BR is relevant in my opinion, as max. resolution is
stifled on purpose and restricted to 48/16 through S/PDIF (
higher is only possible via HDMI with HDCP).
After ripping you can access the actual hires content of course, but that doesn't serve the
average consumer very well does it?
Agreed. The "much higher resolutions" I was referring to in that post was actually the
video content. In both DVD/BR I found the DRM mechanisms invasive - but they are (IMO at least) more palatable in a case where there are increases in several other areas... with audio alone - the format delivers little of this.
Although I would still have some ideological reservations, if MQA included full high resolution album artwork, mastering notes, more channels, secondary mixes, etc. then I could somewhat more easily forgive it doing nothing new in the audio realm.
Technically speaking, Roon (at least as I
currently have it implemented) doesn't deliver anything
audible over just playing files through foobar... but I still find it worth the somewhat exorbitant price because of the convenience and immersion it provides. I don't feel the same way about an MQA file vs. a FLAC/WAV file however.