CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3662
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Ok, hyperbolic title. I’m angry at the lack of Spotify hifi, and with the announcement of audiobooks today we can only assume it’s more or less shelved.
I was all set to buy a nice DAC for my stereo & bask in barely perceptible improvements to the audio quality.
So, I keep coming back to thinking about different companies. The only problem is that I’ve used Spotify since the day it launched. I’m so wedded to their layouts that anything else is just painful.
Amazon is a straight no with the most hideous app I’ve seen in a long time. Apple Music’s search & the way albums are collected doesn’t work for me…
What do you use? Anything with a free trial period would be ace.
Having the DAC would let me use other downloads from vinyl & bandcamp etc, so that’s a nice bonus.
P.S. I know steaming companies don’t pay artists fairly
I was all set to buy a nice DAC for my stereo & bask in barely perceptible improvements to the audio quality.
So, I keep coming back to thinking about different companies. The only problem is that I’ve used Spotify since the day it launched. I’m so wedded to their layouts that anything else is just painful.
Amazon is a straight no with the most hideous app I’ve seen in a long time. Apple Music’s search & the way albums are collected doesn’t work for me…
What do you use? Anything with a free trial period would be ace.
Having the DAC would let me use other downloads from vinyl & bandcamp etc, so that’s a nice bonus.
P.S. I know steaming companies don’t pay artists fairly
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I subscribed to Tidal for a year. They have the highest quality streams I'm aware of - for certain labels, they even have access to 24 bit/96 kHz masters, and CD quality lossless streaming for the rest.
It's as good a digital listening experience as I think you can find.
It's as good a digital listening experience as I think you can find.
Yeah, at this point, most people's rooms are the limiting factor when it comes to hi-fi. The source material is great, the price/performance of modern DACs, amps and speakers is great, and then it all falls apart when things start bouncing off walls in their actual home.I was all set to buy a nice DAC for my stereo & bask in barely perceptible improvements to the audio quality.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- panoramic
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 16939
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 7:09 pm
- Location: baltimore, md.
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I use spotify and amazon, i agree amazon is just a garbage pile. I am so far from listening to digital at home though so I am not exactly upset about these issues as it's usually only used in my car at high volumes. At home i still listen to vinyl and cd's
I used to be cool, now I just complain about prices.
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3662
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
What’s the app like to use?mbene085 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 7:03 amI subscribed to Tidal for a year. They have the highest quality streams I'm aware of - for certain labels, they even have access to 24 bit/96 kHz masters, and CD quality lossless streaming for the rest.
It's as good a digital listening experience as I think you can find.
I’m not really worried about lossless, cd quality is good enough for me. That said, I’ve always wondered what tidal is like.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3662
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
That sounds fun. Makes me miss having a car.
I tried using Apple Music just for the CD quality streams, but even that annoyed me. And would have been prohibitively expensive for the amount of hours I really clock up streaming via the hifi.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- tdksa90
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 6:13 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Give Qobuz a try. I've been using that integrated with Roon, playing back via Raspberry Pi with a good DAC.
I stayed away from Tidal because of their MQA format.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/05/ti ... nd-debate/
I stayed away from Tidal because of their MQA format.
https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/05/ti ... nd-debate/
My Music: https://keithhanlon.bandcamp.com/
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I found it decent to use, but I don't know if my use case would be the same as yours. I used it exclusively on my computer that's connected to my monitors.sal paradise wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 10:52 amWhat’s the app like to use?
I’m not really worried about lossless, cd quality is good enough for me. That said, I’ve always wondered what tidal is like.
I didn't use it on my phone or in my living room, so for all i know there might be features I never used or never noticed were missing.
The quality was great though, and that was my primary concern. I was using it to audition reference material and for educational purposes (critiquing mixes, etc).
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7404
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Spotify sounds like hot garbage. Hot garbage is ok in the car or walking the dog but on a good system, nope.
It was so depressing hearing how Spotify crapped all over them after listening to the 24/96 masters of my band’s EP.
I will be watching this thread with interest.
It was so depressing hearing how Spotify crapped all over them after listening to the 24/96 masters of my band’s EP.
I will be watching this thread with interest.
- Embenny
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 10363
- Joined: Tue May 24, 2016 5:07 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Two thoughts.marqueemoon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:00 pmSpotify sounds like hot garbage. Hot garbage is ok in the car or walking the dog but on a good system, nope.
It was so depressing hearing how Spotify crapped all over them after listening to the 24/96 masters of my band’s EP.
I will be watching this thread with interest.
1) Did your mastering engineer prepare a file specifically for Spotify? Their normalization algorithm can be very unflattering, particularly if it's fed too hot of a master.
2) You should give Tidal a shot. I don't care about quality if I'm listening on wireless earbuds while gardening or working out, but on nice monitors there's definitely no comparison, Tidal sounded great and Spotify...is Spotify.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7404
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I believe they did. It’s a professional mastering house and that was part of the conversation from the beginning. It’s mainly the subtle details that don’t come across right.mbene085 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:38 pmTwo thoughts.marqueemoon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:00 pmSpotify sounds like hot garbage. Hot garbage is ok in the car or walking the dog but on a good system, nope.
It was so depressing hearing how Spotify crapped all over them after listening to the 24/96 masters of my band’s EP.
I will be watching this thread with interest.
1) Did your mastering engineer prepare a file specifically for Spotify? Their normalization algorithm can be very unflattering, particularly if it's fed too hot of a master.
2) You should give Tidal a shot. I don't care about quality if I'm listening on wireless earbuds while gardening or working out, but on nice monitors there's definitely no comparison, Tidal sounded great and Spotify...is Spotify.
I’ve made other music that’s on Spotify where its drawbacks are less apparent because it’s mixed in a more heavy handed way.
I’ll do a little more looking into Tidal.
- andy_tchp
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 8063
- Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 1:36 am
- Location: Brisbane
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
FLAC files.sal paradise wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 6:22 amHaving the DAC would let me use other downloads from vinyl & bandcamp etc, so that’s a nice bonus.
P.S. I know steaming companies don’t pay artists fairly
Fuck all of the streaming services.
"I don't know why we asked him to join the band 'cause the rest of us don't like country music all that much; we just like Graham Lee."
David McComb, 1987.
David McComb, 1987.
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7404
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I have FLAC files of a few Bandcamp purchases. Very impressed based on that limited experience.
I think Gen X is in a weird place with this stuff.
I’ve seen multiple physical formats rise and fall, ripped my CD collection twice, etc…
I really don’t trust anything at this point and many of my favorite artists and albums are not on streaming services and may never be.
I know what good vinyl playback sounds like and know I can’t afford that, and it all seems pretty fussy like being into elaborate bongs or something.
Anyway, carry on.
I think Gen X is in a weird place with this stuff.
I’ve seen multiple physical formats rise and fall, ripped my CD collection twice, etc…
I really don’t trust anything at this point and many of my favorite artists and albums are not on streaming services and may never be.
I know what good vinyl playback sounds like and know I can’t afford that, and it all seems pretty fussy like being into elaborate bongs or something.
Anyway, carry on.
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3662
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Silly question- have you changed Spotify settings to play at highest quality?marqueemoon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 5:11 pmI believe they did. It’s a professional mastering house and that was part of the conversation from the beginning. It’s mainly the subtle details that don’t come across right.mbene085 wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:38 pmTwo thoughts.marqueemoon wrote: ↑Wed Sep 21, 2022 2:00 pmSpotify sounds like hot garbage. Hot garbage is ok in the car or walking the dog but on a good system, nope.
It was so depressing hearing how Spotify crapped all over them after listening to the 24/96 masters of my band’s EP.
I will be watching this thread with interest.
1) Did your mastering engineer prepare a file specifically for Spotify? Their normalization algorithm can be very unflattering, particularly if it's fed too hot of a master.
2) You should give Tidal a shot. I don't care about quality if I'm listening on wireless earbuds while gardening or working out, but on nice monitors there's definitely no comparison, Tidal sounded great and Spotify...is Spotify.
I’ve made other music that’s on Spotify where its drawbacks are less apparent because it’s mixed in a more heavy handed way.
I’ll do a little more looking into Tidal.
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- sal paradise
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3662
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 12:41 am
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
Not heard of Qobuz- looks interesting. Thanks!
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?
- MattK
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 3633
- Joined: Sun Aug 10, 2008 9:51 pm
- Location: Hobart, Australia
Re: CD quality/lossless streaming & good UX- does it exist?
I talked about my rig on the other thread but I feed lossless from a Mac Mini to a dedicated DAC via optical, I think it's putting out 24/192 even on an old 2010 machine via iTunes (which I can run remotely from my phone, iPad, laptop etc). I think it's possible to stream from Apple Music but I don't stream - it has my CD collection ripped (a thousand-ish discs, I'm old) plus a bunch of MP3s from old sources, and also a few hundred purchases from Bandcamp. BC allows download in ALAC (lossless) which iTunes will play without blinking. It sounds excellent (and believe me, I care).
I wouldn't piss on Spotify if they were on fire, they gouge and swindle creative artists and leverage their market position to obligate artists to accept their shitty deals for the sake of exposure / findability. I'm sure there are behind the scenes issues and/or label/artist inequities happening through Bandcamp too, but I've heard artists compare the paydays they get from Spotify and Bandcamp, often a single BC Friday will dwarf a year's Spotify income. So that's where I spend my music buying money, and they give me DRM free lossless files. I can even chip in a couple of bucks on top of a purchase.
Oh, I forgot, you can stream your Bandcamp purchases too. And listen to unpurchased music although the streaming has to be manually controlled.
I wouldn't piss on Spotify if they were on fire, they gouge and swindle creative artists and leverage their market position to obligate artists to accept their shitty deals for the sake of exposure / findability. I'm sure there are behind the scenes issues and/or label/artist inequities happening through Bandcamp too, but I've heard artists compare the paydays they get from Spotify and Bandcamp, often a single BC Friday will dwarf a year's Spotify income. So that's where I spend my music buying money, and they give me DRM free lossless files. I can even chip in a couple of bucks on top of a purchase.
Oh, I forgot, you can stream your Bandcamp purchases too. And listen to unpurchased music although the streaming has to be manually controlled.