MQA ? Pono? What's better than the CD?

I have not heard MQA, and neither have most people due to the lack of source material 2 years on.

BUT... it is a new enterprise by Bob Stuart (Meridian)  so it needs to be taken VERY seriously.

Also, rumor has it that MQA makes even regular redbook CD source material sound better.

There is an interview with him online somewhere if you search.

The flip side is that I am starting to get the idea that there is not a huge amount of SQ to be gained with higher sample rates, more bits, etc. when compared to speakers and room treatments, plus better mastering of source material.

IF you have the very best $35,000+ speakers in a listening room that was built solely for listening to those speakers, then things will likely be different for you.

Hi Jim!

As a music storage format, FLAC predates Pono by a few years. :) But I rip or download FLAC unless I'm buying DSD.  Also I do like the sound of the Pono portable player, but given it's limitations I ended up going with Fiio and with an extra amp almost as good. One of the Fiio players does android, so you can do Tidal while on the move.

I have a Mytek Brooklyn, which IS great and lets me listen to MQA files as well as DSD. My personal opinion, after listening to a number of tracks is that MQA is almost useless. It would be interesting if Tidal was streaming it. I've listened to MQA and compared a number of tracks in FLAC to FLAC/MQA, Besides the compression there's absolutely no sonic benefit to my ears. As far as I can tell it's just a marketing gimmick for Meridian to wet their beak on licensing. 

Only MQA really requires "remastering." Converting from WAV to FLAC to ALAC or MP3 is a simple software job anyone could do.

Best,


Erik

I understand that MQA is separate from Meridian

That makes it sound a lot better, I take it back, MQA rocks.... er, not. :)

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