MQA Discussion

[crwilli]

So am I right that Tidal streams MQA files and into a non-MQA DAC, it shows as 24 bit/48HZ while on a 'MQA' DAC, it comes through as 24 bit/xxx, whatever the native xxx rate is?

[audio bill]

Originally Posted by crwilli

So am I right that Tidal streams MQA files and into a non-MQA DAC, it shows as 24 bit/48HZ while on a 'MQA' DAC, it comes through as 24 bit/xxx, whatever the native xxx rate is?

If you use the Tidal desktop app and have it set to Exclusive mode for a connected non-MQA DAC, then it can send up to 24/96 with MQA Master file playback. This has been verified by many users.

[crwilli]

Originally Posted by audio bill

If you use the Tidal desktop app and have it set to Exclusive mode for a connected non-MQA DAC, then it can send up to 24/96 with MQA Master file playback. This has been verified by many users.

I would then have to ask why anyone with a DAC that gives them all they want today, would ever sell it to enable MQA. It would seem it was not gives you 24/192 versus 24/48 or 96 without.

If that is the case, what is the Business model of the owners? Whatever Tidal is paying them can't be it.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by crwilli

I would then have to ask why anyone with a DAC that gives them all they want today, would ever sell it to enable MQA. It would seem it was not gives you 24/192 versus 24/48 or 96 without.

If that is the case, what is the Business model of the owners? Whatever Tidal is paying them can't be it.

Could you clarify your question.

[crwilli]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Could you clarify your question.

Sure.

I think Meridian developed and owns MQA and would assume they want to sell equipment - e.g. DACs and CD players. But, allowing Tidal (as the first but perhaps not the last) to use their new technology as to stream 24 bit music AND allowing any DAC to see 24 bit streams, they would seem to be giving up any competitive advantage IF the only difference between a non-MQA DAC and a MQA capable DAC is 24/48 versus 24/192

I would not spend money to get 24/192 if I have 24/48... case in point. I can listen to 'Idina' (an MQA album) via Tidal in Roon that shows a 24/48 source file from Tidal. In your Meridian DAC, you receive 24/192 - cool but that is not enough different to catalyze me or many, to sell their existing DAC and buy a Meridian.

Clearly, there are assumptions in my question that if incorrect, could change my conclusion.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by crwilli

Sure. I think Meridian developed and owns MQA and would assume they want to sell equipment - e.g. DACs and CD players. But, allowing Tidal (as the first but perhaps not the last) to use their new technology as to stream 24 bit music AND allowing any DAC to see 24 bit streams, they would seem to be giving up any competitive advantage IF the only difference between a non-MQA DAC and a MQA capable DAC is 24/48 versus 24/192 I would not spend money to get 24/192 if I have 24/48... case in point. I can listen to 'Idina' (an MQA album) via Tidal in Roon that shows a 24/48 source file from Tidal. In your Meridian DAC, you receive 24/192 - cool but that is not enough different to catalyze me or many, to sell their existing DAC and buy a Meridian. Clearly, there are assumptions in my question that if incorrect, could change my conclusion.

Everything is not yet clear whether what we are getting now is what we will be getting in the future. Actually on Idina I see 48k too. On other albums I see 96k or 88k or 192k, whatever's the original source was BUT until a update comes I think Meridians DACs output 96k. As you say that is plenty good. How MQA makes money off software decoding I don't know but even if they weren't separate companies meridian doesn't sell enough gear to make it off hardware.

No one will have to buy Meridian. There will be too many options out there soon. I'm guessing from $200 to $100k. Heck, it seems a lot of people are happy with Tidal's SQ via their ap. Keep what you got if you have USB. I will stick with the hardware solution.

[doggiehowser]

Originally Posted by Soundserge

According to the Q&A with Bob Stuart on computeraudiophile, MQA does not use apodizing filters.

That's odd. John Atkinson also had the same understanding that they used a variant of the apodizing filter as well

http://www.stereophile.com/content/m...ExkwMmPTviS.97



I understand that mastering with MQA uses Meridian's "apodizing filter" but fine-tuned to the actual A/D converter originally used. According to Bob Stuart, this is possible because 1) there is only a small population of professional A/D converters and 2) record companies actually keep good records on what converter was used for the original sessions and/or mastering. Almost all CDs from the early 1980s, for example, were mastered with one of the Sony PCM1600 family.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

[Levitator]

I am playing via the DAC in my C2500 using a Linn streamer and it appears as 32/192 for some of the music within Tidal Masters

[Soundserge]

Originally Posted by crwilli

Sure.

I think Meridian developed and owns MQA and would assume they want to sell equipment - e.g. DACs and CD players.

[...]

In your Meridian DAC, you receive 24/192 - cool but that is not enough different to catalyze me or many, to sell their existing DAC and buy a Meridian.

Clearly, there are assumptions in my question that if incorrect, could change my conclusion.

If you're interested, it's worth finding the long Q&A Bob Stuart did on computeraudiophile. There's more to MQA than bitrates, but last night I was streaming one of the albums from the 2L label and it showed MQA. 352k on my Meridian DAC.

MQA was developed at Meridian but is not owned by Meridian any longer. There are already third party DACs that are MQA ready, including ones from Mytek, MSB, Aurender, Brinkmann etc. dCS is working to implement MQA in their DACs as well, according to their web site.

[Soundserge]

Originally Posted by doggiehowser

That's odd. John Atkinson also had the same understanding that they used a variant of the apodizing filter as well

http://www.stereophile.com/content/m...ExkwMmPTviS.97



I understand that mastering with MQA uses Meridian's "apodizing filter" but fine-tuned to the actual A/D converter originally used. According to Bob Stuart, this is possible because 1) there is only a small population of professional A/D converters and 2) record companies actually keep good records on what converter was used for the original sessions and/or mastering. Almost all CDs from the early 1980s, for example, were mastered with one of the Sony PCM1600 family.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Odd indeed. Bob is pretty adamant about it in the Q&A, "MQA does not use apodizing"...