MQA Is Made For Apple

And here's the topic of the day MQA - Master Quality Audio.

MQA is a topic that generates a lot of negativity these days. One commentator even labeled the discussion as 'nasty' (Link). As with every audiophile topic on the Internet, audiophiles have taken sides without really looking at the one thing that's important - the music itself.

People has stopped listening to music.

Everybody who asks me for audiophile advice, this is often the first thing i told them - do not break down music into simpler components. Examples, do not break down music into bands of bass, mid-range and treble. Do not break down music into artificial frameworks like lossless or lossy. Likewise, do not break down music into MQA and non-MQA.

Music has to be felt. You have to learn to let music carry your emotions and bring it for a roller coaster ride.

Because MQA is so tied to the equipment, it's a classic case of 'audiophiles listening to the equipment'. However, if you can, forget about the equipment.

People do not seem listen to the music when it comes to MQA. Right now the patents of MQA garners far more interest (and negativity) than the music itself. MQA for better or worse, is more successful as controversy and click-bait than a music codec.

People in general are very negative about MQA, and they are finding tons and tons of articles on the Internet to support this stand. MQA itself has turned into a distraction, the music seems secondary.

Why are audiophiles so negative though towards MQA though?

Today is the first time I looked into MQA in earnest. And I'm looking at MQA the only way I know how - google for MQA and choose the MQA web site.

This is the header of the website (A Header is the first thing people see when a web page load).

The first thing I noticed - the header do not provide any obvious references on where I can find and play MQA audio. Is it 'Take Me There'? Clicked, nope. Perhaps it's 'For Music Lovers'. Click on that and that's a no too.

In fact the entire first page doesn't make it obvious where to find MQA music.

You have to scroll down the page to find who provides MQA material (e.g. Tidal).

Click the 'Learn More' button, and honestly you're not learning anything new. Once I'm in there, there are no links for me to read what the other providers are. I had to use the 'BACK' button of my browser to return to the previous page, and then do a few clicks to go to the next provider.

So far the content of the MQA website is not designed to target audiophiles who are interested in MQA music. That's interesting, and this web site does use Web Analytics, so the web authors definitely know what is happening.

Web Analytics are very sophisticated now.

Once a website has enough traffic, trackers like Google Analytics offers very accurate demographic for any website's readership. There are a tons of metrics, and this data allows the content creators to streamline their website to retain their readers' attention for as long as possible.

Now if they have a profile on audiophiles who are looking for MQA music on MQA's website, the bounce rate will be very high. Bounce rate is defined as the percentage of visitors to a particular website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.

As MQA is using Google Analytics - they will know this.

People these days are so used to finding information - if they cannot find the information they need in 10 seconds, they will just move to the next search result of the list.

Looking at the MQA website as it is today - the header contains no real information for audiophiles on how to download music. When you scroll down you do find out who providers MQA download, you have to use the browser BACK button to navigate back.

Long story short, if you are an audiophile and want to look for MQA download information, you'd find the MQA website very awkward to navigate.

However, if you are investor, all the links and the organisation of web portal navigation begins to make sense. MQA has successfully deliver every relevant information to an investor.

MQA do optimize their website, they are just not optimized for the audiophiles. Now what do you expect an audiophile to react when even official channels aren't giving the relevant information?

Imagine if you are a customer trying to create an account with a bank. So you visit the bank website and try to see if you can create an account online, find a nearby branch, or even a telephone number to call. Unfortunately all you can find is how this bank make profits, basically an online prospectus. What would your reaction be?

Is MQA's web design intentional? I honestly don't know.

The root of this audiophile negativity in my opinion is because folks are reading MQA materials directed at investors. Things that are attractive to investors may well not hold the same value with the realities of audiophiles.

From the perspective of an audiophile a lot of the MQA material rings multiple alarm bells - people immediately question:

1. Is MQA lossy or lossless
2. Is MQA another form of DRM

The investor slant is creating a lot of confusion, and hence distraction. It is incredibly difficult for anybody to remain objective about MQA when they have to look for the information themselves.

Put another way - because information about MQA is not readily available from official sources - people have to find out on their own what MQA is from the Internet, and that turned into distraction after distration after distraction.

MQA has messed up it's branding big time.

Hopefully all this will change in the future. If the web content is to appeal to investors and the like, perhaps MQA is for sale?

Very few companies are likely to be interested to buy MQA - in my short list are Alphabet (Google), Amazon or Apple. What if we turn this around and and consider who would MQA be interested in selling itself to? That narrows the field considerably.

In my opinion there is only one choice. Only one company can guarantee MQA's survival and success.

That company is Apple. And if done right, it will be a game changer, and overall a positive for the HiFi industry IMO.

I don't like Apple products. However, Apple is the master when it comes to branding. People living in the Apple ecosystem will buy anything with a half eaten Apple logo.

Apple isn't the only fit for MQA, it is the perfect fit. They have:

1. established ecosystem via their iTunes/iPhones/iPods/iPads
2. recently purchased Shazam,
3. yet to make a splash in high resolution
4. rumours of MQA offerings

For MQA to survive, Apple has to take a bigger step than adopting MQA, Apple has to purchase MQA outright.

I'm waiting for this to happen.

The debate right now is 'nasty'. Be prepared to see the MQA debate turn its head if Apple takes over.

Some of the vocal people who took a firm stand (be it for or against) may well do a 180 and completely switch sides. A lot of the 'nasty' may well disappear overnight. That's the power of Apple. 

I hope to write a blog article one day and compare the opinions from these two distinct time-lines: pre-Apple, and post-Apple. There will be some funny gems in there. It has happened before. Some people in the Apple camp were against CISC architecture, and public perception changed overnight when Apple announced they have ditched PowerPC in favour of Intel.

Will there be a big announcement in CES over this partnership? I don't think so - not without MQA compatible iDevices. But hope it'd be sooner rather than later.

Wait. What about my opinion on MQA? Always heed my first advice:

Do not break down music into simpler components. Music has to be felt.

Ignore all the technicalities and distractions of MQA and simply let your emotions guide you. No amount of techno babble ramble can convince you if MQA is good for you or not.

Have a look at the complexity of music perception, focus on yourself, and if MQA isn't for you, don't be negative about it. Yes MQA is not making this easy, but negativity usually raises the profile, not lower it. Remember, it will be better for the industry (perhaps the world?) overall if there is big uptake in High Res. Apple brought the masses of MP3 to the world, let's hope they can do the same with High Res.