How Is MQA Fareing?

This week I noticed that MQA content from Universal Music has been added to Tidal.
I have a PS Audio DirectStream DAC, which I love, but MQA sounds dull when output to the DAC, even when I have Tidal doing the unfolding...so I bought a Mytek Brooklyn DAC just for streaming Tidal MQA, and with many (but not all) MQA mastered albums the sound is excellent.  I especially noticed how well recorded acoustic piano, ride cymbals and well recorded vocals sound more "realistic".
My DirectStream DAC coupled with my DirectStream transport with most SACDs and many "regular" CDs sound excellent as well, in many cases, sound better than the MQA remasters.
So, I think the "jury's out" on MQA and its ultimate commercial success.

Lalitk,

I would say "yes" to the question of whether a well mastered MQA version sounds "better" than a previously mastered CD quality version might sound, not all the time, but more times than not.

When well mastered, with MQA I find the bass is better defined, vocals sound more "analog" as do acoustic instruments (particularly well recorded piano), and as a former rock and roll drummer, the "timbre" of striking a ride cymbal gives you a visceral experience that I haven't heard from "regular" CDs.

I also don't think the major benefit from MQA is the "unfolding" into a higher resolution file, though that's definitely a bonus.  I feel the major benefit is the "deblurring" that only full end-to-end MQA decoding offers, only from an MQA DAC.  There are some MQA albums that report they are CD quality (where the DAC reports they are 44.1/16bit) but the "deblurring" makes for a sound which is not "edgy", as some PCM can sound.

The DAC chip in the Brooklyn is very good, but not what my PS Audio DirectStream DAC offers (at three times the price, I might add), but when listening to MQA thru the Brooklyn, I'd say the sound quality is comparable to the DirectStream DAC playing "regular" CD quality, oftentimes superior.

Lalitk,

BTW, the Brooklyn has a really good headphone amp, with lots of power to drive the most inefficient headphones, a real bonus.

It also has the ability to hook a turntable (something I don't own) and from what I've read that capability is well done as well.

I have no "axe to grind" on the subject.

When MQA was first being streamed by Tidal, I bought one of those inexpensive Explorer2 DACs to see what all the fuss was about.  I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard; many of those MQA masters seemed to have more defined bass, better timbre from ride cymbals, more distinct percussive sounds from acoustic pianos, more richness for vocals and string instruments like violins...but not all MQA masters.

I was so impressed with MQA I gave my Explorer2 to a friend and bought a Mytek Brooklyn DAC, just for MQA.  As Tidal's MQA library has grown, I'd say some of the remasters sound significantly better, many sound somewhat better and some sound about the same.

Fast forward to my purchase of a PS Audio DirectStream memory player to pair with my PS Audio DirectStream DAC with an I2S cable.  I find this pair to be the best sounding digital, especially with SACDs and most conventional CDs.  I am learning that the I2S interface separates "the bits" from "the timing" and that "the timing" might have a lot more importance then I ever realized.

My MQA setup is a USB from a Dell Windows10 Pro machine to the USB input on the Brooklyn DAC.  I'm being encouraged by a friend to get a device to "reclock" my USB pathways, into the DACs.  I might just try that out and will see if MQA can sound "better" than the PS Audio pair.

Please stay tuned.