Hot off the press from IFA comes word that MQA’s high resolution unfolding technology will be implemented into at least three new portable products this year – and one of them is even a phone from LG. The German consumer electronics show takes place this weekend in Berlin and runs through Wednesday, boasting a sold out convention of 1,805 exhibitors.
The brand new V30 smartphone from LG will be the first globally available handset to feature the tech, and will even be capable of playback with the downloaded format. The flagship smartphone will have a focus towards high quality audio and be available to purchase within a month. Also slated to receive MQA are two new Walkman products from Sony, the WM-ZX300 ($699) and WM-A40 ($219). If you happen to be attending IFA this week, you can sample demos at the Sony sound booth in Hall 20 101. Pioneer and Onkyo will also have Tidal Masters streaming on their XDP-30R and DS-S1 players as well.
Another updates on the MQA front include the recent addition of Sonic Studio’s Amarra Luxe 4.1 playback software into the fold next month (for both local and streaming). The move will further expand MQA’s footprint on the software side of things, which already includes the latest version of Audirvana Plus. You can now download tracks from the Japan-based e-onkyo music store and also the highresaudio website. Hardware updates include an new iFi DAC product called Nano iDSD Black Label – sorry guys, no word yet of any Johnnie Walker partnerships for that one.
End of year partnerships do include Korea-based streaming service Groovers for mobile and desktop implementations and Nugs.net and HDmusicStream will also offer concert downloads and music streaming, respectively. Lots of arms are reaching out for the high resolution tech in all directions, interesting developments on the horizon to be sure.
More info: http://www.mqa.co.uk