MQA goes into reorganization.

[AYanguas]

If you haven't heard a decoded MQA file this is the disc to start with ( assuming you have an MQA capable DAC ) . I was amazed at how much better this disc sounded than the 192/24 version I've been listening to for years . I've heard " The Raven" dozens of times on high-end system ( it is a frequent demo disc used at CES ) but I have never heard it like this . Highly recommended .

I speak from ignorance, since I do not have any MQA full unfold device.

But statements like that, which, of course, I do not doubt, reaffirm my idea that the Master generated for the MQA edition is different, modified to make it sound "better" than the original 192/24.

If not, the original 192/24 would sound almost the same once folded/unfolded by MQA.

Other explanation could be that the equipment and settings to play the 192/24 are different than those used to play MQA.

 

[atrocity]

Here is one thing I would like to know if you play an MQA CD as a regular CD and dont unfold it are you getting less than redbook CD quality because there are less bits involved? It plays as a 12 or 14 bit CD?

One of the complaints MQA has gotten is that regular CD playback is compromised or, at the very least, not bit-perfectly 1:1 with the same recording on a RBCD. If you think about it, it's inevitable: The magic fairy dust has to be stored somewhere and on a RBCD, that can only mean sacrificing some of the "normal" bits for that magic fairy dust. This isn't peculiar to MQA as the same situation applies to HDCD.

I'm not qualified to comment on if or how audible those compromises are, only that there's no way for them not to exist. Others have posted this link before and it's a good place to start: .

 

[Jeffrey Michael]

One of the complaints MQA has gotten is that regular CD playback is compromised or, at the very least, not bit-perfectly 1:1 with the same recording on a RBCD. If you think about it, it's inevitable: The magic fairy dust has to be stored somewhere and on a RBCD, that can only mean sacrificing some of the "normal" bits for that magic fairy dust. This isn't peculiar to MQA as the same situation applies to HDCD.

I'm not qualified to comment on if or how audible those compromises are, only that there's no way for them not to exist. Others have posted this link before and it's a good place to start: .

From what I’ve read, playing an MQA disc back without a decoder is equivalent to listening to an Mp3.

 

[4-earredwonder]

From what I’ve read, playing an MQA disc back without a decoder is equivalent to listening to an Mp3.

As I previously posted, Perp, it has to be at least 16/44.1 resolution to be compatible with ALL CD Player standards ........ Doesn't sound like compressed MP3 to my ears and that's UNENCODED!

If you recall, similar bashing was accorded SACD and DVD~A when it was introduced and the 'audio' critics at the time much preferred the sound of vinyl!

When are we all going to learn that reading about and experiencing FIRSTHAND are two different animals and if I had believed the audio critics at the time I never would've have EXPERIENCED the benefits of SACD and DVD~A stereo and multichannel!

 

[Mackspower]

As I previously posted, Perp, it has to be at least 16/44.1 resolution to be compatible with ALL CD Player standards ........ Doesn't sound like compressed MP3 to my ears and that's UNENCODED!

If you recall, similar bashing was accorded SACD and DVD~A when it was introduced and the 'audio' critics at the time much preferred the sound of vinyl!

When are we all going to learn that reading about and experiencing FIRSTHAND are two different animals and if I had believed the audio critics at the time I never would've have EXPERIENCED the benefits of SACD and DVD~A stereo and multichannel!

^this . . .

 

[gene_stl]

What is even better, is if you have studied enough about audio , electronics, and music, and also acquired enough practical experience,, to be able to make an informed decision about something without needing to read what audio "critics" and reviewers have to say about it, and also not needing to track down a rare system, in order to say "I have listened to it". There is no fairy dust available. (unfortunately) that means that undecoded MQA ( un-unfolded )music files have data missing. There is no way that can be good.

You don't need to try out MQA to know that 1) at best it doesn't do anything. There is no need for it whatsoever on 24 bit files. (except as digital rights management and an additional tax layer) 2) Playing back on non-MQA enabled(read tax paid) playback gear causes loss of data. I think we can all agree that loss of data is not something we want.

I am 100% in favor, of all of us, enjoying our hobby, the way we like. But there are certain snake oily things in the audio industry, that I have felt the need to speak up about and against and MQA is the fust and champeen of that category. It is first and foremost an attempt at a ginormous revenue skim. It made me VERY angry when I first read about it. I was very happy to see Dr. AIX(and others) vocally opposing it.

It appears that the marketplace agrees.

 

[atrocity]

As I previously posted, Perp, it has to be at least 16/44.1 resolution to be compatible with ALL CD Player standards

It has to contain a signal that a CD player will interpret as 16/44.1 but by definition the musical bits can't be exactly the same as a normal CD because that additional MQA data has to live somewhere.

I'm not making any claims one way or other other about the sound, real or perceived, I'm simply pointing out that playing back MQA as 16/44.1 can't be truly lossless as we've defined that term for decades. It's 100% physically impossible.

 

[4-earredwonder]

It has to contain a signal that a CD player will interpret as 16/44.1 but by definition the musical bits can't be exactly the same as a normal CD because that additional MQA data has to live somewhere.

I'm not making any claims one way or other other about the sound, real or perceived, I'm simply pointing out that playing back MQA as 16/44.1 can't be truly lossless as we've defined that term for decades. It's 100% physically impossible.

If you were to play an MQA disc on a non MQA equipped CD player it would be 16/44.1. On my OPPO 205 plugged directly into my LG OLED monitor it shows up as an MQA disc and if you press the 'info' button on the remote, the monitor clearly shows 24 bit 88.2 oversampling!

Doubtful the numbers LIE!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

What is even better, is if you have studied enough about audio , electronics, and music, and also acquired enough practical experience,, to be able to make an informed decision about something without needing to read what audio "critics" and reviewers have to say about it, and also not needing to track down a rare system, in order to say "I have listened to it". There is no fairy dust available. (unfortunately) that means that undecoded MQA ( un-unfolded )music files have data missing. There is no way that can be good.

You don't need to try out MQA to know that 1) at best it doesn't do anything. There is no need for it whatsoever on 24 bit files. (except as digital rights management and an additional tax layer) 2) Playing back on non-MQA enabled(read tax paid) playback gear causes loss of data. I think we can all agree that loss of data is not something we want.

I am 100% in favor, of all of us, enjoying our hobby, the way we like. But there are certain snake oily things in the audio industry, that I have felt the need to speak up about and against and MQA is the fust and champeen of that category. It is first and foremost an attempt at a ginormous revenue skim. It made me VERY angry when I first read about it. I was very happy to see Dr. AIX(and others) vocally opposing it.

It appears that the marketplace agrees.

In reading quite a bit about the MQA process, the first red flag is all that origami unfolding nonsense. Absolutely no worthwhile technical info. Just something that conjures up a vision in the naive. I have searched extensively for patents on MQA & can find nothing. Must not be that signifigant. Even HDCD gave more transparent info. And I think that lasted longer than MQA.

Do note that under qualified conditions, the way DTS stored both global & local compression it could provide up to 20 legitimate bits. I would go for that or HDCD before MQA. But as has been obviously stated before' high bit rate/sample rate makes all of this history.

 

[4-earredwonder]

In reading quite a bit about the MQA process, the first red flag is all that origami unfolding nonsense. Absolutely no worthwhile technical info. Just something that conjures up a vision in the naive. Even HDCD gave more transparent info. And I think that lasted longer than MQA.

Do note that under qualified conditions, the way DTS stored both global & local compression it could provide up to 20 legitimate bits. I would go for that or HDCD before MQA. But as has been obviously stated before' high bit rate/sample rate makes all of this history.

Ironically, SW, when I play an HDCD disc which supposedly outputs 20 bits and view the results through a video monitor on an HDCD capable OPPO even when I press the INFO button's remote, it still shows up as 16bit/44.1kHz .......so rather, it's taken on 'faith' that HDCD is 20 bit capable. Have NOTHING against HDCD as over 5K HDCD discs were released but you'd think there would be some 'visual' identification that the listener is indeed hearing 20 as opposed to 16 bits! But NADA!!!!!!!!

And I don't recall any backlash when HDCD was introduced even though, it too, required a decoder for 'full unfold' [if you want to call it that]. At least not the kind of scrutiny that MQA has endured!

 

[cbmmm3]

hey Sonik - next time you are in my neck of the woods, stop by for a listen or two.

 

[Sonik Wiz]

hey Sonik - next time you are in my neck of the woods, stop by for a listen or two.

The closest I get to Michigan is when my wife revisits Chicago. She's got some kinda family history cemetery tour planned this year. I would most like to escape & will book mark your post & keep in mind.

 

[4-earredwonder]

hey Sonik - next time you are in my neck of the woods, stop by for a listen or two.

And SW, cbmmm3 IS MQA 'Royalty' as he has the largest MQA CD collection probably in the 'known' Universe including a lot which are already OOP.

 

[cbmmm3]

Im 2 hours from Chitown by distance. There is a time zone change

 

[cbmmm3]

And SW, cbmmm3 IS MQA 'Royalty' as he has the largest MQA CD collection probably in the 'known' Universe including a lot which are already OOP.

King
Its good to be King

LOL

 

[4-earredwonder]

Im 2 hours from Chitown by distance. There is a time zone change

And SW, be aware that there may be a moat around cbmmm3's CASTLE...er, residence stocked with alligators as the MQA KING can not afford to take chances!

 

[Owen Smith]

Ironically, SW, when I play an HDCD disc which supposedly outputs 20 bits and view the results through a video monitor on an HDCD capable OPPO even when I press the INFO button's remote, it still shows up as 16bit/44.1kHz .......so rather, it's taken on 'faith' that HDCD is 20 bit capable. Have NOTHING against HDCD as over 5K HDCD discs were released but you'd think there would be some 'visual' identification that the listener is indeed hearing 20 as opposed to 16 bits! But NADA!!!!!!!!

And I don't recall any backlash when HDCD was introduced even though, it too, required a decoder for 'full unfold' [if you want to call it that]. At least not the kind of scrutiny that MQA has endured!

There is no Oppo player that handles both HDCD and MQA. The Oppo 205 gained MQA but doesn't do HDCD unlike older Oppos.

 

[4-earredwonder]

There is no Oppo player that handles both HDCD and MQA. The Oppo 205 gained MQA but doesn't do HDCD unlike older Oppos.

I fully realize that OWEN and specified as such. The 205 replaced HDCD capability with an MQA firmware upgrade. I do own 5 OPPOs!

 

[Sonik Wiz]

Im 2 hours from Chitown by distance. There is a time zone change

If there is Blue Kool Aid involved, I'm sure all those bits, bytes & origami stuff goes poof.
Edit: I'm good with that.

 

[4-earredwonder]

If there is Blue Kool Aid involved, I'm sure all those bits, bytes & origami stuff goes poof.
Edit: I'm good with that.

SW, Ricky will treat you to the finest brews available as his talking refrigerator, V~GER, is always stocked to the gills with the pick of the HOPS! And he does have the Luxman D~03 MQA spinner which will fully unfold all those MQA discs to their fullest into separate components. Cbmmm3 is a class act, by definition, and he will not disappoint .... But be aware, he did just purchase a new chainsaw .... so your reaction to his demo will be CLOSELY MONITORED!