How Is MQA Fareing?


 In another thread here are posters are making comments about MQA suggesting that it isn't a big commercial success, that is should be called DOA, etc.  Yet there are always announcements about companies adopting MQA, testimonials from happy Tidal streamers, etc.
  I'm neutral on MQA but having witnessed more than a few formats go down in flames in my time, and still puzzling over the resurgence of vinyl, I wonder how one measures the marketplace progress of MQA.  Do we look at Tidal subscriptions?  Sales of MQA compatible DACs?  The size of Bob Stuart's house?
mahler123
I am very pleased with MQA and the TIDAL delivery of it. The amount of MQA albums is increasing each week. Audible improvements of listening to a 24 bit 44,48,96,176, 196 and even 382 is very audible. It depends on the Master source and record label of course, but some albums by 2L are outstanding and MQA is impressive and sounds as good as the DXD master itself.
2L recordings sound impressive enough through non MQA equipment.  For me the question would be how does regular, non Audiophile recordings fare?  
PS Audio just joined in. That has to say something. I respect Paul McGowan very much for what he has seen and done for the "high end". 
I don’t know how well MQA is doing. I, like many, see a growing number of companies now offering MQA playback integrated into their streaming devices.

When I bought a Bluesound Node 2, it was in the back of my mind to try the MQA playback. But foremost I wanted to integrate my Itunes library, made of mostly of ripped CD’s, as well as Spotify playback all organized into one playback device. I do NOT like using a computer to do this. So my Iphone or Ipad became my controller, with all music stored on a MyCloud HDD off in another room. Works very well for me but recently I started my subscription to Tidal again and had the opportunity to play some Tidal MQA albums. WOW I was not prepared for how well it sounded, I was amazed. Granted I have NOT listened to FLAC files in anything like 192k/24 bit PCM or DSD files, therefore I don’t know how good they sound. But to my ears, MQA files sound fantastic. The sound has rich tone, great clarity and detail, a large soundstage and a smooth transition across a very wide frequency band. I am hearing much more information from the recordings. Maybe it’s my imagination but I think not. 
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