MQA appears to be about to-a-degree compressed, so-called high-res music files sold off as true high-res, and deals made with hardware and software manufacturers to deliver MQA-"ready" products that unfold MQA material to its fuller potential.
I fail to see the need for compressed streaming files in this day and age, even with true high-res, and not least the need to invest in MQA-specified products to take better advantage of their pseudo high-res venture. It’s the principle matter of taking what we already have, converting it into a compressed "high-res" variation, and making money on product deals that are necessitated to more fully harness a file-product, that’s worrying.
The same in essence could be said about harnessing the potential of raw CD-files, true high-res and DSD ditto with better DAC’s, but it’s the MQA labeling, business and manipulation of raw material into compressed form that annoys the hell out of me, and why I applaud what will hopefully be the eventual demise of MQA.
With regard to sound quality, some feel MQA-files sound better - through the proper "approved" source equipment, I take it - some don’t, and even considers them inferior. I belong in the latter camp and prefer the unadulterated, plain ol’ raw 16-bit/44,1kHz CD-files, even over much if not most true high-res material.