MQA-CD : New Hi-Res CDs from Japan

MQA-CD is a physical Hi-res music format, but while the discs are relatively affordable, playing them back can be anything but.
********** UPDATE (PLEASE READ)********
The sound quality difference I experienced between the MQA decoded CD and the standard CD audio is because rather than the CD being 16bit (as normal) - the patent says it's 13 bit with 3 bits used for the MQA data - however others now say it’s 15 bit with 1 bit going to the MQA. Apparently the MQA bit(s) get ignored as noise by a standard CD player. .
There are Loads of complaints about me saying that the "MQA version sounds better" - how could it when Brothers in Arms can't ever sound any better than a CD because it was mastered at CD quality originally". Well perhaps that's because that's not what occurred in this video.
Angry Audiophiles - Just stop, take a breath - and read this paragraph....
I wasn't comparing the full bitrate CD version of the album vs the MQA version. I didn't even have the standard CD version of Brothers In Arms playing anywhere in this video - so how could I possibly be comparing it. You can't compare what you don't have.
The comparison in this video was between the compressed version of the album contained on the MQA CD vs the MQA unfolded version contained on the same CD.
SUMMARY: REDUCED BITRATE VERSION VS MQA UNFOLDED VERSION.
WHICH SOUNDS BETTER? MQA UNFOLDED VERSION
So all I experienced in the video was the MQA version sounding better than the reduced bitrate version - which of course it would do. So next question... Will an MQA version of an album that was only ever mastered in 44.1khz 16bit sound exactly the same as a normal (non MQA) CD version of the album? - Yes of course it would, if the album was only ever mastered in 44.1khz 16bit and that's the only version available then how can it ever sound better than the original.
You can read up on MQA Audio here:
Universal Music Japan’s MQA-CD page (in Japanese) /
This is a useful site for downloading Hi-res Audio test files (including MQA) /
Clearing something up that seems to have caused confusion.
MQA existed before MQA-CDs in the form of Downloadable Files & Streaming. That's what all those USB decoders (including mine) are designed to decode. MQA-CDs are new(ish) and only available in JAPAN- however MQA downloadable Files & Streaming have been around for a while. These MQA-CDs are an adaption of the MQA format into a physical version that can be sold in Japanese stores.
------AFFILIATED LINKS/ADVERTISING NOTICE-------
All links are Affiliated where possible.
Useful Links below:
Amazon have the MQA-CD Samplers listed (AFFILIATED LINKS)
AMAZON US
Rock & Pop
Jazz
Classical
AMAZON UK
Rock & Pop
Jazz
Classical
I bought my MQA-CDs from CD Japan