MQA is Vaporware

[kumakuma]

10 minutes ago, Paul R said:

 

Just how do you expect MQA to take over these cowboys, punkers, metal, showtunes, and classical artists? Ain't gonna happen... 

 

 

Except for a few megastars and unsigned artists who release their own music, the decision on how to release an album is made by the label, not by the artist.

[Paul R]

4 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

256 Kbps AAC took them over. 

(grin)

Actually, a lot of them are cutting vinyl now - selling to the hipster crowd. 

 

Most of them will stream from Apple, but their own music is pretty much CD at a minimum, and most are recording in 24/96 now. Think the PreSonus stuff from Baton Rouge, which enables amazingly good high quality recording even just using Garageband. Most will kick in the bucks to get Logic Pro X or a full Copy of Studio 1 Pro though. Pro gear sounds almost as good as higher end audiophile stuff, and is a whole lot cheaper.

 

Partly because of that, those folks are an absolute bastion of high res audio these days. iPhone, Androids, whatever they can get their hands on, hacked up to play back high res as cleanly as possible. 

[Shadders]

11 minutes ago, Paul R said:

 I just spent 20 years in Austin, the live music capital of the world. I am pretty sure there are more releases from bands there than much of any other place in the country. Some good, some bad, a few excellent. 

 

Just how do you expect MQA to take over these cowboys, punkers, metal, showtunes, and classical artists? Ain't gonna happen... 

 

-Paul 

 

Hi,

Please see :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry

 

States :

Current Markets shares as of September 2018 are as follows:^[44]

• Warner Music Group — 25.1%
• Universal Music Group — 24.3%
• Sony Corporation — 22.1%
• Other — 28.5%

The big three have 71.5% of the market share. This is a very large share to have total control over with MQA.

 

The independents may or may not follow - the streaming services may be forced to request that the independent labels provide MQA only files. If streaming is the future, then this can be very detrimental to all consumers.

 

Regards,

Shadders.

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Paul R said:

(grin)

Actually, a lot of them are cutting vinyl now - selling to the hipster crowd. 

 

Most of them will stream from Apple, but their own music is pretty much CD at a minimum, and most are recording in 24/96 now. Think the PreSonus stuff from Baton Rouge, which enables amazingly good high quality recording even just using Garageband. Most will kick in the bucks to get Logic Pro X or a full Copy of Studio 1 Pro though. Pro gear sounds almost as good as higher end audiophile stuff, and is a whole lot cheaper.

 

Partly because of that, those folks are an absolute bastion of high res audio these days. iPhone, Androids, whatever they can get their hands on, hacked up to play back high res as cleanly as possible. 

Most audio is streamed at 320 Kbps or lower. The artist who records in high resolution and painstakingly works for a certain sound, still uploads that lossy crap to Apple, Spotify, Pandora, etc...

 

Let's say MQA takes over, "The artist who records in high resolution and painstakingly works for a certain sound, still uploads that lossy crap to Apple, Spotify, Pandora, etc..."

[Paul R]

1 minute ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Most audio is streamed at 320 Kbps or lower. The artist who records in high resolution and painstakingly works for a certain sound, still uploads that lossy crap to Apple, Spotify, Pandora, etc...

 

Let's say MQA takes over, "The artist who records in high resolution and painstakingly works for a certain sound, still uploads that lossy crap to Apple, Spotify, Pandora, etc..."

At least to Apple, they have to upload the highest quality file they have, up to 24/96k. 

 

I am also not entirely sure most people, particularly on a mobile setup, can tell the difference between 320mbs MP3s or 256AAC files and CD quality. I am pretty sure I can, but only if I am in a quiet listening environment.

 

Why would you consider it bad that people are listening to - and paying for-  the artist's music in any format?  Even MQA will get them paid and let them keep making music. 

 

Most of these artists live on the edge of bankruptcy, only a few break through, like Shakey Graves. Honestly, I would support MQA if it means those folks get more plays where plays = pays. I do not believe it will though. 

 

-Paul 

 

[Paul R]

14 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

Except for a few megastars and unsigned artists who release their own music, the decision on how to release an album is made by the label, not by the artist.

 

Most artists do not have a label, they record, master, and release their own music.  

-Paul 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Paul R said:

Why would you consider it bad that people are listening to - and paying for-  the artist's music in any format?  Even MQA will get them paid and let them keep making music. 

I never said or insinuated such a thing. 

 

 

[Samuel T Cogley]

1 minute ago, Paul R said:

Most artists do not have a label, they record, master, and release their own music. 

 

But to be fair, this thread is not about them.

[kumakuma]

Just now, Paul R said:

 

Most artists do not have a label, they record, master, and release their own music.  

-Paul 

 

 

And their sales represent a drop in the bucket when it comes to total music sales.

[Paul R]

4 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I never said or insinuated such a thing. 

 

 

Sorry, I was reacting to "lossy crap."  

 

-Paul 

 

[Paul R]

4 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

But to be fair, this thread is not about them.

 

Umm- if you are talking about MQA taking over the world, then I think this thread certainly must include them. Also, I do not think that J Lo or Kayne, or The Rolling Stones or Coldplay or Maroon 5, or whomever, care one bit whether you buy their music in hi-res, CD, or in MQA.  Just so long as you buy it.

 

 

[Paul R]

9 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

And their sales represent a drop in the bucket whe

in it comes to total music sales.

 

Just in Austin alone, the music industry has a  $1.8 billion impact, locally.  There are a lot of little Austins in the country, and all added together, the impact is enormous. 

Here is a link to the 2016 impact statement. I am sure there is a newer one, if anyone cares to search it out. 

 

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/EGRSO/TXP-Austin-Music-Impact-Update-2016-Final.pdf

 

-Paul 

 

[JoeWhip]

 

 

30 minutes ago, botrytis said:

 

I remember one great audio demonstration I went to. It was simple and straight forward. It was the CEO and head designer of HRS Systems. What he did was to play one CD in a player (he did it twice - but both times) let us listen. Then he just moved the CD player to one of his racks and just played it again. He did the explanation AFTER the demo. He didn't use influence or anything else. The difference was there. THAT WAS A DEMO.

 

30 minutes ago, botrytis said:

I agree completely. As I trial lawyer, I have learned all of the tricks. If a demo is given at a show or a store and they tell the group what they will hear, most will hear it. It is just how people are. I ignor such demos. The only way to do it properly is how you describe it above. It does not happen very often.

 

 

 

[Sonicularity]

5 minutes ago, Paul R said:

 

Umm- if you are talking about MQA taking over the world, then I think this thread certainly must include them. Also, I do not think that J Lo or Kayne, or The Rolling Stones or Coldplay or Maroon 5, or whomever, care one bit whether you buy their music in hi-res, CD, or in MQA.  Just so long as you buy it.

 

 

 

If MQA takes over the world, perhaps the restrictions to make music available to the masses will be too much for the smaller artists to survive without the assistance of major labels.  If all of the convenient options to buy or stream music are locked behind MQA's scheme, it could set the industry back several decades.

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, Paul R said:

 

Just in Austin alone, the music industry has a  $1.8 billion impact, locally.  There are a lot of little Austins in the country, and all added together, the impact is enormous. 

Here is a link to the 2016 impact statement. I am sure there is a newer one, if anyone cares to search it out. 

 

http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/EGRSO/TXP-Austin-Music-Impact-Update-2016-Final.pdf

 

-Paul 

 

 

I don't see the relevance to this discussion. 

[rando]

Just now, Paul R said:

 I just spent 20 years in Austin, the live music capital of the world. I am pretty sure there are more releases from bands there than much of any other place in the country. Some good, some bad, a few excellent. 

 

Just how do you expect MQA to take over these cowboys, punkers, metal, showtunes, and classical artists? Ain't gonna happen... 

 

-Paul 

 

 

Did you move to Detroit?  

 

Just now, The Computer Audiophile said:

256 Kbps AAC took them over. 

 

I can affirm the hipster crowd changed their tune from 🍎 to 💩 products (or vintage hi-fi).  With that certainly came along everything in the awful legacy of cult recordings revealing equipment make even more unlistenable.  Suddenly their parents music with high DR was good though too.  Basically they quit listening to poorly made copies they've had for years and focused on good recordings no matter how bad the music.  

 

MQA is a threat to established listeners.  Not so much the younger generation at the moment.  Wouldn't be too surprised if they turned their backs completely if/when the deck is stacked that heavily against them.  Similar to the split that happened in the 60's.  

 

 

[Samuel T Cogley]

20 minutes ago, Paul R said:

 

Umm- if you are talking about MQA taking over the world, then I think this thread certainly must include them. Also, I do not think that J Lo or Kayne, or The Rolling Stones or Coldplay or Maroon 5, or whomever, care one bit whether you buy their music in hi-res, CD, or in MQA.  Just so long as you buy it.

 

I think we're on the same page.  "the world" in "taking over the world" does not include independent, unsigned artists.  When MQA comes to Bandcamp, let me know.  🙂

[firedog]

1 hour ago, Paul R said:

 

Just a thought - so what are they going to do about the truly enormous library of non DRM hi-res music out there that already exists? Those lirbaries are not going to just disappear from the disks of hobbyists all over the world. Not to mention the even more enormous number of needle drops out there. 

 

-Paul

 

One, they don’t care about needle drops.

The “truly enormous” library isn’t - only a small number of audiophiles even own any or know that it exists. A hires download that sells a few thousand copies is a top seller. 

They will continue doing what they’ve been doing with old music since the 80’s: bring out new formats and new remixes, box sets,  and remasters and get the public to buy it again.
There’s still an enormous amount of music that hasn’t been released in hires they can release. Notice just in the last few months: Lennon, Beatles, Hendrix, Buffalo Springfield. AFAIK, all sold well and many  also sold in expensive deluxe or boxed editions. 

[kumakuma]

3 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

I think we're on the same page.  "the world" in "taking over the world" does not include independent, unsigned artists.  When MQA comes to Bandcamp, let me know.  🙂

 

There's a good reason why most of these artists are independent and unsigned...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon's_law

[The Computer Audiophile]

37 minutes ago, Paul R said:

Sorry, I was reacting to "lossy crap."  

 

-Paul 

 

No worries Paul. You've been around here since 2010, I know you're well intentioned. 

[KeenObserver]

I'm glad I put on my hip boots before I logged on today.  The BS is running deep.

 

Mr. Quint is again complaining about rude people.  These terrible people are pointing out the flaws in MQA! How awful!  People should just accept MQA and let them have their way with us!  Bob S is a wonderful man and will be your daddy.

 

Lee is running the usual MQA playbook.  The current buzzword is: " The artist will benefit".  Honest.  If we implement MQA everything will be puppy dogs and rainbows for the artist!  I have to wonder if Lee is real or if he is just AI on a computer.  I find it hard to believe that anyone can spend as much time on web sites prozelitizing MQA as Lee and still hold a full time job!  Way to go Lee!

 

And Paul is still posting his voluminous train of thought ramblings, each of which seems to contradict the one before.  The general gist I get from them is that MQA,  as it is implemented now, is a stinking, rotten piece of garbage that completely screws the music consumer, but it has potential!

[crenca]

I don't care what anyone says about you Keen, you have potential 😋

[Shadders]

4 minutes ago, KeenObserver said:

The general gist I get from them is that MQA,  as it is implemented now, is a stinking, rotten piece of garbage that completely screws the music consumer, but it has potential!

Yes, it is....

 

"....a stinking, rotten piece of garbage that completely and utterly screws the music consumer."

 

I have located the potential.

[kumakuma]

6 minutes ago, Shadders said:

Yes, it is....

 

"....a stinking, rotten piece of garbage that completely and utterly screws the music consumer."

 

I have located the potential.

 

To be fair to Paul, he also said that we should stop worrying about MQA because there will always be alternative sources of music available such as street musicians hawking their self-produced CDs out of their guitar cases.  

[KeenObserver]

4 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

 

To be fair to Paul, he also said that we should stop worrying about MQA because there will always be alternative sources of music available such as street musicians hawking their self-produced CDs out of their guitar cases.  

 

I know someone with a nose flute!  When I can no longer access my music,  I can go over to their house!