MQA is Vaporware

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

And hi-fi manufacturers and audio software companies, no?

In other words, consumers. 

[FredericV]

7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I know the person hired to write the plug-in. I can’t say more.  
 

If it was actually thing in real studios, you’d be able to add it to any Pro Tools DAW. 

I found this post about the typical workflow, at that time (2017) they just sended the files to MQA, no preview in the studio how MQA would change the sound in realtime was available, and they had to wait for MQA to receive the encoded version. So the studio's do not control the encoding parameters.

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/showpost.php?p=12717728&postcount=1075

 

Quote

2) My understanding is there are a number of parameters that affect the final sound which will be made accessible in a future mastering tool kit.

6) There is talk of a complete set of mastering tools to be rolled out to enable all this to be done in the mastering room.

So this mastering tool kit was never released by MQA? Or are there actual users of this tool?

[KeenObserver]

On 12/19/2020 at 6:09 PM, UkPhil said:

Are 2L actively using MQA in their workflow ?

Can anyone confirm if this is what’s happening or are they just releasing MQA as their “go to” delivery streaming format. I am not aware of any other recording studio/ company that use it ?

 

"Holistic" ? Sounds like something an ad writer, or an "influencer", would write, like "MQA ecosystem".

 

I guess any audiophile that is concerned with the future availability of music should avoid 2L.

[KeenObserver]

Does Tidal's website look different?  Seems like they are trying to conceal the fact that they are promoting MQA.

[FredericV]

Today I received my Zoom H8 - now that I got it, it's interesting to notice no recorder exists which can record directly into MQA.

At least it can capture more than the entropy of a usual MQA file (17/96 at best), but why are there no MQA enabled recorders if MQA was such a big thing? You would expect a recorder to correctly capture the time domain, to at least have an MQA logo on it 🤣

 

No such recorder exists
Only one MQA enabled ADC exists

[ShawnC]

2 minutes ago, FredericV said:

Today I received my Zoom H8 - now that I got it, it's interesting to notice no recorder exists which can record directly into MQA.

At least it can capture more than the entropy of a usual MQA file (17/96 at best), but why are there no MQA enabled recorders if MQA was such a big thing? You would expect a recorder to correctly capture the time domain, to at least have an MQA logo on it 🤣

 

No such recorder exists
Only one MQA enabled ADC exists

Stop giving them ideas. Next I’ll have to get an MQA toilet to crap right. 

[Dr Tone]

18 minutes ago, FredericV said:

No such recorder exists
Only one MQA enabled ADC exists

Why would any audio engineer want to work with a very limited PCM file “MQA” when they can capture and work in 32bit float for maximum precision when DSPing.

 

Of course MQA marketing advertises end to end but leaves out the part where the real master is almost always standard PCM.

[DuckToller]

29 minutes ago, ShawnC said:

Next I’ll have to get an MQA toilet to crap right. 

time-aligned ??? 😇

[lucretius]

 

14 hours ago, KeenObserver said:

Does Tidal's website look different?  Seems like they are trying to conceal the fact that they are promoting MQA.

 

On the promo pages, they talk about "master sound quality"  and "Tidal masters" but no specific mention of MQA, etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

I had to dig deep to find this:

 

 

[FredericV]

34 minutes ago, Dr Tone said:

Why would any audio engineer want to work with a very limited PCM file “MQA” when they can capture and work in 32bit float for maximum precision when DSPing.

 

That's the whole point: MQA is not an internal studio format / project format / recording format.
MQA is only an end-user delivery format -a last mile format.

For this reason, except for one ADC, there are no MQA ADC's or recording devices.

[FredericV]

13 minutes ago, lucretius said:

On the promo pages, they talk about "master sound quality"  and "Tidal masters" but no specific mention of MQA, etc.:

It gets even more weird: in this recent article / interview (December 2020) with Morten Lindberg, he is not even mentioning MQA as part of his mastering process:

https://www.resolutionmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Morten-Lindberg-Resolution-V19.6-Winter-2020-1.pdf

 

Still it's a interesting read how they create immersive audio, and MQA is not part of the process. MQA is just one of the 2ch downmix formats in which they deliver, but not the internal studio format.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, Dr Tone said:

the real master is almost always standard PCM.

I think I can slightly adjust this for you.

 

"the real master is almost always standard PCM."

[The Computer Audiophile]

38 minutes ago, FredericV said:

 

That's the whole point: MQA is not an internal studio format / project format / recording format.
MQA is only an end-user delivery format -a last mile format.

For this reason, except for one ADC, there are no MQA ADC's or recording devices.

If it was actually the real deal, it would be the format for everything. Kind of like pure PCM.

[UkPhil]

4 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

If it was actually the real deal, it would be the format for everything. Kind of like pure PCM.

I just cannot see it being part of a production system, even reading @FredericV PDF post about 2L they are more interested in Dolby Atmos deliveries in their studio setup. 
But in the end if MQA have all corners covered in the industry it may be difficult to stop this juggernaut ploughing through the consumer path 

[Dr Tone]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I think I can slightly adjust this for you.

 

"the real master is almost always standard PCM."

Unless it’s a flat analog capture to DSD.

[Allan F]

On 12/21/2020 at 6:58 AM, ShawnC said:

Next I’ll have to get an MQA toilet to crap right. 

 

On 12/21/2020 at 7:27 AM, DuckToller said:

time-aligned ??? 😇

 

No, floating point.

[John Dyson]

1 hour ago, Allan F said:

 

 

No, floating point.

Floating point is great because when processing, you don't have to worry (as much) about the peaks.   Once the full quality is captured (watch the audiophiles start looking for 64bit FP in the near future :-)), then whatever needs to be done, can be done.   To me, it is almost folly not to use FP until the final stages.

 

To me, 24 bit signed integer is a delivery format in itself. (or POSSIBLY archival after processing.)

Gimme 32bit FP/96k rather than 24bit signed/192k anyday.   There is less likelihood of needing to fit the signal into a narrow window when using FP.  Scaled 32bit signed might be almost as good, but why bother? 

 

John

 

[Dr Tone]

John FWIW,

 

Allan’s floating point was a joke in reference to MQA and other similar items normally found in a toilet.

[KeenObserver]

12 hours ago, Dr Tone said:

John FWIW,

 

Allan’s floating point was a joke in reference to MQA and other similar items normally found in a toilet.

 

Hopefully, MQA gets flushed.

[lucretius]

59 minutes ago, KeenObserver said:

 

Hopefully, MQA gets flushed.

 

It's highly harmful to the environment to flush products made of pollutant materials like MQA down the toilet.  You'll need an MQA-diverting toilet to separate MQA from other lovelies.  🙂

 

 

 

[Allan F]

2 hours ago, lucretius said:

It's highly harmful to the environment to flush products made of pollutant materials like MQA down the toilet.  You'll need an MQA-diverting toilet to separate MQA from other lovelies.  🙂

 

I don't know. I think that many, if not most, sewage treatment plants would be able to unfold the deleterious effects of MQA.

[Abstraction]

On 11/18/2020 at 11:47 AM, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

The Government of France says it can make adjustments to the Mona Lisa because some new colors are available that were unavailable in the early 1500s and they can make the painting how Leonardo intended it. These new colors require special glasses to see them in their full glory.

What your source on this. I realize you are using it as an example of something that has nothing to do with painting, but I would normally, given my interests, know about this. Just wondering. The only story I know about having glasses to see the Mona Lisa has nothing to do with modifiction of the painting.

[FredericV]

On my work FB I did post my Tidal cancellation email with the statement that I left Tidal for Qobuz because I could not accept files being replaced by MQA versions behind our back, and then two friends who are also in some way affiliated with the audio industry, told me:
 

"Coincidentally did the same for the same reason. Bey bey Tidal and a warm welcome to Qobuz."

"Did the same 6 months ago, for the same reason"

There are probably a lot more listeners who cannot accept MQA replacing the normal PCM versions, and jump to Qobuz for the same reasons.

[KeenObserver]

16 hours ago, Abstraction said:

What your source on this. I realize you are using it as an example of something that has nothing to do with painting, but I would normally, given my interests, know about this. Just wondering. The only story I know about having glasses to see the Mona Lisa has nothing to do with modifiction of the painting.

 

Missed Sarcasm101 at University.

[KeenObserver]

I wish everyone the best of the Holidays and hope in the New Year we will all be able to listen to the music of our choice without having a costly and useless MQA imposed on us.