MQA is Vaporware

[JoeWhip]

HDR and the wider color gamut are what really shines not the increased resolution when it comes to 4K. Of course, YMMV.

[John Dyson]

On 4/25/2019 at 9:49 AM, John Dyson said:

 

Here are the demos (this is all 1960's/1970's stuff, I think pretty good for the timeframe):

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ab9nhtqjforacd8/AABvt7IYgoob7VXxpN0ekK6ra?dl=0

 

Demo snippets re-uploaded at around 5-6AM EST/USA time.

 

Just fixed a minor, but noticeable bug in the demos.  At this point (after my review this morning), I believe that IN GENERAL, the quality is as good as is available to the consumer -- except I believe that the Linda Ronstadt snippets might be mildly compressed.

The encode/decode distortion still persists in my copies of the Carpenter's albums -- not sure if the examples that I uploaded have an obvious case of the distortion.  The Carpenters did a bit too much processing, therefore obscuring Karen C's special voice.

 

Well, the specifics here are NOT on topic, but rather this ancient material would be good for encoding/decoding comparison.  I HAVE run into cases where mp3 is not transparent on the Brasil'66 material.  Multi-generation DolbyA encode/decode material like the Carpenters don't really tax mp3 all that much.

 

Mastering IS the big variable in consumer audio quality also -- we consumers need to somehow demand good quality remastering, and not just 'compress and compress more' for remastered releases.  The ABBA 'Complete Studio Recordings' show AM radio processor style compression (within a few minutes -- I'll upload the equivalent TCSR version of the ABBA snippets as an example.)  The Carpenters release available through HDtracks is also much further processed than the original albums.  I believe that the HDtracks copy of the Carpenters (not really HDtracks fault, but rather the distributor) is also leaked DolbyA, I believe that I did an analysis, but should probably recheck.

 

*added comment -- after listening again, I don't think that the TCSR recordings were DolbyA decoded before the extreme compression during mastering.  The TCSR is a real mess.

We gotta demand better mastering, then the 44.1k/16bits or 96k/24bits or whatever become a LITTLE more operative -- but still not really all that important.   14bits with stolen bits need not apply, however.  IMO -- my opinion only, quality issues are totally masked by mastering (or lack-off.)

 

John

[shadowlight]

9 hours ago, firedog said:

Too bad the article didn't mention Qobuz. Not a good outcome for them - they don't even rate a mention.
 

One quick way for Amazon to start cd or better quality would be to take over Qobuz or invest in Qobuz.  Qobuz is already leveraging AWS infrastructure for their streaming platform.

 

This is pure speculation on my part.

[crenca]

11 hours ago, Em2016 said:

 

 

 

Geez, don't folks know that 8% of the all males are color blind?

 

Working it out, I think it must be remembered that Google has a much larger slice of the real pie (looking beyond just subscribers to traditional streaming services) through YouTube, which I think is probably larger than all this put together as far as how folks get their music "online".  Google has monetized that also, but I don't know how well (I suspect well enough)...

[crenca]

13 hours ago, Em2016 said:

Is it possible it's MQA?

 

Even if not MQA, of the Big Four (Apple, Google, Spotify, Amazon) Amazon might be the first to offer CD quality or better? If so, the rest to follow?

 

https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/amazon-is-readying-a-hi-def-music-streaming-service/

 

Reading that reminded me we have Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer all streaming a large catalog of 16/44 or greater.  None of them have "caught on".  @Rt66indierock, anything over >256kbs AAC is niche, "hardsell", etc.  

 

I wonder what makes Amazon think they have a market?

[Rt66indierock]

14 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

Amazon was the big fish the MQA team told me about over a year ago. Amazon loved the fact that MQA could illuminate a blue light because Amazon couldn't explain bit rate or sample rate to its customers. If it lit the light, that's all that mattered. 

 

However, from the article:

 

"It’s understood that Amazon has not partnered with MQA for its own HD tier."

 

 

Now you know why we mocked the blue light last year.

[The Computer Audiophile]

11 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

Now you know why we mocked the blue light last year.

I actually don't.

[Rt66indierock]

1 minute ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I actually don't.

 

It was pretty obvious that the blue light was a marketing tool almost from the get go. A way to indicate quality even if quality wasn't there. I carried a blue laser around last year to the shows I went to. John Atkinson mentioned a couple times he was afraid I would shine it on him. I'd shine it on walls and floors and ask people if they felt closer to the studio. You do not want know the results.

 

I've already packed it for the show in Long Beach.

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

It was pretty obvious that the blue light was a marketing tool almost from the get go. A way to indicate quality even if quality wasn't there. I carried a blue laser around last year to the shows I went to. John Atkinson mentioned a couple times he was afraid I would shine it on him. I'd shine it on walls and floors and ask people if they felt closer to the studio. You do not want know the results.

 

I've already packed it for the show in Long Beach.

Ah. I thought it was obvious that the blue light was a marketing tool. 

[Rt66indierock]

1 hour ago, crenca said:

 

Reading that reminded me we have Tidal, Qobuz, and Deezer all streaming a large catalog of 16/44 or greater.  None of them have "caught on".  @Rt66indierock, anything over >256kbs AAC is niche, "hardsell", etc.  

 

I wonder what makes Amazon think they have a market?

 

I don't think the sources are from Amazon.  They are familiar with the test marketing Spotify did showing nobody cared. And don't get me started on how small the hi-res catalog is.

[rando]

2 hours ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

It was pretty obvious that the blue light was a marketing tool almost from the get go. A way to indicate quality even if quality wasn't there. I carried a blue laser around last year to the shows I went to. John Atkinson mentioned a couple times he was afraid I would shine it on him. I'd shine it on walls and floors and ask people if they felt closer to the studio. You do not want know the results.

 

I've already packed it for the show in Long Beach.

 

That's one way to keep the MQA police choppers from circling above.

[Sonicularity]

I'd like to know some more details about the new Amazon tier, such as what format(s) Amazon will use, how the files will be created and from what source material, will the music be available to purchase at "better than CD-quality" or even CD-quality, and will there be any onerous proprietary issues that will be introduced.  I'm excited to learn more about it as more information becomes available.

 

This is a wonderful time to be a music lover. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, Sonicularity said:

This is a wonderful time to be a music lover. 

Yes indeed. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey guys, if anyone wants to learn how to be profitable, Hugo from Meridian will tell you how. 

 

Given Meridian’s colossal money losses over the years, this tweet is comical. 

 

 

 

[Rt66indierock]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hey guys, if anyone wants to learn how to be profitable, Hugo from Meridian will tell you how. 

 

Given Meridian’s colossal money losses over the years, this tweet is comical. 

 

 

 

 

This seems worth getting up early for.

[Ski Bum]

I hope Roon is talking with Amazon about integrating the Amazon hi rez service into Roon.

[Tintinabulum]

4 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hey guys, if anyone wants to learn how to be profitable, Hugo from Meridian will tell you how. 

 

Given Meridian’s colossal money losses over the years, this tweet is comical. 

 

 

 

Schadenfreude, I guess it has a place here?

Install is their chosen marketplace, not consumer audio, so they probably aren’t tuned in. Not heard of Hugo before, chances are he joined after Meridian lost the money.

 

Small thing that people seem to forget in their MQA hate fest, Meridian actually make some excellent Hi-Fi gear. Sooloos bore Roon. Second hand DSP speakers are a huge Hi-Fi bargain. An excellent pair of digital active speakers, £500. Plug in a SPDIF source (Allo) and you would need to spend 10 times that to improve the sound (ps to Allo excepting). But hate away...

[Thuaveta]

4 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Hey guys, if anyone wants to learn how to be profitable, Hugo from Meridian will tell you how. 

 

TL;DR: "Marry into it".

 

That'll be $100, folks.

[mansr]

1 minute ago, Tintinabulum said:

Not heard of Hugo before, chances are he joined after Meridian lost the money.

That would mean he's a time traveller from the future.

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, Tintinabulum said:

Schadenfreude, I guess it has a place here?

Based on my understanding of it, no.

 

[Tintinabulum]

33 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Based on my understanding of it, no.

 

You appear to be taking pleasure in Meridian's losses and mocking Hugo- Schadenfreude

[Tintinabulum]

38 minutes ago, mansr said:

That would mean he's a time traveller from the future.

Not following you there, Meridian lost money over a number of years. If Hugo joined recently, he's not part of that loss making period? I don't get where time travel comes in.

[Thuaveta]

2 minutes ago, Tintinabulum said:

If Hugo joined recently, he's not part of that loss making period?

 

They lost more money in 2018 than they did in 2017. If you have access to the 2019 statements, please let us know.

[kumakuma]

6 minutes ago, Tintinabulum said:

You appear to be taking pleasure in Meridian's losses and mocking Hugo- Schadenfreude

 

I think it was the irony of the phrase used in the tweet. Kind of along these lines...

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 minutes ago, Tintinabulum said:

You appear to be taking pleasure in Meridian's losses and mocking Hugo- Schadenfreude

I take no pleasure in anyone's losses or pain. I was pointing out the irony in getting advice on how to make money from a company that has never made money. 

 

I don't see how you read into that as me taking pleasure in the company's losses.