SilverSport Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Hello all...rather new to this digital streaming and all...tried through my iPhone and some others and very disappointed in the quality...someone I know who is a perfectionist (describes many here, right???) swears by TIDAL so I'm giving it a try...the HiFi version...sounds pretty good so far and I haven't been unable to find anything I'm searching for as yet... I've read the threads on here but wanted more up to date answers or if anyone found something sonically superior... Please feel free to share if you care... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick561 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 As far as online streaming goes, I chose TIDAL HiFi over Apple Music or Spotify due to the quality. The exclusive content released by artists, various playlists they frequently release, and interface of the app and site are the icing on the cake. I've had it for about half a year now. I can tell a difference between HiFi and regular quality on TIDAL when listening through my headphones, in my car, or through my new Klipsch speakers. If you've invested in some high quality listening devices, I can't recommend enough investing in a high quality source of audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaddeus Smith Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I dropped it shortly after the Jay-Z acquisition - all of the recommendations and "new" lists seemed to evolve into more hip-hop and pop-centric choices. And when I evaluated how I really used a streaming service vs. my local library it just wasn't worth the premium price. They've also recently been slapped with a big lawsuit for skirting royalty payments, for what it's worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 This is interesting to me also. I tried Tidal the day it came out and was underwhelmed. The service was more expensive than google play, but I could not notice a difference in sound quality. However, I cannot say with certainty that I was listening to Tidal HiFi. Is that a relatively new addition? I can't remember hearing about it until this thread, and I certainly would have checked it out for the comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I guess the question is, are you going to listen through headphones/from your PC/through a DAC/out to standard speakers? All of the above? I have tried all of the Premium services both with and without my Schiit Bifrost Uber DAC, and determined that Spotify Premium is excellent, has a great interface, tons of options, and is probably way more than I really need. Paying more for Tidal Hi Fi was not justifiable for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Much better and you can keep the songs: 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWL Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) Paying more for Tidal Hi Fi was not justifiable for me. I came to the same conclusion after comparing both. Compared to Spotify, that is. Edited March 2, 2016 by SWL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiey60 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 I stream Tidal hifi direct from pc to receiver via hdmi and it is the best thing I have done for music. I do not have any cds or any other music collection so for me having cd quality music as opposed to youtube bitrate audio it is a huge improvement. I went with this over spotify Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 Thanks so far...a lot for me to digest...I plan to use it in my car and to Klipsch speakers and the plan was to give up on CDs... Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) Much better and you can keep the songs: Arguably a better alternative. How much for high end player for a high end system? How much for the record collection? How much for the rack/cabinet to store them? I imagine I can get 10 years (conservatively speaking)or so of digital play time before I realize comparative loss. But then, that isn't taking into account that I have more selection coming out every month that I don't have to physically buy and store - the bad songs with the good songs being inseparable. In essence, the cost is lower to 'not own' the physical copies. I suppose there are disadvantages to either preference. Being preferences and all. Edited March 2, 2016 by Bella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Much better and you can keep the songs: Remember that every time you play that record the grooves are spread apart at 1.5 grams weight and return to 98% of what they were at the start. So how many plays is it good for? JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiey60 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Thanks so far...a lot for me to digest...I plan to use it in my car and to Klipsch speakers and the plan was to give up on CDs... Bill I believe it is the only cd quality streaming service, all the rest are capped at various bitrates comparable to mp3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Arguably a better alternative. How much for high end player for a high end system? How much for the record collection? How much for the rack/cabinet to store them? I imagine I can get 10 years (conservatively speaking)or so of digital play time before I realize comparative loss. But then, that isn't taking into account that I have more selection coming out every month that I don't have to physically buy and store - the bad songs with the good songs being inseparable. In essence, the cost is lower to 'not own' the physical copies. I suppose there are disadvantages to either preference. Being preferences and all. Depends on weather or not you want to listen to zeros and ones or real music. Why bother with Klipsch speakers when a car radio will do just as well. I'm also sure these streaming sites would never waste your time by playing a song you don't want to hear, but maybe have a promotional stake in, and of course, computers are infallible when it comes to delineating your tastes. Ya know, cd's and their digital streaming ilk theoretically sound better, but they have some kinda subliminal distortion that drives me buggy. Cd's I'm always turning down, lps I'm always reaching over to inch up the volume. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Much better and you can keep the songs: Remember that every time you play that record the grooves are spread apart at 1.5 grams weight and return to 98% of what they were at the start. So how many plays is it good for? JJK Why you silly, silly fellow. I'm playing records from the 1950's and forward, that would, and routinely do, smoke their digital reproductions/reissues from today. Yes you can kill records. I oughta know. I used to play mine of the beach, in the summer, on a portable record player, flipping them over whilst applying suntan lotion. All things pass from the earth, but I suspect that when it all comes crashing down and only the cockroaches remain, they will be spinning vinyl dug out of rubble as the zeros and ones float off into the netherworld. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Much better and you can keep the songs: Remember that every time you play that record the grooves are spread apart at 1.5 grams weight and return to 98% of what they were at the start. So how many plays is it good for? JJK Why you silly, silly fellow. I'm playing records from the 1950's and forward, that would, and routinely do, smoke their digital reproductions/reissues from today. Yes you can kill records. I oughta know. I used to play mine of the beach, in the summer, on a portable record player, flipping them over whilst applying suntan lotion. All things pass from the earth, but I suspect that when it all comes crashing down and only the cockroaches remain, they will be spinning vinyl dug out of rubble as the zeros and ones float off into the netherworld. I have 432 albums in the cabinet and they are happy too. I am happy because I don't have to play them. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSport Posted March 3, 2016 Author Share Posted March 3, 2016 Arguably a better alternative. How much for high end player for a high end system? How much for the record collection? How much for the rack/cabinet to store them? I imagine I can get 10 years (conservatively speaking)or so of digital play time before I realize comparative loss. But then, that isn't taking into account that I have more selection coming out every month that I don't have to physically buy and store - the bad songs with the good songs being inseparable. In essence, the cost is lower to 'not own' the physical copies. I suppose there are disadvantages to either preference. Being preferences and all. Depends on weather or not you want to listen to zeros and ones or real music. Why bother with Klipsch speakers when a car radio will do just as well. I'm also sure these streaming sites would never waste your time by playing a song you don't want to hear, but maybe have a promotional stake in, and of course, computers are infallible when it comes to delineating your tastes. Ya know, cd's and their digital streaming ilk theoretically sound better, but they have some kinda subliminal distortion that drives me buggy. Cd's I'm always turning down, lps I'm always reaching over to inch up the volume. I get that you enjoy LPs better but as to these sites for music, it won't play anything I've not asked it to play...perhaps your computer is different than mine but...the jury for me is still out on this as there is so much for me to learn...trying out the 30 day free trial right now...I like most of what I've heard thus far Bill 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Well how about something ever more new-fangled: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Depends on weather or not you want to listen to zeros and ones or real music. You mean like scratching a piece of plastic with a needle? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 I tried Tidal on the 3 month trial and the sound quality is very nice. For anyone that has an Oppo 103/105, the Oppo Media Control app is excellent to control Tidal thru a smart device. But with that being said, I could not justify paying twice the price for the Hi-Fi version vs. Spotify so I did not continue my subscription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella Posted March 3, 2016 Share Posted March 3, 2016 Depends on weather or not you want to listen to zeros and ones or real music. You mean like scratching a piece of plastic with a needle? And all this time I thought I had to go to a concert to hear real music. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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