Article: The TIDAL HIFI Revolution Starts Today

[majnun70]

Anyone know if they plan to enable remote control (iOS/Android) of desktop app?

[palbratelund]

I have looked for a Tidal Squeezebox app on mysqueezebox.com and didn't find it. Any word on if it will be added? I have been using WiMP (singed up via vpn) and it works beautifully with squeezebox Touch. I would love to have the slightly cheaper US version for which I would be able to read all of the editorial commentary (I currently see it in German.) But, I am reluctant to give up the Squeezebox compatibility.

 

There is a solution coming. It will be a plug-in controlled by a third-party app. Will be sweet. Just around the corner.

[palbratelund]

Does anyone know if you can import playlists from spotify?

 

Yes, you can. In the desktop application - go to playlist and look in the right column.

[palbratelund]

I have had a nightmare trying to get Tidal today. They sent me a VIP (30 day trial with cc info) email but when I attempted to re-read the details after registering they told me I am already registered and could then do nothing. They sent me two more emails that were basically "why haven't you finished the process" and I kept trying to tell them via reply emails. Now they have my latest rant (finally got through and they reduced my offer to standard 7 day) in their ticket system. Not impressed so far but they have more issues than me on this first day (nor am I hyped about spending $20/mo but that's me; I have typically used these services for purchase previews so I need to change my approach if I am to justify the $$ ..).

 

Hi, Ted. Send me your username as a private message here and I'll help you out.

[palbratelund]

Thanks, Fred.

 

I checked 5 or 6 of these and found that they were also grayed out in the US offering. I'm keeping track of how many low resolution titles show up in my own musical selections, now.

 

I wonder if these items will be ultimately be upgraded to full resolution? Has Wimp/Tidal made any statement on this?

 

 

Yes, we have. We are constantly chasing record labels to redeliver music in lossless. All major labels and professionalized aggregators are of course delivering this. However, some smaller labels have a longer turnaround time to fix their delivery and get it to us. Sometimes, big artists released stuff that's on smaller labels early in their careers. We have a team of label chasers here but being notified of what's missing is always a big help. So, thanks guys for that list.

 

Pål from TIDAL.

[findog3103]

Yes, you can. In the desktop application - go to playlist and look in the right column.

 

Cool. I will try it tonight.

[MountainSufi]

MountainSufi:

I am using Qobuz and they too its ECM content but when you try to play it, it won't work. Would you please try to stream some of the ECM content and see if it actually plays?

Thanks,

Boy Howdy

 

Sorry for the delay in responding. You're over my head here. Tell me what to search and play via"ECM content" and I'll do my best.

 

Email me at Mountain Sufi AT gmail etc.

 

I've been on vaca, and very busy elsewhere.

 

Now listening to Pink Floyd's new "The Endless River" via high end setup... Avantegarde Uno Nano speakers. Wavelength Audio amp and DAC. Not bragging, but saying it's top drawer shite.

 

Tidal sound is very good, definitely worth the $20/month over Spotify premium.

 

BUT, somethings missing. Sounds a bit thin. Bass, lower end, doesn't grab my testicles and shake my soul. Haven't done A/B comparisons with CD's yet.

 

Bottom line, while Tidal may not be the quintessence of sound (yet), it makes Spotify sound like listening to a Victrola.

[MountainSufi]

Yes, you can. In the desktop application - go to playlist and look in the right column.

 

Close, but not completely correct.

 

Don't "go to playlist and look in the right column."

 

DO go to "My Playlists" and look in the right column.

You then are then given the choice to "import any Spotify playlist to TIDAL"

 

Only Spotify is currently given this option but I suspect things will change.

 

I didn't know this option was available until now. Thankx for pointing it out. I'll demo it shortly.

Sorry Spotify, I've got a new lover!

[findog3103]

Spotify playlist transfer works easily and fast for me. Thanks for the info.

[Sam Lord]

I'll begin on a positive note before I insult 100 million Americans. The service doesn't have much music up yet compared to other services.

BUT, they might be loading the bulk into servers and getting access to much of the rest. I like the idea, so I signed up. If Chris says it's good, that's good enough for me.

 

Now some whining. No genre for folk music? Lessee, shall we lift up Faith Hill with Allison Krauss? [EDIT: I was on a very nasty rant and pulled it. To read my opinion of this, PM me.]

 

They had Mark O'Connor's "Heroes" and Norman Blake's "Live at McCabe's" so there's a start. When they have Norman's "Blackberry Blossom," the Chieftains' "Reel Music," Inti-Illimani's "Leyenda," and all of Jordi Savall's Aliavox catalog I'll be happy.

 

HOLD THE PHONE!!!

 

They have almost all Jordi Savall's catalog--maybe its entirety! The world will live on!!!

 

Chris, i *knew* you wouldn't dissappoint!

 

Halleluea! (The KD Lang version )

[ajay556]

I'm impressed but not overly ecstatic as I thought I would be! Why? I've now A,B'ed and C'ed content from Tidal, Spotify, and CD using many different setups i.e. Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, iMac, USB, Coaxial, and even Optical...but with every test my CD player outshines them all! Nothing comes close. The spacial and depth differences compared to my CD player are substantial!!!

I can't justify spending an extra $10 a month for a streaming service to only gain...a little improvement. Yes there is an improvement in quality from Spotify at extreme settings and HI-FI on Tidal...but again not worth $10 more a month. I'll save the $10 and buy some more CD's.

Anyone else do any comparisons...Specifically A-B'ing the same content?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts...

 

System components...McIntosh and PeachTree DACIT.

 

 

Here is my test

iPhone -> Hugo-> jerry harvey headphones... iTunes wav file sounds far better than Tidal. Not my cup of tea ...cannot go back into poor SQ...have to move forward

[flatmap]

Here is my test

iPhone -> Hugo-> jerry harvey headphones... iTunes wav file sounds far better than Tidal. Not my cup of tea ...cannot go back into poor SQ...have to move forward

 

Thanks, ajay556. When you did the comparison, did you download the tracks to the iPhone first? Or was the test between the wav files and Tidal streaming? I would have hoped the downloaded files to be equal to your own locally resident files.... but perhaps not?

 

Also for the wav... are you just using iTunes for playback on the iPhone?

[input username here]

I'm impressed but not overly ecstatic as I thought I would be! Why? I've now A,B'ed and C'ed content from Tidal, Spotify, and CD using many different setups i.e. Apple TV, iPad, iPhone, iMac, USB, Coaxial, and even Optical...but with every test my CD player outshines them all! Nothing comes close. The spacial and depth differences compared to my CD player are substantial!!!

I can't justify spending an extra $10 a month for a streaming service to only gain...a little improvement. Yes there is an improvement in quality from Spotify at extreme settings and HI-FI on Tidal...but again not worth $10 more a month. I'll save the $10 and buy some more CD's.

Anyone else do any comparisons...Specifically A-B'ing the same content?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts...

 

System components...McIntosh and PeachTree DACIT.

 

I agree with your assessment of the SQ... I am surprised that there has not been more written about it. I actually don't have a CD player anymore, so I cannot do the comparison you did. But I have compared a number of TIDAL tracks with my own CD rips (dBpoweramp --> FLAC) and, to my surprise and disappointment, it's just not really that close: my CD rips sound a lot better than the TIDAL tracks. SQ from TIDAL improved noticeably when I routed the music from their desktop app through JRiver via the WDM driver (thank you JRiver), but it still lagged considerably behind my "local" rips. I think that the most surprising/shocking thing was when I compared a Massive Attack track that had been ripped by a friend in high bit-rate MP3 vs TIDAL's FLAC and the MP3 on the local machine still smoked it.

 

While I think that I have a pretty decent system, STAX SR-009s, HeadAmp amp, Ayre QB9 DSD and MIT cables, I must admit that my computer is non-tweeky (it is fanless, so there are no noisy fan controllers in the box... but no radical tweeks like linear PSUs, SOtM USB cards, etc.). But since my non-audiophile computer ought to "punish" TIDAL and local rips equally (I would think), I do not believe that this is the cause for my observations....

 

I am finding so much new music, that I do think I am getting my $20 a month worth so, unlike Betrthanre, I believe that I will be keeping my subscription. But I do understand his disappointment.

[Forehaven]

My 30 dys is up tomorrow. I won't be continuing either. Yes it sounds better than Pandora/Spotify, but twice as good or better? Not in my opinion. $20/mos is just too spendy.

[shum3s]

My 30 dys is up tomorrow. I won't be continuing either. Yes it sounds better than Pandora/Spotify, but twice as good or better? Not in my opinion. $20/mos is just too spendy.

 

I have had the opposite experience with the reliability and sound quality with TITAL. I did have some reliablity issues at the beginning of my trial period, but after applying some tweaks to my CAPS I have uninrupted streaming. As far as sound quality I am very happy with the results. In my own comparisons with rip CDs I would say I am getting about 90 to 95% of the sound quality from TITAL.

 

My subscription came due, and I gladly renewed. I will continue to give them my support, for it has completely changed the way I now listen to music. Sam

[Jimmypowder]

Here's my take on Tidal and why I won't be subscribing :

1) very little music discovery ability

2) my ripped files in alac sound much better then Tidal's streams .its not close

3) price is too high - if my ripped files didn't sound so much better I would reconsider this complaint

4) it is my understanding that quite a bit of Tidal's content is NOT in lossless format yet . Several people have mentioned this in the Squeezebox forums .

5) too many cutouts on the desktop app with very fast computer and Internet

6) lots of artists missing particularly indie artists I like . Fugazi for example

7) I can subscribe to Spotify with three separate accounts for 20/month under their Family plan and Spotify connect has info on my car screen .

[kennyb123]

I don't think that TIDAL sounds as good as my CD rips either. The point though of TIDAL isn't to listen to what I've already ripped from CD - it's to listen to stuff I don't own. And from that perspective I find it well worth the price. Yes it does mean that I will continue buying CDs. But I will only do so after first judging the music worthy on TIDAL.

 

I expect in time TIDAL's sound quality improves. Imagine if the sound could be passed through Audirvana Plus on the Mac for example so that it can take advantage of upsampling and Direct Mode. Now that would be something!

[isquirrel]

Yep my findings re SQ also. I like the ability to explore new music, that in itself is worth it for me. However does not sound as good as ripped AIFF through A+ or Amarra. Hopefully plug-ins will be available soon that allows TIDAL to play through the software of your choice.

[MountainSufi]

I'm leaving Tidal. Just cancelled my subscription, which runs through January. I'm a bit torn, but recently retired and $ has become more important to me. I now compare CD, Tidal and Spotify.

 

SQ of Tidal? Just compared "Almost Like the Blues" from Leonard Cohen's new "Popular Problems".

My CD is minutely better than Tidal (perhaps not). Although more complex orchestral pieces would be interesting to compare, I'm not going to do that audition today. Or "Dark Side of the Moon". I'm recovering from a broken ankle and exhausted.

Tidal? Close to the CD. Amazing when you consider how far the music traveled through gawd knows how many relays and servers.

Spotify Premium? Not even close to Tidal. I can everyday live with this difference as most listening is done uncritically from an adjacent room.

 

How can some posters here prefer Spotify? My guess is that not all of Tidal's music is truly lossless streaming, even if "HIFI" is lit up.

 

Bottom line, I'd pony up the extra $ if Tidal had a much larger catalogue of music. I hope to return some day.

 

Happy Holidays!

[DanSmedra]

I have looked for a Tidal Squeezebox app on mysqueezebox.com and didn't find it. Any word on if it will be added? I have been using WiMP (singed up via vpn) and it works beautifully with squeezebox Touch. I would love to have the slightly cheaper US version for which I would be able to read all of the editorial commentary (I currently see it in German.) But, I am reluctant to give up the Squeezebox compatibility.

 

I too have had a love affair with the Squeezebox Touch (SBT). It has been my music streamer and worked nicely with MOG (320kbps/AAC) > PS Audio DL3 DAC > MartinLogan Purity powered speakers, until $Beats/Apple$ assassinated MOG. I now primarily use Pandora, but I'm exploring pathways to TIDAL.

 

You won't find TIDAL, or any other newer apps at mysqueezebox.com. Logitech ceased supporting the Squeezebox platform a few years ago. What remains are the 28 older apps.

 

A group of European third-party developers (led by iPeng developer Jörg Schwieder/German) have developed ickStream, which is a plug-in for the Logitech Media Server (LMS). IckStream is still in beta. ickStream music platform blog I'm not overly excited about this approach since it requires a computer with LMS to be running. Also see: https://tidalsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201871191-Squeezebox

 

I would be interested in an explanation of how you got WIMP implemented in the SBT. I didn't know that was possible. Since TIDAL is simply WIMP re-branded for the US, why can't you take the same implementation approach?

[ajay556]

Thanks, ajay556. When you did the comparison, did you download the tracks to the iPhone first? Or was the test between the wav files and Tidal streaming? I would have hoped the downloaded files to be equal to your own locally resident files.... but perhaps not?

 

Also for the wav... are you just using iTunes for playback on the iPhone?

 

Did another test on computer

Amarra-> CD wav file-> hugo->harvey custom headphones

Tidal->hugo->harvey custom headphones

 

Very close but amarra with CD wav file has tighter bass, wider sound stage, better stereo separation and finally more detailed.

But over all very close. FYI...i decided to keep my subscription as i use it when i am working out.

[kentsf]

Per the Tidal FAQs, the Hifi (best quality) option is not available in the Tidal computer streaming app.

 

So if you are expecting Tidal to sound close to a ripped CD or downloaded FLAC file, that is a bit unrealistic. Especially if you are improving the sound of the audio files on your computer with a product like Pure Music.

 

I have not figured out how to stream from the Tidal computer app and run the file through Pure Music.

 

I am satisfied running Tidal HiFi files through an iPhone 6 Plus with an external DAC (Resonessence Herus) using Sennheiser 590 headphones or the new Cardas IEMs.

 

I create playlists by artists and you can add entire albums with a few clicks. Way faster than ripping CDs.

 

I also have pretty goods results with the iPhone 6+ and Tidal hifi files using Airplay running through Apple TV, Anedio D2 DAC, Spectron Musicians III mk2 amp and EgglestonWorks The Nines speakers with quality cables.

 

Kent

San Francisco

[Audio_ELF]

Per the Tidal FAQs, the Hifi (best quality) option is not available in the Tidal computer streaming app.

I'm curious where in the FAQ it says this as on... https://tidalsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201314741-How-good-is-the-sound-quality-on-TIDAL-

 

it says...

How good is the sound quality on TIDAL?

 

Standard quality: 96 kbps (AAC +)

High quality: 320 kbps (AAC)

HiFi: Flac 1411 kbps - Lossless

 

How do I change the quality?

By going to ‘Settings’ within the application, you will find a selection of sound qualities.

Text copy and pasted from an FAQ item under "PC/MAC (Installed app)"

 

That implies that HiFi quality IS available.

 

Eloise

[DanSmedra]

I'm playing HiFi lossless and its as good as I've ever heard my audiophile system. However, I don't buy or play Hi-Rez files on a transport.

 

If you're listening on a mobile device or cheap speakers/system, Standard or High is more than adequate. We download that level (saves space) to an iPad and take that with us on the road to play through the car audio system.

[kentsf]

I'm curious where in the FAQ it says this as on... https://tidalsupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201314741-How-good-is-the-sound-quality-on-TIDAL-

 

it says...

How good is the sound quality on TIDAL?

 

Standard quality: 96 kbps (AAC +)

High quality: 320 kbps (AAC)

HiFi: Flac 1411 kbps - Lossless

 

How do I change the quality?

By going to ‘Settings’ within the application, you will find a selection of sound qualities.

Text copy and pasted from an FAQ item under "PC/MAC (Installed app)"

 

That implies that HiFi quality IS available.

 

Eloise

 

I saw this from an airplay FAQ:

 

 

To use airplay on PC you have to install Airfoil: https://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

 

 

You must have the latest version to make it work. To be able to stream HiFi you must use the Web Player.

 

(HiFi mode will not work through the desktop app, only High & Normal mode)

 

I thought the desktop app was the web player.

 

I sent an email to Tidal to clarify.

 

Kentsf

San Francisco