MQA is going into administration

News
By
published

"MQA's main financial backer is seeking an exit"

MQA is going into administration
(Image credit: MQA)

MQA Ltd, the company behind the MQA digital music technology, is going into administration.

We don't have many details at the moment, and it's uncertain if the firm's partnership with Tidal – which uses MQA technology to enable its 'hi-res' audio streams – will be affected. But we do know that MQA Ltd is seeking a buyer and has undergone a restructuring process. (Update: Tidal has confirmed to What Hi-Fi? that the MQA library will remain.)

The full statement from MQA reads as follows: 

"Following the recent positive reception to MQA’s latest technology (SCL6), there has been increased international interest in buying MQA Ltd. At the same time, MQA’s main financial backer is seeking an exit. In order to be in the best position to pursue market opportunities and expedite this process, the company has undergone a restructuring initiative, which includes entering into administration and is comparable to Chapter 11 in the US.

"During this process, MQA continues to trade as usual alongside its partners.

"We won't be commenting further while negotiations take place."

This is a breaking news story, we'll bring you more details as they emerge.

MORE:

MQA audio: what is it? How can you get it?

Read our full Tidal review

High-resolution audio: everything you need to know

TOPICS
Joe Svetlik
Joe Svetlik

Joe has been writing about tech for 20 years, first on staff at T3 magazine, then in a freelance capacity for Stuff, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine (now defunct), Men's Health, GQ, The Mirror, Trusted Reviews, TechRadar and many more. His specialities include all things mobile, headphones and speakers that he can't justifying spending money on.

Read more
Hi-res music streaming services compared
Hi-res music streaming services compared: is Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon or Apple Music better?
MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained
MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC: all the audio file formats explained
A woman with purple hair enjoying music on her blue headphones
Spotify HiFi: release date, price and feature rumours for the expected Music Pro add-on
Presto music screenshot
There's a new music streaming service in town – and it promises to pay artists a lot more
Astell & Kern A&ultima SP3000 music player on a desktop
What is high-resolution audio? And is hi-res music worth it?
Spotify screenshot banner image
Spotify Hi-Fi quality and gig benefits expected in 2025 via $6 Music Pro add-on
Latest in AV
LG C5 on stand with Rewind logo
The LG C5 OLED TV tested, a world first for headphones, new hi-fi speakers and more
Pick Of The Month March 2025 5-star products on grey background
WiiM strikes again, the B&W Zeppelin Pro impresses while Technics' latest turntable earns five-stars
In For Review logo over yellow turntable system on table
In for Review: Google’s latest streamer, a Pro-Ject turntable, Cyrus' premium CD player and more
Wooden speakers in listening room with Rewind logo
Rewind: our verdict on the WiiM Ultra, ProAc D20R, Sony Bravia Projector 8 and more
What Hi-Fi stand at Bristol with Rewind logo
Rewind: Rega’s latest amp, a treat from Neat, surprise iPhone 16e launch and more
Google TV Streamer on a white background
Google TV's latest update adds a secret feature that could hint towards new hardware
Latest in News
The AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 in their charging cases standing side by side on a wooden surface with a hand out flat behind them.
All three current in-ear AirPods are up to 32% off at Amazon – here's which pair you should buy
JBL Charge 6 in red with carry strap
JBL upgrades two of our favourite Bluetooth speakers with bigger sound, longer battery life and more durable designs
KK DVD collection
'Laser rot' has rendered millions of Warner Bros DVDs unplayable – but you may be able to have them replaced
Damian Penaud of France runs with the ball during a Guinness Six Nations 2025 match in February
Ireland vs France live stream — how to watch Six Nations 2025 match online now, team news
Google TV Streamer
The Google TV Streamer just fixed its biggest flaw
philips gamepix 800 smart on white background
Philips' new gaming projector has some impressive specs – but it also faces some stiff competition
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • npxavar
    This is quite unique. Wanting to sell a company ends up in the company going into administration mode. This does not increase the value of the company, does it?
    Reply
  • PeterInVan
    MQA in Administration
    My concern is that this may impact my Tidal subscription.

    I have years invested in curating my Tidal playlists. They have done a good job of applying my preferences to their suggested listening. I like the UI and flexibility to play Tidal on any of my streaming devices. I "like" at least one new album per week.

    The only perceived advantage of the MQA compression is that I can download large "hi-res" playlists to my portable streamers.

    Let's hope that Tidal can afford to quickly convert their "Masters" to the original hi-res content (like Qobuz). If I were Tidal I would have a production line going already.

    Meanwhile I have exported all my playlists to .CSV in case I need to use Soundiz to move to another platform.

    Reply
  • nopiano
    PeterInVan said:
    MQA in Administration
    My concern is that this may impact my Tidal subscription.

    I have years invested in curating my Tidal playlists. They have done a good job of applying my preferences to their suggested listening. I like the UI and flexibility to play Tidal on any of my streaming devices. I "like" at least one new album per week.

    The only perceived advantage of the MQA compression is that I can download large "hi-res" playlists to my portable streamers.

    Let's hope that Tidal can afford to quickly convert their "Masters" to the original hi-res content (like Qobuz). If I were Tidal I would have a production line going already.

    Meanwhile I have exported all my playlists to .CSV in case I need to use Soundiz to move to another platform.

    I’m pretty sure Tidal offered to import my Qobuz play lists, so I’m guessing the reverse might apply, if it comes to it.
    Reply
  • gaburko
    Excellent news! A useless tech is going into oblivion, where it belongs. Good riddance! RIP and never come back, thank you.
    Reply
  • user name is already take
    At last, Bob Stuart's BS "lossless" snake oil sale is over!
    Reply
  • Hifiman
    While the necessity for MQA‘s hi-res compression is now not required by most people there might still be a use for it when streaming over 4/5G on a mobile. For this reason it might yet be of interest if it became an open standard.
    Reply
  • user name is already take
    Personally I would be very happy to see Tidal dispense with it and provide streams in their original bit depth and sampling rate, particularly the vast number of albums now masquerading as higher resolution than they were recorded originally!
    Reply
  • Terry Webb
    Hifiman said:
    While the necessity for MQA‘s hi-res compression is now not required by most people there might still be a use for it when streaming over 4/5G on a mobile. For this reason it might yet be of interest if it became an open standard.
    I agree with you. If you are living in rented accommodation with no access to broadband and want to listen to some hi-res music, MQA might be the only option to avoid extra excessive mobile phone bills.
    Reply
  • user name is already take
    One can always download the tracks. Besides, MQA wasn't sold as such, it was originally promoted as the ultimate lossless format, which was a lie on both counts. I hope the snake oil sale is over now!
    Reply
  • Hifiman
    Interesting news from Tidal:
    ’Breaking news for my reddit peeps: we will be introducing hi-res FLAC for our HiFi Plus subscribers soon. It's lossless and an open standard. It's a big file, but we'll give you controls to dial this up and down based on what's going on.’
    Reply