7digital, the leading digital music and radio services company, has announced it now has content available in the Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) format. MQA is a new method of delivering master quality audio in files that are small enough to download or stream.
To begin with 7digital will have indie label content available in MQA, which will be available to consumers via the 7digital web store and mobile apps.
This will include music from Scandinavian label 2L which has already said it will be one of the first to offer MQA music for download. Jay-Z's music streaming service Tidal is also developing MQA music streaming.
In addition, Onkyo is working with 7digital to include the MQA format into its high-resolution audio store, onkyomusic. From 8th January 2016, users will be able to access indie label MQA music in onkyomusic (which is powered by 7digital).
Onkyo and Pioneer have already unveiled portable digital audio players with MQA playback capability, and HTC is showcasing its HTC One A9 smartphone running MQA here at CES.
Pete Downton, chief commercial officer of 7digital, says: "2016 will be the year that 7digital and MQA offer master quality, high-resolution music to the world's digital services, thereby eradicating the need for music fans to sacrifice quality for convenience."
Bob Stuart, creator of MQA, adds: "MQA transforms music listening by delivering every nuance and subtlety of the original studio recording."
7digital currently provides digital music to 46 music services around the world in 33 countries.
