Rollout of MQA support for existing home audio products starting in October. Firmware updates for other models to follow.

Pioneer is pleased to announce a firmware update release on Dec. 18th that activates MQA audio playback capability and support for TIDAL Masters audio streaming on its network-enabled stereo hi-fi components.

MQA delivers high-resolution sound in a file that’s small enough to stream and download. TIDAL Masters, meanwhile, is TIDAL’s bandwidth-friendly MQA-based Studio Master audio streaming format offered exclusively to TIDAL HiFi members that’s now available to enjoy on any of the Pioneer products detailed below following this firmware update.

MQA (Master Quality Authenticated)

Leveraging scientific research into how people hear, the MQA team created a technology that captures 100 per cent of the original studio performance. MQA files are fully authenticated and are small enough to stream or download. The format is backward-compatible, meaning MQA music can be enjoyed on any device. This award-winning technology is licensed by labels, music services, and hardware manufacturers worldwide.

TIDAL Masters

TIDAL has partnered with MQA to deliver master-quality recordings from the source for an audio experience as the artist intended. TIDAL Masters are authenticated, unbroken, and delivered at high resolution (typically 96 kHz/24-bit), creating a facsimile of the sound in the mastering suite. TIDAL offers a catalog of thousands of TIDAL Masters albums for TIDAL HiFi members.

Onkyo Music

Onkyo Music is an online Hi-Res Audio retailer open to listeners in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Onkyo Music offers an extensive MQA catalog.

This firmware update is for the following Pioneer hi-fi components:

[FW Update Activates MQA and TIDAL Masters]

• Network Audio Player: N-30AE
• Network Stereo Receiver: SX-N30AE

[FW Update Activates TIDAL Masters]

• Network Audio Players: N-70AE / N-50AE
• Network Audio Receiver: NC-50DAB

Pioneer is delighted to add value to its products via firmware updates to enrich the customer’s hi-fi audio experience even after purchase. We remain committed to rolling out exciting updates to our product family in the future.

To automatically update your compatible network-connected Pioneer product, navigate to the system setup menu and follow the instructions, or visit www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu to download the update and perform installation manually. For more information on the MQA audio format, visit www.mqa.co.uk. To browse the Onkyo Music music library, visit www.onkyomusic.com. For information on these or other Pioneer products, please visit www.pioneer-audiovisual.eu. Note that a paid TIDAL HiFi subscription is required to stream TIDAL Masters on your compatible component. Visit www.tidal.com for more information.

"Pioneer and the logo are registered trademarks of Pioneer Corporation, and are used under license. MQA is a registered trademark of MQA Limited. TIDAL is a registered trademark of TIDAL Music AS. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.