Amazon launches lossless high-res music service!

[CBM]

I'm on the trial - current Roon/Tidal users, but I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks. The Mac Desktop app is ok, doesn't have direct mode (like someone mentioned also missing from Windows App).

For playlist conversions, I've been happy with Soundiiz - has worked to transfer/sync from Spotify to Tidal - https://soundiiz.com/

Apparently Amazon Music doesn't allow Soundiiz to transfer playlists. I have some with over 1,000 tracks. Is there another service that works with Amazon?

 

[GordonParet]

Apparently Amazon Music doesn't allow Soundiiz to transfer playlists. I have some with over 1,000 tracks. Is there another service that works with Amazon?

https://freeyourmusic.com/en

 

[blse59]

Hi revoc,

I just started my Amazon HD trial period, and I have the same issue (having to check "Exclusive mode" on each startup) even though I have the latest version of the desktop app.

I am still finding my way around, but the albums I've played have virtually no credits to display (producer, engineer, etc., often not even the composer of an individual track). Coming from Tidal, I am used to having some minimal information about most albums, sometimes even short reviews. Have I missed something within the app?

I don't think you're missing anything. I went in the reverse - I started with Amazon HD and now I'm trying out Tidal. Tidal is *so* much better. The desktop and phone app is light years ahead. Exclusive mode sticks, high-res sticks, everything works as it should. I personally would never pay for Amazon HD over Tidal.

 

[dmac6419]

Hi revoc,

I just started my Amazon HD trial period, and I have the same issue (having to check "Exclusive mode" on each startup) even though I have the latest version of the desktop app.

I am still finding my way around, but the albums I've played have virtually no credits to display (producer, engineer, etc., often not even the composer of an individual track). Coming from Tidal, I am used to having some minimal information about most albums, sometimes even short reviews. Have I missed something within the app?

Nope,it is what it is

 

[DarrylG]

Hi revoc,

I just started my Amazon HD trial period, and I have the same issue (having to check "Exclusive mode" on each startup) even though I have the latest version of the desktop app.

I am still finding my way around, but the albums I've played have virtually no credits to display (producer, engineer, etc., often not even the composer of an individual track). Coming from Tidal, I am used to having some minimal information about most albums, sometimes even short reviews. Have I missed something within the app?

Try Qobuz. It's got everything you say you're missing in Amazon for the same price.

 

[Webninja]

Apparently Amazon Music doesn't allow Soundiiz to transfer playlists. I have some with over 1,000 tracks. Is there another service that works with Amazon?

Took me forever to find Soundiiz. Everything else felt like a bait and switch or phishing scam. I also bailed from Amazon Music, stuck with Tidal/Roon. Maybe if/when Spotify offers lossless, I’ll try that.

 

[amadeuswus]

A week or so into my trial period with Amazon HD, I have occasionally heard loud bursts of scratchy-sounding noise, sometimes when switching tracks in the same album, and sometimes at unpredictable points within a track. It's pretty unpleasant when it happens.... Has anyone else encountered this? I wondered if the problem is with the usb cable linking my laptop to an Oppo BDP-105 running in USB DAC mode, but this never happened with Tidal. Switching cables did not eliminate the problem. (I use Exclusive Mode, if that matters.) Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[SIY]

A week or so into my trial period with Amazon HD, I have occasionally heard loud bursts of scratchy-sounding noise, sometimes when switching tracks in the same album, and sometimes at unpredictable points within a track. It's pretty unpleasant when it happens.... Has anyone else encountered this?

I have not, over three devices, cable internet, wifi, and phone data. It has worked essentially perfectly for me from Day 1.

 

[Midwest Blade]

I concur with SIY, no issues with Amazon HD with sound quality. Had one issue on my iPad where it would freeze up, this was quickly resolved with a reset, sign off and sign on - Amazon replied to my question about it rather quickly so good service follow up.

 

[amadeuswus]

Thanks SIY and Midwest Blade for your comments. The problem may be with the particular album: soprano Julianne Baird's Lullabies, A Songbook Companion, on the ESS.A.Y. label. Track 34 ("Twinkle") has a burst of noise right at the beginning and a smaller pop at about 5 seconds in. I suppose something could have happened during the transfer to Amazon Music? [A pity -- it's a lovely album otherwise.]

 

[zelig]

I tried AHD and gave it an F grade. I had an amp, a DAC, a headless PC, and a smartphone. While I could link the PC --> DAC --> amp, I could not control the setup with my phone. The story ends right there.

 

[amadeuswus]

Has the Amazon Music HD desktop app been revised recently so that it no longer shows a row of related (or suggested) albums beneath what's playing? Maybe I accidentally changed a setting, but I can't seem to restore this view. (The app tells me that I have the latest version.) Thanks for any pointers.

 

[watchnerd]

A week or so into my trial period with Amazon HD, I have occasionally heard loud bursts of scratchy-sounding noise, sometimes when switching tracks in the same album, and sometimes at unpredictable points within a track. It's pretty unpleasant when it happens.... Has anyone else encountered this? I wondered if the problem is with the usb cable linking my laptop to an Oppo BDP-105 running in USB DAC mode, but this never happened with Tidal. Switching cables did not eliminate the problem. (I use Exclusive Mode, if that matters.) Thanks for your thoughts.

I haven't experienced it on Amazon, but have recently on Tidal.

I never had the issue a year ago.

 

[DarrylG]

Has the Amazon Music HD desktop app been revised recently so that it no longer shows a row of related (or suggested) albums beneath what's playing? Maybe I accidentally changed a setting, but I can't seem to restore this view. (The app tells me that I have the latest version.) Thanks for any pointers.

I don't think it does. I only see suggested albums in the "Home" view now.

 

[amadeuswus]

I don't think it does. I only see suggested albums in the "Home" view now.

I wonder why Amazon's desktop app would stop showing related albums below what's playing (assuming I haven't changed a display setting by accident). Seems like it would be a good way to encourage more browsing and streaming....but maybe it cuts down on album surfing, which might be a good thing musically.

 

[DarrylG]

I wonder why Amazon's desktop app would stop showing related albums below what's playing (assuming I haven't changed a display setting by accident). Seems like it would be a good way to encourage more browsing and streaming....but maybe it cuts down on album surfing, which might be a good thing musically.

I've looked through the settings. It's just not there any more. I used that feature quite a lot, but not having it isn't a dealbreaker for me.

 

[Bernard23]

Apologies, don't have the time to read through all 32 pages, but I'm presuming tis forum has realised some time ago that the app in W10 does not run in exclusive mode, so gets resampled by the kernel mixer etc. So unless you manually change your windows settings each time to match the native file resolution, it's not hi res, it's probably default 24/48k for most soundcards. Arguably Windows isn't the most sophisticated (accurate?) of output processors, so that's another alteration in the chain, if you believe the J River story anyway.

 

[witchdoctor]

I don't think you're missing anything. I went in the reverse - I started with Amazon HD and now I'm trying out Tidal. Tidal is *so* much better. The desktop and phone app is light years ahead. Exclusive mode sticks, high-res sticks, everything works as it should. I personally would never pay for Amazon HD over Tidal.

+1. Amazon Ultra HD still sounds compressed compared to Tidal Masters

 

[Bamyasi]

...presuming tis forum has realised some time ago that the app in W10 does not run in exclusive mode, so gets resampled by the kernel mixer etc.

Evidence? So far, my research pointed to all resampling being done in the AMHD app itself, bypassing the OS. Cannot prove this yet, however.

So unless you manually change your windows settings each time to match the native file resolution, it's not hi res, it's probably default 24/48k for most soundcards.

24bit/48kHz resolution is definitely Hi-Res. Do not see your point here.

Arguably Windows isn't the most sophisticated (accurate?) of output processors,

Evidence? As far as I know MS W10 uses the most advanced and precise resampling algorithms (64-bit floating point.

Disclaimer: Personally, I do not use any Windows OS or software myself. But I like this forum because it is based on science not gossip.

 

[wasnotwasnotwas]

Evidence? So far, my research pointed to all resampling being done in the AMHD app itself, bypassing the OS. Cannot prove this yet, however.

This should be easy to prove. Set Windows sound settings for your DAC to 16/44.1 and play something through the AHD app you know to be hi res. if the DAC reports the native rates, its bypassing Windows sound settings. Of course, only works is your DAC has a display that shows the rate

24bit/48kHz resolution is definitely Hi-Res. Do not see your point here. Its not the native rate. Whether this matters to your ears is a different question

Couple of obvious points in bold from me.