MQA Really Is A Fraud!

A number of readers have forwarded links to the video below. In fact, I was in the middle of viewing it when I received a couple of emails. It was produced by a UK-based commentator under the name GoldenSound and it is absolutely spot on in its analysis and conclusion regarding the MQA format. I highly recommend you find 38″ and watch this video.

For those that are time-challenged, here are the main takeaways:

1. MQA is NOT lossless
2. MQA adds unwanted noise and distortion
3. MQA is not usually sourced from a high-sample rate master
4. MQA ‘authentication’ does not authenticate/guarantee anything (NOTE: the blue light is nonsense)

GoldenSound created an audio track that included a variety of audio tones, ultrasonic frequencies, and other test components and then had the files converted to MQA and uploaded to TIDAL. He reached out to the people at MQA ahead of his posting and they responded by having the file removed from the TIDAL platform. It seems MQA doesn’t want the world to know that it is perpetrating a hoax on the music and consumer electronics industries. They’re acting like bullies.

I have been in a conversation with an individual at Warner Music Group regarding the AIX Records catalog and distribution through streaming services. Just this morning I received an email that made mention of my request to remove ALL AIX content from TIDAL because they insisted on using MQA to encode my high-resolution masters. He wrote:

“I read your comment about MQA and Tidal.  Our former CEO for WEA, Mike Jbara, is the CEO of MQA.  Have you ever had a conversation with MQA about your concerns?  Perhaps it would do some good.”

I sent him the link to this video. It’s amazing that so many people in positions of influence have been fooled by the MQA juggernaut. Watch the video, read the articles, and I’m confident that you’ll come to the same conclusion I have — MQA REALLY IS A FRAUD!

GoldenSound’s YouTube page containing this video also includes a number of valuable references:

How to test MQA’s leaky filter: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

2018 RMAF MQA talk by Chris Connaker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSv0l…​

Archimago’s MQA article: https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/review…​

PS Audio vid on MQA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPfmW…​

Schiit on MQA: https://www.schiit.com/news/news/why-…​

Linn on MQA: https://web.archive.org/web/202011112…​

Neil Young removes albums from TIDAL: https://neilyoungarchives.com/news/1/…​

John Atkinson of stereophile confirms low-level distortion: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Further reading on MQA: GTO filter analysis: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Benchmark Audio’s statement about MQA transient shifting: https://www.theabsolutesound.com/arti…​

RealHD stops supporting MQA: https://www.realhd-audio.com/?p=7218​

Archimago on transient smearing https://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/0…​

Rob Watts on digital filters: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/watts…​

Benchmark on MQA: https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/appl…​

Meridian has doctored tests of hi-res in the past: https://audioinvestigations.blogspot….​

Filter ringing (with a link to Mans/troll audio) https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Aliasing vs. imaging: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Music aliasing distortion example: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Linear phase vs. Minimum phase: https://troll-audio.com/articles/line…​

Sox settings to duplicate an MQA filter: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

JA’s post showing signal aliasing: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

mansr’s original Dragonfly DAC analysis: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

Why MQA’s digital filters blur the music: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…​

A Survey of Musical Instrument Spectra to 102.4 KHz https://www.cco.caltech.edu/~boyk/spe…​

RealHD Audio on MQA: https://www.realhd-audio.com/?p=6517​

Bob Stuart wanted to censor AS: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/to…

Half Off Book Discount!

I’m spending time everyday working on the new book. For those interested in the previous book, the 880-page, 4 pound Music and Audio: A User Guide to Better Sound, for a limited time I’m offering a 50% discount off the paperback book with or without the blu-ray disc. Use coupon code Spring50Percent during check out. This coupon will be valid until July 1, 2021. Thanks for your interest. NOTE: This discount only applies to the physical paperback version of the book. Visit the Music and Audio Guide Store soon.

Half Off iTrax Coupon!

I’m please to offer for the first time, a 50% discount coupon for albums downloaded from iTrax.com, the only website that makes available real high-resolution audio files in a variety of formats (WAV or FLAC) and mixes (2.0 Stereo, 5.1 “Stage” or 5.1 “Audience). Please use code Spring50Percent when checking out to receive the discount. Visit iTrax.com soon!