Spotify premium V's Tidal hifi

[wolster]

  On 28/03/2016 at 11:43 PM, Sime said:

Tidal does off line, and at cd resolution.

Well I learn something every day. Thanks.

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[SteveC]

  On 29/03/2016 at 12:11 AM, wolster said:

Well I learn something every day. Thanks.

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

 

 

  On 28/03/2016 at 11:43 PM, Sime said:

Tidal does off line, and at cd resolution.

 

 

 

Only on phones and ipads etc. No offline on computer.

[Guest Sime]

Ah, the computer thing I didn't know, see, we're all learning today

[Jumbuck]

  On 29/03/2016 at 12:43 AM, SteveC said:

Only on phones and ipads etc. No offline on computer.

 

If it had offline mode on a PC that would be fantastic. Doubt it would happen though in the near future (if ever).

Edited March 29, 2016 by Jumbuck

[Guest Sime]

I'm guessing it's not available on pc in case there was a way to get those downloaded files burnt to cd. Impossible obviously on a tablet.

[DSD_Fan]

I use Spotify premium. If I like an album I'll buy it (in high res if I can or on vinyl) I have Audio Research gear and JBL speakers and Spotify sounds 'good' the wife uses it and likes it. But it's cheap too and again I like to own great albums.

Just my 2 cents

 

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by DSD_Fan

[Guest]

The beauty of Tidal is with Roon you can dsp it via HQP to DSD 256.

 

Can't do that with Spotify. 

Edited March 29, 2016 by Andrew S.

[Kaynin]

I've had Tidal trial running for 8 hours today now, first time impressions -

* no drop out at all;

* sound quality is certainly better than Spotify, not that Spotify isn't any good, of course;

* just running the radio so far, the mix is good.

Over the next month I'll look at usability with the interface, as well as the catalogue. In the end I'll have to decide if the double price of Spotify is worth it...

[darth vader]

I'm finding the Tidal search function quite unfriendly at this point. Couldn't find Yello from the search, but last night they popped up in the "songs similar" pane. Gotta work out how to refine searches.

[Kaynin]

  On 29/03/2016 at 11:10 AM, darth vader said:

I'm finding the Tidal search function quite unfriendly at this point. Couldn't find Yello from the search, but last night they popped up in the "songs similar" pane. Gotta work out how to refine searches.

 

Yeah, I'm not as comfortable with it's interface as I am with Spotify, but that could just be about familiarity.  Fortunately I've got the next three weeks at home, so it will give me plenty of time to assess. 

[darth vader]

I have to admit, I'm struggling to hear any quality difference. Certainly not twice the subscription price worth anyway. 

 

I'm going to have a play and swap some components around, but I'm not confidant it will improve one over the other enough to justify Tidals fee.

[a.dent]

  On 29/03/2016 at 11:39 AM, darth vader said:

I have to admit, I'm struggling to hear any quality difference. Certainly not twice the subscription price worth anyway. 

 

I'm going to have a play and swap some components around, but I'm not confidant it will improve one over the other enough to justify Tidals fee.

 

I'm with you. Very little difference in SQ between the two on my Snakeoil server. And Spotify never has the Tidal glitches.

[Guest Sime]

So, there's no difference between Redbook and 320Kbs?

[a.dent]

  On 29/03/2016 at 12:05 PM, Sime said:

So, there's no difference between Redbook and 320Kbs?

 

I didn't say there wasn't a difference. I said it was difficult to hear a SQ difference. They sound a little different to me but only a little and I can't say Tidal is significantly or even noticeably better.

 

I'll just say I'm happy with the SQ of both. How about that? Neither are as good as CD rips though.

 

And anyway, as is often said, "everything makes a difference".

 

As for Tidal glitches, well that's why I've decided not to renew Tidal.

[Guest Sime]

My very simple way of looking at it is this, I try my hardest to buy electronics within my means, to get the best sound I can, and if tidal is a service that "technically" has the better service, then that has to be part of the system as much as hardware.

That's my philosophy.

[a.dent]

Sounds a fair enough philosophy to me. It's just the unreliability of Tidal that pushed me away in the end. As I said, I was happy with the SQ.

[DSD_Fan]

I tried Tidal via Roon today and I can add I can hear the difference in sound quality. Not much but enough to notice it. But the wife didn't hear it. I had to listen hard to hear it. Sounded more 'natural' to me.

But in saying that, I don't think it's enough for the added cost (as I buy a lot of music anyway)

[DSD_Fan]

Oh, my song of choice is The Cure - Lullaby
I think I have every version of that ever made so I know it well.

 

[Guest Sime]

This is not at anyone in particular, but isn't it funny how we get jaded over money with a service that these companies provide us.

Before they were available, it was up to $30 or more just for an album, and some buy many at a time.

Now we have 10's of thousands of albums at out finger tips for less money a month that one of those albums cost, and people say no.

Think back to when you were a kid or a teen, and someone said to you, you can have every album ever made (give or take) for $25 a month.

Do you think you younger self would say no, I wouldn't.

What we are being offered is pretty remarkable, don't forget that.

[DSD_Fan]

  On 29/03/2016 at 1:04 PM, Sime said:

This is not at anyone in particular, but isn't it funny how we get jaded over money with a service that these companies provide us.

Before they were available, it was up to $30 or more just for an album, and some buy many at a time.

Now we have 10's of thousands of albums at out finger tips for less money a month that one of those albums cost, and people say no.

Think back to when you were a kid or a teen, and someone said to you, you can have every album ever made (give or take) for $25 a month.

Do you think you younger self would say no, I wouldn't.

What we are being offered is pretty remarkable, don't forget that.

 

 

I like this post. I mean I agree 100%. We used to tape off the radio and make our own mix tapes. I bought vinyl then that I still have today (and still buy vinyl)

but with the statement regarding $25 a month vs Spotify's $12 a month is like tapes vs vinyl

So the real question is, is the $25 a month worth it over the $12 a month ? I pay the $12 AND buy albums. If I didn't I'd pay for both services to make sure I had the extra albums.

 

[darth vader]

  On 29/03/2016 at 1:04 PM, Sime said:

This is not at anyone in particular, but isn't it funny how we get jaded over money with a service that these companies provide us.

Before they were available, it was up to $30 or more just for an album, and some buy many at a time.

Now we have 10's of thousands of albums at out finger tips for less money a month that one of those albums cost, and people say no.

Think back to when you were a kid or a teen, and someone said to you, you can have every album ever made (give or take) for $25 a month.

Do you think you younger self would say no, I wouldn't.

What we are being offered is pretty remarkable, don't forget that.

Yep, what you say is true Sime, but even though it may be the case, I'll still drive a block to find cheaper petrol.

Everything is relative.

A VHS video recorder was a lot in the 80's, whats it worth now? A litre of milk for $1.25 or $1.00?

Just because Tidal "claims" to be technically superior, does that mean it is? I mean, can you taste the foliates in the non de-foliated milk? Can you hear the Tidal difference?

 

@@DSD_Fan I appreciate what you've done there, with Roon, but what is Roon? and if Tidal sounds better with it, why doesn't Tidal include it as part of their service? 

I guess what I mean to say, is if Tidal is superior, why should a user need extra software?

Shouldn't it sound better than Spotify right off the bat?

 

I'm not sure what PC users find as I'm using a fruit computer (iMac), I cant use the REW, Play, FF keys on my keyboard with Tidal like I can with Spotify and iTunes. Maybe theres a Tidal keyboard shortcut, but I havn't found it yet

[rastus]

LoL @ "...I'm using a fruit computer (iMac)..."

[Kaynin]

Yep, it's more a question of the value in the service of $25 vs $11 and what you get for that money. I don't use Spotify for critical listening, it serves a different purpose. Will Tidal change the purpose for which I use a music streaming service? Unknown just yet, ask me in 3 weeks - but it will have to in order for me to cough up the extra dough. This is because Spotify does exactly what I want...

Must say though, Tidal has been running about 12 hours straight today and not one drop out...this was my biggest concern...

[Guest Sime]

$11 vs $24, my take on that is this.

We all have data accounts that are a lot bigger than they used to be, and with internet speeds for a lot of people are a lot faster.

Tidal is the only company realizing this and had the balls to start streaming what we have always been complaining about, lack of high quality music online.

http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php/topic/81507-whats-your-best-sounding-itunes-download/

I started this thread when I first started here, and it took 5 days before anyone started posting in it, and that was only after I replied to myself. Mp3's?, are you serious?

All these streaming services should by now start streaming cd quality and better, especially now with MQA coming soon. iTunes have to lift there game and start selling Redbook, and streaming it on Apple Music, and so for Spotify. At minimum, it should be an option.

I'm supporting the guy who is giving us what we have always been complaining about, ain't the right Audiophiles, that's what we are aren't we?

I'm unemployed and can afford it, and the more people who support them, the more mainstream it'll become and the price may change.

It has to start somewhere, make the others know what you want, good value music sounding the best it can.

As soon as the others decide to start streaming what tidal are, then you'll see the price change, but someone has to support the guys that are making the effort.

[Guest jakeyb77]

It seems the licensing issues are hitting Spotify as recently there seem to be a lot more greyed out songs on play lists. Hope it's not going to get worse.

http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6836005/spotify-150-million-lawsuit-explained

Edited March 29, 2016 by jakeyb77