Pamplona62

Thanks Chris. Steve Silberman from AQ provided additional responses on these questions, so his answers below if interested.

Steve, Thank you so much for clarifying future plans for DFs. Very helpful to know about future MQA support. I never knew about the Audio Player Pro, so thanks for the tip!

Chris, Great review as usual! One question for the present and two about the future (you can probably guess what they are): 1) Any compatibility issues regarding DF's with Android or Windows Phone? 2) What are AQ's MQA implementation plans (will these DF's be software upgradeable)? 3) Any future plans for higher data rate support like 192 or DSD? - I hear you groaning already :-) BTW, I saw RATM back in the late 90s at the LA Forum and it was hands down the best concert I've ever attended (PJ and Springsteen included), a sea of undulating bodies. Most unusual concert: a double bill of David Bowie followed by Nine Inch Nails. Both great shows and they shared the stage for an awesome medley, but most of the Bowie audience left after he finished and most of the NIN audience didn't arrive until after Bowie finished. Too bad for them, but it allowed me to move to the front of the stage :-)

The Press Conference was light on details, but I love the passion!

Hopefully, they'll still incorporate MQA. Seems like a great differentiator and added justification for the premium price. If Tidal doesn't, maybe it will push Beats/Apple to do so though that is a long shot. In any case, if MQA really incorporates original source recordings with their promised encoding/decoding benefits in a 1200+/- kps package, then premium streaming services would pretty much provide 95% of my music content needs.

Below are some interesting tidbits on the new Tidal business model. Looks like we'll see content exclusivity windows and bidding wars a la Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Go in the video space. "TechCrunch reports today, citing an article published in Breakit, that musicians are going to make their albums available first on Tidal before bringing them to Spotify and other streaming services after a period of time. That would make Tidal the go-to place for fans of artists like Madonna, Beyoncé, and Kanye West, as their music would be available to stream only on Tidal before reaching sites like Spotify several months later." "There's another big incentive for stars considering bringing their music to Tidal: Money. TechCrunch says that Tidal has been offering to pay artists as much as double the payouts offered by Spotify for every play of their songs. Tidal charges a far higher price than other streaming sites, costing as much as $20 a month for its high-resolution music. That money could be going toward persuading artists to sign up through generous deals." Read more: Jay Z Tidal music streaming press conference in New York - Business Insider

Chris, Have you heard anything about MQA under new Tidal ownership? Are they still planning to support Meridian's encoding in the HiFi $20/mo tier?

Chris, it would be helpful to hear your comparative impressions.

Chris, Really enjoyed meeting you and attending your seminar in Raleigh (I was the one guy reading the website from Afghanistan in 2007). Here's a great story. My wife - a complete non-audiophile who is content listening to music over tinny laptop speakers - had a sonic epiphany at the event. She fell in love with both the sight and sound of the Classe/B&W Nautilus demo and agreed that upgrading to floorstanders in our living room would be worth the decorative sacrifice. It's great to see a novice "get it" and why events like these are so important. BTW, her funniest comment of the evening concerned the Wilson Audio Alexia: "It looks like a subway ticket terminal!" Keep up the great work!