Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

@toetapaudio,

Thanks for sharing the articles but they are somewhat outdated. Lot has changed in last one year.  There is lot more MQA albums now available on Tidal. As some of us already pointed out, MQA albums do sound better than their 16bit counterparts. 

The future of high-rez streaming looks very promising. Most of us don't wanna pay $15-$25 per high rez download.  

HDTracks recently announced High Rez streaming in very near future. 

There are many who know that MQA is lossy :

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30381-mqa-is-vaporware/?tab=comments#comment-613530

This is is why some of the best dac designers will not include MQA.

Toetapaudio (love the username!)

The implementation of MQA is fascinating. And the point made about MQA developing a stronghold on the audio/music industry is even more fascinating; and a precedent has been set with Apple in that regards. I understand Schiit's points and respect some of them. Truth be told, it's a short lived technology (ten years or less) as our capacity to stream and transmit higher and higher bit rates become available. The first article questions the tech, but most agree that MQA offers a better quality reproduction than streamed 16/44 and it's certainly better then MP3; so for right now it's a great technology to augment SQ in streamed music; which we audiophiles want and identify as having monetary value. 

To be honest, I think it's a great invention and should be adopted universally by MQA loosening their valuation of its licensing. It would allow the music industry to implement it more universally and the manufacturing industry to incorporate it more affordable. But that's not the route MQA has chosen. 

I would like MQA in my portable solutions. I don't really care if it's in my high end solutions. And I think most audiophiles will have the same attitude. My high end DAC purchase has been unaffected by the existence of MQA. Would I like to see it in my DAC? Sure. But it's absolutely in no way affecting my purchase decision. But as I said, when I buy a DAP I'd like to get one with MQA. Although I don't think my new portable Chord Hugo2 does MQA nor do I think my iPhones Tidal outputs MQA at this time. I'm not even sure if Androids Tidal (ie. any Android DAP) outputs MQA yet. I think it may only be available on desktop Tidal. Please correct me as I may very well be wrong on that point. 

Someone came up with a better way. Let's see if their method to market, and market demand, will eventually allow that better way to thrive or die. I don't think the average listener (not we audiophiles) gives a flying frisbee if their sound quality gets any better then whatever comes out of their iPhone while listening to their Beats Solo headphones. I mean, these people love their MP3's and don't see the need for better! Either way, there will be no need for MQA in a few years as streaming bitrate channels widen and allow 384k audio and 4K video streaming without obstruction. 

Good times!!!!

@mattnshilp 

Great post (thank you)! IMO, MQA has opened the flood gate on possibilities of higher bit rate streaming. 

Here's to good times 🍻

BTW, LG V30 smartphone will be the first to stream MQA playback. 

"The LG V series is a premium flagship smartphone line designed to provide users with the highest multi-media capabilities and purest audio experience. MQA’s award-winning technology captures and reproduces the sound of the original studio master in a file that’s small enough to stream. The LG V30 handset features integrated MQA playback technology so that master quality sound recordings can be played back via the mobile device".