How many of you believe in MQA?


I have recently purchased a Bluesound Node 2i.  The dealer suggested I connect the Bluesound by way of digital coax to a Pro-Ject S2 DAC by way of RCA anologue to my ARCAM AVR550.  However, I found out I will not be able to control my Bluesound with an iPhone, iPad or PC notebook.  The only way to hear MQA completely unfolded is to plug in a computer USB.  This would mean I would have to get up from where I am sitting, go to the computer to change songs and albums.  I believe the Pro-Ject RS2 DAC would work, but not sure what the sales price is or if this is a good option.

The dealer asked me why I wanted to even bother listening to MQA completely unfolded when the DAC sounded better than the DAC inside the Bluesound.  He thinks MQA is way over rated and it may not be around a year from now.  If I hook things up with the Pro-Ject S2 DAC I will be able to hear one unfold which would be at 24 bit/88.2 kHz.  If I do this, I will be giving up the opportunity to hear MQA recordings recorded at 24 bit/96 kHz or 24 bit/192 kHz.  

How many of you are enbracing MQA?  
larry5729

Showing 1 response by dbtom2

I am enjoying MQA Masters from Tidal.  That first unfold provided by the Tidal app is all I need. More detail, kick drum sounds more real and the leading and trailing edge of bass notes are particularly well defined. 

It hasn’t cost me anything to listen to thousands of Hi-Res tracks I would have had to purchase otherwise.  I subscribed to Tidal well before MQA Masters were added to their library.  

Count me as a believer in MQA.  In general I like what I hear.  

I enjoy Qobuz also and listen to their Hi-Res selections as well.  Good stuff.  

My disclaimer is that I don’t have near the time or money invested in my hifi and music collection as a lot of others here do. I just like picking an album to play and if I wonder what the format is due to something I am hearing, I will investigate.  Otherwise it’s just the bliss of good tunes.  

I am enjoying hi-res in all the formats and consider my subscriptions to Tidal and Qobuz a bargain.