Article: Amazon Music HD Launches

[bbosler]

has anybody looked at the spectrum on these 24/192 Amazon files to see if they are just upsampling 16/44.1 like we used to get a lot of from HdTracks back in the day. Maybe still do, I quit dealing with them years ago when they were selling upsampled files and then claiming it wasn't their fault, it was the labels. 

 

I have Tidal. Does anybody know which service has the more extensive catalog i.e. how does Amazon compare to Tidal, Qobuz, etc. (sorry if this has already been discussed, i didn't see it if it did)

[bbosler]

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Upsampling has nothing to do with the provider of content such as Amazon or HDtracks. It's the labels who deliver the content. 

 

not true.. it does have everything to do with the provider when they claim they are selling you a high rez file and charging a premium for an upsampled file .. perhaps they did not upsample it themselves, but when they claim it is high resolution when it is not and they know some of their files are upsampled then they are culpable. When I called them on it they claimed, like you,  that they were at the mercy of the labels, but it only takes a few seconds playing the file to see whether are not it has a brick wall filter at 20KHz.

 

They were selling upsampled files claiming they were high resolution, they knew it, and they refused to do anything about it unless they got caught... that makes them guilty as charged

[bbosler]

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Upsampling has nothing to do with the provider of content such as Amazon or HDtracks. It's the labels who deliver the content. 

 

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We were talking about Amazon.... I see absolutely no reason to think Amazon would go to the trouble of changing 

 

If Amazon wants to differentiate themselves as the provider who streams 24/192 then they would have an incentive to do it themselves. (however, see conclusion below before you fire off a response) It would be no "trouble" as they can just run it through some software and it is done automatically either on the fly or as the file goes onto their server.

 

 

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Are all the VW dealerships responsible for accepting and selling cars with software workarounds to beat the emissions tests? 

 

I don't want to go down this rabbit hole, but one can't look at the spectral content of a file and deem the seller of that file guilty as charged if it doesn't reach above the immediately lower sample rate.. Most files at 24/192  have no content that a 44.1 file can't capture.

 

The VW dealers were guilty if they knew about the problem. I doubt they did, but HDtracks did know and at the time chose to ignore it.. therefore... guilty

 

As for no content that 44.1 can't capture, that is true , but you are incorrect on the spectrum as  it is very easy to see  when that brick wall filter is used.  AND it does matter as recording at higher rates allows you to use filters that do not reach down into the audio band like the brick wall filters that MUST be used at 44.1. That is the crux of the matter. The filters used at 44.1 do affect the audio band. Upsampling does not change that so it does matter.

 

However, we are off track. If they are upsampled it doesn't matter who is doing it, or why they are doing it,  and I  don't care who is doing it or why they are doing it nor do I care to debate the who or the why...  I'm just asking if the 24/192 files they are streaming are originally 24/192 or if they are upsampled from redbook. It's a very simple question that does not require any debate, it requires a yes or a no.

[bbosler]

so here are 3 spectrums. The first is a redbook CD where you can clearly see the cutoff just below 20KHz. The middle is a vinyl record I recorded at higher resolution which shows energy way above 20K. The bottom is Whole Lotta Love I purchased and downloaded from Amazon HD. It is listed as Ultra HD 24/96. I downloaded it and came as an MP3 file and the spectrum shows it has the same upper limit as a CD.

 

I suppose it is possible that the download is different than the file you play on the Amazon app, but if I'm paying for an Ultra HD song that is what I expect to get. I don't know how to capture the spectrum as it plays from the app. working on figuring it out

[bbosler]

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Did you set your download and offline settings to the highest setting?

 

Ahh HA !!! download is set to standard... I will try again

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

here is a screen shot of preferences and the spectrum of a download of Living Loving Maid I purchased after I set it up like this

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

and here is Living Loving Maid downloaded from HDtracks as a 24/96 file. The download from Amazon is only 5.4 Mb, from HDtracks it is 92Mb

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

 

 

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It's an MP3. Music HD is not a download store.

 

 

If it is not a download store why do they give you the option of buying the song and downloading it? In preferences you have the option of downloading the HD track after you buy it. Unfortunately what you get is an MP3 file that is nowhere near HD. Perhaps a glitch in their system?

 

And why in this forum does it reload all of the graphics I previously uploaded even though I trash them before I submit? Then I have to go back and edit this post to remove the graphics

 

[bbosler]

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Those settings are for the "offline listening" downloads that are tied to your Amazon Music / Music HD player and streaming subscription. Cancel your streaming subscription and they're gone.

 

Ok, that makes sense,,, no, I take that back.. it explains what is happening but makes no sense

 

If you buy a song and are given the option of downloading in HD then it should be HD,, getting an MP3 is just wrong, but thanks for clarifying it

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

so I may be an idiot but how do you actually play a file through a USB DAC? I use either Pure Music or Roon but I don't see any way to have the Amazon App communicate with either. It only plays through the internal speaker on my Mac Mini. How do I direct it to the USB DAC?

 

AND sorry for the graphics, but this forum keep attaching old graphic files that I trash before I submit? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbosler]

as for the so called "free" trial

 

I signed up yesterday thinking what's to lose with a free trial. Then I see a $7.99 charge from Amazon Music on my credit card today. I call and am told that the HD trial is free but you have to have a $7.99 unlimited account to get the free trial. Of course, I ask how can it be free when I get charged $7.99? They said again, only free if you pay for unlimited

 

I canceled and got my $7.99 back

 

first they have a setting that says you get HD downloads when it turns out that is not actually a download even when you pay for the song like I foolishly did,  it is only for offline listening, any actual download is low resolution MP3, now this

 

f**k em, I'm done with em

[bbosler]

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Are you sure the $7.99 wasn't for the album you bought?

 

I'm sure, I bought 3 songs for $1.29 each not knowing they are MP3 because I incorrectly assumed they would be HD as I had selected HD downloads in my HD preferences. When I got Amazon on the phone they confirmed the $7.99 was for Amazon Unlimited Music and said that was required for the "free" HD content.

 

I had unlimited previously but cancelled last January. Maybe that's why they restarted it. They also restarted it earlier this year without telling me. Early this month I noticed a $7.99 charge on my card and when I looked back saw $7.99 for the previous 2 months. When I contacted them they said they had no idea why it had restarted and refunded 3 x $7.99. Then they restarted it again for $7.99 when I signed up for the "free" HD trial 2 days ago, now also cancelled and refunded.