Just what are people claiming about MQA?

BayStBroker

BayStBroker

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I've heard a wide range of bold claims for MQA. Everybody agrees that the technology achieves a quantum leap of improvement in sound quality for streaming (due to smaller file sizes). So MQA makes hi-res streaming a more viable service.

But far less clear are claims for the technology's superior SQ in unqualified terms. Somehow we are to believe that MQA gets us closer to the master tapes than any commercial audio product we've heard. Even Absolute Sound is onboard in this endorsement: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/master-quality-authenticated-mqa-the-view-from-30000-feet/. BUT, I've yet to hear someone make the direct claim that MQA sounds better than DSD. In addition, I haven't heard anyone claim that MQA sounds better than vinyl playback from a first rate analogue rig. Is that what it being claimed on behalf of MQA? If so, then I am officially declaring myself a skeptic. In fact, although I plan to sit down at AXPONA to hear MQA with open ears and an open mind, I call BS in advance on any claim that its SQ is better than analogue. I'll be shocked if it is better than DSD.
 
BayStBroker said:
I've heard a wide range of bold claims for MQA. Everybody agrees that the technology achieves a quantum leap of improvement in sound quality for streaming (due to smaller file sizes). So MQA makes hi-res streaming a more viable service.

But far less clear are claims for the technology's superior SQ in unqualified terms. Somehow we are to believe that MQA gets us closer to the master tapes than any commercial audio product we've heard. Even Absolute Sound is onboard in this endorsement: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/master-quality-authenticated-mqa-the-view-from-30000-feet/. BUT, I've yet to hear someone make the direct claim that MQA sounds better than DSD. In addition, I haven't heard anyone claim that MQA sounds better than vinyl playback from a first rate analogue rig. Is that what it being claimed here? If so, then I am officially declaring myself a skeptic. In fact, although I plan to sit down at AXPONA to hear MQA with open ears and an open mind, I call BS in advance on any claim that its SQ is better than analogue. I'll be shocked if it is better than DSD.
Click to expand...

In reality the only advantage is it shrinks the file size down to lower the bandwidth of high resolution files for streaming purposes. It actually even adds artifacts in the process as well. This is why they developed a special MQA filter in Hqplayer to deal with them. So it may sound a bit better than redbook, but not high res PCM. All the rest of what you hear about it is just marketing material.
 
For those of us who have actually heard MQA multiple times, in multiple systems, I will tell you, the results are impressive, but mixed. On some tracks: Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, etc, the results were stellar - as good as the best DSD versions. On other examples: Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily and others, meh. On these recordings, they are maybe slightly better than CD quality. Maybe.

MQA = TBD.


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Interesting.

Yesterday I spent several hours listening to music with my brother who is visiting this weekend. While MQA was not part of the session, we listened to a number of DSD, HiRes and regular CDs ripped - all played through my Lumin. Overall, sound quality depended on how the music was recorded and mastered. I have some DSD (Alan Parson Project) and HiRes (Foreigner) music that does not sound good at all. While some of the redbook recordings sound exceptional.

I look forward to AXPONA where I hope to listen to MQA.
 
Mike said:
For those of us who have actually heard MQA multiple times, in multiple systems, I will tell you, the results are impressive, but mixed. On some tracks: Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, etc, the results were stellar - as good as the best DSD versions. On other examples: Natalie Merchant, Tigerlily and others, meh. On these recordings, they are maybe slightly better than CD quality. Maybe.

MQA = TBD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Mike what DAC were they using ? The only dac as far as I have read that completed some certification is Meridian own $299 Explorer[SUP]2. [/SUP]
 
Higher priced Meridian and MyTek Brooklyn. The MyTek Brooklyn sounded good and didn't break the bank.
 
Mike said:
Higher priced Meridian and MyTek Brooklyn. The MyTek Brooklyn sounded good and didn't break the bank.
Click to expand...

The users over on CA are really liking the Brooklyn and that is close in sound to the more expensive Manhattan. The MQA update on the Brooklyn according to Micheal at Mytek

"MQA Update: We have the MQA compliant firmware pretty much tested and ready to release - we are waiting to close few licensing formalities with MQA LTD and except to release the new firmware with MQA Decoder enabled sometimes next week "
 
Robert Harley responded to my query about MQA SQ below:

  • Robert, I am confused about the claim that you are making for the superior sound quality of MQA. Are you saying that it is better sound quality than DSD? Are you saying that it is better sound quality than we get from vinyl playback on a first-class analogue setup?

    • In my assessment (about 50 hours of listening to MQA over the past month, with more than 100 full titles and many single tracks from other titles) through my reference system, I believe the MQA is better than DSD or high-bit-rate PCM. I did exact comparisons between high-res sources and the MQA versions.
      The sound is very much like I get from a 45rpm record pressed by Quality Record Pressings (the state of the art) on a $100k analog front end, but without the ticks and background noise. A visiting manufacturer, after listening to MQA for about two hours on my system, commented that it was like listening to a record without the background noise. He was right: MQA removes a form of distortion (created by digital filtering) that doesn't affect signals that have never been digitized.
 
Now that's a major claim. Wow.

All I will say is that on the non-Meridian speakers, MQA sounded excellent.


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BayStBroker said:
I've heard a wide range of bold claims for MQA. Everybody agrees that the technology achieves a quantum leap of improvement in sound quality for streaming (due to smaller file sizes). So MQA makes hi-res streaming a more viable service.

But far less clear are claims for the technology's superior SQ in unqualified terms. Somehow we are to believe that MQA gets us closer to the master tapes than any commercial audio product we've heard. Even Absolute Sound is onboard in this endorsement: http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/master-quality-authenticated-mqa-the-view-from-30000-feet/. BUT, I've yet to hear someone make the direct claim that MQA sounds better than DSD. In addition, I haven't heard anyone claim that MQA sounds better than vinyl playback from a first rate analogue rig. Is that what it being claimed on behalf of MQA? If so, then I am officially declaring myself a skeptic. In fact, although I plan to sit down at AXPONA to hear MQA with open ears and an open mind, I call BS in advance on any claim that its SQ is better than analogue. I'll be shocked if it is better than DSD.
Click to expand...

Since you are going in with such an open mind we can guess how your listening sessions will turn out. Many of us believe that you vinyl has already met its match with some digital sources.

A couple of the tracks of MQA I have heard was as good as any audio I have heard and that was on a system far from my liking. Others as Mike has noted were nothing special. For me the jury is still out. If it is like DSD where there is virtually no content then it will be dead in the water.
 
Ritmo said:
Interesting.

Yesterday I spent several hours listening to music with my brother who is visiting this weekend. While MQA was not part of the session, we listened to a number of DSD, HiRes and regular CDs ripped - all played through my Lumin. Overall, sound quality depended on how the music was recorded and mastered. I have some DSD (Alan Parson Project) and HiRes (Foreigner) music that does not sound good at all. While some of the redbook recordings sound exceptional.

I look forward to AXPONA where I hope to listen to MQA.
Click to expand...

Very well put. A lot of DSD bs going around that DSD sounds better than ANY 44.1. It is all in the recording and mastering as Ritmo has explained, as well as Anthony Cordesman.
 
Are we sure those DSD files are not simple conversions from pcm files? Provenance matters. And yes redbook can sound sensational too.
 
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