Last I heard, Qobuz is much better for artists than Tidal (in terms of payment per stream), but Tidal is better than Apple or Google.
To be honest the tidal interface ain’t the best. However it sounds great. Compared exact same masters with my CDs and tidal sounds better for some reason. Love it.
Tidal hi fi is included with my phone plan, and it actually didn’t increase the cost any. Before that, was getting the hi fi version with veterans discount for only $11 a month.
I was giving away my Cambridge CXU and my cousin who I was giving it to wanted to hear some discs. I played a few discs and said to myself “these don’t sound as good as the stuff I’m streaming”. Funny thing is, most of the discs were SACDs! Things are a changing no doubt about it.
I honestly don’t know why. Doesn’t really make sense. I have played around 3 cds which are the exact same masters as the ones on tidal and tidal sounds better.
I kept Tidal over Qobuz and Amazon HD, simply because it had the best integration into the BluOS app IMO.
Except for having a Moto G Power, I enjoy the same set up. The thing about TIDAL and Chromecast is TIDAL will only cast in HiFi mode. It still sounds very good, but unless I want to get a Node 2i or the like to hook into my Classe processor(not MQA enabled), I can't get MASTER/MQA 3 levels of unfolding.... It's a contractual thing with MQA as when you cast, TIDAL is leaving its app(or a similar explanation) and will not allow MQA Masters. IPhones have something called bit perfect so I believe they do the first unfolding. Androids like my Moto G Power I don't believe can. I've read about the UAPP supposedly helping, especially with car stereo systems where most head units don't have great DACs. I think UAPP may allow for the first unfolding with Androids. I was wondering with my home stereo, if I go with a laptop and use Windows 10 with the TIDAL app and connnect to my processors HDMI port, will the TIDAL app take over and send MQA Masters and do the 3 levels of unfolding. Something tells me I will only get the first unfolding as the Classe is not an MQA enabled device.
When Tidal first came out they touted themselves as paying the artists the most per stream as Tidal was owned by a small group of artists. A few years ago there was information in an article or two I have seen that posted how much each streaming service paid out per stream. However that was years ago and haven’t seen any updates about it. Not to mention contracts between the services and the labels have been renegotiated a few times since then so more of them may be on par now but it’s hard to say for sure without any given figures. Needless to say it’s still well less than a full penny a stream. Sprint owns part of Tidal as Jay-Z was having a hard time keeping afloat so he had to take on another partner. Sprint offered Tidal through their cell plans. T-Mobile now owns Sprint so technically T-Mobile has a stake in Tidal. Will have to see if they do anything with it once they get caught up with the switchover.
I recently found this article. Don't know the true ramifications of it. Jay-Z’s Return To Spotify Could Be The Nail In Tidal’s Coffin
Tidal does not automatically play anything when you open the app. You have to tell it what to play. The only accident you could have is if you inadvertently pressed play on one of their playlists if your finger slipped or you had the app opened and on a page that had an offensive song on it while you went to grab your phone in an awkward manner as if you were trying to catch it before it fell to the ground after it fell out of your hand or something. Otherwise if you curate your own playlists and carefully use your fingers or the mouse if you are using a computer there is nothing to really worry about. As for Qobuz’s catalog it is now about on par with Tidal as far as mainstream titles. There may be an occasional title that one service has and the other doesn’t and that goes both ways. As far as out of the mainstream titles goes it may vary more but that is something that depends on what you are looking for as someone else may care less as to the type of music you like to listen too and don’t even know if it’s on any given service so you would have to look and see which services have it and which don’t. And if it is missing you should request it!
Qobuz makes more sense to me as it costs less than Tidal for true full high resolution than overpaying Tidal even more money for lossy fake high resolution!
I liked the curation of some playlists Tidal made for me but I switched to Qobuz as $12.50 month yearly and no MQA. Debatable if I'll keep it after my year is up as I'm literally right now ripping 500+ CDS from 20+ years ago so those combined with my vinyl rips and Hi-Res download purchases may be enough and if I need to peep something before buying it Spotify or YouTube good enough to see if worth the purchase.
If you want CD quality or better from Spotify take the time to vote on it and request/complain here: [Music] HiFi Quality - Lossless Streaming 16bit 44... - Page 320 - The Spotify Community or tweet/facebook them.
You would be overpaying for it if you could get Deezer HiFi or Qobuz instead for less money if they are available where you live depending on which of the three you preferred of course.
May I ask what dac/streamer are you using?. I am new to streaming, but want to move on from my chromecast audio.
MQA is definitely not worth it in my opinion. However as per your last part about the Classe Tidal’s software will do the first unfold but in order to get full unfold you would need an MQA capable Dac otherwise you will only get the first software unfold from Tidal. MQA is not only convoluted, it costs you more money, it’s not needed in this day and age, it’s also lossy high resolution that is overpriced through Tidal compared with true full lossless resolution like Qobuz offers for less money. MQA is considered a scam product on a few levels by a lot of people who have taken the time to research and question it.
If MQA is a “scam product” then Gadzooks! I must have “scam ears” ‘Cause some MQA sounds damn good to me.
It can be a bit of a brain buster trying to figure out which listing on Tidal is which mastering. Usually if the release date (for a pre-1983 album) says a year like 1986, it's probably the original CD master, and if it has the actual release date with no bonus tracks, it's probably the most recent hi-res remaster. It's nice that those discs are on there at all, but I wish the credits weren't such a mess. You have to Sherlock together what you're actually listening to on there. I find their classical selection excellent, and I've only failed to run across a specific conductor/date for a piece I'm looking for about 8 or 9 times over the past three years, which is very comprehensive.
If I’m adding a fave with multiple choices I’ll pick a favourite well known track and compare all options. I hopefully find one I like above the rest. Believe me, sometimes the differences aren’t so subtle. It’s great as I’m sure many people like different masterings. It seems as they have some “good ears” working on this stuff as it’s getting better all the time.
i tried it at a dealer and found the sound quality with MQA extremely nice. for home streaming i use tune in radio that came with my sony hap z1es and some stations sound stunning too. the spotify service not so much though.
