Bluesound Soon To Follow Mytek, Onkyo, Pioneer With MQA Update

Following demos of MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) sound at CES, the Hi-Res Audio technology was in the spotlight at Axpona 2016 in Rosemont, Illinois, last week as Pioneer and Mytek joined Onkyo (see 1604120019) with free firmware updates making their gear MQA-capable. Pioneer’s $699 XDP-100R has 32GB internal memory and room for 400GB additional storage via a pair of microSD slots. The Mytek Brooklyn DAC ($1,995) has a built-in photo preamplifier, high-current 500mA headphone amplifier with dual jacks and XLR balanced and single-ended outputs. Bluesound is readying an update for its Hi-Res audio gear, the company said. Atlantic CEO Craig Kallman told us at CES (see 1601110059) that the company hopes to have a content licensing deal in place with MQA later this year and “ramp up converting as much of our content as possible as fast as possible.” MQA said at Axlona that it expects Hi-Res music streaming services using MQA to be available later this year. For now, consumers can sample and purchase MQA music from 2L, 7digital, OnkyoMusic and Technics Tracks, said MQA, with 2L’s entire library of 130 titles available in MQA.