MQA is Legit!

@jethro1964...

Not sure if "better" is the correct word? These were taken from the MQA website:

"MQA reveals every detail of the original recording."

"MQA captures 100% of the original studio performance. It then cleverly adapts to deliver the highest quality playback your product can support."

So the way that I read that, is that, it is supposed to sound better?

Master Quality Authentication

@ robelvick

Exactly!  I only subscribe to Tidal for MQA :)  I hear a big (positive) difference.

My point is that MQA and Redbook CD will sound identical for a given recording when played back through equivalent gear... I think that tracks that are offered up via Tidal in MQA have more to give as they tend to be better mastered and delivered via streaming in a very high quality (timing-wise and resolution) way.  In other words, i dont care much to stream non-MQA as it tends to sound too "thin".  

Bottom line: MQA=lossless reproduction @ smaller footprint + more quality (from an audiophile perspective) in production.

It is interesting how passionate this discussion has become though :)

Please pardon my ignorance on the subject...Trying to learn as a DAC and  Tidal are in the near future for me.....
"... I think that tracks that are offered up via Tidal in MQA have more to give as they tend to be better mastered"

So are you saying that all tracks offered in MQA have been remastered for MQA and not simply converted to the Format? 

@mofimadness

Measurements do show us frequency response, and every DAC that supports MQA that I know of has degredated PCM performance, in terms of their slow-sloping filter that introduces aliasing. Get a Benchmark DAC3 or Chord Qutest and compare PCM on those versus a MQA-compatable DAC (make sure they are level matched).

I'm saying that it appears to me the tracks that are in the "masters" quality selection (i.e. the MQA versions) are better than the ones that aren't.  It seems Tidal has a bit more of a quality standard for these versions of a track.  The noise floor is lower, the sound has groove (sounds "deeper" as if a really deep clean pressing on vinyl).  I wouldnt say warm, but certainly more body to the song.  So combine that with the great rendering and timing and it is delicious. 

BTW I am using the PS Audio DirectStream DAC with the Snowmass software.