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How Is MQA Fareing?

 In another thread here are posters are making comments about MQA suggesting that it isn't a big commercial success, that is should be called DOA, etc.  Yet there are always announcements about companies adopting MQA, testimonials from happy Tidal streamers, etc.
  I'm neutral on MQA but having witnessed more than a few formats go down in flames in my time, and still puzzling over the resurgence of vinyl, I wonder how one measures the marketplace progress of MQA.  Do we look at Tidal subscriptions?  Sales of MQA compatible DACs?  The size of Bob Stuart's house?
mahler123
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
1,105 posts
 
ejr1953,

I appreciate your candid feedback. I can totally relate to above as I experience these very same attributes while listening to my 24bit/192kHz downloads vs. Tidal HiFi. I must add, as good as Tidal HiFi is on 16bit/44.1kHz recordings, high res files are just so much better especially when your system is capable of revealing every last ounce of detail.

I don't wanna continue buying high res downloads so I will give Brooklyn a try and hopefully it’s a keeper in my system.

Cheers!
ejr1953
542 posts
 
Lalitk,

BTW, the Brooklyn has a really good headphone amp, with lots of power to drive the most inefficient headphones, a real bonus.

It also has the ability to hook a turntable (something I don't own) and from what I've read that capability is well done as well.
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
1,105 posts
 
ejr1953, 

That's good to know. But I don't own a headphone or turntable. Like yourself I am very content with spinning my modest and rare collection of SACD's, XRCD's and K2HD's.  

I got into digital streaming couple of year back for the sheer convenience but now more focused on improving that experience.  
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
1,105 posts
 
For the benefit of those still unclear about how MQA works, this is a very nice article about demystifying the ambiguity surrounding the MQA, 

https://www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-decoding-explained


shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
@lalitk    

Thanks. It explains things without explaining anything.

How lossy is the unfolded data? Obviously taking a 24 bit 196KHz original and compressing to 24 bit 48 KHz file means that there is some lossy compression.

Also de-ringing implies DSP???
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