MQA is Vaporware

[kumakuma]

36 minutes ago, KeenObserver said:

You guys having coffee too?

 

I'm about to go make one with my Kalita Wave 185.

[asdf1000]

7 hours ago, Rt66indierock said:

Xiami Music

 

"Xiami’s popularity declined in recent years amid stiff competition from other music-streaming services such as QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music, which occupy larger market shares. The new sites built up their user bases with diverse and — more importantly — copyrighted music, according to media reports.

Yu Yandi, a culture and entertainment industry analyst at market research firm Analysys, told Sixth Tone that Xiami couldn’t keep up with the changing times. Xiami’s music database offered fewer choices than competitors, as music labels and artists became more assertive about protecting their copyrights and users switched to other platforms.

“Copyrighted content is certainly one of the most important issues, because that’s the most crucial thing for music platforms,” she said. “Also, after Alibaba acquired Xiami Music, the company handled its membership through affiliated platforms, which damaged Xiami’s profit model. If users register through other channels, they have the option of not paying the platform directly.”

 

https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006676/chinas-music-aficionados-lament-loss-of-streaming-service-xiami

[jparvio]

I totally knew Warner had MQAshed lots of material. What I did not know is that they don´t even give the 16bit 44,1 flac version (clearly there is one since this is for sale as cd) or even bother mentioning that the version is MQA. I recently played Nathalia Stutzmann and my non-MQA-dac went 96k. Erato=Warner=MQA? Or am I jumping into conclusion here? Could somebody with MQA-dac please check this.

 

This is an example from Tidal (within Roon):

 

 

[Rt66indierock]

16 hours ago, asdf1000 said:

 

"Xiami’s popularity declined in recent years amid stiff competition from other music-streaming services such as QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music, which occupy larger market shares. The new sites built up their user bases with diverse and — more importantly — copyrighted music, according to media reports.

Yu Yandi, a culture and entertainment industry analyst at market research firm Analysys, told Sixth Tone that Xiami couldn’t keep up with the changing times. Xiami’s music database offered fewer choices than competitors, as music labels and artists became more assertive about protecting their copyrights and users switched to other platforms.

“Copyrighted content is certainly one of the most important issues, because that’s the most crucial thing for music platforms,” she said. “Also, after Alibaba acquired Xiami Music, the company handled its membership through affiliated platforms, which damaged Xiami’s profit model. If users register through other channels, they have the option of not paying the platform directly.”

 

https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1006676/chinas-music-aficionados-lament-loss-of-streaming-service-xiami

Are you saying MQA Ltd chose badly when they signed up Xiami? If so isn't that a reflection of who is willing to do business with MQA Ltd?  

[asdf1000]

27 minutes ago, Rt66indierock said:

Are you saying MQA Ltd chose badly when they signed up Xiami? If so isn't that a reflection of who is willing to do business with MQA Ltd?  

 

I don't know, it's better not to waste time making up a story.

 

[Rt66indierock]

1 hour ago, asdf1000 said:

 

I don't know, it's better not to waste time making up a story.

 

 

Why not I've advanced the idea that it a bad business decision to do business with MQA. 

[asdf1000]

7 hours ago, Rt66indierock said:

 

Why not I've advanced the idea that it a bad business decision to do business with MQA. 

 

Why don't I want to waste time making stuff up? Yes you have a history of making things up.

 

For example, remember in this thread when you seemed to know what PS Audio customers wanted/requested better than PS Audio themselves about what their customer demand for MQA support?? After Paul McGowan said clearly in a video that he isn't a fan of MQA but he gets a bunch of customer demand for it.

 

Just one example...

 

I would prefer MQA go away but I'm not going to waste time making stuff up just for the sake of being anti-MQA - unless you find that entertaining?

 

 

 

 

[asdf1000]

Even Chris called you out on blowing smoke in this thread.

 

It must just be for entertainment

 

 

[MikeyFresh]

9 hours ago, asdf1000 said:

I don't know, it's better not to waste time making up a story.

With all due respect, this not a court of law in which the OP or anyone else owes us proof of something, otherwise it is assumed to be false or a "story".

 

Take what he says at face value, or not, but accusing people of telling stories quickly moves in the direction of demands for "proof or it didn't happen". He owes you no such burden of proof.

[asdf1000]

39 minutes ago, MikeyFresh said:

With all due respect, this not a court of law in which the OP or anyone else owes us proof of something, otherwise it is assumed to be false or a "story".

 

Take what he says at face value, or not, but accusing people of telling stories quickly moves in the direction of demands for "proof or it didn't happen". He owes you no such burden of proof.

 

All noted. But please note he asked me the question 'why not' so I was just answering his question and gave an example.

 

Regarding your comments about proof and court of law:

 

I don't care if he's not providing proof about anything and I'm placing no 'burden' on him for proof, so that's inaccurate.

 

I'm just pointing out he has a history of speaking in riddles and 'blowing smoke' as Chris pointed out (see links above). 

 

Pointing out for others reading this, not pointing out to him.

 

Maybe that will encourage less blowing smoke... or maybe not.

 

Again : I'd prefer MQA to go away... 

 

 

[MikeyFresh]

[Currawong]

On 1/11/2021 at 8:23 AM, MikeyFresh said:

I wonder what that means about Thorsten Loesch? Is he no longer with AMR/iFi?

 

No, not any more.

[Confused]

Having abondened my quest to find the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, I have found the third unfold! 

(and I thought an MQA renderer would do the first unfold?)

 

A new article from What Hi Fi:

 

iDSD Diablo is iFi's new flagship portable DAC/headphone amp | What Hi-Fi?

 

To quote:

 

MQA – the hi-res streaming codec used by Tidal’s ‘Masters’ tier – is also supported through the USB and S/PDIF inputs, with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of that new 16-core XMOS chip. This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’. 

[UkPhil]

2 hours ago, Confused said:

Having abondened my quest to find the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, I have found the third unfold! 

(and I thought an MQA renderer would do the first unfold?)

 

A new article from What Hi Fi:

 

iDSD Diablo is iFi's new flagship portable DAC/headphone amp | What Hi-Fi?

 

To quote:

 

MQA – the hi-res streaming codec used by Tidal’s ‘Masters’ tier – is also supported through the USB and S/PDIF inputs, with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of that new 16-core XMOS chip. This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’. 

And does this take it even further, I need a lie down 

 

[Confused]

6 minutes ago, UkPhil said:

And does this take it even further, I need a lie down 

Yes, 33% further it would seem.

[DuckToller]

7 hours ago, Confused said:

Having abondened my quest to find the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot, I have found the third unfold! 

(and I thought an MQA renderer would do the first unfold?)

 

A new article from What Hi Fi:

 

iDSD Diablo is iFi's new flagship portable DAC/headphone amp | What Hi-Fi?

 

To quote:

 

MQA – the hi-res streaming codec used by Tidal’s ‘Masters’ tier – is also supported through the USB and S/PDIF inputs, with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of that new 16-core XMOS chip. This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’. 

If I am not mistaken, your source is just guilty of unfiltered copy-paste of source material:
 

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) is supported through the USB and S/PDIF inputs, with full decoding of MQA files up to 384kHz thanks to the processing power of the new 16-core XMOS chip.

Check out how to set-up your MQA decoder via Tidal, Roon and Audirvana here.

This means that the full ‘three unfold’ decoding process is performed internally, as opposed to only the final unfold in the manner of an MQA ‘renderer’.

Globally, MQA has become an important consideration for any comprehensively equipped DAC. It is available through for Tidal Masters, Audirvana and Roon.

 

Source: https://ifi-audio.com/products/idsd-diablo/

[R1200CL]

It you set your Tidal to HiFi, you should get the red book version and not Master, even though the red book version doesn’t show up as an available option.
 

Maybe time to stop getting angry at Tidal ?

 

 

[jparvio]

On 1/15/2021 at 12:08 PM, jparvio said:

I totally knew Warner had MQAshed lots of material. What I did not know is that they don´t even give the 16bit 44,1 flac version (clearly there is one since this is for sale as cd) or even bother mentioning that the version is MQA. I recently played Nathalia Stutzmann and my non-MQA-dac went 96k. Erato=Warner=MQA? Or am I jumping into conclusion here? Could somebody with MQA-dac please check this.

 

This is an example from Tidal (within Roon):

 

 

 

Funny.... now all the info is there. I wonder what happened.

 

[Confused]

15 hours ago, DuckToller said:

If I am not mistaken, your source is just guilty of unfiltered copy-paste of source material:

Agreed, it's just a cut and paste of the manufacturer's marketing fluff. 

 

Althought regarding my "source", the What Hi Fi writer is Becky Scarott, and we have seen her here before:

 

 

 

[DuckToller]

2 hours ago, Confused said:

Agreed, it's just a cut and paste of the manufacturer's marketing fluff. 

 

Althought regarding my "source", the What Hi Fi writer is Becky Scarott, and we have seen her here before:

 

 

 

My thorough excuses for tagging "the" source to you personally in my comment, my friend !!!
By the way, does your wife know that you follow Becky Scarrott on instagram ??? ;-)

[Confused]

4 minutes ago, DuckToller said:

By the way, does your wife know that you follow Becky Scarrott on instagram ??? ;-)

If I'm honest, I'm having more than enough fun just following her on What Hi Fi.

[DuckToller]

Just now, Confused said:

If I'm honest, I'm having more than enough fun just following her on What Hi Fi.

I do hope you can relish my tomfoolery as much I appreciate your humor ;-)

[Daccord]

8 hours ago, R1200CL said:

It you set your Tidal to HiFi, you should get the red book version and not Master, even though the red book version doesn’t show up as an available option.
 

Maybe time to stop getting angry at Tidal ?

 

 

 

That wasn't my experience. What's your source for this claim?

[UkPhil]

1 hour ago, Daccord said:

 

That wasn't my experience. What's your source for this claim?

I agree all items I have tried are now 16 bit MQA which was once red book 

[MikeyFresh]

10 hours ago, R1200CL said:

Maybe time to stop getting angry at Tidal ?

No definitely not, until such time as Tidal no longer pushes MQA at all, they should be shunned.