Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion MQA - Related technology, products and music MQA question

I am sure I can. What genres ? Mainly classical or do you want a mix ?

Im keen to study A/Bs 44.1 where the improvement is really impressive. Being a mainly classical listener has limited my exposure to such iconic tracks. Classical is coming out at 1/6th the volume of pop and rock. But what we have so far is sweet and good.

Thanks for your help !

I'll dig out a list of 44.1 classical. It is the genre I haven't done comparisons with though, but, you can probably do a better job with that.
I'll add some of my fave contemporary titles too where I have done the comparison vs the CD's copy I have.

A quick scan for these. Will give you something to do over the weekend

All 44.1 or a mix of 44.1 with other resolutions

Alison Balsom Bach: Works for Trumpet
Alison Balsom Haydn & Hummel: Trumpet Concertos
Alison Balsom Italian Concertos
Alison Balsom Music for Trumpet and Organ
Alison Balsom Paris
Antonio Pappano Rossini: Overtures
Chris Thile Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 1
Christian Eggen Carl Nielsen Piano Music
Christina Pluhar Cavalli: "L'amore innamorato"
Emmanuel Pahud Around The World
Giuseppe Gibboni Prodigi: Giuseppe Gibboni
Jeremy Denk J.S. Bach: Goldberg Variations
Marina Rebeka Mozart: Opera Arias
Philippe Jaroussky Pergolesi: Stabat Mater, Laudate pueri & Confitebor
Sir Simon Rattle Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique & La mort de Cléopâtre
Sir Simon Rattle Bizet: Carmen
Sir Simon Rattle Haydn: Symphonies 88-92, Sinfonia Concertante
Sir Simon Rattle Mahler: Symphony No. 2, 'Resurrection'
Sir Simon Rattle Messiaen: Éclairs sur l'au-delà...
Sir Simon Rattle Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition - Borodin: Symphony No. 2
Sir Simon Rattle Shostakovich & Prokofiev: Violin Concertos
Sir Simon Rattle Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos 1 & 14
The John Wilson Orchestra Cole Porter in Hollywood
Various Artists Caprice
Vilde Frang Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos 1, 5 & Sinfonia concertante

Here are selection of modern / contemporary albums that I like and have CD's of. I haven't done a comparison to the Tidal non-MQA version but to the CD version I had ripped.

In pretty much every case I prefer and will select the MQA cut. The difference may be subtle but it is easy to spot.

For example, when the overall sound and mix is the same, we (inc. SWMBO) find that the sound-stage and separation of instrumentation is clearer and easier to hear. Things feel easier on the ear.

Another example, check the timing and rhythm of Black Keys/Fever. A pretty well known radio hit.

All this is using 808/8KSE Anniversary setup so others may find different results on different systems.


A Rocket to the Moon >> Wild & Free [Deluxe]
Alanis Morissette >> Jagged Little Pill (Remastered)
Alt-J >> This Is All Yours
Bruno Mars >> Unorthodox Jukebox
Christine And The Queens >> Christine And The Queens
Depeche Mode >> Construction Time Again
Father John Misty >> Fear Fun
Goldfrapp >> Silver Eye
INXS >> Kick
Johnny Marr >> The Messenger
Leftfield >> Alternative Light Source
Paul Weller >> Saturns Pattern
Seal >> Best 1991 - 2004
The Black Keys >> El Camino
The Black Keys >> Turn Blue
The Dead Weather >> Dodge and Burn
The Pack A.D. >> Do Not Engage
Yeasayer >> Amen & Goodbye

Many thanks for this great list Nick!

For the classical stuff, many of those are at high resolution in MQA than 44.1, except the Rattle stuff, that's all 44.1 - so you are right, I should do a comparison of his albums A/B.

For the popular stuff that's a valuable list for me coz I didn't know much about them. Thanks and I will start a listening and comparison campaign for June.

How's the new Linkin Park that just appeared on Tidal?

No problem. The list of classical I posted are all at original sample rate of 44.1... no hi res there AFAIK.

indeed Nick my mistake, I found a few recordings by Alison B which were higher reso. Assumed the rest were as well.

Id be curious to hear your thoughts on Tharaud's Rachmaninoff at MQA 44.1 I find the sound has some obvious limitations - end tutti of first movement (track 1), i keep hearing a very boxed in sound on the ff chords.

Do PM me your thoughts, when you have time to take a listen of it.

Thanks ! /bt

Hi Guys.

If you look at the archive of recorded music there is, of course, a lot of analogue and an increasing measure of digital recorded at higher than 44.1 or 16bit.

But there is also music from the 80s recorded natively in 44/16 and a good deal since where the artist or studio settled on 44/24b. Sometimes that choice came from lack of appreciation; many times it was to simplify or enable significant multitracking.

Whatever the case, our job at MQA is to drill back to the 'real approved mix' and release that version.

There is important music in 44/16, 44/24 and a host of other weird formats. We have no opinion about this and no impulse to 'increase apparent resolution' based on arbitrary numbers. If a recording is made in 44/24, that's where it stays. And as we have illustrated in the provenance blogs, releases are often prepared by a process of digital mixing followed by analogue mastering. In the end that doesn't matter, all that matters is we get the real master. Our job at MQA is to drill back to the 'real approved mix' and release that version.
Having said that, the benefits of correcting the ADC/plugins/desk (beblurring) can be very satisfying at 44.1kHz.

Just a word of caution about doing A/B comparisons on Tidal: invariably when a label made a CD it was raised in level or compressed or clipped compared to the actual master. It is highly likely that the MQA will be an original mix that preceded CD mastering and, in the case of popular recordings, there may have been a succession of CD releases with differing dynamics from each other..

Anyway, enjoy the music!

Welcome back Bob

+1

Hi Bob,

thanks for the input. Much appreciated.

One that I noticed today that puzzles me is Aretha Franklin's Live at Fillmore West. If I am not mistaken this has been available as MQA 192k and now MQA 96k.

What would be the story behind this ? Two different masters ? Two different conversions ?

Many thanks

Nick

PS...same for some Otis Redding also.