[PR Project] Listening to ani-songs in the popular music format "MQA"!　Part 3: The appeal of MQA as seen from ani-song singer Sasaki Saka

Navigator：Kenji Nomura

Kenji Nomura is an AV writer active in a wide range of genres, including headphones. He has a deep knowledge of high-resolution sound sources, and is a supervisor for an ani-song label. He also appears regularly as an advisor in the "KAIUN Hi-Res" corner of TBS TV's Kaiun Ongakudo.

Guest: Sayaka Sasaki

Sasaki made her debut with the OP theme song "Hoshisai no Ripieno" for the TV anime "Fighting Librarians: The Book of Bantorra. She has sung theme songs and insert songs for numerous TV anime and games. She has been actively involved in music production, writing lyrics from her debut song and composing music in recent years. A one-man live concert will be held at Shimokitazawa GARDEN on February 11, 2018.

Sasaki Sasaki, the "MQA Queen," and her deep relationship with high-resolution music

Nomura Speaking of Sasaki-san, she was appointed the first "MQA Queen" (*) in a talk event with me at the "Spring Headphone Festival 2017" held in April this year (*).

(*Ed. note: During the talk event, Ms. Sasaki said, "I'm like an MQA Queen, an MQA Ambassador. I will do my best. I heard that you later received an endorsement from MERIDIAN AUDIO, the developer of MQA.)

Sasaki: Yes, that's right - as a queen (laughs). But one of my fans who came to the talk show at that time said, "So that's what MQA is all about. I've been getting quite a few comments like, "That's what MQA is all about, and now I can enjoy music a little more.

Nomura Your fans have a high level of respect for you, Mr. Sasaki (laughs).

Sasaki (laughs). (Laughs.) But my music was recorded by the director of Lantis, one of the earliest labels I belong to, as a high-resolution recording, so there are a lot of songs available as high-resolution recordings. Because of this, I think there are many people who say, "I'm enjoying this in high-resolution format. A little after midnight on the day of the distribution start date, we already received comments like "I downloaded it! I bought the CD because I want to keep it as an object, but I also bought the high-resolution version! Nomura: A long time ago, CDs would have been the most popular choice.

Nomura: A decade ago, it was common for people to buy a CD and rip it to data on their computer, but now, rather than buying a CD and ripping it, many people buy a CD and then download music files from a music distribution site. When such people come across "high-resolution" music on a distribution site, they wonder what it is and how it differs from CD music, so they give it a try, and that is one of the entrances to high-resolution music. In that sense, I think your music is a good reference for understanding the differences between CDs and high-resolution music.

Sasaki: The environment for listening to music has changed dramatically over the past few years. Rather than listening to music in a large room with a big stereo component, people now listen to music while traveling, or while reading a book, and enjoy music in a more intimate setting, even for short periods of time. Also, I think that downloading and distributing music has created an environment where people can purchase higher quality music without going all the way to a CD store, and this has contributed to the spread of these players.

Nomura: There is a trend in this direction. However, I don't think the world of high-resolution music would have become so widespread if it were only about hardware. The existence of anime songs, the existence of the Lantis label (to which Ms. Sasaki belongs), and the presence of several divas who are leading the way in high-resolution distribution, have all contributed to the current trend. It is because you are such a pioneer that you were appointed as the MQA Queen (laughs).

Sasaki: No, no, no (laughs).

Nomura Well, I say that half jokingly, but I really think that Ms. Sasaki's presence was significant for high-resolution music. The timing of the release of "ID-0" in particular was perfect, and it was easy to understand the difference between CDs and high-resolution music, as well as the difference between MQA and other high-resolution formats, so I think many people bought all of them and tried them. I guess there were a lot of people who bought all the CDs and tried them all out.

Sasaki: That may be so (laughs). The way you arranged "AstroNoteS," for which you composed and arranged the music, and the way you used space, it was easy to see the various differences in tone when the music was flat, folded, or three-dimensional.

Nomura That's right. I was really surprised by that arrangement. I think it was a good arrangement that unexpectedly brought out the characteristics of MQA.

Sasaki Saka x Galpan x "MQA-CD"?

Nomura By the way, what do you think of MQA?

Sasaki: I think of it as a type of high-resolution audio. It is one of the formats that are considered when people want to listen to music in high-resolution format.

Nomura As I mentioned at a previous talk event, MQA is aptly described as a file size reduction of the original high-resolution sound source, so naturally the quality is that of a high-resolution sound. Do you actually feel the high quality?

Sasaki: Yes, of course. Of course. When I heard Mr. Nomura's explanation of MQA as "folding and compressing the sound," I could see the images in my mind, and I felt I could grasp the image.

Nomura That's good to hear. In addition to distribution, there is another interesting topic: "MQA-CD," a media that makes use of MQA sound sources, is emerging. I think this could be an interesting development.

Sasaki: That's interesting. You can store it as a disc and also listen to it in high-resolution quality, right?

Nomura I feel that this "MQA-CD" will benefit not only the listeners, but also the artists like you. As an MQA queen, I would like to see you pay attention to this "MQA-CD" and release it. Oh, I guess I'll have to talk to the label about that (laughs). Of course, the first song to be released would have to be a Queen song! (laughs)

Sasaki: I'll do my best! (Laughs) Sasaki, I'll do my best!

Nomura Do you have any upcoming releases?

Sasaki Yes, "Grand Symphony," the opening theme song for "Girls und Panzer: The Final Chapter," which will be released on December 9, will be released on December 6.

Nomura Ah, that might be a little too late (laughs). But it would be interesting if you manage to make a good deal by calling on MQA for promotion. After all, Ms. Sasaki is the MQA queen who is helping to popularize MQA, and "Galpan" is a good match for high-resolution music, so I don't think it would be a bad idea for MQA.

Sasaki: Yes, Galpan has collaborated with high-resolution equipment, and ONKYO has released a player.

Nomura In July, the GRANBEAT was also released as a Gal Pan collaboration model.

Sasaki: That's right. I was really surprised. But the evolution is amazing, isn't it? Hi-res players are a bit heavy, aren't they? For men, there are many pockets, but for women, there are few pockets on their clothes, so it was difficult to carry both a high-resolution player and a smartphone.

Ms. Sasaki's high-resolution player. On the left is the Pioneer XDP-100R, and on the right is the ONKYO GRANBEAT high-resolution smartphone.

Nomura: I have to listen to a lot of different earphones for my work, and this one is very useful. This is very useful. All I need is one of these and a pen, and I'm almost done. Going back to the subject, I would love to do the "MQA-CD" project. I'd love to have Queen appear on this project.

Sasaki: Since Galpan and GRANBEAT have collaborated, it would be great if we could do something related to Galpan. Moreover, there are many audiophiles among the Galpan fans.

Nomura: There are many. The Galpan hi-res audio system was a big hit. I didn't expect that song (*editor's note: "Ankou Ondo," a song in the movie) to be Ms. Sasaki's first Hi-Res song (laughs). When I first heard it, I didn't think it was you.

Sasaki: Yes, I am often told that. ...... People thought I was someone who usually sings enka and folk songs, not an anime song singer. ...... (laughs).

A comparison of high-resolution listening with Sasaki Saki's music, which can be heard in 32bit/24bit/MQA all?

Nomura: But I think that since the hit of "Galpan," high-resolution anime songs have become more and more common.

Sasaki: If you look at the rankings of high-resolution music sources, anime songs are often at the top. But I think that high-resolution music and ani-songs go well together. Anime songs are a broad genre, with a surprisingly large number of notes, so a normal music CD would not be able to contain all of them. I have seen some people comment that the high notes were a bit harsh on their ears, even though they were recorded in a very good environment. I think it may be because many of my songs have high sound pressure, so it may sound that way. But when I listened to it in high-resolution, I was able to express all the depth and three-dimensionality of the sound.

Nomura: Ms. Sasaki's voice has a very strong input, so I think she is able to increase the pressure of the instruments. With CDs, you have to make choices in this regard, but with high-resolution recording, you can leave it as it is, and that's a good thing. In the case of MQA, the original high-resolution information is preserved on top of the music CD sound, so you can enjoy both.

Sasaki And because the size is small, you can put a lot of music on it, right?

Nomura That's right. But the great thing about Mr. Sasaki is that, like "ID-0," he has four types of high-resolution distribution for a single album: 24-bit FLAC, 24-bit WAV, 32-bit WAV, and MQA!　There is no one like him (laughs). So, I would like to recommend MQA, but if you have a great audio system at home or high-end headphones that cost about 300,000 yen, I would like you to listen to "Full Sasaki Saka" in 32-bit WAV (laugh).

Sasaki: Ha-ha-ha! (laughs) But it's not just the recorded music, there are also live recordings distributed in high-resolution, but I really wish they would stop doing that! (Laughs.) It's really naked!　(Laughs) It's really naked! Even a single breath or "Oh, I'm getting a little overexcited here," is reproduced in such a vivid way that you can't help but think, "What should I do? (laughs).

Nomura I understand. But, you know, it's fun for the audience to hear it (laughs).

Sasaki Wow!　But I also buy a lot of live recordings by other artists, and the pressure I feel when I buy them and enjoy them is totally different from the pressure I feel when I release my own recordings. If it was someone else's, I would be able to enjoy it with ease. With my own recordings, I can't help but worry about the details. It bothers me a lot. She wants to change her makeup, but everyone else wants to see me in a sweaty mess (laughs).

Nomura That's right (laughs). (Laughs.) It's just like when TV went to high-definition and all the actresses said, "You can see every pore! It's the same as when TV went to high-definition and the actresses said, "You can see every pore! Well, there is a certain enjoyment in listening to high-resolution music in that way, and on the other hand, there is also the enjoyment of fans anticipating what the creators, including you, will do in such a blatant field.

Sasaki: But instead of being afraid, you take advantage of that. It's like, "Well, I'll show you my pores, too. (laughs). I wonder if that kind of enjoyment is possible.

Nomura I think that's a good idea (laughs). (laughs) But, as Sasaki-san said, I think it is all about diversity. I think it would be good if people would remember that "MQA" is one of the various music formats that are increasing, and if the situation in which they enjoy their own music fits perfectly, they can choose the format that best suits their needs. For example, you may normally buy MQA with a smaller file size, but for this one, you may buy a higher-quality 32-bit WAV. So I would like people to feel free to listen to the music.

Sasaki: As an artist, I am happy to be in an environment where people can enjoy this kind of thing, and I am also happy to hear responses such as, "Which format did you like? I'm also happy to hear responses such as, "Which format did you prefer? As a person involved in music, it is fun.

Discoveries made with high-resolution sound sources that were not noticed during recording

Nomura One more thing. For example, the perfection of a song is enhanced by the mastering engineer, and I think one way to enjoy high-res audio is to feel the difference in that area.

Sasaki: For us, an engineer is like a makeup artist. We have heard that this particular engineer's makeup on a particular song is just the way I like it, or that this engineer has created such a chemical reaction in a song that I had never asked for before. But, the difference in sound depending on the mastering engineer is a very maniacal world, isn't it?　But it's interesting! (laughs)

Nomura Well, that's for sure (laughs). (Laughs.) But the way the sound is finished really differs depending on the engineer, so I want people to enjoy the high-resolution sound including that aspect. In my image, high-resolution is like a buffet, where you are free to take whatever you want, but CDs are more like a set meal: compact and easy to eat, but not as flexible. I think it would be fun to compare the differences between high-resolution and CD recordings, and to learn which engineer created the sound on the CD.

Sasaki: Actually, I often discover things that I did not notice during recording, but only noticed when I listen to the high-resolution sound source myself. For example, when a singer records a song, he or she is in a state where he or she is comfortable singing, so the balance is not the same as the finished sound source. So when I track down a track, I may find myself saying, "Oh, I didn't know this tone was hidden! or, after the CD is released, when you listen to the high-resolution version, you may be surprised to hear "Oh, I didn't know there were hidden tones like this! I am often surprised when I listen to a high-resolution recording after the CD release.

Nomura How about live recordings?　Earlier you said, "Don't do that, I can see every pore! (laughs).

Sasaki: Yes, there is that aspect, but the way the realism of the live performance is conveyed to those who live in rural areas or who cannot come to the live concert venue for some reason or another!　The live CDs and high-resolution sound sources are completely different, and I am grateful to be able to deliver the sensation of being transported to a real concert site, where you can even see the sweat and breath of the performers. It is like a virtual live performance.

Nomura: High-resolution audio is very realistic in a good sense. For example, if the acoustics at a live concert hall happen to be not so good, the high-resolution version may be more realistic. In the case of high-resolution, there is a sensation that images come to mind even though there is only sound.

Sasaki: I think you should listen to it once. Even girls who are not very good with machines will definitely get hooked just by playing around with it a little. Can I say something completely unrelated?

Nomura: Go ahead, go ahead.

Sasaki Isn't "MQA" cute?　Like the alphabetical order (laughs). It's like "MQA.

Nomura It's kind of like a magical girl anime (laughs).

Sasaki I think it's a really nice name for content.

Nomura If Queen says so, then we'll just call it "M-Cure" from now on. From now on, it's "M-cure" (laughs). But that's how it should be. As long as you enjoy listening to it. Also, if you are going to buy Queen's music, you must have Queen's music (laughs). 24-bit, 32-bit, and MQA (MQA), so you can start by buying all of them and comparing them (laughs).

Sasaki: That's right. We hope you will get all of them as initial equipment.

Nomura I think it would be a good idea to pre-install them in the player.

Sasaki That's a good idea!　We would love to have it as a demo track! (Laughs)

Nomura That would be great, if MQA would pay for it (laughs). (laughs) Then, next time, let's go to the UK to pay a visit to MQA. We've come all this way.

Sasaki I want to go!　Let's go on a research trip!　With an "e-onkyo" banner (laughs). I'm very light on my feet!

Nomura I didn't know that Queen herself would make a triumphant return!　I'd love to make it happen. Let's do it!