MQA is Vaporware

[MikeyFresh]

15 hours ago, Lee Scoggins said:

It takes the CA community down that respectful debate does not occur here.  The reputation of this community is pretty low I am hearing from friends that are very experienced but gave up posting here.

 

That might be your take, or that of the MQA industry insider circle, but it isn't fact nor any widely held opinion. There are always bad apples on any forum, but your attempt to discredit the entirety of this forum is both ridiculous and quite telling of your agenda.

With specific regard to MQA, there have been numerous attempts by very qualified individuals here to have a respectful debate, however to date there has been no actual response to the proof they have provided in debunking MQA's marketing claims.

Some of the recent previous posts in this thread have it exactly right, you should present your evidence or information counter to that which has been very carefully presented here, otherwise no one can take you seriously as anything but an MQA shill.

 

 

[MikeyFresh]

2 minutes ago, tmtomh said:

So he could indeed be shilling for MQA; or shilling for visibility and page hits on his web site/blog; or really stubborn; or just not a terribly attentive reader of others' (and for that mater his own) arguments. I'm sort of curious to see which it is. 

 

It's all of the above.

[MikeyFresh]

9 minutes ago, rickca said:

So Lee goes the route of Michael Lavorgna et al.  Stay classy, Lee.  

 

My thoughts exactly, two very inappropriate posts in a row, both in violation of the site rules.

 

 

[MikeyFresh]

38 minutes ago, SlimPickins said:

No.  I'm pretty sure our DNA is different.

 

Said the newbie sock puppet-shill.

[MikeyFresh]

4 hours ago, SlimPickins said:

Unlike the keyboard warriors listed above, at least Lee has the stones to post under his real name and photo.

 

Or, he seeks to promote and drive clicks to his own blog, right?

 

So he has a vested interest in posting under his real name.

[MikeyFresh]

5 hours ago, rickca said:

The members are immediately recognizable on forums.  It's like the Stepford Wives.

 

So what motivates these guys?  I'm skeptical they just really like MQA.

 

 

I for one am old enough to appreciate the very apropos Stepford Wives analogy.

 

I too cannot believe their only motivation is a liking for MQA's sound, very far fetched.

[MikeyFresh]

4 minutes ago, Lee Scoggins said:

For every click PTA gets, I get $10.

 

Outstanding, but I was more pointing to the vanity aspect, and the notion of self importance and industry "fame" part and parcel of your constant name dropping to use just one example.

 

I think for a McKinsey consultant, this yearn to be considered some sort of recognized industry "player" is likely far more important to you than any tiny monetary consideration from PTA.

[MikeyFresh]

2 hours ago, Fair Hedon said:

Oldie but a goodie...totally desperate move to repost this.

 

https://www.audiostream.com/content/mqa-reviewed

 

I too thought this looked quite desperate, so much so that I read through it just to be sure there wasn't actually some sort of new information, technical explanation, or other angle being presented.

 

Alas, nothing of the sort, just an old rehash complete with original BS about the MQA blue light indicating provenance and sign-off/approval by the artist/producer after careful listening, and that MQA corrects for timing anomalies introduced by both the A/D and D/A processes, based on the specific devices used at either end.

 

What a total crock, and ML seems to think it's as easy as couching the whole thing all over again in a "this is a listening focused review" type vein and so somehow that makes it worth "bumping up to the present".

 

That "review" is just as much an MQA industry-stance regurgitation today as it was in 2016, nothing new to see, just move along.

[MikeyFresh]

6 minutes ago, Archimago said:

Must "cash in" on all the clicks being dedicated to MQA on forums perhaps!?

 

Yes while they gettin' is still pretty good, but it can't last forever.

[MikeyFresh]

4 hours ago, Lee Scoggins said:

Just for the UK though.  How much money does MAI make?

 

Wow, did you actually read those statements? I did, and it was not at all unclear as to whether or not they were the consolidated results of all subsidiaries, as @kumakuma has pointed out at least 2 or 3 times already.

 

Those statements paint a very bleak picture, a company loaded with debt that consistently loses money, excepting the one year in which they sold off the IP related to MQA. Still, they have substantial debt obligations in the very near term, large quarterly payments due in 2018 unless they are able to once again renegotiate the debts. Even so, they can't kick that can down the road forever.

 

As far as Meridian America? The only detail there shows the recent year turnover similar to that of their U.K. business, which is to say not very large at all relative to their debt. I'm actually surprised the turnover in America is as high as they list it, the brand has never gained big traction here despite some good products over the years, this is a hugely competitive market. 

 

5 hours ago, Lee Scoggins said:

Also, what about all the Meridian license revenue from Jaguar and others?

 

While the automotive segment is one of the few that is seen as growing/profitable in audio circles, nearly all of that growth occurs through deals between Harman International and Mercedes, BMW, Dodge, Jeep, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo, Chrysler, Subaru, G.M. and Fiat. Thats precisely why Samsung acquired Harman International for $8 billion in a deal announced in late 2016. Harman uses various brands in their automotive products, both those brands they own (Harman Kardon, Levinson, Infinity etc..) and brands they license for use in automotive products such as Bowers & Wilkins, and Bang & Olufsen. There doesn't appear to be much room there for a brand like Meridian to make a big impact, other than to hope and pray Samsung screws up Harman in short order.
 

 

[MikeyFresh]

29 minutes ago, mansr said:

Where did that money come from?

 

EDIT: I see @kumakuma has already answered.

[MikeyFresh]

7 minutes ago, mansr said:

Typical creative accounting.

 

Yes, though it would appear they will need to be ever more creative in 2018.

 

I'm no expert on reading U.K. financial statements, but it looks as though they have significant debt servicing due quarterly in 2018. Then again, that probably matters very little in all things MQA moving forward, perhaps Meridian itself is now more or less out of the picture in the grand scheme of things?

[MikeyFresh]

On 2/24/2018 at 2:57 AM, Confused said:

I did wander around the whole show and visited about 90% of the demo rooms, and not one MQA logo or demo did I see.

 

Thats encouraging news, MQA stillborn?

 

 

[MikeyFresh]

3 hours ago, rando said:

So much ire towards anything to do with a first unfold.  The sociological conditioning is worthy of study.

 

Or maybe so much bullshit towards anything to do with a first unfold?

 

The industry pundit and Bob Stuart authored conditioning is worthy of study.

[MikeyFresh]

43 minutes ago, Indydan said:

Dale's opinion is of zero importance. I just thought it was funny (as well as Dale's inflated sense of self importance). 

 

Both funny and also somewhat disturbing (that inflated sense of self importance).

[MikeyFresh]

15 minutes ago, Indydan said:

Dale just compared his ban from CA, to Mandela's imprisonment and Jesus being crucified! 

 

There's that inflated sense of self importance again, apparently much worse than previously thought.

[MikeyFresh]

1 hour ago, miguelito said:

Should we purposefully avoid streaming MQA versions of albums to make our voices heard?

Yes, absolutely.

[MikeyFresh]

1 hour ago, Archimago said:

BTW guys, what's the relationship between Hi-Fi+ and TAS?

 

I believe both are owned/operated by the parent company Absolute Multimedia, though there is a separate U.K. division or subsidiary of the U.S. based company in Austin, TX thats called Absolute Multimedia (UK) Ltd.

 

I think it's owned by one guy, said to have made his fortune at Dell Computer in their original heyday.

[MikeyFresh]

4 hours ago, Brinkman Ship said:

Is this all you have left?

 

Apparently so, calling the forum a massive circle-jerk and warning members they've made fools of themselves appears to violate the site rules.

 

I applaud Chris for leaving Austin's post there as is for all to see, it's very telling in a number of ways, none of them good.

[MikeyFresh]

1 hour ago, Brinkman Ship said:

I think it is important we all realize that once Atkinson reported on the "Birth Of A New World "(the introduction of MQA was equated with introduction of the CD) and that his "socks were blown off" there was no going back.

 

Thats right, pretty tough to actually un-birth a whole new world, while still somehow saving face.

[MikeyFresh]

I now find Essential Phone more non-essential than ever before.

[MikeyFresh]

13 minutes ago, shtf said:

impossible for the inferior MQA format but also for any future superior and true hi-rez format to achieve sonic performance levels even remotely close to the early outlandish MQA endorsements.

 

So I can safely rule out the birthing of any new worlds sonically speaking?

 

Thats good, no need to run out and audition any MQA compliant DACs then.

[MikeyFresh]

2 hours ago, FredericV said:

I was thinking: why did Meridian not create an MLP file format, and put that on tidal.

 

I believe Meridian had sold all of the IP related to MLP to Dolby, who have effectively rebranded it as Dolby TrueHD with added provisioning for 8 channels.

[MikeyFresh]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

His only response was hand waving and insults.

 

His response was both pathetic, and also seemingly not his own, dare I say the "article" was just a paraphrasing of some Bob Stuart penned PR copy and the comment responses directly coached by someone within MQA? 

 

I am surprised that at this late juncture, thats all they have in the form of supporting argument. It amounts to nil, and that particular author goes up in flames right there and then with his non-response to your well stated comments.

[MikeyFresh]

11 minutes ago, n2it said:

I guess they think this will be a differentiator for them.

 

Apparently not any longer, the Essential Phone 2 was canceled, and the company is exploring sell-off options, which might be a polite way of saying they face liquidation without a buyer.

 

https://www.tomsguide.com/us/essential-phone-2-cancelled,news-27276.html

 

In that context any further MQA co-promotion or development seems unlikely.

 

Edit: my post crossed in cyber space with that of @mansr above.