Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music HIGHRESAUDIO STILL offering MQA downloads

I had a point. What is his "reference" to the SAME Mix at say 24/384Khz non MQA FLAC. And would that NOT produce goose bumps?

It is he using "goose bumps" as a measure of musical quality and I merely asked his history of goose bump experience.

I stand by my question.

My real point is crediting MQA with "goose bumps" is nonsense.

I've had goose bumps from music 30 years ago, on a cassette tape, I'm sure everyone here has too.

I was blown away when I first heard MQA; it was the first time that I felt that the performer was actually in the room. Definitely a goose bump moment.

Your bias is showing thru very clearly... and we all know such a post would not have been countered by you if the goose bumps were "caused" by a Mojo.

Please allow others to post their hard earned listening experiences without challenge and contradiction... and more especially, give others around here credit that they know what might be causing their smiles, frowns or goose-bumps while listening... many here know more than you appear to give them credit for in your various posts.

Hey Fiddler,

Indeed there are goosebumps from performance - I'm thinking of Furtwangler, this desert island disc of Szell and the Concertgebuow doing Sibelius 2 in Tokyo, Kleiber's Beethoven - and in FLAC they come across. Even in mono they come across, you react to a special moment the performers have generated.

With MQA, its goosebumps from listening, specifically for me, the realism of the sound, what others have described as bringing the performer(s) into the room. A/B comparisons of the MAGNIFICAT album on 2L (available for free sampling from their website), first did it for me. There's a moment in the sample track when the organ enters to support choir and orchestra. In FLAC it is heard, in MQA it is felt. There's something about the 'warble' of the organ that is captured and reproduced well by MQA, probably a combo of greater frequency capture and reduced time smear.

Then I thought it was just a one off thing. Like some RCA/Victor Chicago/Reiner analog recordings that somehow got it so right, the sound is more palpable and real. Definitely been achieved in the ADD, AAD realm, though less strikingly so than with the MQA MAGNIFICAT album. Then try the 2L Christian Eggen piano album where the remastering was prepared for MQA by reference to the ADC used in the studio. Holy S#$t, the piano is right in the room with you, every nuance in pressure on keys, pedal comes through. There's something different afoot.

And then just this week, by classical standards a major re-issue of Rostropovich and Karajan doing Don Quixote on Warner. Many of us old folk have listened and loved this since its analog release in 1977, and through the EMI re-issues in 2000s, remastered (I have not heard the Japanese independent hi-def remaster). Now in MQA it is like removing years of grime and dust off the walls of the Sistine chapel. You sit there saying to yourself, I know this sound, I have heard this piece, I know every note yet it sounds totally new, fresh, alive.

Anyways, apologies for the rant. I'm definitely on an audio high, for after listening for 30 years, we have finally crossed the barrier to a better listening experience. And I acknowledge the investment to get that high has been not insubstantial. But its totally worth it

Best /bt

Where can one buy MQA albums in US?
I have US VPN, but not fast/stable enough for Tidal.

It's when I hear comments like this I become even more skeptical about MQA.
I'm sure you heard great music over great speakers. I don't question that.

But can you tell me EXACTLY how much was credited to MQA process?

No you can't. Nobody can.

I won't derail this thread on why a HighResAudio company dumped MQA any further.

And refer you to a thread to discuss it, or blissfully move on.

Thread on Apodizing and MQA

And there again, you are incorrect

Everyone interested can try the free 2L Testbench to compare the same masterings / recordings........but in different file formats from 16/44 to 24/96 to 24/192.......to DSD64 to DSD128 to DSD256........to MQA

Where the recordings and masterings are identical........and the only difference is the file format

And the beauty of this is that the above comparisons can be carried out at home, in the Room and System that the user is very familiar with

Thereby allowing each user to decide for themselves what you claim above to be impossible

And in a similar manner since January, Tidal users can now compare 2,400 albums against their own Redbook, High Res and SACD versions of these albums to see what MQA might bring to them.........with another 8,000-plus albums to come soon from UMG........

And all of these comparisons are possible for $20 a month.......compared to the $20-plus per album that was necessary for users to spend on previous formats like CD, DVD-A and SACD, when they first came out

Hi Albert,

You can buy a selection of them I believe from 2L Audio and HighResAudio.com.

I'm not aware that highresaudio differentiates by region. 2L does not.

The disc of Piazolla referred to earlier in this thread looks like a good one to start with given it is issued specifically for physical CD.

Cheers /bt

Many thanks Bengti!
Do you use wechat btw?

Nothing much (in HiRes) at HighResAudio is available to you in the USA.

Europe has access though.

Can we get this thread back on topic please?

and:

Ronnie,

You made a mistake in your note above. There are actually 2782 albums currently on Tidal not 2400. 😉