MQA is launching a “Live” product to enable music fans to enjoy studio-quality performances from their favorite artists, wherever and whenever the artists are performing.
An invite-only audience in Austin recently experienced the debut of “MQA Live,” as Jake Isaac and his band performed from London’s Rocket Studios. This was the first time a live performance had been streamed in real time using MQA’s technology. The performance was listened to live in an Austin home on a variety of devices to recreate everyday listening environments.
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With MQA Live, fans can listen to a live concert in its original quality, as if they were standing in the venue. The service offers access to gigs across different countries and time zones for loyal fans, as well as opening up concerts to new audiences.
Mike Jbara, MQA CEO, stated, “MQA Live offers fans the authenticated sound direct from the venue, so conveniently that it can fit into their everyday lifestyle, wherever they are and however they chose to listen. The home environment in Austin, with a variety of playback devices, was a great way to experience Jake’s special performance, and excited those in attendance to imagine a new age of social and appointment listening.”
Jake Isaac, singer-songwriter and musician, added, “I feel really lucky to have been part of the first MQA Live experience. After the performance, the MQA team played the recording of the live stream back for me and I was blown away with how powerful it felt.”
MQA Live is an audio-streaming tool. Recent research shows that 95 percent of YouTube/Vevo music users listen to music without watching the video (Midia Research) and 87 percent people listen to music on radio (IFPI: Connecting With Music), supporting the fact that a high quality audio-only experience fits into the lifestyle of music fans. Incidentally, it also dramatically reduces the expenses associated with video production and broadcasting, making it something that can be offered for every show and every artist in every venue.
MQA has applied its technology to make a real-time encoder, which connects to the audio system of the location and then can be sent into the chosen delivery platform of promoters and venue owners. The only additional equipment required is MQA’s live encoder box at the venue to encode the performance. This keeps production costs low, while the MQA encoding process preserves audio quality and addresses bandwidth issues. MQA music will stream and play back on any device, although for optimum results and the full MQA ‘unfold’, use devices or software from the growing number of MQA partners.
Jake Isaac’s performance was presented in Austin on the following devices:
- In the lounge: Bluesound Powernode 2 streamer with Sony SS-CS5 Stereo bookshelf speakers
- Outside on the deck: Macbook + Audirvana + Meridian Explorer2 DAC + Sony MDR-Z7 headphones
- In the bedroom: Bluesound Pulse Flex portable all-in-one wireless speaker
- On mobile: LG V30 handset + Oppo PM-1 headphones
- In the car: iPhone 8 + Amarra Play app + AudioQuest Dragonfly DAC
Setlist:
Lonely Are The Brave
Will You Be
I’m A Man (acoustic)
I Got You
Long Road
