MQA is Vaporware

[firedog]

1 hour ago, mansr said:

Email in some form existed as early as 1973: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc561

You could make the argument that it existed already in the 60's, but you are correct that only in the 70's was the format more or less universalized. 

[jabbr]

2 hours ago, mansr said:

Email in some form existed as early as 1973: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc561

No doubt. Arpanet dated back to ?1969. There were different networks & protocols stitched together with RFCs. Ultimately IP won out. Ultimately URIs were layered on top. Here were are today typing or talking on our phones, laptops, who knows?

 

After all these decades we still have to fight back the forces of end to end closed systems and proprietary data formats. Who would think?

 

Julia & Gen are exciting me these days.

[Nikhil]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

Are you finding a lot of albums are only available as MQA?

 

For sure Tidal keeps shoving an MQA version everytime they get the chance.  But it's more than that - at several listening sessions conducted at different locations (not just my own setup) the quality of the Tidal stream was just garbage.   CD playback or local file storage is so much better than whatever you get over Tidal including the silly "Master" versions.  

 

IMO You have to be completely ignorant of high quality sound if you continue to subscribe to Tidal HiFI.

 

 

.

 

[lucretius]

8 hours ago, firedog said:

My impression is that Stereophile reviews a fair amount of reasonably priced products. You see them listed  in their yearly recommended components.  Those products have all been reviewed in the magazine. In loudspeakers, for instance, they even have a category for "LF restricted" speakers, which generally translates to reasonably priced. 

 

LF restricted means low frequency restricted and would include desktop in addition to some bookshelf speakers - not necessarily reasonably priced.  Apparently, they think that reasonable priced speakers are OK for your desktop -- just don't use them for your main system, yada, yada, yada..

[John_Atkinson]

6 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

LF restricted means low frequency restricted and would include desktop in addition to some bookshelf speakers - not necessarily reasonably priced.  Apparently, they think that reasonable priced speakers are OK for your desktop -- just don't use them for your main system, yada, yada, yada..

 

You really need to read more before you post. See https://www.stereophile.com/taxonomy/term-p/141

- plenty of affordable speakers reviewed that will shine in a regular system, as well as a dedicated desktop speaker system like the impressive Vanatoo.

 

John Atkinson

Technical Editor, Stereophile

[firedog]

27 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

LF restricted means low frequency restricted and would include desktop in addition to some bookshelf speakers - not necessarily reasonably priced.  Apparently, they think that reasonable priced speakers are OK for your desktop -- just don't use them for your main system, yada, yada, yada..

Yep, you post without knowing what you are talking about, as JA noted. https://www.stereophile.com/content/recommended-components-2019-edition-loudspeakers. 

Those desktop speakers you refer to include Klipsch Heresey and some pretty good standmounts. Most are definitely not “desktop” models. In all categories there are numerous components under $2k and even $1k.some substantially under $1k.  Most  are perfectly fine audiophile components.

18 minutes ago, John_Atkinson said:

 

You really need to read more before you post. See https://www.stereophile.com/taxonomy/term-p/141

- plenty of affordable speakers reviewed that will shine in a regular system, as well as a dedicated desktop speaker system like the impressive Vanatoo.

 

John Atkinson

Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

[daverich4]

22 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

Apparently, they think that reasonable priced speakers are OK for your desktop -- just don't use them for your main system, yada, yada, yada..

 

You clearly don’t read Stereophile or you wouldn’t make that statement. However, this being the internet and all, you go ahead and express your opinion anyway on a subject you have no knowledge of.

[lucretius]

39 minutes ago, John_Atkinson said:

 

You really need to read more before you post. See https://www.stereophile.com/taxonomy/term-p/141

- plenty of affordable speakers reviewed that will shine in a regular system, as well as a dedicated desktop speaker system like the impressive Vanatoo.

 

John Atkinson

Technical Editor, Stereophile

 

Thanks. I didn't know you had a section entitled Budget Component Reviews. But you have to admit, it's a bit sparse. For example, 7 items in 2018 (2 items were speakers), 12 items in 2017 (4 items were speakers), and 11 items in 2016 (4 items were speakers).

[lucretius]

23 minutes ago, firedog said:

hose desktop speakers you refer to include Klipsch Heresey and some pretty good standmounts. Most are definitely not “desktop” models. In all categories there are numerous components under $2k and even $1k.some substantially under $1k.  Most  are perfectly fine audiophile components

 

I didn't say that LF Restricted loudspeakers were all desktops.  And, BTW,  the Klipsch's are in 'Class C' (I also see a Class D, E,and K, LOL); who buys class C?*  Not much in Class B.  Rarely anything in Class A .

 

*Actually, I did once. Turned out to be a huge mistake.

 

[lucretius]

31 minutes ago, daverich4 said:

 

You clearly don’t read Stereophile or you wouldn’t make that statement. However, this being the internet and all, you go ahead and express your opinion anyway on a subject you have no knowledge of.

 

Can't you simply disagree?  You remind me of the Apple fanboys.

[Paul R]

3 minutes ago, lucretius said:

 

Can't you simply disagree?  You remind me of the Apple fanboys.

 

Wow, you just really hate to be wrong don’t you? What is this, 1980’s again? Real men don’t use mice?🤪

 

[Ralf11]

Lack of products in a certain category isn't a problem.  Stereophile caters to more expensive system buyers.  They can't do everything, and are to be commended for addressing the more affordable range.  I didn't see an actual review of either Vanatoo system, but they do list Dayton's at $31/pair (!)

[Ishmael Slapowitz]

This thread is not called "Stereophile is Vaporware"...back on topic folks?

[daverich4]

1 hour ago, Ishmael Slapowitz said:

This thread is not called "Stereophile is Vaporware"...back on topic folks?

 

I just did a search for Stereophile limited to this thread and got 467 hits / 19 pages. I’m pretty sure it is on topic. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[crenca]

1 hour ago, Ishmael Slapowitz said:

This thread is not called "Stereophile is Vaporware"...back on topic folks?

 

Oh I don't know, is not MQA vaporware built upon the trade publication vaporware?  Get your point however...

[Rt66indierock]

1 hour ago, Ishmael Slapowitz said:

This thread is not called "Stereophile is Vaporware"...back on topic folks?

 

I agree the Term Sheet of HDTracks and 7digital is an excellent read. Dated June 30, 2016 it summarizes what 7digital would provide HDTracks for its MQA streaming service. 

 

Highlights include using the best available track. 

[crenca]

8 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

Highlights include using the best available track. 

 

Defined how?

[mansr]

17 minutes ago, crenca said:

Defined how?

Most Questionably Authentic

[Rt66indierock]

15 minutes ago, crenca said:

 

Defined how?

 

A. Work Breakdown Structure

MQA Enccoding

(Automated)

 

Accepts additional data required to support MQA encoding  - best source available plus other signing data

[KeenObserver]

I have been up to the mountain, or otherwise occupied.  It's been months.  It will take me some time to catch up.

Perhaps someone can get me up to speed.

 

Is MQA dead yet?

 

Have the new financials for MQA been posted yet?  I seem to recall they were due out in July.

[Ishmael Slapowitz]

1 hour ago, KeenObserver said:

I have been up to the mountain, or otherwise occupied.  It's been months.  It will take me some time to catch up.

Perhaps someone can get me up to speed.

 

Is MQA dead yet?

 

Have the new financials for MQA been posted yet?  I seem to recall they were due out in July.

Quick recap:

 

You missed a new drive by shill. 7Digital seems on the brink of collapse. We found out HDTracks sued 7d for breach of contract for failing to provide their MQA streaming service. 

 

Who else can fill in?

[kumakuma]

1 hour ago, KeenObserver said:

Have the new financials for MQA been posted yet?

 

Not yet.

 

The deadline is nine months after the company’s financial year ends so they have until the end of September. Last year they filed on Sept 21st.

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/09123512/filing-history

 

[mansr]

2 minutes ago, kumakuma said:

Not yet.

 

The deadline is nine months after the company’s financial year ends so they have until the end of September. Last year they filed on Sept 21st.

I bet they'll delay until the 31st this year.

[christopher3393]

2 hours ago, Ishmael Slapowitz said:

Who else can fill in?

 

well, let's see....this happened:

 

 

I know, you're going to ask "What does this have to do with MQA?" Here's your answer: this can be used as an all-purpose response. Note: Darko says there are thousands of them and they are everywhere....and they are intolerant. That's why they don't like MQA! They're too picky, too opinionated, too arrogant, etc. Of course, this presupposes that there actually are audiophiles that fit the bill. And that wouldn't include anyone here. After all, that's not Audiophile Style, is it? That's for those radically subjective styleholes out there in the industry and media that shill for the latest fads, like MQA. Not us! We're more...how shall I put it...objective. 🦄

[firedog]

1 hour ago, christopher3393 said:

 

well, let's see....this happened:

 

 

I know, you're going to ask "What does this have to do with MQA?" Here's your answer: this can be used as an all-purpose response. Note: Darko says there are thousands of them and they are everywhere....and they are intolerant. That's why they don't like MQA! They're too picky, too opinionated, too arrogant, etc. Of course, this presupposes that there actually are audiophiles that fit the bill. And that wouldn't include anyone here. After all, that's not Audiophile Style, is it? That's for those radically subjective styleholes out there in the industry and media that shill for the latest fads, like MQA. Not us! We're more...how shall I put it...objective. 🦄

The irony of Darko’s video is he is just exchanging one stupid  set of stereotypes and half truths for another. His video is just as much nonsense and crap as what he is condemning as just that. 
Most of us here don’t tell other people what they should like or listen to. Lots of us are well aware that a modest system can sound good. Plenty of users of Squeezebox, Sonos, and Raspberry Pi here. 

Regarding MQA, the anti-MQA crowd here is mostly reacting to the marketing lies told by MQA and repeated uncritically by audio press people like Darko; secondly, the anti reaction is to the potential attempt at market control that MQA represents.

If MQA had just been promoted as “a slightly lossy format that we think sounds as good as the original master”, we could only argue about whether it does or not, and that argument wouldn’t be virulent:

Note that we don’t have serious arguments here about PCM vs DSD, we pretty much either like both or agree to disagree. The same could have been true about MQA if it hadn’t been hyped by the audio press to be revolutionary and world changing.