one says here or elsewhere is the remaster part. Line SHM
don’t tell me no ones notices this or likes it.
It’s not as good as SHM or even some sacd I own
But for a steaming source it’s great. Now why roon does not have it or iso playback is obvoius they can’t.
Enough of the fake false hood and replies of oh we are trying and posts of its non viirtues it’s good period.
I don’t need or want full unfold but the desktop app is good but don’t stream to roon or hq player
Make or happen already if you can if you can’t say it already enough of the Debate of its good or not.
It’s good for most and the ones who say it’s not just have an alt interest
Also I want the artists paid
Paying Bob isn’t paying the artist, it’s just putting another mouth in the food chain between artist and consumer. MQA exists for no other reason.
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I jet get you I really do but I also just want to play my music it’s not my fight of you get me.
I’m not sure how different this is to the RIAA curve. You had to have equipment with the right equalization curve to get the right sound out. If somebody had bothered to design something that allows for better playback of the music we love, they deserve to be paid, just like the original artist. Just like Roon deserve to be paid for their software.
People who go on about DRM need to remember that it doesn’t work. Apple tried and failed and if they failed with as much market position they had at the time, mqa will never be able to make it work.
Relax, grab a scotch (or poison of choice) select some music you love, (mqa or not) and for a while escape this life that is already full of issues and angst.
My final comment, I’m listening to Tom Waits’ Closing Time with Roon decoding mqa and it sounds amazing. I would like to congratulate the whole team on a phenomenal implementation, you have taken this to another level.
Though if you could help me understand where Dire Straits Brothers in Arms disappeared to in my library, I would be most appreciative.
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Exactly why you would be insane to buy a Windows machine, or iOS, or a Lexus, or a BMW, or…