Tidal MQA refers to the implementation of the Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) audio format as offered through the Tidal music streaming service. It was a specific method Tidal used to provide high-resolution audio streaming to its subscribers.
Understanding MQA
Based on the provided reference, MQA is:
- A proprietary system for delivering high-quality digital audio.
- Designed to capture and deliver the sound of the original studio master recording.
- The system incorporates several technical components:
- Audio signal processing
- Lossy audio compression
- Authentication
In essence, MQA aims to package high-resolution audio into files that are smaller and more efficient for streaming while preserving the purported quality of the original recording and verifying its authenticity.
MQA and Tidal
Tidal previously offered MQA as part of its high-fidelity streaming options. Subscribers to certain tiers on Tidal could stream music in the MQA format, often labeled as 'Master' quality. This allowed users with compatible MQA-enabled hardware (like certain DACs, streamers, or headphones) to unfold the MQA file to potentially higher resolutions, aiming for a listening experience closer to the original studio recording.
The integration of MQA was a key feature that differentiated Tidal in the high-fidelity streaming market for a period.
Key Aspects of Tidal's MQA Offering
- "Master" Quality Label: Tracks encoded in MQA were typically identified with a "Master" badge within the Tidal app.
- Hardware Unfolding: To get the full benefit of MQA's higher resolutions, users often needed MQA-compatible playback devices that could "unfold" the compressed audio stream.
- High-Fidelity Goal: The primary goal was to provide listeners with a high-resolution audio stream that retained the detail and dynamics of the original master recording.
While Tidal has since shifted its focus to other lossless formats like FLAC for its high-resolution streaming, "Tidal MQA" specifically denotes the era and technology where Tidal used the MQA format to deliver its premium audio quality streams.
