With the fate of MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) being uncertain right now, due to the music format firm sinking into administration, you would be forgiven for wondering about the lossless streaming capabilities of Tidal.

Long seen as one of the best music streaming services for people who want the very best in audio quality, the platform uses MQA as the format for its hi-res audio. But, following the news that MQA is on rocky ground and potentially up for sale, Tidal's CEO Jesse Dorogusker found himself facing questions about the state of play when taking part in a Reddit AMA. His answers provided clarity but also a little bit of confusion.

Hi-res FLAC is in, but so is MQA music as well

It was always going to be the case that questions would be asked - it was an AMA after all - so it seems Dorogusker was prepared. He said that Tidal would be "introducing hi-res FLAC for our HiFi Plus subscribers soon," adding that the format is "lossless and an open standard." He did warn that the files will be big, but he also noted that Tidal will "give you controls to dial this up and down based on what's going on.”

That's all good news, but details were lacking in terms of what happens to the existing MQA catalogue. What Hi-Fi reached out to Tidal to find out: "Our existing MQA catalogue will continue to be available on the platform," the company said.

That would appear to suggest that MQA and FLAC files will coexist, at least in the short term. Dorogusker suggested that FLAC support was coming soon, although no firm timescales have been given for what that actually means. We'll have to wait for more official word on timings or, just as likely, for FLAC support to go live before we can find out for sure.

As for MQA Ltd, a statement sent to Pocket-lint suggests there could still be a future for the format: "Following the recent positive reception to MQA’s latest technology (SCL6), there has been increased international interest in buying MQA Ltd," it said.

"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."

Hopefully, a buyer will be found soon and Master Quality tracks will remain on the menu.