Hi Res music

[JeremyFife]

Another vote for Amazon. Nothing to do with hi-res but it fits in with family use, works well with WiiM and I'm happy with the choice of music available.
I would prefer more original (older) masters rather than pointless remastered versions - but that's not an issue with jazz, folk and the more obscure stuff so it's not a big deal.

Don't listen to much classical - I might think about other services if I did (Qobuz, perhaps)

 

[Miguelón]

Another vote for Amazon. Nothing to do with hi-res but it fits in with family use, works well with WiiM and I'm happy with the choice of music available.
I would prefer more original (older) masters rather than pointless remastered versions - but that's not an issue with jazz, folk and the more obscure stuff so it's not a big deal.

Don't listen to much classical - I might think about other services if I did (Qobuz, perhaps)

Sometimes remastered versions are a pain on the ears, while others shine…
I will prefer both versions if possible, in Qobuz is easier to find the original and the later versions of the same album

 

[Miguelón]

Hi Everyone

Would like your opinion on what do you prefer - Tidal… Qobuz…Apple for true Hi Res tracks?

Thanks

I advice you to try all of them, and Amazon that has been suggested also.

As all have 30 days free (I don’t know Amazon) you can have one month with each one and find the one is best for you, or as me varying from month to month…

Usually your account is preserved and your playlist and favorite selections still wait for your return to them!

But forgive hi-res, it was extensively discussed on other threads and are not a reason to choice one ore another.

They are formats used in recording, as the file will be manipulated extensively (using algorithms that can loose some information) so the file is oversmapled and has more bit depth, in the same way that if you retouch a lot an image with advanced filters you will prefer to use higher resolution and color space to work and then convert your file to the size you need for your purposes. A 10x12 cm photo for example don’t need 40 megapixels to be better at all.

 

[Musichead]

Thank you for your help

 

[Musichead]

I advice you to try all of them, and Amazon that has been suggested also.

As all have 30 days free (I don’t know Amazon) you can have one month with each one and find the one is best for you, or as me varying from month to month…

Usually your account is preserved and your playlist and favorite selections still wait for your return to them!

But forgive hi-res, it was extensively discussed on other threads and are not a reason to choice one ore another.

They are formats used in recording, as the file will be manipulated extensively (using algorithms that can loose some information) so the file is oversmapled and has more bit depth, in the same way that if you retouch a lot an image with advanced filters you will prefer to use higher resolution and color space to work and then convert your file to the size you need for your purposes. A 10x12 cm photo for example don’t need 40 megapixels to be better at all.

Thanks qgain

 

[Miguelón]

Thanks qgain

Possibly reason to go on Qobuz may be sound quality: I’m not talking about hi-res, but listening with headphones it sounds less “digital” or more relaxed than others. Of course is a complete subjective impression, theoretically should not add any signature sound to the files but who knows…

Apple is I little bit more “bass focused” to my ears and Tidal more brilliant and sharp. When I listen to classical seriously (long sessions for example a 4 hour opera) I trend to use Qobuz.

But maybe pure psychological, the better is try and see what fits for you. This can be a subject for another controversial thread, something like “given a fixed resolution of 16/44.1 can a streaming service sound different from another?”.

Maybe here someone tested that or can be measured with pink noise tracks

 

[antcollinet]

theoretically should not add any signature sound to the files but who knows…

Anyone who understands the engineering knows. If two streaming services are delivering the same file, they cannot in any way sound different based on the soundwaves hitting your ears (assuming the rest of your system is the same.

The same applies to all the networking gear between the service and your DAC - Routers, Switches, Streamers etc. All they do is deliver identical data to your DAC (assuming they don't deliberately alter it, such as with the EQ functions in the Wiim devices)_

 

[Miguelón]

Anyone who understands the engineering knows. If two streaming services are delivering the same file, they cannot in any way sound different based on the soundwaves hitting your ears (assuming the rest of your system is the same.

The same applies to all the networking gear between the service and your DAC - Routers, Switches, Streamers etc. All they do is deliver identical data to your DAC (assuming they don't deliberately alter it, such as with the EQ functions in the Wiim devices)

Not the same file, I ignore the details but they use different masters. Loudness levels adjustments can also impact sound a lot.

If they alter deliberately the file in some way, I really don’t know. Spotify definitely has enhanced bass but as they use encoding we cannot compare.
Again is a subjective perception, I never red how streaming services adjust sound levels or if they use DSP in same way to offer they own sound signature. As I said the difference is subtle, maybe psychological but there are many ways to explain physically.

 

[antcollinet]

Not the same file, I ignore the details but they use different masters. Loudness levels adjustments can also impact sound a lot.

If they alter deliberately the file in some way, I really don’t know. Spotify definitely has enhanced bass but as they use encoding we cannot compare.
Again is a subjective perception, I never red how streaming services adjust sound levels or if they use DSP in same way to offer they own sound signature. As I said the difference is subtle, maybe psychological but there are many ways to explain physically.

Probably before you try to explain physically it would be worth checking if there is actually anything to explain - if you are interested.

You could capture tracks from different services, and then either blind test using foobar, or compare them using Deltawave.

 

[Karmacoma]

-Amazon is cheap, got a nice catalog, but they probably have the worst mobile app of them all, it really looks like they don't care. Also many times i've noticed badly encoded songs (obscure ones tbh).

-Apple is nice, CD quality so good enough for me, but the money grabbing focused lack of compatibility is annoying. I don't use Apple gear (anymore), their philosophy is too annoying. Big bonus, the Shazam integration.

-Spotify got the best app, service, playlists, a good codec but as long as it doesn't reach CD quality, i'll only use it for roaming and transferring playlists. And i probably won't get the CD quality option since they plan to make it pay 19,99€.

- Quobuz, is the only one i don't use anymore of these 4, great platform but the catalog is really too thin.

 

[Miguelón]

-Amazon is cheap, got a nice catalog, but they probably have the worst mobile app of them all, it really looks like they don't care. Also many times i've noticed badly encoded songs (obscure ones tbh).

-Apple is nice, CD quality so good enough for me, but the money grabbing focused lack of compatibility is annoying. I don't use Apple gear (anymore), their philosophy is too annoying. Big bonus, the Shazam integration.

-Spotify got the best app, service, playlists, a good codec but as long as it doesn't reach CD quality, i'll only use it for roaming and transferring playlists. And i probably won't get the CD quality option since they plan to make it pay 19,99€.

- Quobuz, is the only one i don't use anymore of these 4, great platform but the catalog is really too thin.

Tidal has a good catalogue also, and now is 11€/month.
Sadly many files are MQA but they are changing formats gradually to CD quality. They have videos also, and public playlists

 

[Miguelón]

Probably before you try to explain physically it would be worth checking if there is actually anything to explain - if you are interested.

You could capture tracks from different services, and then either blind test using foobar, or compare them using Deltawave.

Not very interested, I’m not convinced on what I said (very subjective and subtle), surely if they are any difference on files is just a little on loudness or resampling.

The main reason I change from one to another are catalogue, public playlists which are funny to discover new music and eventually some concrete versions of classical music I usually only find in Qobuz.

Many members told me Roon to manage the files, EQ and nice associative suggestions from the app, but I rarely have the laptop connected at home

 

[goat76]

Not the same file, I ignore the details but they use different masters. Loudness levels adjustments can also impact sound a lot.

If they alter deliberately the file in some way, I really don’t know. Spotify definitely has enhanced bass but as they use encoding we cannot compare.
Again is a subjective perception, I never red how streaming services adjust sound levels or if they use DSP in same way to offer they own sound signature. As I said the difference is subtle, maybe psychological but there are many ways to explain physically.

When comparing the services it is important that you level-match them, otherwise, it's a risk that you will wrongfully prefer the louder one even if they are exactly the same. None of Apple Music, Tidal, or Qobuz uses positive gain in their level normalization in such a way that it affects the sound quality negatively, only Spotify does that if you choose their loudest level of normalization.

I think we can assume that all the streaming services get the same masters as long as it's the same file format (16 or 24-bit), it doesn't make much sense for the record companies to send out different files to different steaming providers.

 

[Miguelón]

When comparing the services it is important that you level-match them, otherwise, it's a risk that you will wrongfully prefer the louder one even if they are exactly the same. None of Apple Music, Tidal, or Qobuz uses positive gain in their level normalization in such a way that it affects the sound quality negatively, only Spotify does that if you choose their loudest level of normalization.

I think we can assume that all the streaming services get the same masters as long as it's the same file format (16 or 24-bit), it doesn't make much sense for the record companies to send out different files to different steaming providers.

Was not my thought, someone answered this possibility in other thread, he or she mentioned that usually they work with different masters. Don’t make a lot of sense to me neither, why doing that? I can copy-paste the answers, was in a thread I posted about streaming services, also was mentioned the loudness management as possible impact on audio content. But what I feel or perceive (totally subjective, not the minor measurement) is some changes even on the soundstage, and really subtle FQ response. If I can listened it can be measured for sure, otherwise is my imagination.

Alter deliberately the sound (just slightly) seem to me another possibility apart from psychological influence, which can be seen one possible explanation to the differences I perceive.

But it can be no matter interesting to measure that, if someone is interested. Not me, I’m a total lazy with the computer and had no software installed for that (my MacBook Pro is one of the firsts they released and barely nothing works apart emails, Safari and some basic apps).

 

[Karmacoma]

Was not my thought, someone answered this possibility in other thread, he or she mentioned that usually they work with different masters. Don’t make a lot of sense to me neither, why doing that? I can copy-paste the answers, was in a thread I posted about streaming services, also was mentioned the loudness management as possible impact on audio content. But what I feel or perceive (totally subjective, not the minor measurement) is some changes even on the soundstage, and really subtle FQ response. If I can listened it can be measured for sure, otherwise is my imagination.

Alter deliberately the sound (just slightly) seem to me another possibility apart from psychological influence, which can be seen one possible explanation to the differences I perceive.

But it can be no matter interesting to measure that, if someone is interested. Not me, I’m a total lazy with the computer and had no software installed for that (my MacBook Pro is one of the firsts they released and barely nothing works apart emails, Safari and some basic apps).

I Can guarantee you some tracks have been ripped from a CD on Amazon, they are damaged, while it's not the case on other platforms for the same tracks.