I have a very simple view now re MQA. A while ago I did get a little obsessed with the idea of 'High Resolution' audio, looking for stuff I liked on DSD, 24bit etc, sometimes re-buying music I that already owned on 16/44. I have now given up on this completely, the improvement in sound quality achieved is small to nothing, unlike the cost which is significant. If I am buying something new, and say a 24bit version is available, OK, I might go for that if it's not silly money. In fact, my preference would be to buy in whatever format that was used for the final mix / mastering in the studio. So if the studio used 24/192, then I'd like that please, I don't see how you could do any better.
So if something was released new, and I knew it was originally mastered in the studio specifically as MQA, then I would happily buy it in MQA. However, I somehow suspect that in 5 years time I will not have that many MQA files. Why? Well what the incentive for the studio? If you were in a band recording an album today, would you want it recorded and mastered specifically for a niche market covered by MQA, or would you prefer a universally used format, compatible with almost everything, including playable on Apple products etc. I know what I would opt for! OK, I there is some thought that MQA is aimed more at the streaming market, but isn't the streaming market progressing very nicely anyway?
So if something was released new, and I knew it was originally mastered in the studio specifically as MQA, then I would happily buy it in MQA. However, I somehow suspect that in 5 years time I will not have that many MQA files. Why? Well what the incentive for the studio? If you were in a band recording an album today, would you want it recorded and mastered specifically for a niche market covered by MQA, or would you prefer a universally used format, compatible with almost everything, including playable on Apple products etc. I know what I would opt for! OK, I there is some thought that MQA is aimed more at the streaming market, but isn't the streaming market progressing very nicely anyway?
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