Bottom line though is regardless of how good it sounds (or potentially can sound given the original master), MQA is a "lossy compression". For those such as myself who primarily listen to bands - such as but not limited to the Grateful Dead - whose live recordings are readily available in "lossless" compression formats such as flac or shn, why would I ever want to stream MQA when I can just download the lossless files and play those?
How Is MQA Fareing?
In another thread here are posters are making comments about MQA suggesting that it isn't a big commercial success, that is should be called DOA, etc. Yet there are always announcements about companies adopting MQA, testimonials from happy Tidal streamers, etc.
I'm neutral on MQA but having witnessed more than a few formats go down in flames in my time, and still puzzling over the resurgence of vinyl, I wonder how one measures the marketplace progress of MQA. Do we look at Tidal subscriptions? Sales of MQA compatible DACs? The size of Bob Stuart's house?
I'm neutral on MQA but having witnessed more than a few formats go down in flames in my time, and still puzzling over the resurgence of vinyl, I wonder how one measures the marketplace progress of MQA. Do we look at Tidal subscriptions? Sales of MQA compatible DACs? The size of Bob Stuart's house?