Stereophile / Art Dudley: First Time Redbook Preferred Over MQA?

[firedog]

16 hours ago, Anodyne Jones said:

In his review of the MyTek Liberty DAC, Art Dudley, who is the only Stereophile writer I still read, says:

 

"Streaming MQA files from Tidal proved a mixed bag—though here I advise the reader that all of my stated praise and blame may have less to do with the Liberty DAC than the MQA files themselves. Comparing the MQA and 16/44.1 versions of "Since I've Been Loving You," from Led Zeppelin's III (Atlantic), I thought the latter sounded more dynamic/less compressed, and altogether more involving; in particular, the kick drum in the MQA version sounded less like a drum than someone tapping his thumb on an open mike."

https://www.stereophile.com/content/mytek-liberty-da-processor-page-2#wueKB10oZjEeLiwE.99

 

is this the first time Redbook got the nod nod over MQA? I think so...

 

But he then goes on to prefer a Bowie MQA album (ZIggy) to Redbook..(but which, there are dozens!)...

 

 

Yes, he says the MQA version of Ziggy crushes other versions. Of course, we don't know if is from a superior source or not. I compared it to my 24/96 version from 2012. It does sound different, and yes, the drums do sound better. But I wouldn't swear it's the same version, and in any case the MQA doesn't "crush" my version. More like a different flavor of the same thing.

No "crush". I think if it "crushed" it, I'd hear it. 

(Of course, his reaction to the MQA could just be normal audiophile over-reaction, where every small difference is described as something overwhelmingly different/better).

So again, why do we need MQA instead of "regular" hi-res?