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MQA - Music Discussion

This thread is to discuss MQA music currently available, listening impressions, and how they were encoded.

Please keep tech. talk (except provenance) out of this discussion! :) This thread is about finding good music sources, listening impressions, and mastering. There is a lot to be said about the algorithms, hype, and politics but please use other threads for that in the Digital section perhaps. :) 

I'll start.  I know right now of only two big labels offering MQA:

2L.no (maybe only test tracks)

and

https://www.highresaudio.com/studio_master.php?fids=153&cr=MQA

as well as at least one indie label. Thanks to Peter Veth over in the DAR thread here:

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2016/08/mqa-a-non-hostile-takeover/#comment-135610

I'm particularly interested in talking about works we can find to do A/B comparisons with, as well as any tracks listeners feel are exemplars and say "This is good stuff!"  because so far I've had no luck at all.

As others know, the thing that has so far affected music the most is the mastering choices made by the engineers, as opposed to actual encoding technology, so I welcome details of that along with listening impressions.

Thank you.
erik_squires
erik_squires OP
16,011 posts
 
@dbtom2

I hear you. I think too many of us forget how to listen to music after a while, and we engage more in shopping than music. :)

Best,


Erik
astro58go
542 posts
 
What is MQA???
erik_squires OP
16,011 posts
 
A method of compressing and authenticating music using a lossy algorithm created by Bob Stuart and Meridian, replete with unproven claims of actually making music sound better.

Requires a DAC with MQA decoding to "take full advantage" of the encoding process.

You can read the early press release here:

https://www.meridian-audio.com/news-events/meridian-audio-launches-mqa-master-quality-authenticated/

Best,

Erik
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bailyhill
53 posts
 
I stream for most of my music.  I have a Meridian Ultra Dac driving a Krell KSA-80B powering Apogee Scintilla Ribbons.  It does a full decode.  Its the best music experience I have had in 35 years.  Its very much like the performer is in the room.  Compared to a top Nain streamer, it has all the emotional connection with the music.  I have also ripped three MQA CD's, on my Naim Core, and the Ultra decoded to full MQA.  My system in general sounds better with higher sample rates--352/384 is usually the best, as long as the recording, miking, mixing etc is done well.  The Meridian also does things to the reconstructions of standard CD's with their apodizing filter.  It does sound better than a standard reconstruction.  I also had a Mytek Manhattan II before, and it sounded very good.  I also must say that I have played some 44.1 with MQA and the material content and sound was not all that impressive.  If its a poor master, MQA can only fix so much.  I have also played some Jazz that had analog originals, that sounded very nice with MQA encoding.  I really don't so much enjoy anything but MQA these days.
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
I have a Mytek Brooklyn Bridge. The only place I've heard MQA has been through Tidal and, yes, MQA does slightly improve the sound in all respects.  A bit more image.  A bit more space.  A bit better tone quality.  A bit less hash. A bit easier to understand lyrics. I gotta say, though, that I just started using Qobuz, and Qobuz is now my go-to streaming source.  At least for now, every piece of streamed music sounds better when sourced through the Q.
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