MQA is Vaporware

[UkPhil]

2 hours ago, bambadoo said:

No more light. 

The struggle is real!

Wow the "lights" are going out all over the world then, this means that these files are un-decoded MQA files and not even PCM as Morten at 2L never gave anyone the option to hear PCM on streaming sites, Qobuz "lights" up MQA on these files, could this be just a bug at Tidal or is it the end ??

[Gustave]

It seems Michael Lavorgna deserves praise for being the very first pro-MQA journalist to break away, albeit very timidly, from MQA.

 

'The last thing, the very last thing I ever want to do is re-purchase the same handful of audiophile chestnuts that get dusted off and repackaged with every Next Big Thing while spending multiples more on the new hardware I need to play ‘em. What’s even worse, to my mind, is having a music delivery format dictate the music I get excited about. If I were to picture an audiophile Hell, that’s exactly what it would look like.'

 

However, not a word about the role of audio journalism and his own writings in trying to build the MQA Hell he is now criticizing.

 

https://twitteringmachines.com/my-thoughts-on-music-delivery-formats-and-the-biggest-advance-in-hifi/

[dsyzling]

4 minutes ago, Gustave said:

It seems Michael Lavorgna deserves praise for being the very first pro-MQA journalist to break away, albeit very timidly, from MQA.

 

 

The one thing I will say about Michael Lavorgna is that he is a lover of music, his tastes are all over the genre map and he clearly uses music to relax, to change/manage mood, for pure enjoyment. I might not like all of his music selections, but I've found some great titles/bands by following his reviews - and Friday new music postings. Gear seems to be a means to an end to enjoy the music, and I can respect that.  

[botrytis]

2 hours ago, Gustave said:

It seems Michael Lavorgna deserves praise for being the very first pro-MQA journalist to break away, albeit very timidly, from MQA.

 

'The last thing, the very last thing I ever want to do is re-purchase the same handful of audiophile chestnuts that get dusted off and repackaged with every Next Big Thing while spending multiples more on the new hardware I need to play ‘em. What’s even worse, to my mind, is having a music delivery format dictate the music I get excited about. If I were to picture an audiophile Hell, that’s exactly what it would look like.'

 

However, not a word about the role of audio journalism and his own writings in trying to build the MQA Hell he is now criticizing.

 

https://twitteringmachines.com/my-thoughts-on-music-delivery-formats-and-the-biggest-advance-in-hifi/

 

Of course, they won't. Why would ANYONE stand behind what they say. I mean it is not like that they want to be held responsible for what they say.

[Cebolla]

4 hours ago, UkPhil said:

Wow the "lights" are going out all over the world then, this means that these files are un-decoded MQA files and not even PCM as Morten at 2L never gave anyone the option to hear PCM on streaming sites,

 

Demise of MQA fever appears to have effected your MQA/TIDAL basics 😀. Undecoded MQA files, aka MQA distribution files, are what TIDAL sends out as MQA - which of course leads to the "lights" being switched on in MQA supporting kit.

 

 

 

4 hours ago, UkPhil said:

Morten at 2L never gave anyone the option to hear PCM on streaming sites, Qobuz "lights" up MQA on these files, could this be just a bug at Tidal or is it the end ??

 

If the 'bug' at TIDAL is them resampling MQA files before streaming, then that would corrupt the MQA encoding & make them undetectable as MQA by MQA supporting devices. TIDAL's max quality tracks with a resolution of 24bit/44.1kHz or 24bit/48kHz could potentially be suspect, plus tracks with a sample rate above 48kHz that don't exhibit any ultrasonic content with a spectrum analyser.

 

 

 

 

[honeymustardsteve]

23 hours ago, loop7 said:

I'm confused about TIDAL today and the transition to or addition of high resolution.

 

A few albums are showing as MAX in the Mac OS app and as MQA in the iOS and Android apps. 

 

I was unable to find multiple versions of this album but I assume I'm doing something wrong.

 

Mac OS app

 

 

iOS app

 

 

Android app

 

 

 

 

 

Only desktop apps have been updated for flac

iOS still on the old app. They have a beta app that has the new Max setting but only for beta testers. I would anticipate it getting rolled out this month once it is table. 

 

I believe Tidal API also not updated since my aurender and ifi streamers still are seeing the MQA version of the songs, whereas my desktop app is fully on flac

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, honeymustardsteve said:

 

Only desktop apps have been updated for flac

iOS still on the old app. They have a beta app that has the new Max setting but only for beta testers. I would anticipate it getting rolled out this month once it is table. 

 

I believe Tidal API also not updated since my aurender and ifi streamers still are seeing the MQA version of the songs, whereas my desktop app is fully on flac

My iOS app says max. Not beta. 

[honeymustardsteve]

16 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

My iOS app says max. Not beta. 

 

mine now says max....just got the update! you're too quick

[James lee]

I guess the only way if I'm going to find out if the old 16bit 44.1kHz albums that were secretly mqa encoded are back to normal is to join back up and do a few null tests and listen.

[Archimago]

On 8/3/2023 at 3:42 AM, Gustave said:

It seems Michael Lavorgna deserves praise for being the very first pro-MQA journalist to break away, albeit very timidly, from MQA.

 

'The last thing, the very last thing I ever want to do is re-purchase the same handful of audiophile chestnuts that get dusted off and repackaged with every Next Big Thing while spending multiples more on the new hardware I need to play ‘em. What’s even worse, to my mind, is having a music delivery format dictate the music I get excited about. If I were to picture an audiophile Hell, that’s exactly what it would look like.'

 

However, not a word about the role of audio journalism and his own writings in trying to build the MQA Hell he is now criticizing.

 

https://twitteringmachines.com/my-thoughts-on-music-delivery-formats-and-the-biggest-advance-in-hifi/

 

While I agree with Lavorgna that we can enjoy music regardless of file format, he's not making any stance that would satisfy the "audiophile" who desires "high fidelity" reproduction, right? Sure, I might be able to enjoy and tap my feet to favourite music as mono 78's, but in 2023, that ain't hi-fi!

 

These days a container that can handle hi-res channel data is no big deal... Any lossless 24-bit, 96kHz will be more than humanly needed. There is however a big jump between mono --> 2-channel. Then another significant jump between 2-channel --> multichannel for spatial definition and possibilities. That change in the mix of the music can be phenomenal.

 

When he says: "I would rank lossless streaming as The Biggest Advance in HiFi in the past decade (or more) and because of it we are living in the Golden Age of Music Discovery." I would agree in terms of convenience and access to huge libraries, not necessarily sound quality (just go and do a blind test of 320kbps MP3). The jump from hi-res stereo to multichannel - even lossy DD+JOC Atmos is a much bigger experiential change.

 

Lavorgna is still not acknowledging that MQA was always a lossy scam...

[rn701]

When I updated the Tidal Windows desktop app, it reset the exclusive mode setting to off. Turning it on restored mqa core decoding.

 

To see if a max track is mqa or standard pcm flac, toggle the mqa passthru setting. Passthru on disables core decoding, off performs core decoding. If it's 44.1/48 with passthru on and 88.2/96 with passthru off it's mqa. If it's the same either way it's flac.

[Currawong]

11 hours ago, Archimago said:

Lavorgna is still not acknowledging that MQA was always a lossy scam...

I can only conclude that they are in denial that someone whom I imagine has been a friend of theirs for decades has not only deceived them, but revealed their own level of ignorance.  Unlike myself, where I'm happy to admit that there is much I don't know, and I can be wrong (and am happy to post corrections to mistakes I make), these types of reviewers don't seem to be capable of that. 

[yahooboy]

On 8/5/2023 at 5:03 AM, Currawong said:

I can only conclude that they are in denial that someone whom I imagine has been a friend of theirs for decades has not only deceived them, but revealed their own level of ignorance.  Unlike myself, where I'm happy to admit that there is much I don't know, and I can be wrong (and am happy to post corrections to mistakes I make), these types of reviewers don't seem to be capable of that. 

Oh, he's one of the sensitive ones. Back in 2020 i wrote him in connection with the article https://twitteringmachines.com/amazon-to-remaster-titles-from-universal-and-warner-in-ultra-hd-why/ and pointed out to him that he himself had been instrumental in promoting "snake oil" better than cd formats. His reaction.....

 

I’ve taken the liberty of blocking your email from any further communication as I don’t have time for nonsense.
😅

[FredericV]

Quote

Now I'm probably going to get downvoted for thid, but the one thing about MQA which I find pretty cool is the purple color on my DAC. I know it doesn't really matter but it gives me a good feeling and it's something I will miss when MQA is no more. My brain just produces a little bit more dopamine when I see the purple color on my DAC.

LOL

[bambadoo]

Just like my old HDCD player. Green light and everything was much better. 

 

Good times :) 

[Confused]

Just imagine the sound from this baby!

 

[loop7]

I'm holding my breath for a column in Stereophile about the most recent changes in TIDAL and the state of MQA.

[The Computer Audiophile]

23 minutes ago, loop7 said:

I'm holding my breath for a column in Stereophile about the most recent changes in TIDAL and the state of MQA.

You might run out of air 😁

[ralphfcooke]

Quote from 'As we see it'  September Stereophile by Jim Austin

 

Tidal is starting to do standard hi-rez PCM FLAC to complement

their MQA offerings, which, though many prefer them, may be going away.

 

Make of that what you will :)

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, ralphfcooke said:

Quote from 'As I see it'  September Stereophile by Jim Austin

 

Tidal is starting to do standard hi-rez PCM FLAC to complement

their MQA offerings, which, though many prefer them, may be going away.

 

Make of that what you will :)

Is there a unit of measurement smaller than a baby step?

[JoeWhip]

A fetus or fetal step? That Austin quote is about all you will get out of Stereophile on the MQA subject. It just….went away. Why? it is just a mystery.

[Rt66indierock]

7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Is there a unit of measurement smaller than a baby step?

 

A Barbie step?

https://reason.com/2008/12/17/is-there-something-smaller-tha/

[Rt66indierock]

Is Peter Veth's mqa audio - development and reviews on FaceBook still up? Or did I get banned for saying if Block Inc's other revenue wasn't at least $70 million in Q2 2024 they might as well shut Tidal down and stop the earnings drag. It was $50 million so Tidal's growth has been flat since 2020.

[Archimago]

1 hour ago, Rt66indierock said:

Is Peter Veth's mqa audio - development and reviews on FaceBook still up? Or did I get banned for saying if Block Inc's other revenue wasn't at least $70 million in Q2 2024 they might as well shut Tidal down and stop the earnings drag. It was $50 million so Tidal's growth has been flat since 2020.

I still see it up on Facebook with 7 messages in the last day. Wonder what kind of 'developments' talking about today! I assume they're still trying to hock SCL6.

[Rt66indierock]

52 minutes ago, Archimago said:

I still see it up on Facebook with 7 messages in the last day. Wonder what kind of 'developments' talking about today! I assume they're still trying to hock SCL6.

 

Good to know thanks. They can talk all they want but unless somebody steps up with some money time is running out.