Are any normal audio fans REALLY EXCITED about MQA? Or just the Elites?

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

Alpinist said:
I am interested in MQA. I listened to the Esoteric N-01 at RMAF playing MQA vs. non-MQA files on Tidal and I was impressed with the sound quality. I recently purchased the Berkeley Ref2 MQA DAC, which is an MQA renderer and does the final unfolding of MQA. I am looking forward to purchasing an Aurender MQA N10, which will do core MQA unfolding, when it is released early next year. I have no interest in purchasing MQA files, just listening to the growing Tidal MQA catalog and being able to enjoy full MQA with the Aurender-Berkeley combo.

Ken

Hi Alpinist,
Thank you for chiming in. One of the things more casual fans like me are confused about is where this unfolding takes place. You already have a reference-level DAC. What value would adding an Aurender to the mix? How much of an improvement would that hypothetically get you?

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

KeithR said:
+1. streaming hi res is where its at long term.

i think folks should have more concern about silver discs going away in 5 years.

Don't worry. I listened to compare between a quality CD Transport and an Aurender streamer. While the Aurender had "more detail", it did not have the palpability or realness of the Esoteric. Different products for different tastes.

the sound of Tao · Oct 20, 2017

asiufy said:
+1!

You elite, you

I thought elite was a grounding box... and yes, I want one!

MQA... time will tell if the emperor is wearing anything... ummm Emperor, now that is a grounding box and yes I still want one.

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

still-one said:
I wouldn't purchase a DAC that cannot do full MQA. The number of MQA titles available in one year could exceed the number of SACD titles released since 2002. The titles are a mix of every genre and includes some of the new music titles that are released each Friday and not just the SOS we grew old with. In general I get better SQ and so far have not had to pay more for the MQA I listen to.

Can't you just press a button on your Aurender for it do MQA?

still-one · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
Can't you just press a button on your Aurender for it do MQA?

I don't have Aurender.

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

still-one said:
I wouldn't purchase a DAC that cannot do full MQA. The number of MQA titles available in one year could exceed the number of SACD titles released since 2002. The titles are a mix of every genre and includes some of the new music titles that are released each Friday and not just the SOS we grew old with. In general I get better SQ and so far have not had to pay more for the MQA I listen to.

I was reading that all the major music companies have converted their entire catalogs to MQA. Why are these just trickling out? If they already converted this music to MQA, why not just let people access to all of it?

still-one · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
I was reading that all the major music companies have converted their entire catalogs to MQA. Why are these just trickling out? If they already converted this music to MQA, why not just let people access to all of it?

No one outside of the music companies and Tidal seems to know how these titles are being "MQA'd" and provided to Tidal. Some of delay is probably due Regional rights, other than that we have no idea. I doubt that all of the catalogs have been converted but the flow of new titles has been steady lately. The closet we have to a complete list seems to be this one here.

http://www.meridianunplugged.com/downloads/MQA_List.csv

twitch · Oct 20, 2017

What's MQA ??? ...........

KeithR · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
Don't worry. I listened to compare between a quality CD Transport and an Aurender streamer. While the Aurender had "more detail", it did not have the palpability or realness of the Esoteric. Different products for different tastes.

No offense, but your compare doesn't really matter. The studios are going to drop discs altogether at some point and most companies have ceased making cdps. most car companies have gotten rid of them in the past year. retail stores like best buy hardly stock cds anymore. and nobody under the age of 30 has seen one.

dare i say, cds are now a niche format and will be relegated to audiophile labels only.

NorthStar · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
Are there any normal guys out there who are really excited about MQA? My impression on the MQA files I have heard streamed so far is that they have also been remastered. So I don't know if I am hearing improvements due to MQA or remastering.

Any regular people REALLY EXCITED about this new technology, or just more drek pushed on us from out of touch elites?

What do you consider "normal guys"? ...Regular people like us here?

Is MQA present on our LPs, on our CD music collection, or do we need to buy new music and new audio stuff to follow the general mass/master trend? Is it going to enhance life and other things attached to life, our life?

MQA I only know what others have written about it and I don't feel an urgent need to adapt and adopt.
Maybe I'm missing an important piece of a music puzzle here, and it would be sad to discover that my Pink Floyd music collection is not what was first intended to sound like. I would probably have sleepless nights just thinking about it. Maybe I'm thinking too much?

NorthStar · Oct 20, 2017

twitch said:
What's MQA ??? ...........

Dave, quite happy to oblige:
https://www.whathifi.com/advice/mqa-audio-what-it-how-can-you-get-it

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

KeithR said:
No offense, but your compare doesn't really matter. The studios are going to drop discs altogether at some point and most companies have ceased making cdps. most car companies have gotten rid of them in the past year. retail stores like best buy hardly stock cds anymore. and nobody under the age of 30 has seen one.

dare i say, cds are now a niche format and will be relegated to audiophile labels only.

Used ones aren't going anywhere, and most new music sucks.

Listening to Robert Plant's new CD in my car, and it's just ok....

Oh where Oh where is the Michael Fremer of CD Transports?

I hope one emerges!

twitch · Oct 20, 2017

NorthStar said:
Dave, quite happy to oblige:
https://www.whathifi.com/advice/mqa-audio-what-it-how-can-you-get-it

Thanks Bob........I was being sarcastic !

caesar · Oct 20, 2017

still-one said:
No one outside of the music companies and Tidal seems to know how these titles are being "MQA'd" and provided to Tidal. Some of delay is probably due Regional rights, other than that we have no idea. I doubt that all of the catalogs have been converted but the flow of new titles has been steady lately. The closet we have to a complete list seems to be this one here.

http://www.meridianunplugged.com/downloads/MQA_List.csv

Thank you

NorthStar · Oct 20, 2017

twitch said:
Thanks Bob........I was being sarcastic !

I wasn't.

asiufy · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
Used ones aren't going anywhere, and most new music sucks. Listening to Robert Plant's new CD in my car, and it's just ok....

Oh where Oh where is the Michael Fremer of CD Transports?
I hope one emerges!

That is true. Used CDs are hot right now, believe it or not! With used records commanding higher and higher pricing, people are falling back on the $1 CD, as the $1 LP is long, long gone.

I was just at a local record store, and they've scaled back their space for new indie LPs, and covered it all with used CDs, most in the $3-$5 range.

You might recall that just when LPs were supposed to be dying, the record stores did great buying people's collections for cents. I see the same happening right now for CDs.

Vinyl bounced back for sure, but will CDs?

NorthStar · Oct 20, 2017

That's interesting; rewind to the past in reselling what has been precious all along but not fully discovered because DACs still keep improving.
I like that; equal chance for the physical digital medium as it was with analogue.

They do with DVD and Blu-ray too.

Alpinist · Oct 20, 2017

caesar said:
Hi Alpinist,
Thank you for chiming in. One of the things more casual fans like me are confused about is where this unfolding takes place. You already have a reference-level DAC. What value would adding an Aurender to the mix? How much of an improvement would that hypothetically get you?

Hi Caesar,

The Aurender N10 MQA, when it’s released in early 2018, will do MQA core decoding. The Lumin U1 MQA already does it. The final level of MQA decoding will be done at the Berkeley Ref2 MQA DAC (a renderer), delivering full MQA. There are some DACs already out that do full MQA decoding themselves, such as Meridian. As good as the Berkeley Ref2 DAC sounds on Tidal non-MQA files, it should sound even better on Tidal MQA files, based on my listening experience with the Esoteric N-01 on Tidal non-MQA and MQA files. My opinion of course, YMMV.

Best,
Ken

rockitman · Oct 20, 2017

I don’t have the foggiest about MQA.

Al M. · Oct 20, 2017

KeithR said:
No offense, but your compare doesn't really matter. The studios are going to drop discs altogether at some point and most companies have ceased making cdps. most car companies have gotten rid of them in the past year. retail stores like best buy hardly stock cds anymore. and nobody under the age of 30 has seen one.

dare i say, cds are now a niche format and will be relegated to audiophile labels only.

Since when was Deutsche Grammophon an audiophile label?

Are any normal audio fans REALLY EXCITED about MQA? Or just the Elites?

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