MQA is Vaporware

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Just now, tmtomh said:

 

Lee, I'm trying really hard to believe that you're not trolling - I'm not talking about conventional trolling, but rather promotional trolling

 

I think the word is "shilling"

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1 minute ago, GUTB said:

 

"Lossy is not high res" isn't a logically valid statement.

 

However, it's true that not wanting / ignoring / discarding high-res in favor of lo-res is not audiophile.

 

Sorry, I corrected the phrasing to "lossy is in many cases not as good as the high res Master" but wasn't fast enough.

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8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

There are only a few MQA threads, no front page coverage, and an ignore thread feature that should suit people pretty well. 

 

By the way Chris, have you been approached by MQA (or Meridian) for advertising here at CA?

Don't reply if you feel this may put you in a tricky situation.

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19 hours ago, vmartell22 said:

I don't do streaming other than in the car, where I am yelling at the kids, swearing at other drivers and barely controlling the road rage... so do not care about SQ, etc... just want to tame the beast...

 

You should take a mindfulness course. Streamed in MQA.

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18 hours ago, Don Hills said:

 

The DRM mechanism is present in all MQA files. Strong encryption is used to encode the "hi res" part of the data (the 24-48 KHz part stored in the lowest 8 or so  bits of each sample.) Currently the upper bits ( 0-24 KHz, 15-17 bits) are unencrypted, but the format allows for encrypting most of the upper bits as well. As I've explained to you before, I believe it'll play out the same as HDCP has done for the HDMI standard. No enforcement of rights in the initial stages until the format becomes ubiquitous, then increasing enforcement. 

 

As for revenue stream, it's not so much about revenue. It's about control. The labels see their loss of revenue as being caused by a loss of control. They want the control back.

 

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17 hours ago, Lee Scoggins said:

 

Don, 

 

I understand that but isn’t it unfair to criticize MQA for encryption when that is a key part of the folding?  That is a bit like saying we don’t like DSD because it is sigma-delta modulation.

 

And your comment about control doesn’t work because it doesn’t explain where revenue growth happens.

 

I see it clearly now: the encryption is the elegant part of the folding.

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On 1/16/2018 at 4:26 AM, Lee Scoggins said:

 

We will see.  The Cheskys have a solid record of innovation in music and some street smarts in business.  HDTracks has been very successful.  I have known them since the early 90s and they are good people.

 

Didn't you work with/for them?

 

How's your connection with the industry nowadays?

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On 23/01/2018 at 12:27 PM, mansr said:

Michael Lavorgna, banned for telling someone to go fuck his mother.

 

Wow, really?

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2 hours ago, Kal Rubinson said:

That is possible but it is an accurate description of my experience covering a long period of time.  In addition, I have not heard anything to the contrary from any other reviewer.  OTOH, I know of no basis for any speculation of censorship other than suspicion.

 

Not saying that it's happening but if a reviewer were to be "biased" (or in someone's pocket) then there would be no need for the editor to exert censorship.

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5 minutes ago, beetlemania said:

 

Disagree. Weeks ago you asked to know how often "MQA" showed up in S'phile's adverts. Without counting, I would characterize it as "not often". Other than, maybe, generating interest to increase sales at the newsstand I don't see how this is any kind of windfall for S'phile. All the more so given the fierce blowback on pretty much every online forum.

 

To me it appears that they were actually trying to sell MQA. Elegantly.

After all, they are salespeople.

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Has this been posted here before? (not my scans by the way)

 

https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/61/97/53/aec2f210.jpg

 

https://i62.servimg.com/u/f62/19/61/97/53/abe60610.jpg

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1 hour ago, beetlemania said:

 

Could you direct me to a link? I was only able to find this in regards to the Mytek:

which is plenty bad but nothing quite to the level you describe.

 

Meanwhile, I have to admit there is less and less reason to continue subscribing to Stereophile. Perhaps ironically, JA is the biggest reason I continue to read it (well, also Robert Baird and the music reviews). Fremer mostly listens to the price tag - the latest review of the Ypsilon amp being a great example ($93K!!! In the measurements, JA wrote that he could not recommend it, especially given the price, but - surprise - it's recommended as Class A in the very same issue). I ignore his column and reviews. Dudley is a good writer but his column rarely interests me and his taste in music reproduction doesn't well match my own. The newer writers, including Reichert, seem to have dubious listening skills and credibility.

 

I ignore the listening assessments and only look at the measurements.

If they're good enough then I'll try to listen myself.

 

Just remember to ignore the conclusions, JA always finds a way to downplay the importance of the shortcomings no matter how serious.

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1 hour ago, beetlemania said:

 

Could you direct me to a link? I was only able to find this in regards to the Mytek:

which is plenty bad but nothing quite to the level you describe.

 

Meanwhile, I have to admit there is less and less reason to continue subscribing to Stereophile. Perhaps ironically, JA is the biggest reason I continue to read it (well, also Robert Baird and the music reviews). Fremer mostly listens to the price tag - the latest review of the Ypsilon amp being a great example ($93K!!! In the measurements, JA wrote that he could not recommend it, especially given the price, but - surprise - it's recommended as Class A in the very same issue). I ignore his column and reviews. Dudley is a good writer but his column rarely interests me and his taste in music reproduction doesn't well match my own. The newer writers, including Reichert, seem to have dubious listening skills and credibility.

 

Manufacturers and distributors tend to choose the same reviewer to "promote" their products and if you are paying 5-10k for advertising a year you want "results". Since there's an add on every other page, you can imagine how much power he really has as an editor.

The recommended products list is a farce, as are the best sound of show awards.