Meridian MQA Poll

MQA by Meridian poll - pick up to three that you think best fits where you're at with this latest innovation.

 

Would it make sense to add an option for "I'd like to hear it first before deciding"?

 

Done, with a couple more options on top!

 

If it has an advantage over existing formats, it is bringing better quality sound to streaming music, so that should clearly be an option. Otherwise it's lossy, so basically MP3 for hi-res audio.

 

It sounds promising but is difficult to separate the science from the hype. Wait and see attitude.

 

From the main MQA thread here, my understanding is that MQA is not lossy.

Am I reading that wrong?

 

Yes.

 

So this is wrong?
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...ting-quite-a-buzz.398901/page-6#post-12221762

 

I'd like to encourage all opinions here incidentally. Whether they are overwhelmingly positive, negative or all points in between re: MQA. Decisions about what constitute a threadcrap are moot if they're on topic as far as I'm concerned, so post away.

Keep it civil, and try to avoid "absolutes" please. Otherwise, let rip!

 

Meridian says it is "audibly lossless", something which has also been said (by proponents) of a number of lossy compression schemes. I don't doubt that MQA is better than those, but it's not "data" lossless, only psychoacoustically "audibly" lossless. As I said, a better solution to streaming hi-res audio for sure. The stated goal of replicating the ADC's characteristics in the DAC also is admirable but I suspect mostly unachievable at this time.

 

It's civil...from my side - I just want to understand the underpinnings of Meridan's claims.

 

Got it.

So I take that to mean MQA's encoding scheme is not "numerically" lossless, but claimed to be audibly lossless.

All good.

 

Although I wasn't there, apparently Bob Stuart clarified this at CES 2015, and it was reiterated at AXPONA. FWIW, the MQA demo at AXPONA was not universally liked.

Anyway, there is still only one choice that I can reasonably check (I haven't heard it so I reserve judgement); since one of its main stated goals is to provide a high-quality streaming audio experience I really think that choice should be there.

 

Sorry Erik, my bad. It was more of a general comment than anything you'd said! Fret ye not.

 

Guess I need a new category: "I've heard it and thought it sounded great, but because of a highly flawed demo, I have no idea whether this format offers any advantage over existing ones."

My doubts about MQA are mostly the product of a glaringly deficient demo put on by Meridian personnel 2 nights ago. Here's what they did: On a $100k-plus all-Meridian system, they played a very well recorded CD-quality cut as a supposed "baseline." Then they played 3 cuts of classic studio material (Take 5, Enter Sandman, and an Ella/Satchmo duet) that had been remastered in MQA. The CD-quality cut was not repeated in MQA. And none of the MQA cuts were repeated in another format! The person from Meridian had no explanation for why we were not being offered any opportunity for comparison -- except to say the company was still working out the details of their demo. Kind of lame, IMO.

I left the event feeling that I had heard very high quality digital music reproduction, but having absolutely no idea whether what I heard would be worse than, the same as, or better than the same material in DSD or 24/96 or 24/192. This was such an obvious deficiency in the demo methodology that it made me suspicious of the whole thing, instead of excited.

All this is aside from lingering questions about whether the format will be employed by enough studios and remastering houses to gain critical mass and enjoy widespread adoption.

But again: in isolation, yes, MQA sounded very, very good.

--David B.

 

Understood, but I wanted to approach this from quite a general perspective, though I do get the point of MQA and its present focus on streaming.

 

Just when we are getting hi-rez downloads easily available, along come this to muddy the waters.
Just what is needed to confuse the marketplace - A format war.

 

My thoughts exactly. Must be something in the local water...

 

Exactly. I'm sure we can still find folks who claim 192K MP3 is "audibly lossless" too. If MQA was developed purely as a format to increase the quality of streaming music services it would be interesting. But rolling out a new lossy format in 2015 is like introducing a new style of horse-drawn buggy. Lossy formats only make sense in two situations: 1) when space is an issue 2) when its the mid 90's and lossless compression isn't around yet.

 

The first story I heard of an MQA demo didn't even include the CD of different music as a baseline. At least Meridian is getting closer to the understanding that apples-to-apples comparisons are required for any demo like this to be taken seriously. The fact they didn't begin with the obvious conclusion might be troublesome though.

 

Groundbreaking (from what I have read) and reserving judgement - a fence-straddler.

 

So, MQA is some form of trying to tart up streaming services, is that correct?
If so, INSTA-fail for me. Only cause I have zero interest in streaming.

 

You want to hear MQA?

Grab a 24/192 track you have. Dither it down to 16/192. If you have a DAC capable of 384kHz, then up sample it to that with a minimal phase filter setting. Have a listen...

Compare that to the same 24/192 file downsampled to 24/48. Which is the same size as what that 16/192 would be compressed into.

Other than a few (IMO) minor tricks, that's really all that it is... As least that seems to be what articles and patents point to.

Personally I'd take a flat 24/48 that's compatible with everything... Or 24/96 if I really want to ensure I'm not missing anything. As for streaming, absolutely nothing wrong with 16/44 lossless CD and lower the risk of buffer underruns which some folks already complain of with Tidal - why bother risking even more dropouts with MQA at this time?

 

I cant believe anyone would even bother trying to improve streaming. Its NOT for hifi listening and never ever will be, except for the few here. You are not representative of the masses, and the masses dont give a flying F*** about "Hi-Fi"!! You can take that to the bank.

 

Some interesting responses from this, admittedly really rather basic poll. I have to say that I am surprised at the number of responses who think there's already sufficient audio formats, or that Meridian are trying to create an alternative revenue stream ahead of any claimed enhanced sound quality.