I like Tidal and their extensive library. When I purchased my BlueSound Node 2i the dealer talked me into adding a ProJect S2 DAC. After hooking things up at home I noticed the bass sounded thinner. As soon as I removed the DAC the bass came back. I thought I also liked the sound of total MQA unfold. However, I also wondered if I wasn’t convincing myself MQA was better. I did appreciate the detail of hi-res quality sound regardless you. Tidal doesn’t offer that many MQA recording but I do like Hi-Res. Still like Tidal and their library and format. I am sure MQA is gimmick. But you can’t argue with the quality of hi-res.
MQA actually tested
I got a Tidal subscription a few months ago with the hope of streaming hi res music rather than continuing to buy WAAYY overpriced files from HD tracks and the like....and while the Tidal catalogue is great, some of the Master files just seemed a bit, well, not so masterful. So I decided to listen to Master files in Tidal (full unfold) and compare them to 24/96 min FLAC that I already own, and there wasn’t a single file I owned that did not sound better in clarity and extension than the “Master” file I was comparing it to on Tidal.
I had heard a lot of thoughts from different manufacturers about MQA and just put them down as interesting but not proven since none of them offered anything but their opinion...no testing etc.
then I came across this vid (. https://youtu.be/pRjsu9-Vznc ) last night from a guy who managed to actually test MQA on Tidal using files he created and had loaded onto Tidal. VERY interesting results. First real tests I have seen of MQA and I can now see why my FLAC sounds better to me.
Might have to check out alternatives.
I had heard a lot of thoughts from different manufacturers about MQA and just put them down as interesting but not proven since none of them offered anything but their opinion...no testing etc.
then I came across this vid (. https://youtu.be/pRjsu9-Vznc ) last night from a guy who managed to actually test MQA on Tidal using files he created and had loaded onto Tidal. VERY interesting results. First real tests I have seen of MQA and I can now see why my FLAC sounds better to me.
Might have to check out alternatives.