Forum | Tidal streaming by BlackCrowe

Tidal streaming on 20:59 - Dec 2 with 1668 views

Why would you change? Price, range, sound quality? I know nothing about Tidal.

Tidal streaming on 21:38 - Dec 2 with 1646 views

BlackCrowe

Tidal streaming on 20:59 - Dec 2 by MrSheen
Why would you change? Price, range, sound quality? I know nothing about Tidal.

Vastly superior sound quality apparently Sheen (at least CD standard). Would like to get another opinion.

Bit more pricey, but switching over your Spotify catalogue over to Tidal is a click of button.

Poll:

Tidal streaming on 22:13 - Dec 2 with 1611 views

Tidal streaming on 21:38 - Dec 2 by BlackCrowe
Vastly superior sound quality apparently Sheen (at least CD standard). Would like to get another opinion. Bit more pricey, but switching over your Spotify catalogue over to Tidal is a click of button.

Ah, thanks BC. My problem is I have four others on a family account.

[Post edited 2 Dec 2020 22:15]

Tidal streaming on 22:28 - Dec 2 with 1596 views

BlackCrowe

Tidal streaming on 22:13 - Dec 2 by MrSheen
Ah, thanks BC. My problem is I have four others on a family account. [Post edited 2 Dec 2020 22:15]

Same but with three others. I'll have to go through the process of getting them to switch. Tidal's got everything they need but actually get them to get with the program will be like herding cats. £5 p.m more too. but i'm keen to know if it's worth it.

Poll:

Tidal streaming on 22:31 - Dec 2 with 1591 views

Tidal streaming on 22:28 - Dec 2 by BlackCrowe
Same but with three others. I'll have to go through the process of getting them to switch. Tidal's got everything they need but actually get them to get with the program will be like herding cats. £5 p.m more too. but i'm keen to know if it's worth it.

I read it as £15pm for Spotify family against £25pm for Tidal HiFi Family, but it might be different now. I might ask them at Christmas.

Tidal streaming on 11:14 - Dec 3 with 1506 views

https://www.whathifi.com/features/tidal-vs-spotify-which-is-better

I had the hi quality version of Amazon music for 3 months which is probably the same quality (I think!) and was able to notice the difference for the majority of stuff I listen to. Just wasn't a fan of the Amazon app compared to Spotify.

It gets slightly more complicated comparing the hi def platforms like Tidal with the different recording quality of some of the artists on Spotify - not everyone's cup of thrills but Simon and Garfunkel seem to have had their remasters uploaded at a really high quality. Other artists not so much.

If you find the Tidal 'user experience' good enough then it's probably worth a go.

Tidal streaming on 14:26 - Dec 3 with 1433 views

TW_R

Tidal streaming on 22:28 - Dec 2 by BlackCrowe
Same but with three others. I'll have to go through the process of getting them to switch. Tidal's got everything they need but actually get them to get with the program will be like herding cats. £5 p.m more too. but i'm keen to know if it's worth it.

Tidal streaming on 14:39 - Dec 3 with 1421 views

Toast_R

Ive used iTunes, Spotify, Amazon unlimited and now on YouTubemusic. Overall Spotify have the best interfaces and app intergration by a long way. I've not gone for HD on any yet but from what I understand, unless you're listening at really high volumes, theres not a lot of noticeable difference.

Tidal streaming on 22:01 - Dec 3 with 1327 views

BlackCrowe

Tidal streaming on 14:39 - Dec 3 by Toast_R
Ive used iTunes, Spotify, Amazon unlimited and now on YouTubemusic. Overall Spotify have the best interfaces and app intergration by a long way. I've not gone for HD on any yet but from what I understand, unless you're listening at really high volumes, theres not a lot of noticeable difference.

Thanks all. Tidal seems a couple of steps above Amazon HD and several above Spotify and Apple Music in terms of sound quality. But volume is a good point...the times a blast it out at 11 on the dial are few and far between these days.

Poll:

Tidal streaming on 23:20 - Dec 3 with 1296 views

I mentioned it to Master Sheen and he said that sound quality was no impediment to enjoying drum and bass and complained about a lack of podcasts on Tidal. But I don’t listen to Joe Rogan and get my podcasts on Overcast so not a problem for me. I did see a piece about Tidal struggling with the order of multidisc classical box sets, but you’d think they’d sort that out.

[Post edited 3 Dec 2020 23:20]

Tidal streaming on 23:23 - Dec 3 with 1289 views

I did see a piece about buying a plug in digital converter chip to take advantage of the superior sound quality, but not sure I can be bothered lashing out another £200 on a small gain.

Tidal streaming on 11:30 - Dec 4 with 1181 views

Tidal streaming on 23:23 - Dec 3 by MrSheen
I did see a piece about buying a plug in digital converter chip to take advantage of the superior sound quality, but not sure I can be bothered lashing out another £200 on a small gain.

Do you mean a DAC, Sheen? I do find a difference using one of those. Have one built into my amp but there are quite a few USB C ones around cheaper than £200. I got a soditer one for about £30 off Amazon which works well with my phone and laptop.

Dunno about only noticing the difference at Spinal Tap levels though, Crowe. Through a decent amp into decent speakers or headphones you can hear whatever difference in quality is available at pretty reasonable volumes. All subjective at the end of the day.

Tidal streaming on 11:38 - Dec 4 with 1175 views

Tidal streaming on 11:30 - Dec 4 by BklynRanger

That's it, this kind of thing. £35-£1,200, naturally!
https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-dacs

Tidal streaming on 11:48 - Dec 4 with 1167 views

Tidal streaming on 11:38 - Dec 4 by MrSheen
That's it, this kind of thing. £35-£1,200, naturally! https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-dacs

Yeah the price range is mental/a bit daft. That cyrus one looks decent. Think I saw it recommended elsewhere - was going full lockdown obsession on all this stuff in the Spring.

Tidal streaming on 11:59 - Dec 4 with 1162 views

rsonist

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TOPPING-E30-Hi-Res-AK4493-Decoder-Black/dp/B0868J7NRV

I wavered over buying this very well-reviewed DAC during the recent sales, but didn't pull the trigger in the end. As Sheen says, no matter the acclaim I can never quite shake the suspicion of marginal gains for enthusiasts too deep in the hole.

If you're on Windows I have had a lot of joy buggering around with equalizer setting programs, particularly with headphone-specific profiles. Expect to lose several days to fiddling with it though, as well as having a bunch of little programs to manage. Worth it in the end though.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/
https://sourceforge.net/p/hesuvi/wiki/Help/
https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq

For Android phones Wavelet is excellent by the way:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pittvandewitt.wavelet

Tidal streaming on 12:08 - Dec 4 with 1153 views

rsonist

Think Spotify probably has too much appeal wrt social integration and algorithmic recommendation to convince a family to switch over to Tidal, regardless of sound quality.

Tidal streaming on 13:16 - Dec 4 with 1119 views