The MQA debate is finally over

There used to be intense debate over the superiority of MQA vs flac and MQA vs non-MQA dacs.

I have listened to both formats through both dacs (Esoteric vs Meridian Ultradac) and to my ears in my system, flac via a non-MQA dac rules.

RIP, MQA.

jon202004-18-2023 12:45pm

simonmoon Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 464 posts 04-18-2023 at 05:52pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Well, I believe the debate is finally over, but not for the reason you give. MQA is entering administration (the UK equivalent of bankruptcy). So, whether it is better than FLAC, or not, is sort of a moot point. But I always thought that quad DSD is pretty much superior to all other digital formats anyway.
simonmoon Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 464 posts 04-19-2023 at 06:20pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @kota1 As for minuses I can give you an example. If you listen to violins in an orchestra in FLAC they sound rich, harmonious, they ebb and swell with the tempo, its wonderful. But they sound like a group of violins, not individual violins. When I listen to a good MQA master I hear more of the individual violins standing out from each other while playing together as a group. If you weren’t able to compare you might never notice, but once you hear the difference you notice it when it isn’t present. I find 24/96 PCM to offer "more" of everything but still doesn’t get that rich sound of each individual instrument the way I get with MQA. You are describing my exact experiences with quad DSD vs PCM (24/96 and greater).