In Reply to: MQA vs HDCD posted by hifitommy on June 9, 2017 at 00:20:35:
This should probably be posted in the Digital forum.
HDCD was a way to get 20 bit sound out of a redbook CD. It had be encoded during recording, and to get the full benefits, played on a player with a HDCD filter. See the link below for a better, more detailed explanation.
MQA is a lossy codec that takes 24/192 or 24/176 and takes all the data above 16/44 and folds it in to the unused bits above the 16. It then uses two unfolds, at this time, one using software, as Tidal does, the second unfold is done in the DAC and requires their proprietary filter. Although PS Audio will be releasing a firmware update that will do both unfolds but not the unbluring in their Bridge II. And only because their customers wanted it. They are dead set in not allowing it in their DACs.
One obvious difference is that HDCD was part of the recording process while MQA can be applied to previously recorded music. While HDCD was subtle MQA can seem to be a big improvement. Trouble is nobody I am aware of has made available any before and after files. We are always stuck comparing apples and oranges. I personally believe that a true hi-rez file say 24/192 will be better than the MQA version. There is lots of info out there with much better explanations of what MQA is claimed to be and how it works.
The two are very different, and even though they are still releasing HDCDs it is getting harder to find DACs or CD players that have the Microsonic 100 or 200 filters. I know the older Oppos had them, but I have no idea if they still do. If you have a lot of HDCDs you might want to obtain a player or DAC that will decode them. I always found HDCD very subtle.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
Follow Ups
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - Jeff Starr 02:03:01 06/09/17 (78)
- Huge misconception regarding HDCD - Charles Hansen 23:26:28 06/12/17 (24)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Jeff Starr 18:45:09 06/13/17 (21)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Crazy Dave 12:45:27 06/18/17 (16)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Charles Hansen 13:42:21 06/18/17 (15)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Crazy Dave 20:06:21 06/18/17 (14)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Charles Hansen 10:59:08 06/19/17 (13)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - StevenM 09:03:15 07/10/17 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Crazy Dave 12:31:13 06/25/17 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - fastcat 12:59:20 06/19/17 (10)
- Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Charles Hansen 17:03:36 06/19/17 (6)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - fastcat 17:15:07 06/19/17 (5)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Charles Hansen 22:21:31 06/19/17 (4)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Jeff Starr 00:20:16 06/20/17 (3)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Charles Hansen 04:07:16 06/20/17 (2)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Old Listener 08:38:29 06/20/17 (1)
- RE: Super Important Question That Has Parallels Today - Isaak J. Garvey 10:02:08 06/20/17 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Isaak J. Garvey 13:49:55 06/19/17 (2)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - fastcat 14:25:51 06/19/17 (1)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Isaak J. Garvey 14:29:48 06/19/17 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the Clarity on HDCD - Charles post is a must read - Charles Hansen 20:41:14 06/13/17 (3)
- RE: HDCD - Charles is a must read + from 1999 & 2005 - Jeff Starr 19:12:11 06/14/17 (2)
- RE: HDCD - Charles is a must read + from 1999 & 2005 - Charles Hansen 20:29:59 06/14/17 (1)
- RE: HDCD - Charles is a must read + from 1999 & 2005 - Jeff Starr 23:38:20 06/14/17 (0)
- RE: Huge misconception regarding HDCD - J. Phelan 17:26:19 06/13/17 (0)
- RE: Huge misconception regarding HDCD - Isaak J. Garvey 15:38:03 06/13/17 (0)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - Kal Rubinson 17:45:10 06/09/17 (37)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - Jeff Starr 10:52:20 06/11/17 (0)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - J. Phelan 18:07:53 06/09/17 (35)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - Kal Rubinson 18:30:38 06/09/17 (34)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - Isaak J. Garvey 18:31:40 06/09/17 (33)
- Not really. - Kal Rubinson 19:46:54 06/09/17 (32)
- RE: Not really. - Charles Hansen 12:02:34 06/10/17 (31)
- Nope. - Kal Rubinson 14:55:12 06/10/17 (29)
- Apologies - Charles Hansen 18:53:50 06/10/17 (0)
- Only in your head... - J. Phelan 16:01:02 06/10/17 (27)
- To be fair... - Charles Hansen 18:52:19 06/10/17 (22)
- Just a thought ... - Jim Austin 13:55:59 06/11/17 (20)
- I actually take it a step further... - Charles Hansen 16:42:32 06/11/17 (11)
- RE: I actually take it a step further... - Jim Austin 17:48:11 06/11/17 (10)
- RE: I actually take it a step further... - J. Phelan 18:17:57 06/11/17 (9)
- An attempt to answer multiple posts below - Charles Hansen 02:52:32 06/12/17 (4)
- RE: An attempt to answer multiple posts below - J. Phelan 08:06:49 06/12/17 (3)
- Jitter - Meitner... - Doug Schneider 08:52:22 06/12/17 (2)
- RE: Jitter - Meitner... - J. Phelan 12:18:31 06/12/17 (1)
- RE: Jitter - Meitner... - Doug Schneider 12:52:08 06/12/17 (0)
- RE: I actually take it a step further... - Isaak J. Garvey 20:16:56 06/11/17 (0)
- RE: I actually take it a step further... - Jim Austin 18:30:33 06/11/17 (2)
- I should qualify that. - Jim Austin 18:52:23 06/11/17 (1)
- RE: I should qualify that. - J. Phelan 19:25:11 06/11/17 (0)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Isaak J. Garvey 16:32:51 06/11/17 (7)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Charles Hansen 17:32:40 06/11/17 (6)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Isaak J. Garvey 20:15:28 06/11/17 (5)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Charles Hansen 00:48:59 06/12/17 (4)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Isaak J. Garvey 07:14:54 06/12/17 (3)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Charles Hansen 11:23:41 06/12/17 (2)
- RE: Just a thought ... - ahendler 11:38:13 06/12/17 (1)
- RE: Just a thought ... - Charles Hansen 12:00:03 06/12/17 (0)
- RE: To be fair... - J. Phelan 19:28:47 06/10/17 (0)
- Yup. - Kal Rubinson 16:40:35 06/10/17 (3)
- RE: Not really. - Jim Austin 14:06:14 06/10/17 (0)
- RE: MQA vs HDCD - J. Phelan 06:55:09 06/09/17 (9)
- "Add, for DSD sources, inability to play from a hard-drive." ?? (NT) - Kal Rubinson 13:30:43 06/09/17 (8)
- Edited... - J. Phelan 14:40:42 06/09/17 (7)
- RE: Edited... - Kal Rubinson 15:29:01 06/09/17 (6)
- RE: Edited... - J. Phelan 15:35:20 06/09/17 (5)
- RE: Edited... - Kal Rubinson 15:43:38 06/09/17 (4)
- RE: Edited... - J. Phelan 15:52:57 06/09/17 (3)
- RE: Edited... - Isaak J. Garvey 16:10:23 06/09/17 (2)
- RE: Edited... - J. Phelan 16:29:57 06/09/17 (1)
- "LP was never a great source" - JoshT 22:12:56 06/09/17 (0)
- Couple of corrections... - Steve Cortez 06:14:37 06/09/17 (4)
- RE: Couple of corrections... - PaulMC 06:06:39 06/10/17 (3)
- RE: Couple of corrections... - Isaak J. Garvey 06:29:51 06/10/17 (2)
- RE: Couple of corrections... - PaulMC 06:41:07 06/10/17 (1)
- RE: Couple of corrections... - Isaak J. Garvey 06:45:44 06/10/17 (0)