advertisement


MQA pt II

I can report that properly decoded HDCDs sound fabulous and are better than their undecoded selves. I will try to compare to their non-HDCD versions.

I am now a happy owner of an antique Musical Fidelity X-DAC!
 
DimitryZ said:
I can report that properly decoded HDCDs sound fabulous and are better than their undecoded selves. I will try to compare to their non-HDCD versions.
Click to expand...


Snag being that if more than a tad of HDCD peak compression was applied, playing the result without decoding makes the 'red book' result sound peak compressed. So no surprise if someone prefers to 'decode' the HDCD. Fortunately, we've had software decoders for ages now, so anyone who wants can 'decode' it to LPCM.... usually. Alas, we still have cases where the material has no flagging, so can't be fully and correctly decoded - even on an HDCD player.

And - as with MQA and other systems - it may be difficult to find a version that is actually what went into the HDCD encoder. As distinct from some other 'version' that has other differences.

So far as the 'music biz' is concerned, the quickness of the hand can sometimes deceive the ears. 8-]
 
Jim Audiomisc said:
Snag being that if more than a tad of HDCD peak compression was applied, playing the result without decoding makes the 'red book' result sound peak compressed. So no surprise if someone prefers to 'decode' the HDCD. Fortunately, we've had software decoders for ages now, so anyone who wants can 'decode' it to LPCM.... usually. Alas, we still have cases where the material has no flagging, so can't be fully and correctly decoded - even on an HDCD player.

And - as with MQA and other systems - it may be difficult to find a version that is actually what went into the HDCD encoder. As distinct from some other 'version' that has other differences.

So far as the 'music biz' is concerned, the quickness of the hand can sometimes deceive the ears. 8-]
Click to expand...

It's not difficult to find for most of the albums.
 
Funk said:
Ooh, you guys nearly made the magic ton!
Click to expand...

A questionable achievement since after page 2 nothing revelatory new has emerged?

Let me correct this; nothing new from the first post onwards ... . Not one person from whichever camp has been convinced or even tempted to change their opinion.

This begs the question, what exactly is the point of a hundred pages of regurgitated arguments?

Here is to the next hundred ...
 
RoA said:
Let me correct this; nothing new from the first post onwards ... . Not one person from whichever camp has been convinced or even tempted to change their opinion.

This begs the question, what exactly is the point of a hundred pages of regurgitated arguments?

Here is to next hundred ...
Click to expand...

Your first assertion is untrue. What has been 'new' is the results of examination of some of the files which people may use to 'compare' MQA with alternatives, and evidence showing they aren't as some may have assumed.

The fact that many posters refuse to 'change their minds' despite evidence doesn't rule out the possibility that some who do not post (or have given up) may change their minds on the basis of evidence and points made.

Whatever, my interest is in finding out what evidence we can, and giving peope a chance to see it - thus to help inform choice. No-one is forcing anyone to read this thread, though. And I can see that the way 'point scoring' and 'ad homs' keep being produced will put people off. TBH it doesn't bother me much as I spent years on usenet in the era when Lord Pinkerton, Arnie, and Trotsky were a LOT worse than anything that Tony will tolerate. 8-] If you were there, you'd know what I mean. :)
 
mansr said:
The "hi-fi" file is simply the "master" file with the bottom 12 bits zapped. Both are MQA-coded. Tidal no longer provides non-MQA streams of anything that has an MQA version. The only choices are MQA and reduced-quality MQA.
Click to expand...
Are you saying that only 12 bits of "hi-fi" are active, in which case calling it "hi-fi" is borderline fraud, worse than NICAM
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top