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MQA arrives on Tidal

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I'm like a pig in shit.......I can't do MQA as the K2 DAC won't do more than 48khz.......

BUT I've finally got my head around exclusive mode and it really does sound better.

I've got the shared mode in the X Fi set to 24/48 but Tidal is doing 16/44 and that's what the JCV shows. Sounds better too!
There more to these 1s n 0s than meets the eyes.
 
Julf said:
I have heard similar things said about some simple EQ too...
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Really don't think its EQ going on here having experimented with EQ extensively and knowing the tracks I've been playing like the back of my hand.

I've been concentrating on listening to the recordings I grew up listening to from 60's/70's/early 80's and own on UK 1st pressing LP releases, CD's and magazine verified Hires remasters FWIW; and the only analogy I can draw is that the recordings sound like listening to the original LP's on an uber record player with all the missing bass and treble added in for good measure.

The compressed recordings with no DR like Muse, that I find unlistenable in digital on a hifi are actually quite bearable. The classical pieces I've played on the other hand are quite beguiling.

As is the norm, I suspect we're all hearing different things depending on our systems but pretty much every recording I've listened to thus far has been a very pleasant surprise.

I've no idea if its MQA or simply very good digital remastering. Whatever it is, it sounds rather good!
 
JemHayward said:
MQA is a way of compressing high bit rate digital files in a way that will play at standard resolution on anything, but when "decoded" the original resolution is available. It's not intended to "improve" the sound, and if you start with, say a CD resolution master (16 bit 44.1 kHz) - then that is what you will get out at the end with your MQA decoding DAC, or software. Originally only a hardware decoding system was on offer, but Tidal has proved that software decoding is possible as well. There is some suspicion that the technology was also a variation on DRM to prevent piracy, and it may be so, but what it seems to deliver is better than CD quality streamed over the internet, which is quite impressive.
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Presumably then if you have the original CD it will show no improvement? What to make of comments here that it sounds better? Back to the original question, if its applying a bit of eq, give it the 'ol live sound', a bit of reverb, then that might seem better, but is it as the artist intended?
 
garyi said:
Presumably then if you have the original CD it will show no improvement? What to make of comments here that it sounds better? Back to the original question, if its applying a bit of eq, give it the 'ol live sound', a bit of reverb, then that might seem better, but is it as the artist intended?
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Gary,

Questions 16 through 18 deal with those points. It is not "applying a bit of EQ".

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/694-comprehensive-q-mqa-s-bob-stuart/

In most cases, it sounds like they aren't starting from the original CD (which is post mastering), they are starting with the "final mix" which is before the original mastering process (that point is made in Answer 16a).

Chris
 
I have not had a chance to read all of the posts in this thread, so apologies for repetition.

I have been using an Aries Mini and a Mac Book Pro feeding a Mytek Brooklyn DAC with Tidal. I firstly used the Tidal desktop app on the Mac into the Brooklyn, with the app set to send the MQA files un-decoded to the Brooklyn (without using the software MQA decoder in the Tidal desktop, which I understand can only go up to 96KHz). All of the Tidal MQA files I played lit the MQA LED on the Mytek and it displayed the unpacked bit depth and sampling frequency. At least one of the files I played was shown to be a 24 bit 192 KHz file as unpacked by the Brooklyn.

With the Mini, there appears to be no way of distinguishing the MQA files from the usual FLAC files on the control app, but they are there. I found them by searching for the albums that I knew had been encoded using MQA from the information on the Tidal desktop on the Mac and then trying each version that came up until I found the one that lit the MQA light on the Brooklyn. The Aries streamed the un-decoded files to the Brooklyn just like the Mac and the Brooklyn decoded them.

As for SQ, there do not appear to be many modern recordings amongst the Tidal Masters, but some of the classic albums that they have encoded with MQA sound very good and seem better than any other digital version I have heard. Our main thought was that they sounded how we remember them sounding back in the day. Probably rose tinted specs, but still, they are good!

However, the Brooklyn is a very good DAC (it's the best I have heard, and that includes some very well respected devices), so the fact that classic albums that I have not heard for a while sounds good on it should not be a surprise.

More listening is required, but the signs are good!
 
I view MQA as basically SACD. A crappy / locked delivery system that adds complexity where not necessary, but has music remastered for people who care about SQ (read: less post-mix compression, etc.). So as long as you can use an "unlocked" player to rip the SACD or some 3rd party algorithm to "unfold" the MQA file and get the sweet nectar inside, it doesn't matter much.

That is, unless we've been lied to and the re-releases are just original masters with custom filters applied (more "mangled" to sound vinyl-like to appeal to, ehrm, "aged" audiophile population).
 
jirij said:
I view MQA as basically SACD. A crappy / locked delivery system that adds complexity where not necessary, but has music remastered for people who care about SQ (read: less post-mix compression, etc.). So as long as you can use an "unlocked" player to rip the SACD or some 3rd party algorithm to "unfold" the MQA file and get the sweet nectar inside, it doesn't matter much.

That is, unless we've been lied to and the re-releases are just original masters with custom filters applied (more "mangled" to sound vinyl-like to appeal to, ehrm, "aged" audiophile population).
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That may be true but my experience differs. I bought a Brooklyn DAC because of its feature set and couldn't have cared less about MQA. This new wave of content is all a bonus to me. All I had to do to get it to work was check a box. No extra cost or complication.

Edit: everything I've listened to sounds fantastic. Whether it's the mastering or the MQA tech doesn't matter much to me...I could die tomorrow. But I do know I can select a Bowie album or a Wilco album from that list and it's going to sound fantastic. I'll take that
 
jirij said:
I view MQA as basically SACD. A crappy / locked delivery system that adds complexity where not necessary, but has music remastered for people who care about SQ (read: less post-mix compression, etc.). So as long as you can use an "unlocked" player to rip the SACD or some 3rd party algorithm to "unfold" the MQA file and get the sweet nectar inside, it doesn't matter much.

That is, unless we've been lied to and the re-releases are just original masters with custom filters applied (more "mangled" to sound vinyl-like to appeal to, ehrm, "aged" audiophile population).
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This seems close to the mark
 
Julf said:
Shame that they don't have the same mastering version in both MQA and non-MQA - are they afraid to allow direct comparison?
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That's one of the big selling points of MQA. It is the original studio master, hence even if you don't have MQA playback equipment you will get the benefit of knowing you're listening to the original instead of an umpteenth generation master.

We just need HMHB back catalogue now!
 
garyi said:
So MQA is just remasters then, like Steve Wilson does? Why all the voodoo stuff then?
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How have you gone from "just want to understand" to calling it "voodoo" so quickly?

MQA certainly includes a remaster process, but that is only part of it based on the overall process they describe.

Chris
 
cporton said:
Dozey,

In the "What's New" section, next to Albums, it says "New", "Recommended", "Top 20" and "Masters".

This is ONLY in the application, not in the web browser. If you're accessing Tidal via the web browser, you won't see them.

Does that make sense?

Chris

p.s. you need to be a TIDAL HiFi Member too...

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

Premium Members: As a Premium member, you will need to upgrade to a TIDAL HiFi Member and use the desktop application in order to enjoy TIDAL Masters audio feature.

HiFi Members: All you need is your TIDAL HiFi membership to access thousands of master-quality albums only through the TIDAL desktop application. When you are in TIDAL desktop application, go to “What’s New” and select “Masters” in the Albums section.

If you don’t have the TIDAL desktop application, you can find it here -> http://tidal.com/us/download
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What am I doing wrong?

I downloaded the app on my iPad and I have a Hifi subscription.

When I open the app I see the usual In the "What's New" section, next to Albums, it says "New", "Recommended", "Top 20" but no "masters"

It's baffling for an old technophobe like me. Help.
 
HarryB said:
What am I doing wrong?

I downloaded the app on my iPad and I have a Hifi subscription.

When I open the app I see the usual In the "What's New" section, next to Albums, it says "New", "Recommended", "Top 20" but no "masters"

It's baffling for an old technophobe like me. Help.
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Cos it's got to be the desktop app and not iPad app.
 
I've tried to contact Meridian Audio to get some clarification but only get 'Validation errors occured' after umpteen times of trying to complete their online support form.

Hope their 'product' works better than their website ... .
 
drummerman said:
I've tried to contact Meridian Audio to get some clarification but only get 'Validation errors occured' after umpteen times of trying to complete their online support form.

Hope their 'product' works better than their website ... .
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Drummerman,

Not sure what clarification you're after, but MQA is a separate company to Meridian Audio so if you're trying to get an answer on MQA, you need to contact them, not Meridian Audio.

http://www.mqa.co.uk

General enquiries: [email protected]

HTH.

Chris
 
cporton said:
Harry,

That's right. It's only available at the moment via a computer, using a Desktop application.

iPad/iPhone/Browser etc. aren't supported yet.

Chris
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Am I missing something here? It's supposed to be the bees knees of technology but it won't work on a device that millions of people use? That just strikes me as ridiculous.
 
Cporton many thanks for the help. Apologies for being grumpy :)

Will it work on an oldish Dell laptop in Safari?
 
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