MQA arrives on Tidal

[Mr_Sukebe]

Bang on the mark? Your comments add nothing. You don't seem to have any more idea of what you are listenng to source wise than anyone else. My comments are already up thread having listened to it and moved on to try and understand what is being presented. It sounds good, that's neither here nor there without knowing what I'm listening to. If you have something to add to that, let's have it.

My comments add nothing regarding my listening experiences, yet. I was quite explicit in stating that I was just about to give it a try.

My comments were very much aimed at the seemingly spurious negative comments voiced over the last 40+ pages repeatedly. They add nothing, nada, zilch. They're just negative because they can be and create noise that is frankly detracting from peoples discussion of their experiences.

Now, can we try to focus on the issue at hand, i.e. do we think it adds sonic value?

 

[radamel]

No. Nor are my questions or concerns regarding what the result sounds like. If I were able to get either:

1) Copies of high rez *input* to MQA encoding and the resulting MQA output - no other alterations

and/or

2) Full info on the MQA encode and decode processes

I'd be happy to do tests by listening as well as by analysis and measurement. I suspect the analysis and measurements would tell me more, but that's a guess.

But failing that, I'm not particularly interested in listening to it. I'm quite happy to accept that others prefer it to, say, Audio CD. That's fine. My curiosity about that is *why* they prefer it. Simply listening in itself won't tell me if its an 'effect' or not

In addition, I can't claim to be 'golden eared', so if I heard no difference or decided I preferred a plain high rez source, I doubt that would prove anything to anybody. Better that they make their own mind up on that. The problem being, how many have the real *input* version to compare with?

I see.
Fair enough.

 

[Mr_Sukebe]

No. Nor are my questions or concerns regarding what the result sounds like. If I were able to get either:

1) Copies of high rez *input* to MQA encoding and the resulting MQA output - no other alterations

and/or

2) Full info on the MQA encode and decode processes

I'd be happy to do tests by listening as well as by analysis and measurement. I suspect the analysis and measurements would tell me more, but that's a guess.

But failing that, I'm not particularly interested in listening to it. I'm quite happy to accept that others prefer it to, say, Audio CD. That's fine. My curiosity about that is *why* they prefer it. Simply listening in itself won't tell me if its an 'effect' or not

In addition, I can't claim to be 'golden eared', so if I heard no difference or decided I preferred a plain high rez source, I doubt that would prove anything to anybody. Better that they make their own mind up on that. The problem being, how many have the real *input* version to compare with?

Jim,
Based upon the above, surely you're targeting the wrong group.
We don't have the original files or the full understanding that you seem to wish to have. How about trying MQA directly or re-reading the various info offered during the last two years?

After all, you're just creating conjecture on what it might and might not be doing. That helps no one.

Leave the rest of us to actually make some effort to listen to it. After all, takes all of seconds to sign up to a free trial.

 

[SteveS1]

Now, can we try to focus on the issue at hand, i.e. do we think it adds sonic value?

Right. That's the nub of all this discussion that you describe as negative.

Trying to establish:-

It it a different master?
Is the MQA just a clever carrier that allows efficient and transparent presentation of a good source or does it play a role in the sound?
If that's the case - does encoding a file with MQA have a detrimental effect if that file is replayed undecoded?

The latter would have implications beyond this service.

 

[johnhunt]

Sounds terrible?

Only kidding

 

[Julf]

And I think one should keep in mind that in streaming it's either MQA or redbook or the ubiquitous MP3.

I think that is a commercial decision by streaming providers based on customer demand.

 

[onlyconnect]

Does everyone else get the same behaviour as me, that I get the blue light on the Explorer 2 MQA DAC irrespective of whether passthrough is enabled?

It's intriguing as people have said that changing this setting makes a big audible difference. But the blue light means it should sound the same, at least if you have an MQA DAC.

Tim

Anyone?

Tim

 

[radamel]

I think that is a commercial decision by streaming providers based on customer demand.

Let's hope the age of MP3 doesn't last very long.

If MQA only served to contribute to that effect it would still be worthwhile IMO.

 

[Octavian]

Let's hope the age of MP3 doesn't last very long.

If MQA only served to contribute to that effect it would still be worthwhile IMO.

Ah, mainly imagined shortcomings of mp3s replaced by largely imaginary benefits of MQA. This is high end in 2017

 

[radamel]

Ah, mainly imagined shortcomings of mp3s replaced by largely imaginary benefits of MQA. This is high end in 2017

So you think MP3's shortcomings are mainly imaginary...

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.