As a professional, credentialed, full time mastering engineer ... MQA has no credibility, no honor, as they have bulk processed thousands of titles to create a market, where audiophiles can get their 2 cents in to vote and to buy or not. MQA adds subtle harmonic distortion, and it’s offensive to a great mastering job, counter to the approved work of the artist and producer. If the mastering is a bit lacking the harmonic content can sound "better" to you, yet you are further from the approved master, not closer. The issues of PCM if any exist, are not bulk processed, that is just creating other issues. Common sense. Very few titles are previewed and worked through the MQA codec as advertised, and you have no idea where these are because the list is a tiny percentage of what they sell. Buying or streaming the native sample rate of the mastering session is the BEST QUALITY. There is no upgrade, ever, full stop. For real, just stop dreaming. All the rest is marketing and lies. PCM was all that was needed said Bob a few years before he ran out of money selling DVD players in a streaming market. The decision here is not about sound quality, it’s about supporting charlatans, or letting them move on to other careers. MQA is running a 50 million GBP debt last I knew so let’s hope the greed dies and common sense prevails. Enjoy your listening !
www.magicgardenmastering.com
