Hi-Rez Streaming

rockn · « **on:** 17 Sep 2019, 02:48 pm »

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/amazon-music-hi-res-audio-885366/

Amazon to launch Hi-Rez!!

Sam-fi · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 02:53 pm »

wow finally a reason to attempt to use the terrible amazon interface...

WGH · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 03:07 pm »

It can't be any worse than Tidal, which after 6 months still fills the home page with new rap and pop artists even though I don't listen to those music genres.

MttBsh · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 04:41 pm »

Love 'em or hate 'em, Amazon does have a record of thinking things through before implementation, and what seems like an unlimited amount of money to back it up.

This signals to me that hi res is finally headed for mainstream. With server capacity constantly expanding and the cost of storage constantly going down, could it be that Amazon sees the time has come to start making hi res the new standard for music playback? kind of like hi-def is now standard for TV. Although there will always be a huge section of the market for whom MP3 is just fine, there are enough discriminating music listeners who will choose hi res if it is easily accessible and reasonably priced. Like hi def TV (or 4K) once you've seen it it's hard to go back. Of course many don't have the audio equipment to truly appreciate the advantages of hi res, that too will change going forward.

Sam-fi · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 06:50 pm »

I'm actually going to do the 90 day trial and do some listening comparisons with an open mind, wish me luck,

Sam

Yomaha · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 07:12 pm »

I'm gonna jump on this too. I had both Qobuz and Tidal. It was subtle, but for the most part, I preferred the Qobuz sonics. The drawback was that Tidal had way more of the music I listen to available. So after a while, I canceled Qobuz even though I thought it brought thru more information. I still can't believe Apple and Spotify haven't gone HD....probably just a matter of time now that the mass market bar has been raised. That's great for listeners.

mcgsxr · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 07:49 pm »

I'm an Apple subscriber, with 3 other users in the house all with IOS devices it was the easy decision.

I don't stream to my main setup that way though, so hi rez streaming may not benefit me in any case.

For home listening I have a large FLAC collection. I use Apple music for tunes on the go (headphones on the train, or to the systems in my cars).

newzooreview · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 08:37 pm »

'Hi-Rez"??

This is just a "me-too" streaming of CD quality songs -- what we would call standard resolution.

Some unspecified tracks ("several million" but which actual tracks? less than 10% of the total, it seems) will be available at actual high resolution. This copies long-standing services. Amazon is not opening access to any more music at high resolution. They are marketing a copy-cat service at $180 per year (nearly 2x the cost of Amazon Prime). This adds nothing to what we can already access.

Given the abyssmal user interface of Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music, there's no reason to pay another ~$200 per year for this.

Amazon is happy to scalp its current Prime members for this, but anyone looking for actual high resolution streaming would be hard pressed to see this as better than current options.

MttBsh · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 Sep 2019, 10:09 pm »

Quote from: newzooreview on 17 Sep 2019, 08:37 pm

'Hi-Rez"??

This is just a "me-too" streaming of CD quality songs -- what we would call standard resolution.

Some unspecified tracks ("several million" but which actual tracks? less than 10% of the total, it seems) will be available at actual high resolution. This copies long-standing services. Amazon is not opening access to any more music at high resolution. They are marketing a copy-cat service at $180 per year (nearly 2x the cost of Amazon Prime). This adds nothing to what we can already access.

Given the abyssmal user interface of Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music, there's no reason to pay another ~$200 per year for this.

Amazon is happy to scalp its current Prime members for this, but anyone looking for actual high resolution streaming would be hard pressed to see this as better than current options.

All being marketed as some kind of an industry breakthrough.... at worst false advertising, at best misleading but that's the definition of marketing these days,

wushuliu · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 Sep 2019, 01:17 am »

I have a love/hate relationship w/ Amazon. They are openly waging a retail war to have a foothold in every houselhold one way or another - and they have no qualms with plowing over competitors regardless of impact. So let's not downplay this cause it's a big f-ing deal. For years streaming companies have been able to hide behind the 'objectivist' no-difference brigade as a reason to not offer anything more than 320 MP3. Even 320 was a big ask for a long time. Now millenials and younger are starting to come into their own hi-fi phase, tube and vinyl gear have moved from niche to market dominance, and egalitarians like Andrew Jones have changed the budget market for speakers.

And Amazon stepping into the game means Apple now no longer has an excuse. But then again, Apple users should be used to paying a lot to not have things everyone else got five years ago.

wushuliu · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 Sep 2019, 01:24 am »

Oh, and notice no mention of a 3 letter format that was supposed to revolutionize streaming a few years ago...

EDIT: Downloaded and gave a listen. Unimpressed. Sounds like slightly better Spotify hot garbage. 24/192 Hotel California wasn't too bad, but still a little off. This is why we can't have nice things. Back to Tidal...

Also, the thread title is not going to attract much attention with that generic title.

Tyson · « **Reply #11 on:** 18 Sep 2019, 02:31 pm »

Qobuz still has the best sound quality and the highest number of actual hirez streams (as far as I can tell). If you also like classical or Jazz, then Qobuz is the easy choice. But Tidal still sounds very good and has a better interface. I don't see Amazon bringing anything to the table to is a serious challenge to either Tidal or Qobuz (other than a semi-captive group of Prime customers).

wushuliu · « **Reply #12 on:** 18 Sep 2019, 03:51 pm »

Quote from: Tyson on 18 Sep 2019, 02:31 pm

Qobuz still has the best sound quality and the highest number of actual hirez streams (as far as I can tell). If you also like classical or Jazz, then Qobuz is the easy choice. But Tidal still sounds very good and has a better interface. I don't see Amazon bringing anything to the table to is a serious challenge to either Tidal or Qobuz (other than a semi-captive group of Prime customers).

What's clever about Amazon Music is when I open their app I see ALL of the music my gf and I have ever bought, so almost 15 years of purchases - be it disc or vinyl or mp3. So all of that is there for streaming, which makes it an added bonus. So, no, I think there are multiple reasons it poses a threat. But for the discerning audiophile, the sound quality is not competitive.

Tyson · « **Reply #13 on:** 18 Sep 2019, 04:53 pm »

I'm curious - how much of what you've bought over the years is not available as a regular stream? I ask because I've bought almost nothing like that so I don't have a point of comparison. Are there a lot of tracks in your purchased library that's not generally available to stream in the monthly service?

witchdoctor · « **Reply #14 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 02:49 am »

Thanks for posting this, I just signed up and will post more later. So far I learned the HD streaming is not available through the web, you need to install the desktop app.

witchdoctor · « **Reply #15 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 02:59 am »

WOW, I just found out that Amazon HD service can be streamed via the DTS-Play Fi app which is HUGE. Play Fi devices are hirez capable by default. They are not MQA decoders by default. Currently I can only access MQA on one device, my Bluesound Node in one room.
As of today I have hirez streaming through every room. Granted Tidal may still have an advantage in number of MQA titles and maybe SQ.

PlayFi is also alexa compatible so we will see how that works. "Alexa shuffle Frank Sinatra Ultra HD tracks in the kitchen" or whatever. That is about the most convenient interface I can imagine.

If you are using play-fi you need to update your software:

https://play-fi.com/news/new-features-quality-of-life-improvements-for-dts-play-fi

witchdoctor · « **Reply #16 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 03:17 am »

The desktop app is nicer than the web app, I see "Ultra HD Playlists" on the home page. Currently listening to Billie Holiday in 24/96. You click on the Ultra HD logo and they tell you the format AND what format your device is capable of. I am streaming on the desktop through the Klipsch Powergate.

As for the Play Fi app I am installing the update on my kindle. The software identified each device throughout the home and is updating them all automatically

. Sweet!

witchdoctor · « **Reply #17 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 03:24 am »

Note, if you are streaming via a PC/USB you need to go into sound settings and make sure you have them set to output at 24/96 or higher. Otherwise the app "sees" the device isn't capable. Once I changed my settings I can see the file is 24/96 AND my device is playing 24/96. Nice feature!

witchdoctor · « **Reply #18 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 03:43 am »

Listening to The Cars Best Frinds Girl in 24/192 sounds great. The Klipsh Powergate is "unleashed". It kind of sucked having all these hirez capable devices but not utilizing all of their capacity. It was very forward looking of DTS to have that capacity built into the Play Fi ecosystem.

wushuliu · « **Reply #19 on:** 19 Sep 2019, 06:12 am »

Quote from: Tyson on 18 Sep 2019, 04:53 pm

I'm curious - how much of what you've bought over the years is not available as a regular stream? I ask because I've bought almost nothing like that so I don't have a point of comparison. Are there a lot of tracks in your purchased library that's not generally available to stream in the monthly service?

What I purchase from Amazon tends to be music I don't pursue via streaming - I just burn to my hard drive. Up until now Amazon has been Mp3 only, so I avoided their streaming service. As I've mentioned before I do have certain genres, like Classical Indian music, that are not as well represented via streaming. Tidal has the best selection. Looks like Amazon also has a good collection based on my brief test.