MQA is Legit!


Ok, there is something special about MQA.  Here is my theory:  MQA=SACD.  What do I mean by this?  I mean that since there might be the "perception" it sounds better, then there is way more care put into the mastering and the recording.   Of course I have Redbook CD's that sound just as good (although they tend to be "HDCD" lol)... Bottom line:  a great recording sounds great.  I wish more labels and artists put more time into this--it's great to hear a song for the 1000th time and discover something new.  

What are your thoughts on MQA and SACD?
waltertexas
@mofimadness

I find "almost" without fault that the MQA tracks sound better than their standard CD counterparts. Not all the time, but pretty much. Is MQA perfect, hells no, but I sure do hear an improvement.

Every MQA-compatible DAC I have seen has degredated PCM performance. It’s not the manufacturers playing a trick, one stating it simply is a drawback of merely having the capability. So it’s no wonder you hear PCM as worse if using an MQA-compatible DAC. Look at the Stereophile measurements of the Mytek Liberty when fed a 44.1kHz PCM signal, it’s filter response is absolute garbage and causes aliasing (here’s the filter response of the Chord DAVE as a reference).

I hear way too much distortion in MQA, and also inferior attack and delay.  To me, everything nautural sounds too synthetic.  
@ mzkmxcv...how many MQA DACs have you actually HEARD?  Looking at specs and listening are two different things.  I learned many, many years ago, that just because a unit tests a certain way, does NOT mean it sounds that way.  You mentioned the DACs you've "seen", but how about hearing?

I get from your posts above that you are anti-MQA and I have no problem with that as long as you have practical application, (have actually heard) these units.

I had at least, half a dozen MQA DACs here and they all have excellent PCM performance, so...
shadorne, I totally agree.  MQA, to my ears, is inferior even to Redbook CD in every aspect.  
Mofimadness, most MQAs are from different masters than the equivalent CDs.  When I have heard both from what I know to be the same master, CD always sounds substantially better.  In addition to having to be from the same master, the levels have to both be within .1dB, or the louder files tends to be perceived as better.