MQA is Vaporware

[crenca]

For me, this is the biggest thing. I couldn't care less about Tidal offering MQA as long as I can opt out and continue rebook resolution streaming. If I can't switch MQA off, I will cancel even though 95% of my digital listening is via tidal.

 

You will be canceling - Tidal is switching to a DRM service...the 16/44 versions of the MQA albums are NOT available.

[christopher3393]

MQA now available on Tidal. Just loaded the app. No change in price for Premium subscribers. A couple of new threads have been started on this already. Suggesting that they be combined into the thread Chris started.

[barrows]

Does this change any views?

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/big-mqa-news-really-tidal-and-software-decoding-etc-31151/

 

Yes, it scares me that MQA might actually catch on. I am a firm believer that MQA is a solution for a nonexistent problem: I do not need to compress my music for any reason, storage is very affordable, and I prefer to purchase the music I listen to rather than stream. Looking at the potential for additional artifacts from the MQA process, i would rather not have those in my playback. Better sound quality? Is The Emperor naked?

Perhaps it is time to buy more music before it is too late...

[crenca]

Yes, it scares me that MQA might actually catch on. I am a firm believer that MQA is a solution for a nonexistent problem: I do not need to compress my music for any reason, storage is very affordable, and I prefer to purchase the music I listen to rather than stream. Looking at the potential for additional artifacts from the MQA process, i would rather not have those in my playback. Better sound quality? Is The Emperor naked?

Perhaps it is time to buy more music before it is too late...

 

Actually, it is probably too late (thinking pessimistically here). It is similar to where we were at with video in 90's and while tape is still available the DRM (i.e. DVD) is getting ready to take over and the "hook" is Superior video quality. With video the improvement was real and palatable - with MQA it will be marginal at best - most of the time it will be like discussing the sound of USB cables. But none of that matters because it is not really about sound quality, and the majority of (musical) consumers will be snookered unknowingly into our glorious DRM future when they buy thier next phone...

[bogi]

Perhaps it is time to buy more music before it is too late...

 

If MQA will accelerate sales of ordinary music content then I found something positive on MQA.

[Rt66indierock]

Acoustic Sounds lists their DSD Downloads by genre/category. They are indeed listing DSD titles in those categories, and more....

 

DSD Downloads By Genre (28)

=======================

Classical (252)

Jazz (244)

Pop/Rock (88)

Blues (44)

Female Vocalists (22)

Folk Rock (21)

R&B/Soul (12)

World (10)

Soundtrack (6)

Guitar (4)

Easy Listening (4)

Country (4)

Folk (3)

Alternative (3)

Vocals (3)

Organ (3)

Christmas/Holiday (2)

Bluegrass (2)

Blues-Rock (2)

Piano (1)

Metal (1)

Singer/Songwriter (1)

Swing (1)

Male Vocalist (1)

Percussion (1)

Sampler (1)

Zydeco (1)

Latin (1)

 

Vinyl Records, SACDs, DVD Audio, Audiophile Equipment|Acoustic Sounds

 

Yesterday on Amazon there were about 26,000 SACDs. That is none in the overall scheme of things. I wish everyone using the argument I found a few albums in the genre so there is music would stop. In the US 12% of the music buying public is Country. You found four albums. Do you see a problem? You found a short afternoon of listening that is all.

[weldp]

You will be canceling - Tidal is switching to a DRM service...the 16/44 versions of the MQA albums are NOT available.

 

The original redbook versions are still there. Look at Enya "Dark Sky Island". You can play that and see HIFI displayed or you can play Enya "Dark Sky Island (Deluxe)" and see MASTER displayed.

[Rt66indierock]

Does this change any views?

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f8-general-forum/big-mqa-news-really-tidal-and-software-decoding-etc-31151/

 

Not for me I can divide the number of tracks 30,000 by the average number of tracks on a CD 12 and get 2,500 albums. Still vaporware sorry. It is better than nothing but not by much.

 

And a good question for you how many MQA enabled DACs were sold in the US in 2016?

[Samuel T Cogley]

Not for me I can divide the number of tracks 30,000 by the average number of tracks on a CD 12 and get 2,500 albums. Still vaporware sorry. It is better than nothing but not by much.

 

And a good question for you how many MQA enabled DACs were sold in the US in 2016?

 

With software decoding now in the mix, this particular issue goes away.

[crenca]

The original redbook versions are still there. Look at Enya "Dark Sky Island". You can play that and see HIFI displayed or you can play Enya "Dark Sky Island (Deluxe)" and see MASTER displayed.

 

No, the original 16/44 albums are being replaced with the DRMed ones. There used to be 3 16/44 versions of Fleetwood Mac's Rumours - 1 "original" (I will call it), 1 "Deluxe", and 1 "Super Deluxe". Now there are 2 16/44 versions (both of the "deluxe's") and 1 DRM (i.e. the "original"). The original 16/44 version is gone.

 

If you play the DRM version in the Chrome app for example (or Andriod, etc.) the "HIFI" still shows up (and not "MASTER") but I would bet real $money$ that it is the DRM version that is actually being streamed - why would they waste resources keeping the 16/44 in storage? Besides, the lables don't want 16/44 (or any other normal/high res non DRMed version) around and probably are insisting on it. The Chrome and phone apps will be updated soon anyways.

 

Sorry, it is only a matter of (a little) time...

[crenca]

With software decoding now in the mix, this particular issue goes away.

 

Yes and no. No - according to the marketing hype (i.e. Bob), you need the hardware (you can't be using a "legacy DAC") to get the full effect of MQA because software decoding does not get you everything MQA does. Yes - since it is not REALLY about SQ anyways, a software decoding solution gets you enough MQA that most consumers will be able to "hear" the effect and be convinced that is all worth it and everyone will get what they are looking for - more $sales$...

[Samuel T Cogley]

Yes and no. No - according to the marketing hype (i.e. Bob), you need the hardware (you can't be using a "legacy DAC") to get the full effect of MQA because software decoding does not get you everything MQA does. Yes - since it is not REALLY about SQ anyways, a software decoding solution gets you enough MQA that most consumers will be able to "hear" the effect and be convinced that is all worth it and everyone will get what they are looking for - more $sales$...

 

Did not know this, thanks.

[firedog]

couldn't get it to work anyway. Tidal kept telling me I had to have the computer output set to 41k for it to work. So the master versions were played back in 41k

[crenca]

couldn't get it to work anyway. Tidal kept telling me I had to have the computer output set to 41k for it to work. So the master versions were played back in 41k

 

Take your ASIO driver out of shared mode and allow it to take full control...this may "fix" and get your DRM working correctly... LOL!

[MikeJazz]

Now I'm worried if I don't have a way to avoid MQA streams. I don't want it and I don't need it. Since the only DAC with decoder I have (Meridian) performs especially poorly with MQA content and is not great in other ways either, I don't want the quality degradation compared to RedBook when playing it in "compatibility" way.

 

Maybe it's time to cancel my Tidal subscription. I can get quality degraded streaming for cheaper from Spotify.

 

Still most of the content is not MQA.

I have just one album I could compare between MQA and HiRez, which is the beautiful "Belezza Crudel" from 2L.

[miguelito]

Yes and no. No - according to the marketing hype (i.e. Bob), you need the hardware (you can't be using a "legacy DAC") to get the full effect of MQA because software decoding does not get you everything MQA does. Yes - since it is not REALLY about SQ anyways, a software decoding solution gets you enough MQA that most consumers will be able to "hear" the effect and be convinced that is all worth it and everyone will get what they are looking for - more $sales$...

If we are talking about cheap DACs like the Explorer2, then yes probably DAC tailoring means that hardware decoding should sound better than software decoding - and btw someone with an Explorer2 could check right now.

 

But for high-end DACs this is an entirely different story.

[Vincent1234]

I think Tidal is going to charge you something extra to stream MQA. I was told by MQA representatives at RMAF 2016 that it would cost $40 a month.

Not true. Today's announcement by Tidal states that all current and new Tidal Hifi members will keep paying $/€/£20 while getting the 'Master' files included.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[Vincent1234]

Yes. I think if they charge $40 a month they will get a subscriber base worldwide numbering in the thousands. Maybe not over 10000 in total. My guess is it will sound a little better than Redbook streaming and almost no one will think it is worth the price. Just as relatively few feel Redbook streaming is worth the additional cost over mp3.

See my previous comment.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[The Computer Audiophile]

Not true. Today's announcement by Tidal states that all current and new Tidal Hifi members will keep paying $/€/£20 while getting the 'Master' files included.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

Given that Tidal didn't have representation at RMAF, I'm skeptical of the original claim.

[Vincent1234]

Given that Tidal didn't have representation at RMAF, I'm skeptical of the original claim.

Hmm, wasn't that claim done by Tidal themselves..? Maybe I misread.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Computer Audiophile mobile app

[bengl3rt]

Now I'm worried if I don't have a way to avoid MQA streams. I don't want it and I don't need it. Since the only DAC with decoder I have (Meridian) performs especially poorly with MQA content and is not great in other ways either, I don't want the quality degradation compared to RedBook when playing it in "compatibility" way.

 

Maybe it's time to cancel my Tidal subscription. I can get quality degraded streaming for cheaper from Spotify.

Hear hear. Looking for a "force FLAC/PCM" button in settings.

[MikeJazz]

Hear hear. Looking for a "force FLAC/PCM" button in settings.

 

It's already there:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-music-downloads-and-streaming/mqa-processing-can-be-disabled-31161/

[Samuel T Cogley]

It's already there:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-music-downloads-and-streaming/mqa-processing-can-be-disabled-31161/

But this is probably not what people want. All this does is pass through undecoded MQA. It doesn't force Tidal to give you "not MQA".

[bengl3rt]

It's already there:

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-music-downloads-and-streaming/mqa-processing-can-be-disabled-31161/

 

That's subtly different. It disables software MQA decoding (which I thought was contractually prohibited from existing?) so that the raw MQA bits can be passed to a capable DAC. Whether you leave that option on or off, the stuff Tidal's servers are vending to your computer over the network is bits from the MQA-decimated "master" file.

 

I would like the option to continue listening to the FLAC/ALAC master.

[barrows]

I object to the term "master" in this context entirely. MQA encoding is not a bit perfect copy of the master, and using that terminology is very misleading.

 

This reminds me of the lie: "perfect sound forever"