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

Maybe they are working on that too for the v10 release... I think a lot of people would be very pleased if they also did something for the 861v4, which remains a great processor.

Correct, the notion of DRM for MQA has been abandoned, as confirmed by Hans Beekhuyzen with Bob Stuart. As I understand it, MQA files are digitally signed by each content provider to authenticate provenance, and each content provider's signature will have to be verifiable downstream.

Do you KNOW any of this, or is it all speculation?
If you know these details, please quote sources : discourse - discussion & speculation - is all very well, but there are far too many people posting their own fiction / assumptions recently (as fact), or asking questions without bothering to perform simple searches, which is not helpful to anyone.

I know for a fact that "a lot of people would be very pleased if they also did something for the 861v4, which remains a great processor."

As regards the 861v8, I know that Meridian have publicly stated that MQA implementation for this processor is not in the first phase. It is also well established that the 861v8 is going to be upgraded to v9 or v10 or whatever. It is an educated guess (call it speculation, if you like) that the new version will include MQA but I do not know this as a fact. That's why I used the word "maybe". However, anything is possible with Meridian - for all I know they may have used the delay in MQA's launch to catch up on the 861 MQA implementation. That would seem logical. On the other hand they are perfectly capable of launching a v9 or v10 or whatever version which does not include MQA.

Can anyone here of the tech savvy people tell where the problem lies - that a 861v4 can not be updated to be MQA compatible. One by card modules and firmware update and upgrade-capable, so future-proof premium product.

If an Explorer 2 is MQA capable through a firmware update - then why can't the v4 be enabled for MQA through a firmware update, or at least with a new card a 861v4?

Pure 2-channel operation could not be the reason, in the position DSP stereo we have indeed set up on only two speakers. A device in this price range, with these prepared expandability was supposed to be ready for a homemade MQA update. Or am I completely wrong?

Greetings from the deep snow
Stefan

Excuse my ignorance, but does that mean the MS200 and MS600 endpoints will not be able to be used with MQA?

Keeping up with all this is very difficult for someone who has only been used to G08/DSP5200.

Not at all, it's a very complicated subject and nothing is summarised in one place.

The current understanding is that the MS200 and the MS600 will not be able to decode MQA and transmit it via MHR to DSPs (Meridian's chosen delivery route - neither product has MHR capability). They will however still be able to play MQA material, but not in its "full high resolution unfolded glory". I think it is generally accepted that Meridian intend to issue a replacement for the MS200 that will be able to exploit MQA fully (but this is not confirmed by Meridian). Whether there will be a replacement for the MS600 is less certain, but I think most people expect that one will be produced at some stage.

The above statements are not fact - but I believe they are reasonably reliable - others please contradict if I have got anything wrong.

Have a listen to some of the MQA downloads available for free on the 2L test bench - even without an MQA decoder they sound excellent and give a taster for what is to come. Even without further investment in MQA kit we are all about to hear a very worthwhile improvement in sound quality (my opinion, of course).

Thank you Altus for your prompt and clear answer. I will certainly download and try to play some MQA files, but I think my Sonos is limited to 16/44 only.

TKimages,

Even at 16/44, you're likely to hear the difference. I bought the Engegard Trio album, and was very impressed. While I didn't compare it to a non-MQA'd version of the same album, the one I bought sounded better than any other album I'd heard on our home system.

Big smile! Lot's o' anticipation!

Just been reading a segment online, a guy has had the pleasure of listening to The Doors, LA Woman in MQA and his view is:
Very exciting!

Sorry to change subject.

Regards Danny

This BlueSound / The Doors review ?

Yep. Sorry if it has been mentioned already.

Regards
Danny