And how does it compare to Spotify for sound quality?

It claims to have the biggest library of artists too – are there any major omissions from their catalogue?

Cheers!

Slight hijack but just got myself a network player, so bookmarked for recommendations.

I just upgraded my hifi to a Naim unitiqute2 and was previously using a MF vdac via usb to listen to Apple Music or Spotify when the other half was staying.
Now I’m on tidal but the Naim does not do the MQA unpacking to do the 24/192 tidal masters so I’m limited to CD 16/44 (or hifi as they call it)

I’m very impressed with it so far and I can just about hear the sound quality improvements on a sonos1 but they are very evident through the proper hifi/speakers I have.
The only thing I haven’t found was a TalkinJazz vol 2 cd by Gilles Peterson but I don’t think that’s on Apple Music either
The Tidal Moods playlists and artist playlists are good.

But I’m on the 4 month deal for a few quid so will have to see what happens when that ends but because of the convenience and integration through the naim app I’ll probably stick with it.

I think there will be some changes in the marketplace now amazon have their HD music service. Tidal and Qoboz will probably have to reduce their prices to compete.
I tried amazon but it would not stream directly to the unitiqute and would need to be run from Chrome browser via optical to a chromecast and need the sample rate changed on my Mac and even then it didn’t stream well and had distortion. I also don’t want a wired solution and want to run it from my iPad. If you have Roon or a device that integrates with amazon 5hen it might be a cheaper option for high res streaming.

I forgot to say re sound quality that it’s very good and gets your foot tapping which 320kbs never did, wider soundstage more dynamic etc and very detailed just like CD. Most tracks are very good but there are a few that lack the intimacy and ‘realism’ of good vinyl. There were a couple of tracks I know well that had all the life sucked out of them compared to vinyl but there were only a few.

Used it for a few years now. Started off with the hifi subscription, but have now switched to the cheaper high quality one, which is still better than spotify imo. I listen exclusively through a chord mojo and shure SE846 earphones. Master is wonderful but I don’t listen enough to warrant the extra cost. Playlists are good and the Apple TV app means you can watch videos, films etc. It’s hooked up to an AV amp so sounds really good.

Tidal sounds better (system dependent obviously), but no service can match Spotify for choice of artists/tracks or for the playlists. I find Spotify is worth having if only for the tailored music recommendations.

I am currently streaming off Spotify and Qobuz, but I download albums I really like so that I can play them off my HDD. Streaming cannot match local playback. Qobuz seems to be more focused on classical and jazz and is perhaps aimed at a more mature listener, whereas I think Tidal has a more varied catalogue. But I have not really used either of them that much, so dont take my word for it! It is very easy to subscribe for a month or two and cancel if you’re not keen.

Another Tidal Hifi subscriber.

I have a Bluesound Node connected to my hifi which does Tidal’s MQA natively – it sounds very good. I can’t really tell a difference on my Sonos kit (which is limited to CD quality) dotted around the house but on a decent hifi the Masters/High Res albums sound great, as you’d expect.

The Tidal catalogue doesn’t have any obvious gaps to me, but there are far more high res options on Amazon HD. Sadly, Amazon’s app is horrible, it’s no better within BluOS and there’s a lack of quality and depth in the curated content versus Tidal. I have a three month Amazon HD trial, but I never use it.

For what it’s worth, I can’t reliably hear a difference between Amazon High Res and Tidal Masters on listening, although some people on Reddit reckon there is a big difference…

Streaming cannot match local playback

How so? It’s either bit perfect (or not), lossy or lossless.
It should be dependent on word length and sample rate not the delivery method.
If you want to get really geeky then it’s about jitter and isolation from other components by using optical connection etc.
A 24b/192 master streamed would be better than red book CD at 16/44.

How so? It’s either bit perfect (or not), lossy or lossless.
It should be dependent on word length and sample rate not the delivery method.
If you want to get really geeky then it’s about jitter and isolation from other components by using optical connection etc.
A 24b/192 master streamed would be better than red book CD at 16/44.

If only it were that simple! Unfortunately, not being at all geeky myself I cannot give you any scientific explanation. However you’re welcome to come round and I’ll play you the same track streamed Vs local and you can hear for yourself.

I tried Tidal but found that it was just too glitchy, constantly pausing or stopping randomly after one or two tracks, Qobuz was very good but sometimes hard to find stuff, there was also a gaps in some of my favourite artists collections which was a shame as it sounded excellent, I couldn’t tell the difference between that and CDs when streamed via an Airport Express, not too high end a system tho, Naim amp, older Linn speakers.

I just signed up to try Amazon Music HD but it won’t stream in stereo over Airplay, I’ve had a google but can’t find anything so unless anyone has any bright ideas it looks like I’ll be carrying on using Apple Music for the forseeable future and playing CDs when I fancy better quality.

Have worked out the workaround to get Amazon to stream properly on Airplay, sounds very good, Apple Music is great for the suggested playlists tho, which Amazon doesn’t have, haven’t found any massive gaps when looking for stuff so far.

£5 for 5 months at the moment.

https://offer.tidal.com/campaigns/5de986d679c686003235ab72/products?geo=GB&campaignId=5de986d679c686003235ab72

I like Tidal, I pay £20 a month for the hi rez service and push it in to my set up via an Activo CT10 DAP, sounds really good – I also use it in the car via my Moto moby, that and a decent audio book would soothe any big road trip

I have the 5 month trial and will be sticking with Tidal. Found a free app that transfered over 300 playlist from Spotify,

The quality is ace IMO.

Downstairs I have a Bluesound Node 2i but want a portable DAC for the macbook and the Iphone when listening with headphones.

With the lightning connection on phone and usb C on Macbook it is going to be ma bit essy with adapters.

Any recomendations? looking at Dragonfly red but noticed this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MHH14M5?pf_rd_p=f20e70b1-67f9-48d1-8c78-ba616030b420&pf_rd_r=S3CW4H36GP437M0R21RG

Anybody tried both?

With the lightning connection on phone and usb C on Macbook it is going to be ma bit essy with adapters.

Any recomendations?

Well, the little Lightning > 3.5mm adaptor is hardly ‘messy’, any more than the 1/4” > 3.5mm adaptors people have been using with headphones for decades, and it has a DAC built in, so no need for any outboard D/A’s which are ‘messy’ by comparison.
As it happens, I’ve got a pair of wireless headphones, a pair of Taotronics that cost about £55, but the thing that prompted my buying them is that they’ve got a 3.5mm socket, and I’ve got a Lightning > 3.5 mm cable with remote, so I can connect my ‘phones directly to my phone and not use Bluetooth, although BT isn’t bad, my 320Kb files sound perfectly fine, and I’ve done direct comparison with CD and Lossless versions of 320Kb ripped files, with little detectable difference.