MQA confirms Sony Music and Merlin as hi-res audio partners

MQA has been something of a slow-burner but is now making its mark on the streaming music industry.

The technology enables hi-res audio files to be packaged in smaller sizes, ideal for streaming services, and has enabled Tidal to add hi-res streams in the form of Tidal Masters.

The multi-year Merlin deal promises to help some of the world’s best-known independent labels encode their master recordings in MQA, while Sony Music has also been confirmed as an MQA partner, joining big-label rivals, Universal and Warner Music.

The long and the short? Expect to see more MQA-encoded hi-res music coming to Tidal in the near future.

MORE: MQA audio: What is it? How can you get it?

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).