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Post by vneal on Aug 12, 2016 8:23:25 GMT -5
I would prefer to discuss TIDALS hi fidelity, available content and hardware used to achieve this Vs you don't need it, Pandora is Free, I use only Hi Res files, CDs rule etc...
I listen to CDs, Pandora, LPs, no FM at home and Hi Res files going from a external hard drive through my Oppo 105D. To me the HiRes files sounds the best but at a substantial cost. I figure TIDAL should have the bugs worked out of their system. I am looking for another additional source for HI RES STREAMING. So to those that have TIDAL or had TIDAL chime in. Does it sound as good as HI RES downloads? Any drop off issues? It their offering sufficient ?
How are you receiving TIDAL? What specific equipment are you using
Anyone consider The ARIES HIGH END STREAMER (models Bridge or Mini Streamer)
I want to know if this sounds REALLY GOOD.
Thanks
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Post by mauriceminor on Aug 12, 2016 8:46:54 GMT -5
I stream Tidal at 1411 Kbps (16/44.1) on 2 systems Works fine - no dropouts, decent catalogue, excellent fidelity
Dell desktop PC - Windows 7 > Musical Fidelity USB/SPDIF convertor > XDA-1 > Mark Levinson clone preamp > UPA-500 > Linkwitz Lab LX Mini
Dell laptop - Windows 10 > Musical Fidelity USB/SPDIF convertor > XDA-2 > Sherbourn preamp > XPA-1's > A/D/S L1290
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Post by boomzilla on Aug 12, 2016 8:50:56 GMT -5
Tidal DOES have the bugs worked out of their system. It streams just fine & sounds equally fine.
What they don't have yet is sufficient selection. Yes, they have lots of new music, but I had been led to believe that TIDAL would allow me to replace my HDD based music server. It isn't so.
The "limiting factor" for TIDAL quality will be your DAC. I find my Oppo BDP-105 to be sufficient for my needs, but if you want to throw money at the issue, consider a Schiit Yggdrasil.
Another route to take TIDAL would be to get a newer NAD DAC that has support for MQA-encoded files (that TIDAL also streams). Although I haven't heard it, some magazines claim it's an order or magnitude improvement in sound quality.
Other high-bit-rate streaming services include:
Qobuz HDTracks Naim Label Linn Records Bowers & Wilkins Society of Sound Pono Music 2L 7 Digital Gimell and HD Klassik
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Post by vneal on Aug 12, 2016 8:54:14 GMT -5
I would run it thru the Oppo 105 DAC probably unless I went the Aires route and use their internal DAC. All good ideas. I am not trying to replace all my sources just add one
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Post by mauriceminor on Aug 12, 2016 9:05:56 GMT -5
Classics Online streams at 16/44.1, 24/96, and 24/192 Excellent sound but only classical albums
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Post by Loop 7 on Aug 12, 2016 9:46:02 GMT -5
I've been a TIDAL subscriber for just under two months and primarily listen to it via the Roon interface which elegantly co-mingles music I own (iTunes or on a NAS).
I decided to try TIDAL because buying and storing CDs was getting to be an issue at home. YES, any streaming service can go under, change their model and that buying a CD means I have the music forever but exploring new music in lossless is just so compelling. I don't like the price at all but planning to stick with it.
TIDAL's quality really surprised me. It's remarkably close to CD and/or AIFF CD rips with many customers claiming there is no difference.
TIDAL's model is intriguing and quite different from other streaming services; or at least it is until Apple acquires and shuts it down. The big streaming players (lossy) mostly require consumption via their own apps but TIDAL is so much about availability via third party hardware and software. Amarra, Audirvana, Roon and a rapidly growing list of hardware partners sets them apart.
Mac Mini > USB > XDA-2 Gen 2 > UMC-200 (Parasound amp) > ELAC B6
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Post by brubacca on Aug 12, 2016 11:11:26 GMT -5
I hate to admit it but I really like Tidal. The selection has mostly not been an issue, but I have found a couple artists that the selection is lacking.
I'm going Sonore MicroRendu --- USB --- Schiit Gumby --- Rogue Cronus --- Sonus Faber Venere 1.5
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Post by boomzilla on Aug 12, 2016 11:15:10 GMT -5
No reason to "hate to admit it," brubacca - many (most?) love TIDAL. I'm the odd man out, but my musical tastes are unusual. TIDAL fills the bill for the majority of their subscribers and is "full CD quality" (better, if you have MQA, supposedly). I think they also offer at least some high-bitrate stuff? In any case, it's a valuable service, even if it isn't exactly for me.
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Post by brubacca on Aug 12, 2016 11:34:28 GMT -5
No reason to "hate to admit it," brubacca - many (most?) love TIDAL. I'm the odd man out, but my musical tastes are unusual. TIDAL fills the bill for the majority of their subscribers and is "full CD quality" (better, if you have MQA, supposedly). I think they also offer at least some high-bitrate stuff? In any case, it's a valuable service, even if it isn't exactly for me. I'm only saying I hate to admit it because I have spent the last 3 years on here saying that networked audio can't sound good whether it was NAS to stereo or Internet to stereo. (Because it never did in my house). I had also not heard Tida sound good and any dealer demo I listened to. I also wasn't shy about sharing that opinion. It is now changed with a hardware change in my system. In fact, I am streaming Tidal at home right now. Keb Mo' That hot Pink Blues Album.
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Post by pedrocols on Aug 12, 2016 11:58:19 GMT -5
In my case:
iPad mini>> AirPort Express>> DAC>>> Amps.
Also:
Laptop with Airfoil>> AirPort Express>> DAC>> Amps.
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Post by Loop 7 on Aug 12, 2016 12:01:33 GMT -5
I too thought streaming content was vastly inferior to locally sourced files but my experience with TIDAL has altered this.
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Post by yves on Aug 12, 2016 13:01:09 GMT -5
For me, going from 24/96 FLAC files back to 16/44.1 is like going from 16/44.1 back to 192kbps mp3 files. The mastering makes the biggest difference obviously IMO, but that's also my point... the vast majority of hi-rez FLAC files that I listen to were captured from either the best mastered version out there (i.e., 49 times out of 50, it will be from a vinyl record mostly due to my music genre preferences and due to how, by comparison, non vinyl mastering usually sucks like no tomorrow—also obviously IMO...) or close enough to it for me to barely even care for 16/44.1 anymore now so... even though I did vote on the poll that MQA will rock, currently I am fine with my Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme and probably will remain fine with it till next year's Christmas. (I listened to a Schiit Yggdrasil in my setup, and didn't think highly of it... it's got the detail, but it sounded uninvolving to my ears, easily fatiguing in fact... so it's still nowhere near worth its asking price for me—it's kind of like the antithesis of what brought me to Emotiva, and that is saying a lot TBH).
P.S., for the past two years now, I have been running my own private hi-rez music streaming over Wi-Fi (MQS Streaming Server → Astell & Kern AK240 → Westone ES60 Custom In-Ear Monitors).
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jlafrenz
Global Moderator
I don't want to jump in, unless this music's thumping
Posts: 7,722
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Post by jlafrenz on Aug 12, 2016 13:23:17 GMT -5
I have had Tidal since it was launched and it has always been a pretty solid service. The quality is good and the only issue I had with the service is when I was trying to access it through a Bluesound unit it quit working. Turns out there was some sort of software update that wasn't allowing it to communicate with the streaming device. I simple logged out and logged back in and all was well. Recently I have been accessing Tidal through a Denon Heos Link.
The down side to Tidal is that I don't think their catalog is as good as others. I use Spotify daily and find that their offerings are much better as well as the suggested artist for me to find new music. With Tidal, they offer new releases every week, but they seem to be more of the rap, hip-hop and pop music offerings. This make sense based upon ownership. You have to know what you are looking for. The web or desktop app may be different, but I very rarely use them.
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Post by pedrocols on Aug 12, 2016 13:42:30 GMT -5
For me, going from 24/96 FLAC files back to 16/44.1 is like going from 16/44.1 back to 192kbps mp3 files. The mastering makes the biggest difference obviously IMO, but that's also my point... the vast majority of hi-rez FLAC files that I listen to were captured from either the best mastered version out there (i.e., 49 times out of 50, it will be from a vinyl record mostly due to my music genre preferences and due to how, by comparison, non vinyl mastering usually sucks like no tomorrow—also obviously IMO...) or close enough to it for me to barely even care for 16/44.1 anymore now so... even though I did vote on the poll that MQA will rock, currently I am fine with my Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme and probably will remain fine with it till next year's Christmas. (I listened to a Schiit Yggdrasil in my setup, and didn't think highly of it... it's got the detail, but it sounded uninvolving to my ears, easily fatiguing in fact... so it's still nowhere near worth its asking price for me—it's kind of like the antithesis of what brought me to Emotiva, and that is saying a lot TBH). P.S., for the past two years now, I have been running my own private hi-rez music streaming over Wi-Fi (MQS Streaming Server → Astell & Kern AK240 → Westone ES60 Custom In-Ear Monitors). I think by now most people here get it that you don't like the Schiit Yggdrasil. Ok we get it so just move on. No need to keep losing sleep over it....
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Post by yves on Aug 12, 2016 14:59:14 GMT -5
For me, going from 24/96 FLAC files back to 16/44.1 is like going from 16/44.1 back to 192kbps mp3 files. The mastering makes the biggest difference obviously IMO, but that's also my point... the vast majority of hi-rez FLAC files that I listen to were captured from either the best mastered version out there (i.e., 49 times out of 50, it will be from a vinyl record mostly due to my music genre preferences and due to how, by comparison, non vinyl mastering usually sucks like no tomorrow—also obviously IMO...) or close enough to it for me to barely even care for 16/44.1 anymore now so... even though I did vote on the poll that MQA will rock, currently I am fine with my Eastern Electric MiniMax DAC Supreme and probably will remain fine with it till next year's Christmas. (I listened to a Schiit Yggdrasil in my setup, and didn't think highly of it... it's got the detail, but it sounded uninvolving to my ears, easily fatiguing in fact... so it's still nowhere near worth its asking price for me—it's kind of like the antithesis of what brought me to Emotiva, and that is saying a lot TBH). P.S., for the past two years now, I have been running my own private hi-rez music streaming over Wi-Fi (MQS Streaming Server → Astell & Kern AK240 → Westone ES60 Custom In-Ear Monitors). I think by now most people here get it that you don't like the Schiit Yggdrasil. Ok we get it so just move on. No need to keep losing sleep over it.... I get that you get it, but there might be other people reading this thread who might NOT get it so, because the Yggdrasil keeps being brought up in almost every other thread on here, I don't really see why I should be the one who should move on..........
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Post by bluemeanies on Aug 12, 2016 15:19:48 GMT -5
I have had TIDAL for a little over a year and I am very pleased. As far as catalog I think that depends on the user. I am satisfied although I do wish there was more classical. I also wish that as I save my favorites in different genre's that they can be saved with there album cover instead of just the songs. It will be interesting to see what happens if APPLE takes control. I would seriously reconsider if they try to raise the price. I sure as hell know they are not going to lower it. Sound quality...CD quality..no complaints.
Grace m920 monitoring system/dac-APPLE TV-Bob Latino m125 monoblock tube amplifiers=SUBLIME LISTENING Also OPPO93 is connected for that special CD
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Post by goodfellas27 on Aug 12, 2016 15:22:16 GMT -5
I heard on Tidal Santana. I thought my actual CD sounded way better.
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Post by Loop 7 on Aug 12, 2016 15:29:37 GMT -5
The down side to Tidal is that I don't think their catalog is as good as others. I use Spotify daily and find that their offerings are much better... I agree and noticed how each service varies a bit in terms of label representation. Some say Deezer has the largest library of all services but there's no way to validate that.
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Post by brutiarti on Aug 12, 2016 15:44:46 GMT -5
I used tidal taking advantage of the 90 day free trial that came with the oppo. The quality of the sound was cd quality so no complaints there. Also the catalog was faily big and i found good amount of music that i like but at the end of the 90 days i decided not to keep it. In my case it brought too much "stress" to my listening experience. Trying to decide among several versions of the same title with different remasters, etc too much for me. But i see being an awsome tool for other listeners especially to discover new music.
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Post by boomzilla on Aug 12, 2016 15:48:47 GMT -5
...the Yggdrasil keeps being brought up in almost every other thread on here, I don't really see why I should be the one who should move on.......... Thanks yves - I haven't heard the Yggy and my amigo, garbulky, is the DAC's biggest fan (but he hasn't heard it either). You're in the envied position of actually having heard it, and I'd be most eager to hear your impressions (good and/or bad). If you'd be so kind as to start a "Schiit Yggdrasil" thread, I, for one would be most eager to read it. Cordially - Boom
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