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Article: Amazon Music HD Is Still Lossy


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6 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

My guess is that the Node 2i can’t make a lossy stream lossless if you know what I mean. 

 

I def get what you mean but how do you know the stream itself is lossy?

 

From what I understood from your article, you haven't been able to confirm bit perfect playback with the stuff you have to playback (and I see that is a common frustration with people using the desktop and mobile apps for Amazon Music HD).

 

But that doesn't mean the stream itself is lossy?

 

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2 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

if one can’t get lossless audio from a service through any known/tested means, I have to conclude its lossy. I wish there was other hardware integrated with the service.

 

All noted. I would completely agree with this conclusion if you had also confirmed with a Node 2i. 

 

It's possible you may need to do a major update to your article after testing with a Node 2i (or maybe not).

 

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

If I can get a node 2i for testing I’ll get it done. 

 

Ok cool.

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1 minute ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Absolutely.
 

It would be strange if the company providing the stream offered no way of hearing it unaltered, but it’s possible. 

 

Sonos Port couldn’t play Amazon bit perfect, but it also couldn’t play bit perfect from Qobuz or Tidal. My old Sonos Connect had no trouble with this. If I can find my Connect and stream Amazon through it, this will provide an additional data point. 

 

Even if I don't entirely agree with your current conclusion, I really don't blame you for giving up on Amazon Music HD for now, given there is the Qobuz option.

 

There are so many ways to enjoy bitperfect with Qobuz, so I definitely get ya.

 

If Amazon Music HD were available where I am, I would have tried testing with a Node 2i long ago. I tried to signup to Amazon Music HD via VPN but it ultimately needs a credit card with billing address in one of the 4 countries it has launched, so no VPN will help.

 

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11 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

No worries. I’ll get a node 2i one way or the other. I’d hate to have put out misinformation. 

 

This posted just last week:

 

image.thumb.png.379f03f5a7f65375655d2f511ee7b382.png

 

 

The crap UI via the BluOS app is a common complaint, but that's probably for a different article.

 

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/amazon-music-hd-weakest-link-my-streamer.955018/page-4#post-25135712

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5 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Thanks for the info. However, it’s a common misconception that sample rate = bit perfection. Think about it this way, play the right sample rate but crank the digital volume control way down. That’s chopping off tons of bits, yet the sample rate is right. 
 

I have a node 2i on the way. 

 

All noted, I don't automatically agree with that guy's conclusion either.

 

But correct auto sample rate switching on the Node 2i (if true) is already better than the official Amazon Music HD Windows and macOS and iOS apps.

 

Agreed, it Doesn't automatically mean it is bit perfect... may be, maybe not.

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14 hours ago, danadam said:

I don't use it so I'm not sure it is relevant but I just come across reddit post:

 

As per the comments to that post, Exclusive Mode has been around a while and never worked properly... that's really the main problem. They can't do what Tidal and Qobuz have done with their desktop apps and proper Exclusive Mode.

 

image.png.5e2ae348ba7ca6e806751a612010b87c.png

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4 hours ago, classfolkphile said:

They don't use Exclusive mode or give you the option

 

His comments must be old and overall it reads like he's purely talking about the deskop apps.

 

They added the option of Exclusive Mode (as per a few posts up) except it isn't working the way we are used to with Qobuz and Tidal Desktop apps. It seems like it isn't working at all.

 

So someone at Amazon Music has the right idea - it's just failed with execution, up to now.

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Speaking of Chromecast, it seems the Amazon Music HD app is the only one missing from the list of apps supporting Chromecast!

 

Even Apple Music made it in 2020 - something I never thought I'd see !

 

If the desktop and iOS and Android apps eventually supports Chromecast, that should enable bit perfect playback up to 96kHz (for things like Chromecast Audio if you have one).

 

image.thumb.png.ad6251f44c7218d8f2a7c6dbd17ab1dd.png

 

image.thumb.png.a8320dee1aac8db2cfaebbbce8fc7bdc.png

 

 

 

 

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32 minutes ago, Cookie Marenco said:

Blue Coast Records has recently signed a distribution deal with a very large company (to be announced soon) and in the process have uncovered some interesting processes that have not been transparent in the past.  What you suspect about the files is true....  what the labels upload to the servers for distribution is not what the digital services providers get (like Amazon, Spotify, Tidal, Apple, and also known as dsps in our legal agreements).  

 

We were signed because of the oncoming push for HD... specifically Amazon.  I can't mention names right now, but I can say that there are third party delivery services that take what the label uploads to the distributor and delivers to the dsps. 

 

Here's an example of what happens. 

 

We uploaded 192WAV and the dsp is selling a 9624.  Huh?  The dsp can handle 192.  They already have our directly sent files... so who sent the 9624?  And did an unapproved conversion in the middle?  Yes, our interns can hear the difference.

 

Whilst MQA is not the solution I wanted (and I want MQA to go away), this is a problem Bob Stuart has spoken about a lot too.

 

Files being fiddled with along the supply chain. Not only downsampled in as in your example, but also files being upsampled. People have caught many examples of the latter over the years.

 

What a disaster !

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi @The Computer Audiophile

 

Are you keeping your Amazon Music HD subscription going or cancelling?

 

Would be interesting if you could revisit every 3 or 4 months, unless someone else discovers a breakthrough in their desktop apps.

 

The fact that they introduced 'Exclusive Mode' earlier this year gives me hope that someone at Amazon had an idea to try and get bit perfect playback, even if it failed for now.

 

So I have hope they will work it out at some point in 2021.

 

Especially if they bump into this article of yours !

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