Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music Re: MQA status?

If patience is a virtue, then Meridian (MQA) owners must be the most virtuous of all.

Just received from 2L Lindberg Lyd:

Hi Ruben! MQA is getting ready in our store, but official release is for January 6 at CES in Las Vegas. More info on playback systems will be available then ;-)

Look at me, I am so patient...
none of my equipment supports that thing...

In summary:

Sooloos is not MQA ready (Control:Mac needs a complete re-hash to use exclusive mode and perform Audio MIDI switching).

The Prime and Explorer 2 are not MQA ready (need a firmware update).

The 818v3 and 808v6 are not MQA ready (need a firmware update).

Now that MQA is available, now is the time...

... to get the updates done quickly and surprise us all with the announcement of some more affordable Meridian MQA compatible products.

Add to VK's summary:

808v6 is not MQA ready (needs a firmware update)

(note minor typo re 818v3)

If 2L hadn't got their ducks in a row and put the music on their server (no small task) in advance of CES, then when MQA playback systems become available around CES time, we'd all be moaning at 2L for not providing material, rather than Meridian for not providing firmware.

Why don't we wait until CES has happened and then reassess the moan-coefficient?

Looking at all the available MQA products... including non-Meridian (Pioneer XDP-100R for example) are all sold noting that a firmware upgrade will be needed early 2016 to enable full MQA playback.

As MQA is a separate Ltd Co in its own right, I feel that this 'Crossing the road at the same time is the correct approach by Bob and shows no bias to any one company... however frustrating it may be to us Meridian owners.

I sent my Christmas list to the 3 Kings this year rather than Santa in anticipation of the later MQA release.

1) 818v3
2) MQA firmware update for 8000SE

Here's hoping this is the end of the start

My MQA status for today is a reminder that an MQA track doesn't guarantee that the music contained therein is actually any good

Sounds like someone is not a fan of Skandinavian chamber music

T

I didn't say that. I have also been reliably informed that there is some quality stuff there.

I hope it's not OT but what chance on my system do I have with MQA?

G61R, C15/QNAP (w TIDAL), 5K5's + 5K's (96/24)

I was hoping for G61R or the C15 at least ... or is the rumored updated spec MS600 going to be the only way?

... and although I got flamed for asking this before I still would love to hear the exact same recording in MP3, CD, 96/24 and MQA. Not because I don't believe in MQA, but because I want to hear it and know I'm hearing it, and not hearing a bunch of unrelated processing differences.

I really hope M will release something along these lines, a couple of example recordings in multiple formats to demonstrate this technology's capabilities that we can absorb and enjoy on our own systems.

At the beginning of the year I went along to a demo of MQA at Seven Integration in Surrey and spent an hour listening to various tracks in MQA. The one track I managed to A/B was Take Five by Dave Brubeck, the MQA version of which was astonishing and the CD of which was fantastic but just lacked the extra info that made me feel the group was in the room with me.

This however was in a room that was well treated and on a system that had all of Meridians latest tech being used so whilst I think it would sound good on legacy kit I think the differences between the MQA version and the original will be less pronounced.

I'm going to have to make do with my Explorer 2 and my Grado's until I can convince my wife that a pair of SE's are needed.

T