[Andrew_WOT]

Why did many major manufacturer's - Onkyo, Pioneer, Sony, Astell start making MQA compatible devices? They would've known before most listeners/customers if it added anything.

Didn't they just follow Tidal, if customers wanted streaming from Tidal, what choice do you have to make them happy except bending over and implementing MQA decoding?
Unless there are some other widely available commercial sources of MQA material which I haven't heard of.

 

[Ryokan]

Didn't they just follow Tidal, if customers wanted streaming from Tidal, what choice do you have to make them happy except bending over and implementing MQA decoding?
Unless there are some other widely available commercial sources of MQA material which I haven't heard of.

The review I read doesn't say it's limited to tidal:

'You will need compatible hardware, such as a music streamer or portable music player, or software such as the Tidal desktop app, to decode the MQA files'.
B. Roberts.

 

[MrWalkman]

Someone might've already mentioned this (sorry if so), but I just found out myself now. Tidal shows the quality of the FLAC file if you click on the "MAX | FLAC" (quality selector) button.

Curiously enough, for some "MQA Experience" album it doesn't show "MAX" or anything to do with MQA.

Spoiler: More examples of no MQA mentions

24/96:

24/192:

 

[Maxpain]

Are they ever going to fix this with the tidal connect?


Users of tidal connect are still forced to served the mqa versions hi-res tracks only.....it's been months now....

 

[GotNoRice]

Someone might've already mentioned this (sorry if so), but I just found out myself now. Tidal shows the quality of the FLAC file if you click on the "MAX | FLAC" (quality selector) button.

I've noticed in the last month or so that some songs are now using FLAC above CD quality. Before, I'm pretty sure it was MQA for anything above CD quality. MQA hasn't gone away though. I'm definitely seeing plenty of songs still using MQA. It just seems that there is more variety now.

 

[iamoneagain]

Are they ever going to fix this with the tidal connect?


Users of tidal connect are still forced to served the mqa versions hi-res tracks only.....it's been months now....

Tidal Connect needs to be updated by your streamer company. Lumin is one of the few that has already released an update. But heard Tidal intentionally waited 3 months before releasing the tools and info for these companies to work on their updates. So probably most are still testing and will be out before end of the year. I have a Naim HE, and Naim has said nothing. Neither has roon.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Works fine on Bluesound

 

[MrWalkman]

USB Audio Player Pro has a beta version that supports Hi-Res FLAC from Tidal.

Until now it was still showing only MQA, like before. Now it still shows MQA, but also Hi-Res FLAC.

And yes, Tidal still offers MQA, I realized I wasn't seeing it because I was in the web version, and not on the Windows app. The Windows app needs to do the first unfold when playing MQA, the web version can't, so it's not showing at all there.

 

[BobSmith8901]

USB Audio Player Pro has a beta version that supports Hi-Res FLAC from Tidal.

Until now it was still showing only MQA, like before. Now it still shows MQA, but also Hi-Res FLAC.

And yes, Tidal still offers MQA, I realized I wasn't seeing it because I was in the web version, and not on the Windows app. The Windows app needs to do the first unfold when playing MQA, the web version can't, so it's not showing at all there.

I'm very curious if the UAPP beta will play MQA properly in those of us who are using DAPs such as Shanling M6 Pro 21 that are still running Android 7.x.x.

In these, even with a firmware update from Shanling that enables proper playing of Hi-Res FLAC (24/96/192) in Tidal Android app, it gets all artifact-ey with MQA tracks that require unfolding by the DAPs' MQA hardware decoder (i.e., vast majority of MQA material). Well, only one way to find out!

 

[Maxpain]

Tidal Connect needs to be updated by your streamer company. Lumin is one of the few that has already released an update. But heard Tidal intentionally waited 3 months before releasing the tools and info for these companies to work on their updates. So probably most are still testing and will be out before end of the year. I have a Naim HE, and Naim has said nothing. Neither has roon.

I have Ifi zen stream....I can't understand why tidal would intentionally wait 3 moths for it...

I am trying really hard to stay with them but they are making me look elsewhere every step of the way....I just can't understand their marketing....anyway....

I haven't seen any news about any update from ifi but I guess they will be updating....

 

[iamoneagain]

I have Ifi zen stream....I can't understand why tidal would intentionally wait 3 moths for it...

I am trying really hard to stay with them but they are making me look elsewhere every step of the way....I just can't understand their marketing....anyway....

I haven't seen any news about any update from ifi but I guess they will be updating....

The problem is a lot of companies have the policy of not saying anything about futures updates. I guess if dates or plans change. You think for something like this would at least get a “We’re working on it”. But rollout is as bad as Apple Music. For most part only those in the know are aware Apple Music only streams at 256k over AirPlay 2. So big dea for those that are aware. Think Tidal Connect, might be same small group people realized the new hires files were not actually playing on their streamer.

 

[BobSmith8901]

I'm very curious if the UAPP beta will play MQA properly in those of us who are using DAPs such as Shanling M6 Pro 21 that are still running Android 7.x.x.

In these, even with a firmware update from Shanling that enables proper playing of Hi-Res FLAC (24/96/192) in Tidal Android app, it gets all artifact-ey with MQA tracks that require unfolding by the DAPs' MQA hardware decoder (i.e., vast majority of MQA material). Well, only one way to find out!

Everything working (all FLAC and MQA) without issue in Tidal in the UAPP beta 6.1.3.8 now on my Shanling M6 Pro 21.

 

[Currawong]

I have Ifi zen stream....I can't understand why tidal would intentionally wait 3 moths for it...

I am trying really hard to stay with them but they are making me look elsewhere every step of the way....I just can't understand their marketing....anyway....

I haven't seen any news about any update from ifi but I guess they will be updating....

If you make enough noise in the Zen Stream thread, they might. Some of the issue may be that they are using an old, unsupported version of Volumio/Debian in their streamers, and that may have compatibility issues, especially given their custom implementation of all the software.

 

[gregorio]

For most part only those in the know are aware Apple Music only streams at 256k over AirPlay 2. So big deal for those that are aware.

Not really. For those that really are aware, it’s not a big deal. Most consumers aren’t aware of exactly what they’re getting over AirPlay, don’t really care and so it’s not a big deal for them either. The only people who do think it’s a big deal are a niche within a relatively tiny community who are “in the know” of audiophile marketing but not “aware” of the actual facts.

G

 

[Maxpain]

The problem is a lot of companies have the policy of not saying anything about futures updates. I guess if dates or plans change. You think for something like this would at least get a “We’re working on it”. But rollout is as bad as Apple Music. For most part only those in the know are aware Apple Music only streams at 256k over AirPlay 2. So big dea for those that are aware. Think Tidal Connect, might be same small group people realized the new hires files were not actually playing on their streamer.

If you make enough noise in the Zen Stream thread, they might. Some of the issue may be that they are using an old, unsupported version of Volumio/Debian in their streamers, and that may have compatibility issues, especially given their custom implementation of all the software.

When Tidal updated their Windows and apple app there were rumors that tidal connect api's needs to be updated both from tidal and from streamer's manufacturer....

Ifi puts out updates for zen stream from time to time...last one was past June or July if I remember well.

I will comment on zen stream's thread though....it's important since zen stream has no other way to play tidal other than tidal connect......if it also had its own interface I wouldn't care....