MQA encoding

[Vintagear]

I found the YouTube video's by Hans Beekhuyzen to be helpful in explaining MQA.

Thanks for posting these excellent videos. As you know I've been a Tidal Hi-Fi supporter since day one in 2014 (U.S). Since then, I've been trying to get the word out.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-here-high-res-coming-later-this-year.669761/

I've been looking forward to hearing the improvements MQA has to offer over Tidal's already exceptional HI-FI sound quality. Get the word out folks, support Tidal. We need a company like this to survive because they are one of the few streaming/download providers giving us what we want...better sound quality.

 

[chicks]

Well of course. Do you have a better idea/means as to how they could license and monetize their codec?

Yeah, I really don't get all the cheerleading going on for another closed, proprietary format. The "journalists" at Stereophile et al are, as usual, showing their complete lack of objectivity. The claims of better sound quality are, as always, highly suspect, and have yet to be subjected to blind tests. Plenty of skepticism over on hydrogenaudio, which is one of the few places where objectivity is the rule in the audio world.

We'll see if this goes anywhere. Not holding my breath.

 

[ducati_EL34]

I've been looking forward to hearing the improvements MQA has to offer over Tidal's already exceptional HI-FI sound quality. Get the word out folks, support Tidal. We need a company like this to survive because they are one of the few streaming/download providers giving us what we want...better sound quality.

Thanks for posting these excellent videos. As you know I've been a Tidal Hi-Fi supporter since day one in 2014 (U.S). Since then, I've been trying to get the word out.

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index....-here-high-res-coming-later-this-year.669761/

I've been looking forward to hearing the improvements MQA has to offer over Tidal's already exceptional HI-FI sound quality. Get the word out folks, support Tidal. We need a company like this to survive because they are one of the few streaming/download providers giving us what we want...better sound quality.

I do not do free advertising for companies, especially ones that over charge.

 

[Vintagear]

I do not do free advertising for companies, especially ones that over charge.

That's cool. I'm happy to pay the $19.99 because it sounds fantastic and I have access to a decent (not perfect) library of music that i would not have otherwise.

Think of advertising as a way of ultimately lowering the price. If Tidal fails other providers will not venture into FLAC streaming. If it succeeds others will want a piece of the pie and competition will force prices to drop. Streaming is the future, I for one would like to see a future with the availability of HI-FI streaming and not just 320kbs so I advertise for selfish reasons.

 

[ducati_EL34]

That's cool. I'm happy to pay the $19.99 because it sounds fantastic and I have access to a decent (not perfect) library of music that i would not have otherwise.

Think of advertising as a way of ultimately lowering the price. If Tidal fails other providers will not venture into FLAC streaming. If it succeeds others will want a piece of the pie and competition will force prices to drop. Streaming is the future, I for one would like to see a future with the availability of HI-FI streaming and not just 320kbs so I advertise for selfish reasons.

Streaming will be an option in the future, but not the only one. I will continue to buy CDs and create my own FLAC files, for my media server. I also continue to buy LPs, so I will have plenty of music to listen to.

Tidal having an enormous amount of music does not matter to me, if I do not like it.

 

[guest110]

Streaming of studio master quality files is a game-changer. I'm not saying this is going to be easy, complete, or inexpensive, but at least there is an effort. I'd dump all my other source equipment if this became a reality with full library of content..

 

[Condorsat]

Streaming of studio master quality files is a game-changer. I'm not saying this is going to be easy, complete, or inexpensive, but at least there is an effort. I'd dump all my other source equipment if this became a reality with full library of content..

IMHO ... that's what the resistance to MQA in the blogs is all about ... many "feel" that John Q Public will do the same thing ... aside from Vinyl which will remain a quaint niche format. Keeping in mind ... most millennials are not into vinyl for the primary purpose of sound quality.

Hard media is in trouble if the final justification (sound quality) is taken away. IMHO ... it's just a matter of time ... technology just keeps moving forward. Digital playback (even on smart phones for the general public) will continue to get better and more affordable.

 

[chicks]

Warner Bros is the first major label to get on the bus. SACD all over again?

http://www.whathifi.com/news/warner-music-group-becomes-first-big-label-to-adopt-mqa

 

[gravis82]

IMHO ... that's what the resistance to MQA in the blogs is all about ... many "feel" that John Q Public will do the same thing ... aside from Vinyl which will remain a quaint niche format. Keeping in mind ... most millennials are not into vinyl for the primary purpose of sound quality.

Hard media is in trouble if the final justification (sound quality) is taken away. IMHO ... it's just a matter of time ... technology just keeps moving forward. Digital playback (even on smart phones for the general public) will continue to get better and more affordable.

most millennials are not into vinyl for sound quality? Why then are they into it? I think the definition of millennials are those between hen age of 20 and 34ish right now? Wouldn't the recent rise in turntables and LPS in the last 15 years be almost solely due to this demographic discovering vinyl, and loving it?

 

[Condorsat]

MQA should be interesting once it get's off the ground.

 

[Rob84]

MQA would be more interesting if it could "upcode" a FLAC file already ripped from cd. I am not going to re-purchase my music collection just to get MQA encoded files. I have spent alot of money on my vast music library already.

 

[Erik Tracy]

MQA would be more interesting if it could "upcode" a FLAC file already ripped from cd. I am not going to re-purchase my music collection just to get MQA encoded files. I have spent alot of money on my vast music library already.

Well, you also need an MQA licensed DAC.

Only time will tell if the different music corps will actually open their 'vaults' to MQA mastering/encoding/distribution.

MQA could even benefit physical media - including vinyl (as I understand it from a talk by JA of TAS). So, MQA is like MSG - it makes ALL food taste better.

So, I'll sit on the sidelines for now to see how this plays out for physical media, cuz streaming doesn't work for me on so many levels.

 

[Rob84]

Well, you also need an MQA licensed DAC.

Only time will tell if the different music corps will actually open their 'vaults' to MQA mastering/encoding/distribution.

MQA could even benefit physical media - including vinyl (as I understand it from a talk by JA of TAS). So, MQA is like MSG - it makes ALL food taste better.

So, I'll sit on the sidelines for now to see how this plays out for physical media, cuz streaming doesn't work for me on so many levels.

Yes, I agree. Streaming is ok to discover new music but I prefer to own albums that I like. Streaming still makes you at the mercy of someone else's bias. I am sure half the bands I listen to I would never find on Tidal. With my own collection, I am in command of my music. It's that simple to me.

 

[lizard84]

Well, from looking at your avatar I can tell you that have a load of Blue Oyster Cult.

Posters that don't believe their kind music is available on Tidal are misinformed, I'm currently on a John Gorka kick, and Bill Laswell, and The Chopin Project. Three completely different styles of music far removed from the suggested content on the home page.

Given the sound quality and vast content I can attest that above all Tidal is not overpriced.

 

[gravis82]

Here's my take on it.

It's a spinning hard media disc that has a non-digital sound to it ... analog artifacts that would be appealing to those who never experienced it.

There are many video's on YouTube that got a lot of hits which show a turntable spinning a record... young folk find it fascinating ... most were not raised w/ it.

Many don't even mind surface noise and think it's cool. I once gave a perfect copy of Steve Miller's The Joker and a young co-worker (I gave it too) remarked that it did not sound like a record ... pop's, clicks, crackle ... etc ... which he enjoys. He just uses the product different than I would ... I prefer dead quiet vinyl.

Also some young people like to shop or browse a record store just like the generation before ... it's an experience that you can't get with a click click device. It's physical activity, ritual or fun thing to do.

Think of it this way ... how would you explain stocks of $20 to $50 + LPs with stack of Crosley TT's next to it?

Now I said some ... I've talked to young people (not many) who were into the sound of vinyl.

Recent rise in TT solely due to young demographic .... no ...however lately I"m the old man in the record store ... a record store I visit a couple times a year .... gave me discount because the owner said "we don't get many gray hairs in here anymore".

Saying that the resurgence of vinyl is solely due to the fact that young folk like to hear clicks and pops is fairly naive. How many millennials do you know exactly? Rega and project are making a mint on 500 dollar turntables. Many people would love to buy better ones like you have to hear even better quality, but just cant afford it because the baby boomers are holding onto all the wealth right now in our society. See, I can make wide generalizations too.