Tidal CD vs MQA sound quality?

[FDPDK]

He he yes i just tried it on my Imac , and i think that Masters are probably the same as MQA for instance Paul Simons album The Werewolf is in MQA on my Lumin Streamer in 24 bit 48 Khz...and thats probably the same for the Desktop .

[Nacho]

Originally Posted by PMCH

I found that I have become a Tidal MQA addict for streamed music. For me, when I am listening to Tidal, I find that I have preferred the MQA version over the CD version of any song that I have listened to. Can anyone recommend any songs that sound better or the same from Tidal in CD quality over MQA quality and I will check it out. I am not trying to compare HiRes, CD's or SACD's to Tidal, just Tidal CD and MQA quality. I do have a MQA DAC so I get the final unfold.

Pure Heroin album by LORDE.
On my Wadax Atlantis Server and Arcadia DAC Tidal pcm version sounds better than the MQA one....

[Robc33]

Originally Posted by PMCH

I found that I have become a Tidal MQA addict for streamed music. For me, when I am listening to Tidal, I find that I have preferred the MQA version over the CD version of any song that I have listened to. Can anyone recommend any songs that sound better or the same from Tidal in CD quality over MQA quality and I will check it out. I am not trying to compare HiRes, CD's or SACD's to Tidal, just Tidal CD and MQA quality. I do have a MQA DAC so I get the final unfold.

Hi Paul. I have found a few songs that I prefer on Tidal in 44.1 vs MQA. ZZ Top's "Blue Jean Blues' is one that sticks out. It just seems to have more weight to the guitar notes. The MQA version just sounds a bit 'thinner". I usually listen to both versions before I add them to my favorites, but I would say that most of the times I prefer the MQA.

[PMCH]

Rob, I just compared your suggestion of ZZ Top's "Blue Jeans Blues" on Tidal of the 44.1 vs the MQA versions. You are correct. I also find I prefer the 44.1 version. The 44.1 version was labeled as a new "Expanded & Remastered Edition", that may have made a big difference.

Nacho, LORDE is not an artist that I would usually listen to but I did give it a try on Tidal of the "Pure Heroin" album in CD quality vs MQA quality and in this instance definitely prefer the sound quality of the MQA version.

[Nacho]

Originally Posted by PMCH

Nacho, LORDE is not an artist that I would usually listen to but I did give it a try on Tidal of the "Pure Heroin" album in CD quality vs MQA quality and in this instance definitely prefer the sound quality of the MQA version.

Hi PMCH.
Pure Heroin is a good test album.
Extremely dynamic, with tons of bass and saturate sound.
On MQA versions it sounds sweeter but the punch is on the pcm version.
The key is system dependent. On mine i can listen the pcm version with stunning punch and saturation with right extension without any distortion.
Don’t you like the pcm version because it sounds distorted?
Regards.

[PMCH]

Nacho, I am not a fan of Lorde but I gave Pure Heroin another try since it is so easy to switch between CD quality and MQA quality on Tidal. I am not a fan of Lorde but for me the MQA version sounds better. Perhaps it is my DACs or my old ears.
For new music I will listen more to a group such as Manhattan Transfer playing their new album "The Junction" I hear a big improvement in MQA over CD quality of sound when played through Tidal.

[PaulRS]

I don't have an MQA DAC so I just get the first unfold (to either 96 or 88.2KHz), but yes, I have been very impressed with MQA on Tidal. Compared to the same recording on CD I get a wider, deeper soundstage and more detail. Nearly as good as LP ��