MQA: Why We Should Resist It
 

For a forum dedicated to audiophiles as AA is, I find it somewhat disappointing we have had such a muted discussion of MQA and its effects on our beloved hobby. While I agree there has been some talk of the format here and there, I haven't been able to engage a meaningful conversation with all of you about MQA and why it should be resisted.

I must confess my first conscious awareness of MQA came in the form of catalog shopping and seeing various components that were stated to be MQA ready. My second awareness came in the form of the recent writings about the format in Stereophile and TAS, which seems on balance to be supportive of the format, and if that is not an accurate characterization, then at least resigned to it. I disagree with those writers and I am posting a series of links to very well though out articles which urge us to resist MQA entirely.

The first read is an excellent commentary by Jim Collinson of Linn. You should be able to get through his article within 10 minutes. I believe it sets an excellent frame of reference for the second link.

https://www.linn.co.uk/blog/mqa-is-bad-for-music


The second written under the pseudonym @Archimago is much longer, and explores the technical aspects of MQA first before tackling the philosophy behind the MQA effort. I found the article to be well reasoned, dispassionately presented, and very effective in laying bare the snake oil that MQA appears to be.

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/c...cautions-r701/

Last is an article that I assume most of you are already aware of in substance, which is the present scandal taking place over at TIDAL. This is relevant since TIDAL has partnered with MQA, and in consequence, provided it a tentacle into our hobby. While I am not a subscriber to TIDAL, and never will be, if MQA gets into Spotify and/or iTunes, it's game over.

https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/201...beyonce-fraud/

This post is not offered in anyway as criticism to any member here who uses MQA and likes it. I would, however, ask that you post your experiences and reasons for it. For myself, I love this hobby, so my interest here is to make sure it remains an open multi-format, multi-codec hobby that promotes consumer choice and respects the freedom of individual choice.

The topic of MQA has been discussed here but often it seems to evolve to controversy for many reasons. One of them was lack of information. After a degree, that causes the discussion to end with neutral corners and ‘agree to disagree’ alignment. That is our commitment to each other here.

I have moved from MQA is a potentially ‘evil empire’ to more of the position that, as long as it does no harm, doesn’t cost me more via Tidal/ROON than I am all for free higher resolution streaming.

There was a fairly extensive discussion here, including the post from CA as well as others:

https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=42433

I agree with the concerns about the potential for a monopoly and the impact on the music industry and don’t see the need for MQA on CDs or downloads, but like Craig, I’ve moderated my position a bit and see no harm, and maybe value, in the use of MQA for streaming, since it may provide improved sound in more limited bandwidth.

My view on MQA......If I have to buy one more version of Dire Straits Brothers in Arms I’m gonna kill myself.

- Buck

Ha, There is that! On top of that, you might have to buy a new DAC and that is a non-starter.

:beerchug:

Feel free to use the search function for the forum. MQA has been extensively debated here and other places on the internet. Some like it and others feel it is a trap for others to profit. I for one like it but its a free country and everyone has the right to make up there own mind. No point in repeating what has been posted in prior threads.

Bob Stuart wants to be a billionaire.

+1

Or you can pretend that MQA hasn't improved the sound on many older releases and fight MQA while many of us just smile listen to the SQ of MQA which at least up to now hasn't cost me a nickel. Tidal with MQA cost the same as CD quality. dCS provided the ability to play MQA for free.