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
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