[JLM]

http://tidal.com/us/masters

[mresseguie]

Thanks for the heads up. Unfortunately, it's not available in Taiwan, and that's where I am right now. 

I look forward to it upon my return to the States.

[SlushPuppy]

Had to troubleshoot a bit, but the MQA light on my Mytek Brooklyn is now a lovely shade of blue! I had to click "Use Exclusive Mode" in the Streaming Settings to get it to come on. The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" sounds as good as my DVD Audio disc (96/24).

[ebag4]

The FAQ doesn't list the requirement of an MQA capable/approved DAC, is that not required when streaming?

Thanks,
Ed

[SlushPuppy]

The FAQ doesn't list the requirement of an MQA capable/approved DAC, is that not required when streaming?

Thanks,
Ed

Not sure why their FAQ doesn't list the requirement. From TechRadar.com:

"In order to enjoy the full benefits of MQA, you’ll also need an MQA-compatible device such as the excellent Pioneer XDP-100R, although you should still see a smaller improvement in sound with a non-MQA device. Currently, Master albums are only available to listen to through the desktop service."

[Steven Stone]

The reason Tidal no longer lists MQA-compatible DAC as a necessity is because it no longer is! You can get a 96/24 stream from the MQA masters via the MQA app's internal MQA decoding for ANY Dac that is 96/24 capable. Even the PS Audio DSD jr works. Anti up the $20 a month and you're ready to rock with 96/24 streams. Add an MQA compatible DAC and you can get 192/24...

[dB Cooper]

I am doing the Tidal trial right now (strongly leaning towards keeping it) but don't really have a dog in the hunt as far as MQA is concerned. I'm definitely not re-buying dozens of recordings or special required hardware to get it, so Steven Stone's info is welcome.

Noted in the announcement that MQA is supported only in the desktop app; mobile devices are limited to 44.1 Redbook (fine for these ears, and adequate for anything mastered in analog IMHO). With the audioquest Dragonfly Black, even on my iphone, good content on Tidal HiFi puts a smile on my face.

[Nick77]

New to this Tidal thing, how does this play through a windows computer using Jriver? Does the Tidal software work exclusive of any media programs currently being used?

One just has to open Tidal desktop icon??

It seems like this changes everything?? What happens to the likes of HD Tracks??

[OzarkTom]

For those that are listening to this set-up, how is it sounding? Do you recommend spending 20 dollars per month?

[SlushPuppy]

For those that are listening to this set-up, how is it sounding? Do you recommend spending 20 dollars per month?

I'm a big fan. I think it sounds great. It's become my primary listening source. Military veterans get a 40% discount so my subscription only costs around $11.50 a month. Pretty awesome the enjoyment I get for less than $12 a month.

[bacobits1]

How do you prove you are a military veteran?

[SlushPuppy]

How do you prove you are a military veteran?

When you sign up you click on the "Military Plans" link. There are four plans: STANDARD PLANS | FAMILY PLANS | STUDENT PLANS | MILITARY PLANS. I signed up a long time ago, but if I remember correctly you answer a few questions that are verified by an independent secure server, then your plan price drops by 40% (if eligible). The student plan is really cheap!

http://tidal.com/us/try-now
The optional plans are below the "Sign up / Start free trial" buttons (depending on the screen you're on).

[OzarkTom]

How do you prove you are a military veteran?

This is what I got when I tried. You have to upload a document?

Important: The documentation must clearly show your name, date of birth, and your specific military affiliation.

[roscoe65]

I've been a subscriber for a long time.  I think it is well worth the price for a number of reasons:

1.  The 16/44.1 streaming is as good as any CD's I own.
2.  I'm spending $20/month for literally millions of tracks at my disposal.
3.  I can listen to my "collection" in my living room, my office, and on my phone.  I can also download Hifi playlists to take with me on my phone.
4.  I can manage and play my Tidal subscription through Roon and other services.  The Tidal interface is ok but not the best for my uses.

I've never been particularly attached to CD's as objects, and a wall of LP's is both cumbersome and expensive.  While I will admit that in the proper context it is cheaper - though not necessarily easier - to experience "real hifi" in analog, the reality is that today music overwhelmingly begins as digital and doesn't demonstrably suffer when treated sympathetically.  We can now curate a collection of artists, albums, and tracks without necessarily owning them.

Streaming has been a wonderful for music discovery.  I can read about a great new (or old) artist and immediately have access to their catalog.  And with most quality film production moving from the theater to premium television, I find myself frequently looking up songs and music used in this programming, adding it to my curated collection.  Now with products/services like Roon, a lot of the fun and intellectual interest of the record store has come back.

Much of our hobby is about fetishizing the equipment.  There is nothing wrong with that.  But if we also really like music and like to acquire new music, the software is really the heart of the matter.  There are a number of true audiophiles with $2,000 music systems and $100,000 in albums.   I can't afford to own that much music.  However, I can rent about 3 million albums along with the best current playback platform for about $30 per month.

From a sustainability perspective, high quality streaming is essential to the continued health of our hobby.  Young audiophiles now are typically kids in college or living with roommates.  They often don't have the money or space for loudspeakers or physical music collections (when they do collect vinyl, it is as often as not as objects rather than music) and they are mobile in that they move more frequently than their parents did and in that their music is with them on their phones virtually all the time.  The barriers to entry to really great sound in this context are pretty low.

[SlushPuppy]

This is what I got when I tried. You have to upload a document?

Important: The documentation must clearly show your name, date of birth, and your specific military affiliation.

I think I typed in my SSN, branch of service (Navy) and discharge date. It may have changed since then. I've been a member for a long time. I don't remember having to scan and upload my DD-214 or any other documents.

[Ern Dog]

I listened to a few of the Masters songs for the first time yesterday, streaming from my Aurender and they sound pretty dang good to me, but then so does the regular HiFi music.  There have been some instances were Tidal HiFi sounds better than my CD version of the same cd and vice versa too. 

The pick list of Masters albums is very limited, but the list is growing very fast as more albums are being added daily.  There were many that I liked. They have Jethro Tull's Aqualung and it sounds aweful but so does my cd version.  So there is no magic bullet for poorly recorded music.

With the Aurender, I subjectively tested Joni Mitchel's Blue between my ripped cd, Tidal HiFi, and Tidal Master and couldn't tell a difference between them.  They all sound very good.

[aldcoll]

I listened to a few of the Masters songs for the first time yesterday, streaming from my Aurender and they sound pretty dang good to me, but then so does the regular HiFi music.  There have been some instances were Tidal HiFi sounds better than my CD version of the same cd and vice versa too. 

The pick list of Masters albums is very limited, but the list is growing very fast as more albums are being added daily.  There were many that I liked. They have Jethro Tull's Aqualung and it sounds aweful but so does my cd version.  So there is no magic bullet for poorly recorded music.

With the Aurender, I subjectively tested Joni Mitchel's Blue between my ripped cd, Tidal HiFi, and Tidal Master and couldn't tell a difference between them.  They all sound very good.

Do you need a MQA dac for proper decoding or is it done by Tidal?..

Pray for snow Ernie

Alan

[JLM]

Do you need a MQA dac for proper decoding or is it done by Tidal?..

Pray for snow Ernie

Alan

Look up at replies #3, 4, and 5.  Tidal is just the method for receiving music in CD or MQA quality.  Some advantage can reportedly be heard without MQA decoding hardware, but of course more so with a MQA enabled DAC. 

My question is, how does MQA encoded music via a cheap MQA DAC (like the $300 Meridian Explorer) compare to CD quality music via a better (and how much better) non-MQA DAC?

[lcrim]

Jeff:
Both of my renderers (2 systems) are configured to upresolve the stream.  In one system it is set to DSD and the other is set to a very high rate of PCM.
The fact that I have access to all this music that is available for $20 a month, is an extremely reasonable cost even though I am retired and money is scarce.
I hope that Jay Z continues to support this service, rumored to be losing big dollars.
Larry

[Ern Dog]

 Hey Alan- Snow prayers have been answered- we got the biggest snow fall in 100 years this week in S. Oregon! Love it!

I received a PM asking how I got my Aurender N100H to play these Masters albums from Tidal, so here is how I did it using my Macbook Pro as my "desktop" computer.

1- Using your desktop Mac (not iPad) that is connected to your server, go into System Preferences-Sound-Output and then choose N100H as the output.

2- You must use the Tidal app on your desktop. Open that.  Go into Tidal Settings-Streaming- Sound output and choose N100H.  Then click on the little setting wheel next to N100h box and click on Exclusive mode.

3.  Go into What's new section of Tidal (still using your Mac) in the album section you will see Masters.  When you play a song it will come out streaming through the Aurender and sound Heavenly