Streaming vs traditional

willemj, Since you are a scientific guy, I’m sure you know that double blind tests that have not been published in a peer reviewed journal have zero scientific credibility. I am not a scientist, but I can assure you that that study would not survive peer review and would never be published in a peer reviewed journal.

I’m not opposed to blind testing in audio, in fact, I’m for it. It’s just not scientific evidence. It could be used to see who has the best ears or the most revealing system or who is being a little too hyperbolic in their reviews at a given point in time and in specific circumstances, but that’s about it. It can’t tell you which gear or music or format you will like in the long run.

I’m sure that Meridian has double blind tests that show that MQA sounds superior to cds. So who’s right?

I don’t know if MQA sounds better than cds. I have read comments from many people who have heard it and believe it does. I think that streaming is a great thing and right now you can get MQA thrown in for free, so anyone who is interested should check it out and decide for themselves. If you’re not sure, just wait a couple years and see whether they can convince enough people that it’s worthwhile that it survives in the marketplace. We don’t have to wave double blind studies at each other, time will tell.

Since this thread has drifted over to MQA, see my post here of many of the hi-fi brands incorporating MQA into their models.
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/dac-streamer-mqa-wireless-besides-bluesound.
I don’t know if it will last, but I thought I read two large record companies are making MQA versions of their entire collections, Universal Music Group (UMG), and Warner Music Group (with Sony Music Entertainment on the fence right now).

To the best of my knowledge Meridian have never published any of their work in a scientific journal.

@willemj 

Firstly, peer review is terrible these days as is the awfully poor quality of scientific "research". 

Secondly, If you believe lower resolution audio files will help save our planet against catastrophic global warming then you have really been heavily caught up in the current du jour end of the world quasi-religious fervour.

FWIW I have deep knowledge of atmospheric physics and I can assure you that our atmosphere is as healthy as it has ever been. Additions of atmospheric C02 are simply returning sequestered CO2 back to the atmosphere and it is an exceptionally good thing - it really helps nature and plant life that all thrive on CO2 and die of starvation when levels fall below 150ppm. Fortunately, the atmosphere is a complex system dominated by water vapour and convection and NOT measurably influenced by CO2 - albedo effect or cloud cover being the biggest variable factor which is water vapour related and another big factor being planetary motion.