Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 JVS: "Now that I've heard the MQA-encoded FLAC files courtesy of Nonesuch (owned by "Big Three Major" Warner Music), I can attest that there's every reason in the world to hear this disc in the best-sounding format available to you. Switch to MQA (mastered by Robert C. Ludwig in Portland, ME), and everything opens up. The more realistic vibrancy, color, and body of the instruments themselves, and their markedly increased, natural-sounding resonant interaction with the hall are impossible to miss, even through headphones. (and more realistic and convincing with MQA)," https://www.stereophile.com/content/first-major-label-mqa-cd-steve-reich-nonsesuch#z5AS5hHCcmXMga26.99 ________________________________________ He makes a very misleading statement above, trying to imply that standard download was mastered one place, and the "special" MQA versionwas done by Bob Ludwig. I have the 24/96 download, and it comes with a digital booklet, and Ludwig is listed as the only mastering engineer. I will compare. But in the meantime, go out and buy this CD, and don't forget your MQA DAC!!! Run along! Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 Speaking of Bob Ludwig, here is a "lecture" he gave in Nov. 2017: Link includes downloads of his presentation in Power Point and Apple Key Note: Starting at around slide 37, there is huge MQA sales job, mumbo jumbo about time domain and blurring. Then two, to show how "MQA works", two articles listed..guess the sources...have fun. http://www.gatewaymastering.com/bob-ludwigs-parsons-audio-expo-2017-lecture/ Link to comment
Spacehound Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 The MQA version is "about17"/48 not 24/48 so he lied. Link to comment
mansr Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I really would like to get my hands on a track or two ripped from an MQA CD. Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 3 minutes ago, mansr said: I really would like to get my hands on a track or two ripped from an MQA CD. I would assume it is no different than the Tidal stream. Link to comment
realhifi Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Brinkman Ship said: JVS: "The Nonesuch Records CD Steve Reich: Pulse / Quartet arrived with its sonic bonus unheralded. With no MQA designation on the album cover or disc, few would have known of its MQA provenance had not posts appeared on Facebook that, when inserted in a player capable of decoding MQA, it can deliver high-resolution MQA. Now that I've heard the MQA-encoded FLAC files courtesy of Nonesuch (owned by "Big Three Major" Warner Music), I can attest that there's every reason in the world to hear this disc in the best-sounding format available to you. The "Masters"/MQA version can also be streamed on Tidal or, I believe, downloaded in some countries other than the US from highresaudio.com.) (The MQA files are 24/48 MQA.FLAC, and unfold to 24/96.) The non-MQA hi-rez version can be downloaded from HDTracks and Acoustic Sounds. When played as 24/96 FLAC without MQA, the sound is extremely clear and direct. While well-suited to conveying the complex, shifting patterns that are central to Reich's music, the music sounds somewhat dry and studio-bound. (I can't resist noting the irony of a recording that was made at Air Studios, Lyndhurst Hall, London, and mixed by John Kilgore in New York, sounding dry and airless.) Switch to MQA (mastered by Robert C. Ludwig in Portland, ME), and everything opens up. The more realistic vibrancy, color, and body of the instruments themselves, and their markedly increased, natural-sounding resonant interaction with the hall are impossible to miss, even through headphones. The opening "Fast" movement—the longest of the three at 6:46— abounds with energy. Melody and rhythm keep morphing as they engage in a constant percussive dance of sorts whose glowing resonances, almost Gamelan-like (and more realistic and convincing with MQA), are filled with surprising rhythmic stops and starts. The middle "Slow" movement sounds particularly compelling with MQA, the luminous, sustained sounds of vibes suspended uncannily in three-dimensional space in a manner that evokes, in a curious sort of way, Debussy's Mélisande, who moved through life with an air of untouchable, suspended mystery." https://www.stereophile.com/content/first-major-label-mqa-cd-steve-reich-nonsesuch#z5AS5hHCcmXMga26.99 ________________________________________ He makes a very misleading statement above, trying to imply that standard download was mastered one place, and the "special" MQA versionwas done by Bob Ludwig. I have the 24/96 download, and it comes with a digital booklet, and Ludwig is listed as the only mastering engineer. I will compare. But in the meantime, go out and buy this CD, and don't forget your MQA DAC!!! Run along! Thanks for the heads up on this! I wouldn't have known about it without your bringing it to my attention. Are you SURE you're not working for MQA? Teresa 1 David Link to comment
NOMBEDES Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 12 minutes ago, mansr said: I really would like to get my hands on a track or two ripped from an MQA CD. According to Stereophile the FIRST MQA CD will not be available until March: On March 17, Japanese label Ottava will release the first MQA recording on compact disc, A. Piazzolla by Strings and Oboe. Recorded by the UNAMAS Piazzolla Septet, whose videos you can view online, the short disc was mastered by the Tokyo-based label's CEO, Mick Sawaguchi. The recording is also available for download. Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/mqa-encoded-cds-yes#qSb2o2FXeTrGDSg0.99 In any dispute the intensity of feeling is inversely proportional to the value of the issues at stake ~ Sayre's Law Link to comment
mansr Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 16 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said: I would assume it is no different than the Tidal stream. A CD is 16-bit. Tidal MQA is delivered in a 24-bit container. Teresa 1 Link to comment
mansr Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 9 minutes ago, NOMBEDES said: According to Stereophile the FIRST MQA CD will not be available until March: On March 17, Japanese label Ottava will release the first MQA recording on compact disc, A. Piazzolla by Strings and Oboe. Recorded by the UNAMAS Piazzolla Septet, whose videos you can view online, the short disc was mastered by the Tokyo-based label's CEO, Mick Sawaguchi. The recording is also available for download. Read more at https://www.stereophile.com/content/mqa-encoded-cds-yes#qSb2o2FXeTrGDSg0.99 That was a year ago, March 2017. MrMoM 1 Link to comment
Ron Scubadiver Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 I was going to post this, but the OP beat me to it. A review like this and the entire MQA controversy underscores the subjectivity involved in this activity/hobby. My personal take is MQA is producing euphonic colorations. A secondary question is what is the role of frequencies outside the range of human hearing on our perception of music playback? Link to comment
Popular Post Indydan Posted February 19, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 19, 2018 When I started reading this article on Stereophile, I already knew what Serinus' conclusion about the MQA version would be... I just didn't know the exact qualifiers and hyperbole he would use. At least he didn't say MQA was more "elegant"... Spacehound, semente and MikeyFresh 2 1 Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 9 minutes ago, mansr said: A CD is 16-bit. Tidal MQA is delivered in a 24-bit container. Yes, I thought you were referring to the "unfolded" track. Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 23 minutes ago, realhifi said: Thanks for the heads up on this! I wouldn't have known about it without your bringing it to my attention. Are you SURE you're not working for MQA? Nah, you would have seen it while trolling the MQA threads. Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 @Brinkman Ship You're causing me to receive emails about potential copyright violations. Please stop copy / pasting entire articles form other sites. Just use the snippets that matter to make your point. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 Just now, The Computer Audiophile said: @Brinkman Ship You're causing me to receive emails about potential copyright violations. Please stop copy / pasting entire articles form other sites. Just use the snippets that matter to make your point. this WAS a snippet, check link. Link to comment
The Computer Audiophile Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Just now, Brinkman Ship said: this WAS a snippet, check link. Please copy less next time. Founder of Audiophile Style | My Audio Systems Link to comment
Ron Scubadiver Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Admin has a point. Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 8 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said: Please copy less next time. Ok, will do so as to not cause you any headaches. But for the record Mr. Atkinson has zero to complain about. I attributed the author, used quotes, and linked back. He is clearly being petty IMO. Fair Use principles are clear as day. Link to comment
Brinkman Ship Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 8 minutes ago, Ron Scubadiver said: Admin has a point. His only point, which I completely understand, is that he does not want to be harassed and threatened with petty claims. Link to comment
miguelito Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Spacehound said: The MQA version is "about17"/48 not 24/48 so he lied. How can a CD, MQA or otherwise, be ANYTHING ELSE than 16/44? Teresa 1 NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul system pics Link to comment
miguelito Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 32 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said: Yes, I thought you were referring to the "unfolded" track. There's nothing to unfold unless you're using a lower bit depth for the 0-22KHz frequency range. Shall we call it by what it is please? M-eQ-A !!! Jezus, what bull... NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul system pics Link to comment
John_Atkinson Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 20 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said: @Brinkman Ship You're causing me to receive emails about potential copyright violations. Please stop copy / pasting entire articles form other sites. Just use the snippets that matter to make your point. Thank you Chris. John Atkinson Editor, Stereophile Link to comment
Spacehound Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 28 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said: this WAS a snippet, check link. Just do what Chris says. And we don't really need every example in the known universe.. Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted February 19, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 19, 2018 21 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said: Ok, will do so as to not cause you any headaches. But for the record Mr. Atkinson has zero to complain about. I attributed the author, used quotes, and linked back. He is clearly being petty IMO. Fair Use principles are clear as day. Stereophile and friends are well-known to scream bloody murder over a single copied punctuation mark if they are being criticised. That's what it's all about, shutting down dissenting voices. It's tempting to put little quotes on some Chinese pastebin site and link to those instead of the original article. Brinkman Ship, Spacehound, MikeyFresh and 4 others 4 3 Link to comment
Popular Post mansr Posted February 19, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted February 19, 2018 49 minutes ago, Brinkman Ship said: Yes, I thought you were referring to the "unfolded" track. I want to see how they've allocated the bits in a 16-bit delivery format compared to the usual 24-bit. Something has to have been dropped. miguelito and Teresa 1 1 Link to comment
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