Amazon Music appalling sound quality

[knkkskknk]

I don't use any streaming service cause most of the music I like isn't on them lol

 

[dmac6419]

FYI, I am not an HD Music subscriber, just Prime and get the Icon just the same.

If you're just a prime member and not subscribed to the music service you won't get HD,it's not free just because you're a prime member ,you'll have access to about 2 million free songs that's about it.

 

[DimitryZ]

Um I already had HD,they just drop the price I didn't have to do anything.

In my case, my subscription became Unlimited, all HD and UltraHD logos disappeared and I was instructed to go to my account in the Mother App and upgrade to HD.

Then all was well...

 

[Ismapics]

If you're just a prime member and not subscribed to the music service you won't get HD,it's not free just because you're a prime member ,you'll have access to about 2 million free songs that's about it.

Just realized that I was walking and updated the app and may have activated the trial.

 

[pwn87]

make sure you use the desktop app. the website uses a really bad bitrate.
but i find the recordings somewhat sterile. maybe i'm too used to muddy youtube quality...
or is there a hidden eq that i have to disable?

 

[sdiver68]

I have YT Music and Amazon Unlimited HD both on 3 month trials. Both sound OK for the most part, at least as good as CD's, assuming I'm listening to the official version.

Both have serious user interface issues. Amazon only allows you to like a song on 1 of their stations. Neither allow true shuffle play of all liked songs without workarounds. YT Android TV App is an afterthought at best.

Going to check out Tidal and Qobuz.

 

[litemotiv]

YT Android TV App is an afterthought at best.

For YT the best option is to use the dedicated Youtube Music app, it's not perfect but a lot better than the Android TV app. It has shuffle, playlist, suggestions etc.

 

[sdiver68]

For YT the best option is to use the dedicated Youtube Music app, it's not perfect but a lot better than the Android TV app. It has shuffle, playlist, suggestions etc.

Agreed. Except even on mobile app it has the well known shuffle bug where it replays the same 20 songs.

I think between the 2 at least I can get Amazon Music HD to shuffle play my liked list, and higher quality streams also.

 

[pwn87]

so.. nobody noticed that it sounds sterile?

 

[Bcarroll]

Just wondering if any other Amazon Music users are finding that the sound quality seems to be atrocious and getting worse? It sounds like a very low bitrate MP3, made with an ancient codec... I'm sure it didn't used to be this bad.

Just noticed this yesterday while headphone listening to Stravinsky Firebird on Decca. Although labelled as CD Quality, there was excessive and noticeable distortion on crescendo. I think it’s not worth the extra $ per month compared to Qobuz.

 

[puppet]

I've noticed this on some of Amazons' stuff. It seems akin to a "too hot" line level input to me.

 

[sdiver68]

There are many bad recordings. I'm not sure that can be blamed on a high res streaming service? I noticed the same with CD when it came out then SACD.

Assume you have all your settings correct.

 

[DarrylG]

Just noticed this yesterday while headphone listening to Stravinsky Firebird on Decca. Although labelled as CD Quality, there was excessive and noticeable distortion on crescendo. I think it’s not worth the extra $ per month compared to Qobuz.

Amazon costs less than Qobuz now.

 

[jmillar]

Just wondering if any other Amazon Music users are finding that the sound quality seems to be atrocious and getting worse? It sounds like a very low bitrate MP3, made with an ancient codec... I'm sure it didn't used to be this bad.

Sign up for uncompressed. It's not expensive, particularly if you have Prime.

I was listening on Radio Paradise, sought out the music on Amazon where it was WAY, WAY better. (Radio Paradise supposedly streams uncompressed, but most probably to contributing listeners.)

 

[DarrylG]

so.. nobody noticed that it sounds sterile?

To my ears, it sounds thicker than Qubuz.

 

[jmillar]

Amazon costs less than Qobuz now.

The most bang per buck today is Apple Music: quality, range and scope are truly excellent. (but the interface could be a little better)

 

[mSpot]

so.. nobody noticed that it sounds sterile?

To my ears, it sounds thicker than Qubuz.

"sterile" and "thicker"? What does that mean?

 

[Robin L]

"sterile" and "thicker"? What does that mean?

Sterile usually means lack of harmonic/intermodulation distortion, thick usually means an excess.

 

[pwn87]

Sterile usually means lack of harmonic/intermodulation distortion, thick usually means an excess.

exactly what i meant (sterile), it sounds somehow too clean, as if it was AI upscaled.
the other posts claiming it sounds like low bitrate, i cannot understand. i assume they are listening over the website which indeed sounds awful.

 

[DarrylG]

exactly what i meant (sterile), it sounds somehow too clean, as if it was AI upscaled.
the other posts claiming it sounds like low bitrate, i cannot understand. i assume they are listening over the website which indeed sounds awful.

I can't understand that either.