MQA bails on RMAF

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

Ken (planarspeakerfan), Ed (for the love of music) and I heard the eagles hotel california in MQA on the new Esoteric N01 vs. a CD on the K-01x. We all preferred the CD, but it was close.

Now, it was Ken's CD, and he can elaborate if he reads this, but I think it was a special "gold" remastered CD. It wasn't quite apples to apples, but even so, that actually bolsters the argument that it is the original mastering which matters most.

Exactly; this was in fact one of my points.

[Still-One]

Stephen
The issue of mastering is a non-starter with me. As I have previously posted I have performed the following comparisons in my system.

Tidal MQA version versus the actual CD.
Tidal MQA version versus a CD version that has been stored in Sooloos format.
Tidal MQA version versus a CD version stored on a server I use for Roon content.
Tidal MQA version versus Hi-Rez version stored on both Sooloos and Roon servers.
Purchased MQA version versus Hi-Rez version stored on both Sooloos and Roon servers.

Results:
-I have never heard the streamed or purchased Tidal MQA version sound worse than the CD, Sooloos, or Roon content.
-There are some titles where the MQA and other 16/44 are too similar to worry about.
-I only have a handful of purchased MQA titles but they compete in the same sandbox as the hi-rez versions I own. Some are better, some the same and some not as good.

[W9TR]

W9TR, just curious, were the same songs the exactly the same bit depth & sampling rate (e.g. 24 bit/192 KHz)? Were they mastered by same matering engineer exactly at the same time?

Also, who put on the demo? Was it an indepedent 3rd party or was it put on by a manufacturer or content-provider of MQA content?

Just wanting to know if this was truly a level playing field, or if there was what we refer to in the statistically valid data collection world as "ascertainment bias" involved.

Stephen - I have no idea regarding the provenance of mastering for the files I listened to. They were the same bit depth and sample rate. I did know which were mqa because those were identified clearly by the DAC's in use.

There was no demo at all. This was just me, comparing mqa and non-mqa tracks on very different headphone rigs with different DAC's, headphone amps, and servers over the course of three days. The only common component was tidal streaming.

These observations were sighted and so of course subject to confirmation bias. However, since I just bought a non-mqa capable dac, I really would have preferred to not hear an improvement. But I did. Just like the GD Nordost demos, this is going to cost me some money.

Tom

btw I too like the Schiit approach to multi-bit. Sounds very good.

[audioguru]

My Lumin U1 streamer recently became MQA Certified. So I updated the firmware of the U1 and the unit can now perform the "first MQA unfold" and send my DAC the higher resolution "studio" bit stream when I play Masters albums through the Tidal Hifi streaming service. This means I can get up to a 24 bit, 96Khz version of the bit-stream sent to my DAC. In my experience so far, the sonic results I am hearing with MQA-encoded albums are staggeringly good. Many albums are significantly better than the non-MQA versions of the same albums using Tidal Hifi. Some MQA albums sound the same as their standard 16/44 counterparts, but none of the MQA albums I've played thus far sound worse. Overall, I am very satisfied with the improvements I am hearing through MQA and believe that it is worth the time and investment to find equipment that can support the format. To my ears, the sonic character that I hear from MQA Masters Albums on Tidal Hifi is very much reminiscent to the old DVD-Audio discs in my collection...does anyone remember that format

Bottom line for me - big thumbs up for MQA!

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by W9TR

Just like the GD Nordost demos, this is going to cost me some money.

Tom

Is that a short abbreviation for a bad noun?

I'm familiar with the Nordost and Ansuz lineups & am curious what you meant.

Best Sirs,

Bob

[audioguru]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Everyone has the right to make their own decision one they have had time to audition MQA.

I know from individuals on another site who now get to hear MQA over their Lumin devices, it is pretty obvious where they stand.

Now that my Lumin U1 is MQA-Certified, the sonic results I am hearing with most MQA Albums streamed through Tidal Hifi is a major and significant improvement (to my ears) vs. the original 16/44 version of the same album.

[W9TR]

Is that a short abbreviation for a bad noun?

Nope, just taking the good lord's name in vain and keeping the forum family-friendly.
Tom
P.S. I meant that I really, really didn't want to hear an improvement, but I did. It wasn't subtle.

[vintage_tube]

Originally Posted by W9TR

Nope, just taking the good lord's name in vain and keeping the forum family-friendly.
Tom
P.S. I meant that I really, really didn't want to hear an improvement, but I did. It wasn't subtle.

That's what I thought -- Nordost & Ansuz power products like the Nordost Qbase (Q8, etc) and QV2 Line Harmonizers, like the Odin V1 line were designed under contract by Michael Borresen of Raidho/Ansuz fame. Now, having said all that -- it is quite touchy as royalties factor in (and why Nordost went with a V2 on their Odin line & in-house connectors - drop any V1 royalty payments). Look quite similar to Ansuz Mainz D8 distribution and Sparkz harmonizers.

You can tell the similarities -- however Anzus products continually evolve with tweaks whereas Nordost designs a product and keeps it going to 5-7 years or thereabouts. They are stuck with it -- like their Qbase product, the inputs are vertical -- ever try to plug in 3 Odin Power Cords vertically and keep the Qbase stationary -- the weight pulls the Qbase to an angle. They won't change the design -- that would play havoc with their followers.

Michael learned this & the Ansuz inputs are horizontal. Pretty smart cookie he is BTW. He's now in design phase of a mega, mega expensive AC distributor.

As AC products have developed, I'm no longer a fan of power conditioners -- AC distribution is where it's at IMO. Single dedicated line as well. My 2 cents.

Anyways, Best sir,

Bob

P.S. As we know -- it's not the last 3 feet or so -- it's the first 3 feet of power your system sees.

[W9TR]

Looks like I've got a lot to learn here....

[wklie]

Originally Posted by bart

Marc, is the N01 a full blown MQA DAC?

It will be in the future.

Currently, the MQA implementation is more like a work in progress.