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Why is everyone so down on MQA?

Ok. MQA is a little bit complicated to understand without doing a little research. First of all: MQA is not technically a lossy format. The way it works is very unique. The original master tape (Holy grail of SQ) is folded or compressed into a smaller format. It is later unfolded through a process I don’t claim to understand. The fully processed final version is lossless! It is the song version from the original master tape. FYI, original master tapes are usually the best sounding, they are also the truest version of any song- they are painstakingly produced along with the artist in the studio during the recording process. Ask anyone, they are the real deal. For some reason most people hate the sound quality! One caveat, the folding/unfolding process is usually carried out at one time by a dac. But some dacs only compress and do not unfold….I think Meridian should explain dac/ streamer compatibility issue. When your hardware supports the single step the sound quality is pretty amazing. They should have explained in more detail what the format is all about.

128x128walkenfan2013
yoyoyaya's avatar
yoyoyaya
809 posts
 

MQA sounds processed - no surprise there as that's what it is - heavily processed at that.

As multiple posters above have said, in an era when there is no problem streaming high sample rate / word length files, MQA is obsolete.

That's along with the fact that the majority of the recordings out there are 16 bit and 44 or 48khz masters, for which MQA is completely irrelevant.

pedroeb
493 posts
 

Radio Paradise had two channels. One plays 16/44 and the other plays MQA and for the life of me, I can’t hear the difference. 

I can, but then my Bluesound has been fitted with a DC power card and I have an overkill external power supply (5 amp instead of the recommended 3A) so there's no chance of the slightest voltage drop or ripple. A shielded power cable connects the two. I also have a top notch interconnect to my amplifier. Without these, I agree they sound very similar.

It's all about achieving the best you can with the equipment you have before looking to go down replacement rabbit hole.

duckworp's avatar
duckworp
257 posts
 

I really am surprised MQA has lasted so long. Back in 2017 I gave it 5 years tops, and it is still going. Very strange. 

hickamore
690 posts
 

As said above, "MQA sounds processed." Does not sound like real music. For me that's where it starts and ends. Tried Tidal, loathed MQA, switched to Qobuz, happy ever since. Knowing the history, the technology, the rationales is worthwhile. But if you enjoy listening to a vaguely realistic rendering of actual musical sound performed in real space, you need only a pair of mediocre ears to determine that MQA is not your ticket. 

mesonto
92 posts
 

MQA lol! I thought this solution looking for a problem would have died already as well. And it does sound overly processed.

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