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MQA is Vaporware


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34 minutes ago, Shadders said:

It is the MQA CD being discussed :

https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/163302855-is-mqa-doa

The above link details that 13bits are LPCM and 3bits are assigned to the HF.

 

The answers from the Hifi News employees states the same - MQA CD has 13bits LPCM and 3bits pseudo-noise.

None of the MQA-CD rips I've seen use that bit allocation. They all have 15 bits of PCM and 1 bit MQA.

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32 minutes ago, mansr said:

None of the MQA-CD rips I've seen use that bit allocation. They all have 15 bits of PCM and 1 bit MQA.

Hi,

No problem - they (Hifi News) quote 13bits - as does the patent. If it is less then ok for those tested so far, but then we have to work with worst case.

Regards,

Shadders.

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1 minute ago, mansr said:

The decoder allows as few as 8 bits. The least I have seen in actual files is 14.

Hi,

Thankfully, given the lack of MQA CD's, should not be an issue. But if MQA CD's are forced - then the variation will be unknown for the general public unless they advertise it on the CD (which is highly unlikely - will indicate a deficiency).

 

Regards,

Shadders.

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17 hours ago, mansr said:

Already happened:

MQA'd vinyl,

Oh bother.

 

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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On 11/22/2018 at 11:55 PM, mansr said:

 

based on the original 16 bit/ 50,35 kHz master tape from 1982 ...

so what's the originalresolution flag for these files ;) ?

Designer of the 432 EVO music server and Linux specialist

Discoverer of the independent open source sox based mqa playback method with optional one cycle postringing.

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4 hours ago, firedog said:

But you have masses of vinyl enthusiasts who think LP versions sound better, even when the original recording itself is digital. Most LPs these days - by a large margin - are sourced from digital. Even when the original is analog, the LP is generally mastered from a digital source, not a tape. 

In this case, it can be what digital resolution are you listening to and from what convertor vs what is on the LP. I do not find it unusual that some might prefer some of these vinyl recordings despite the issues with vinyl playback.

Forrest:

Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA

DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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23 minutes ago, 4est said:

In this case, it can be what digital resolution are you listening to and from what convertor vs what is on the LP. I do not find it unusual that some might prefer some of these vinyl recordings despite the issues with vinyl playback.

My point is that you have Michael Fremer and many like him that have high end digital reproduction and listen to hi-res, but still generally prefer the vinyl, even when digitally sourced. 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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3 hours ago, firedog said:

My point is that you have Michael Fremer and many like him that have high end digital reproduction and listen to hi-res, but still generally prefer the vinyl, even when digitally sourced. 

Many prefer other high distortion links in their playback chain.

There's no accounting for taste.  ;)

"The gullibility of audiophiles is what astonishes me the most, even after all these years. How is it possible, how did it ever happen, that they trust fairy-tale purveyors and mystic gurus more than reliable sources of scientific information?"

Peter Aczel - The Audio Critic

nomqa.webp.aa713f2bb9e304522011cdb2d2ca907d.webp  R.I.P. MQA 2014-2023: Hyped product thanks to uneducated, uncritical advocates & captured press.

 

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2 hours ago, firedog said:

My point is that you have Michael Fremer and many like him that have high end digital reproduction and listen to hi-res, but still generally prefer the vinyl, even when digitally sourced. 

Yes, but they are still listening to different DACs. I am not trying to argue, but make that point clear. They are not the same analog conversions, and anything might be different. Someone such as Fremer should be taken with a grain of salt on anything digital anyway. He has obviously expended more energy on vinyl, and is also likely very biased. I prescribe to the notion to pursue the best recording that something was mastered in, which means I pretty much agree with you. I just felt the need to state that vinyl can give redbook a run for its money. Although I have been on a vinyl hiatus, I pursue both. Vinyl for older recordings and digital for newer unless I know they were recorded and mastered in analog.

Forrest:

Win10 i9 9900KS/GTX1060 HQPlayer4>Win10 NAA

DSD>Pavel's DSC2.6>Bent Audio TAP>

Parasound JC1>"Naked" Quad ESL63/Tannoy PS350B subs<100Hz

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11 hours ago, firedog said:

Even when the original is analog, the LP is generally mastered from a digital source, not a tape. 

 

I don't doubt this but I am curious as to the reasons why the analog source (tape) would not be used to master the LP.  Is it so that the sound engineer(s) can take advantage of the DSP processing that exists?

mQa is dead!

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4 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

I don't doubt this but I am curious as to the reasons why the analog source (tape) would not be used to master the LP.  Is it so that the sound engineer(s) can take advantage of the DSP processing that exists?

 

 

That and the master tapes are old and worn. Some are becoming unplayable. Each time they roll them probably risks more damage. But doing it digitally really negates any advantage of having an analog setup. Imaginary or not. May as well do the analog coloration with DSP and play it back with a DAC.

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1 hour ago, labjr said:

 

 

That and the master tapes are old and worn. Some are becoming unplayable. Each time they roll them probably risks more damage. But doing it digitally really negates any advantage of having an analog setup. Imaginary or not. May as well do the analog coloration with DSP and play it back with a DAC.

Agree and I’ll add: few people and places  have either the skills (experience)  or equipment to work with tape. So you digitize the tape and then can easily and relatively quickly work with the material in the way you know ( which saves big bucks) along with the other advantages mentioned. 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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On 5/2/2018 at 8:38 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

However, some VERY LARGE and VERY WEALTHY companies will give away or include stuff like this at no visible cost to the consumer, in order to one-up the other guys. 

 

Hey Chris

 

Have you heard any more recent whispers on this?

 

No need to mention the company but since May, have you heard they are going ahead with MQA plans and going to be giving it away to their customers?

 

Or have those talks/whispers fizzled since then?

 

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11 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I haven’t heard anything but given the circumstances I doubt I’ll be receiving a holiday card from MQA this year. 

 

Chris,

I may have forgotten to thank you for falling on your sword at RMAF. I talked with all the MQA representatives afterward and got a lot of information.

I didn’t think the realized the impression they made. And I haven’t brought it up in my subsequent conversations with MQA Ltd. CEO Mike Jbara.

In any case MQA Ltd.’s revenue model is based on a hardware model like Dolby’s. Even if someone is giving a product away there may need to be extensive discussions about how much cash will go to MQA Ltd.

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