MQA is Vaporware

[The Computer Audiophile]

9 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

I am not sure what rules you are referring to exactly, maybe that anyone can remain anonymous, just like you and I.

 

That does not change a potential double standard whereby an unidentified poster with a vested interest and conflict of interest can mount arguments against an identified competitor.

 

All of which is somewhat moot as Norton, IIRC, requested that posters declare if they had any industry affiliations. I said No. I didn't identify who I was. Conversely someone could just say for example, Yes I work for a competing trade publication or I am a manufacturer of a DAC, whatever. I don't know of any rules that prohibits declaring you don't have a potential conflict of interest. Do you?

 

I totally disagree that this is making something out of nothing. IMO people unwilling to declare no industry affiliations must be assumed to hold them until proven otherwise and the motivations for their opinions therefore suspect. Hell, that has been one of the major recurrent themes in this thread, industry figures misrepresenting MQA for self serving purposes.

 

You’re acting like it’s impossible to lie online. Asking people the question about affiliation does nothing unless the person is honest. 

 

For all I know you’re Bob S.

 

It takes a bit of sleuthing to catch someone bad mouthing another company for their own benefit. I’ve yet to see anyone come out and say “It’s me.”

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said:

There was a very well known speaker manufacturer who was known to have over 100 personas/monikers on various forums....

Yeah, it’s nearly impossible to catch smart people but fortunately most people attempting this aren’t smart in this area. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

14 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

Of course people can lie online and often do, no doubt.

 

Everyone in this thread could be lying including you...and me. Brinkman may actually love MQA! However, there has to be some presumption, however tenuous that may be, that people are calling it the way they see it in order to have a meaningful debate. The way they see it of course can be biased and that's the point about conflict of interest.

 

So it doesn't change the principle involved here about conflict of interest. It doesn't change that if a poster is unwilling to state they have no industry affiliation their opinions should IMO be held suspect. If they state they have no affiliation, yes they could be lying but embarrassing for them if they get caught out, depending who they are.

 

For the record, yes, it would be my preference that industry posters declare their identity. Others have done so and they stand behind their name and reputation, just as you do Chris.

 

Edit: Bob ?

It has always been our rule that people with an industry affiliation specify that affiliation in their signature line. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, Bill Brown said:

Ralf- "Looks like MQA Control Central has re-activated the Shill Brown account..."

"Do you have any disclosures to make?"

 

Me- "I have disclosed tons about myself here, including my complete lack of affiliation with anything in the audio business."

 

Crenca- "For Norton, or "Shill Brown"...... is trolling behavior straight up."

 

Audiophile Neuroscience said:

"people unwilling to declare no industry affiliations must be assumed to hold them ..."

 

Ralf- "like bill"

 

Audiophile Neuroscience- "who is bill"

 

Ralf- "see upthread - only comes out to support MQA"

 

I find all of this tiresome, childish, and, frankly, unacceptable.  I suppose Ralf's approach is in the belief that if you repeat a complete fabrication often enough it becomes true.  I am one of the few who posts using my real name, and earlier in this thread gave my legal name, profession, and state of residence.

 

I would also ask Ralf to find ONE instance in anything I have written that is supportive of MQA.  Just one!  If he can't he should retract his nonsensical accusations or simply STFU.

 

I say at one point that Brinkman Ship is ignorant of a subject and he cries to Chris (I assume so anyway, as he jumped right in, could have been someone else).  And yet repeated falsehoods and name-calling by this brigade of anonymous, Aspy wankers is allowed.

 

Jim Austin was correct; this is an official, certified, grade A, class 1 circle-jerk.  You guys likely need some tennis elbow bands to prevent an overuse syndrome.

Bill - You haven’t used the Report Post function a single time. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, Bill Brown said:

 

That is true.  I have a strong aversion to being a "tattle-tale."

 

Maybe I should have; I just have higher expectations of folks, I guess.

The Report Post feature is the only way to police things. It's not possible to read everything in context. Rules are rules and the community counts on everyone to help police the place. 

 

Plus, it's anonymous to everyone else so you won't be viewed as a tattletale. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I can imagine a big market for old pre-MQA versions of products that have implemented the MQA filter on everything. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

36 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said:

..The latest reason to "not dismiss" MQA entirely is it might be good for the young people...

 

Yep, that is the latest he came up with.  Still waiting for an explanation on that theory

 

This just in:

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, Brinkman Ship said:

Our host might get a good laugh at this:

 

One comment from Fremer tirade, said the following-

 

by "reel"

 

"He (Shah) is just another one of those people (including Mr. Computer Audiophile Chris Connaker) out there that simply hate the vinyl resurgent. To them it's going backward in time and technology regardless of sound quality, because they never had a true transcendent sound experience in their lives like we all had."

 

I got a chuckle out of it..
 

Ha!

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said:

Chris, when you call up to make restaurant reservation, and they ask you your name, do you say "Mr. Computer Audio" ???

Um, yeah.

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, Confused said:

And does Mr Computer Audiophile actually hate the vinyl resurgent?  (or should that be vinyl resurgence?)

 

I don’t hate it at all. I just think the sound quality of vinyl is vastly overstated when almost all recordings originate on a hard drive. I also think the resurgence is a fad. That’s all. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

13 minutes ago, Confused said:

Yes, it did seam a very strange thing to actually hate.  We all have our preferences but hate is a very strong word to use in this context I think.

Yeah, life delivers enough challenges to us and our time is too valuable to waste brainwaves on hating a vinyl resurgence. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just thought of something. 

 

When MQA first came out Bob touted the fact that it gave the music industry a single deliverable (one file). 

 

At at the same time Bob said, don’t worry we won’t take away your standard PCM. 

 

Hmmmmmm. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

17 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said:

basically was left with nothing in the end

 

If I didn't have a wife and daughter, that's exactly what I'd want at the end as well.

 

 

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

 

― Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967

[The Computer Audiophile]

14 hours ago, mansr said:

Maybe it had something to do with the dreadful sound of the first Sony CD player.

Nothing any mainstream business does has anything to do with sound quality ?

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, Audiophile Neuroscience said:

 

Well, no offense, your "pretty sure" doesn't convince me. if @The Computer Audiophile considers it on topic to debate your question (quoted below) here then fine, otherwise start a new topic.

 

<quote>" Why do you suppose it is that the general consensus of comparing the sonic performance of a well-engineered Redbook recording verses say a well-engineered 24/192 hi-rez recording, the audible differences are usually only marginal, if not debatable? </quote>

‘nother thread please. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, shtf said:

 

Your response seems rather odd to me, Chris.  Should I assume the implication of your response is this thread is only intended to be about technical aspects pertaining to MQA?

 

I’ve no intention of opening a new thread.  But if I did, what would you propose be the title, “MQA is Vaporware – from a performance perspective”?

 

This thread is about MQA. The quote I commented about isn’t about MQA. 

 

<quote>" Why do you suppose it is that the general consensus of comparing the sonic performance of a well-engineered Redbook recording verses say a well-engineered 24/192 hi-rez recording, the audible differences are usually only marginal, if not debatable? </quote>

[The Computer Audiophile]

MQA was invented many years ago. It sat in the pile of Meridian IP making no money. Pono came around and was set to use it. Then Pono and Meridian split. Then MQA and Meridian split. 

 

The music  industry may be owned by a small number of conglomerates but the labels are so decentralized it’s crazy. 

 

Also, there’s no way Sony would go to anybody and ask for them to invent a new format. Whether it’s needed or not Sony will invent the new format. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Headline: "CDs and vinyl are more popular than digital downloads once again"

 

That's kind of like announcing the tallest midget. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Guys - I’m not going to defend an adult fully capable of defending himself, but I’ll say that I like Darko very much. He’s a really nice guy that I’ve had enjoyed talking to over the years. I’m happy he has made his business successful. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

5 minutes ago, Derek Hughes said:

David Solomon was the lead, along with Gayle Sanders, for Eikon Audio's launch at Axpona. I spent quite a bit of time with him during the Eikon demo. Has left them already? I'll check in with him at RMAF. Why move from Eikon so quickly and what's the big attraction to Qobuz?

He was only contracting to Gayle.

[The Computer Audiophile]

10 minutes ago, ddetaey said:

Or maybe they have learned to just keep quiet at CA and just look at the RoW.

They have learned by now that most of the CA members are MQA critizers, and nothing is to gain here.

 

Less than 1% of CA readers post in the forum. Not sure that generalization can be made. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

 

 

DATE: JUNE 26, 2018

CONTACT: JASON ELZY

PHONE: 818-238-6220

E-MAIL: [email protected]

ARTWORK: media.rhino.com

 

THE DOORS WAITING FOR THE SUN

50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

 

2-CD/1-LP Edition Of The Doors’ First #1 Album Features Newly
Remastered Audio, Plus 14 Unreleased Studio and Live Recordings;

Available September 14 From Rhino

 

“Hello, I Love You” 7” Single To Be Released On August 3, 50 Years

To The Day Of The Song Hitting Number One On The Billboard Singles Chart

 

LOS ANGELES – The Doors released their third studio album, Waiting For The Sun, in July 1968. It was the band’s third platinum album in less than two years, and the first to top the album chart. Since its debut, the album has sold millions of copies around the globe and contributed to the Doors’ legendary canon with classics like “The Unknown Soldier,” “Five To One” and the #1 smash, “Hello, I Love You.”

 

Rhino will commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the album this year with WAITING FOR THE SUN: 50^th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION. This 2-CD/1-LP collection features a new version of the album’s original stereo mix on both CD and 180-gram vinyl LP, which has been newly remastered from the original master tapes by Bruce Botnick, the Doors’ longtime engineer/mixer. The set also includes a second disc of 14 completely unreleased tracks: nine recently discovered “rough mixes” from the   album recording sessions and five live songs from a 1968 Copenhagen show. WAITING FOR THE SUN: 50^th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION will be available on September 14 for $49.98. The audio will also be available on digital download and streaming services.

 

“Hello, I Love You” became the band’s second #1 hit when it topped the Billboard singles chart for two weeks beginning on August 3, 1968. Now, exactly 50 years later, Rhino will release a new 7” version of the single with its b-side “Love Street.” For this anniversary release, Rhino will use mono radio mixes of the songs that were given exclusively to radio stations for airplay in 1968. This version of “Hello, I Love You” was first available last year as part of The Singles CD collection and is making its vinyl debut here, while the “Love Street” mix is being released commercially for the first time. The 7” single will be available on August 3 for $9.98.

 

Botnick’s newly remastered stereo mix of Waiting For The Sun adds new sonic dimensions to songs like “The Unknown Soldier” and “Spanish Caravan,” but that wasn’t his only contribution to the project. While going through his archive, he uncovered a cache of rough mixes from the sessions that hadn’t been played in 50 years. Botnick says: “I prefer some of these rough mixes to the finals, as they represent all of the elements and additional background vocals, different sensibilities on balances, and some intangible roughness, all of which are quite attractive and refreshing.”

 

The deluxe edition of the album also features unreleased live recordings of five songs from the Doors’ September 17, 1968 concert in Copenhagen. The performance includes three songs from the band’s latest album – “Hello, I Love You,” “Five To One,” and “The Unknown Soldier” – plus the classics “Back Door Man” and “The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat).”

 

When the Doors recorded Waiting For The Sun in 1968, they were among the first bands to use Dolby A301 noise reduction processors, which was cutting-edge recording tech at the time. Similarly, the most advanced sound recording innovations were used to make the anniversary edition of Waiting For The Sun. The new release has been encoded with the MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) process. An MQA disc plays back on all CD players as standard CD quality. But if a conventional CD player is connected to an MQA-enabled device, it can play the same disc back at its original sample rate.

 

In other Doors news, the band has reprinted their original 1968 Doors concert program for the first time, which will be available exclusively in The Doors webstore. This was the only official tour program ever created by the band. 

 

The program was originally produced for their 1968 U.S. tour but only sold at a few select shows and via mail order. Designed by Paul Ferrara, this 24-page program includes many color and black & white images taken by Ferrara, plus poetry by Jim Morrison, astrology charts for each band member, and more.

 

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www.thedoors.com

 

Pre-order now at the following links:

Waiting For The Sun: 50^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition https://rh-ino.co/wfts50

Hello I Love You 7” https://rh-ino.co/helloiloveyou

 

WAITING FOR THE SUN: 50^th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

Track Listing

 

Disc One

1. “Hello, I Love You”
2. “Love Street”
3. “Not To Touch The Earth”
4. “Summer’s Almost Gone”
5. “Wintertime Love”
6. “The Unknown Soldier”
7. “Spanish Caravan”
8. “My Wild Love”
9. “We Could Be So Good Together”
10. “Yes, The River Knows”
11. “Five To One”

 

Disc Two (All Tracks Previously Unreleased)

Rough Mixes

1. “Hello, I Love You”
2. “Summer’s Almost Gone”
3. “Yes, The River Knows”
4. “Spanish Caravan”
5. “Love Street”
6. “Wintertime Love”
7. “Not To Touch The Earth”
8. “Five To One”
9. “My Wild Love”

 

Live In Copenhagen

10. “The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)”
11. “Hello, I Love You”
12. “Back Door Man”
13. “Five To One”
14. “The Unknown Soldier”

 

 

# # #

[The Computer Audiophile]

I love that guy's videos. This one covers a subject a bit out of his comfort zone and it was pretty easy to see. Oh well. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Computer Audio is about so much more than what’s inside the device outputting sound. 

 

Now back to MQA. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

23 minutes ago, HalSF said:

The problem is, there’s no MQA news to talk about, protest, extoll, get exercised about, or vilify. 

 

 

What you didn’t see this?