|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9
Knows where his towel is
|
|
Knows where his towel is
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,941 Likes: 9 |
I didn't think the follow up posts were too bad - much better than some sites, and Lavorna has attempted to answer a lot of pertinent questions (for those that want to understand the technicalities). Yes, that is a fair summary. But there were a few responses along the lines of this: But still a question about how undecoded MQA will sound...
Submitted by DH on January 19, 2016 - 9:34am
At CA, at least one professional with significant DSP experience has analyzed the 2L files and come to the conclusion that when played back on non-MQA equipment, the MQA encoded files have LESS information and more noise (i.e., only the part of the file that isn't encoded gets played back) than the equivalent original file without MQA encoding.
Maybe, even if this is accurate, the MQA'd files on non-MQA HW will sound fine. But maybe they won't sound as good as they would have otherwise.
If that's so, it's a problem for Tidal. And I, like you, love Tidal.
Asa Post
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 149 Likes: 1
Hitchhiker
|
|
Hitchhiker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 149 Likes: 1 |
The biggest issue I see with this, is that the vast majority of recordings have been made and continue to be made at 44.1, so there is nothing more to unpack to standard PCM. If there was a huge catalogue of 192 out there I could see the benefit but MQA is really going to prosper on the analog to analog process of that huge library of 44.1.
F80
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 275 Likes: 4
Hitchhiker
|
|
Hitchhiker
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 275 Likes: 4 |
Apologies if this has already been posted but I had this reply back from M in response to a query regarding firmware updates. Thank you for getting in touch with Meridian.
Our Engineering team is currently working on integrating the MQA decoding libraries into our software for testing in advance of full production release. We do not have an exact time-scale for this but we are hoping to have something available in the next couple of months. I shall quit refreshing the support page for the Explorer every five minutes 😉. T
Lounge: DSP33's, MS200, QNAP (Storage and Core), G68D, HD421
Family Room: DSP5000
Kitchen: F80
Portable: Explorer2
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 909 Likes: 2
Pan-dimensional being
|
|
Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 909 Likes: 2 |
HT: Audiocom LX800CE, MP-60,HOLO MAY*2 Analogue speaker(LRC), DSP5200SL (side), DSP7200SE (rear),AntimodeX4,JTR Cap4000ULF*2,Christie HD8C,GIK Bass Traps.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 574 Likes: 6
Paranoid android
|
|
Paranoid android
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 574 Likes: 6 |
patience: 1The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious  Cheers!
Living room: Ansuz Mainz8 C2, Uptone Ethernet Regen, Grimm MU1, Audionote (UK) DAC 5 Special, TT2, M2RIAA, Audionote (UK) OTO Line SE Signature, Fleetwood Deville SQ
sold (Q1-2024): 818v3, DSP7200SE
Office: MS200, audio engine A2+
Spare: STAX SRM-323II, SR303, MC200 (Roon ROCK’ed),
Roon: life time subscription
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 185
Hitchhiker
|
|
Hitchhiker
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 185 |
One problem with MQA: assume I have a fully MQA enabled system in my music room, but non MQA systems elsewhere: other rooms, portable device, car, vacation home. People have lots of stuff.
If I buy the MQA version of an album I get awesome stuff in one location but I get 44/24 elsewhere, less good than if I bought 192. Not gonna buy twice. And presumably, MQA will not allow me to save the unpacked version.
Music room: 818v3, DSP8000SE, Roon/Intel NUC, microRendu/LPS-1 into Geek Pulse Xfi into Audeze LCD-3
HT: G61R, HD621, MS600, Oppo, Avantgarde Solo
Library: MS600, Bel Canto, Mark & Daniel
Other: SonicOrbiter, GeekOut, Audeze EL-8
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,569 Likes: 13
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
|
|
President of the Imperial Galactic Government
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 6,569 Likes: 13 |
Choices Choices... You will need to hear it first to decide what to buy.
The wider point with MQA is that you CAN stream it. So perhaps one will Stream MQA and buy 'high res' for 'Lesser' systems in such an arrangement.
You still have all the high res material you already own, so nothing is lost. The undecoded MQA may well closely rival your High Res material as well.
Now what did I do with all those cassettes I bought?
Thoughts, Chris 😊
No 18 in the Hall of fame  I have simple tastes; I am content to settle for the best: GIK monster bass panels, rear wall. QNAP TVS 471i3. Roon into DSP5200SE via 210/ 218 zone... Explorer 2. Bluesound Pulse 2, Mini & Flex. 596v1, 518, Foxsat HD, Sony BDP, Pioneer 5090, 2 Chromecast's for LRB videos. MS200 to F80 for a Roon zone
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88
Don't Panic!
|
|
Don't Panic!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 12,733 Likes: 88 |
If I buy the MQA version of an album I get awesome stuff in one location but I get 44/24 elsewhere. Valid point.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 5
Harmless
|
|
Harmless
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 5 |
It's a problem for a very very small subset of consumers of course. I see even more people moving to streaming with MQA. Why wouldn't they vs.paying $24 for a single album download at the same quality they'd get with Tidal. Whether Tidal will allow you to play offline at MQA quality remains to be seen but it would be consistent with their current policy as far as I know.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 346
Hitchhiker
|
|
Hitchhiker
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 346 |
One problem with MQA: assume I have a fully MQA enabled system in my music room, but non MQA systems elsewhere: other rooms, portable device, car, vacation home. People have lots of stuff.
If I buy the MQA version of an album I get awesome stuff in one location but I get 44/24 elsewhere, less good than if I bought 192. Not gonna buy twice. And presumably, MQA will not allow me to save the unpacked version. I don't agree. Buy an SACD and try to play that in the car, kitchen F80 or bedroom alarm clock. With MQA you get the MQA when possible, and everywhere else an above average lossless CD version.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 895
Pan-dimensional being
|
|
Pan-dimensional being
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 895 |
If MQA is only as successful as SACD, then it's likely deemed a failure. I think it's these sorts of issues that made SACD such a niche product.
Primary: MD600, MS200 (SpeakerLink to AES), Trinnov ST-2, Ayre V6-xe, Salk SS8 3x LRC.
Secondary: MC600 (whole house).
Zone one: 568.2, G57, MS200, Spatial Hologram M2SE.
Zone 2-6 (Awaiting assignment).
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,660 Likes: 30
Working on the ultimate question
|
|
Working on the ultimate question
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,660 Likes: 30 |
I agree. How may years would you give MQA to reach mainstream levels? I would expect it to take a hardware purchasing cycle to really take hold (not sure what hardware though could be phone or main source in house) that is I don't think the mainstream will rapidly buy new equipment for this. This will be compounded if the tracks aren't equally priced as I doubt many people will buy a more expensive enhanced track if they're not going to hear the benefits for 7 years.
Cheers
Tom
Main: G61SL, 218, HD621, 2*7200SE, 7200HCSE, M6s, DSW, Apple TV 4K, NUC (Roon server)
Secondary: Wiim Pro, 3200, Audio Core 200
F80
|
|
|
|
0 members (),
202
guests, and
3
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums18
Topics31,152
Posts296,952
Members5,503
| |
Most Online4,788
May 22nd, 2026
|
|
|
|
Google Search
|
Meridian Systems
|
Meridian Streaming
|
Restaurant
|
WiKi
|
Duncan's Meridian Info
|
Board Rules
|
Restaurant Rules
