Tidal HiFi vs Spotify Premium? Can you hear the difference?

[Mehdiem]

Hi guys. I am a Tidal user (HiFi only) and contemplating a move to Spotify. The reason is that I don’t like Tidal’s playlist management. It’s very annoying. I was wondering if you could hear the difference between Tidal (CD Quality) and Spotify premium which is 320.

These two are my only choices, as I care about Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect.

My gears: HD800s, RME-ADI, Bluesound Node, NAD C298, KEF LS50.

Please vote as well as leave a comment if you wish.

 

[NiagaraPete]

In my humble opinion you should spend your hard earned (assumed) money and go with any other streamer.

 

[Mehdiem]

In my humble opinion you should spend your hard earned (assumed) money and go with any other streamer.

What do you mean by streamer? Do you mean Node? Why is that?

 

[VMAT4]

I'm almost certain it takes a trained ear to hear the difference. I was once offered to be told how to hear the difference. And, also, warned that I would be able to spot it forever after. I turned down the offer (I believe Amir made the offer in this thread.)

 

[NiagaraPete]

What do you mean by streamer? Do you mean Node? Why is that?

Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, Apple are streamers. Spotify in my opinion is a horrible company and I'd rather pay a less horrible company.

 

[Mehdiem]

Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, Apple are streamers. Spotify in my opinion is a horrible company and I'd rather pay a less horrible company.

Now, I see what you mean. I would call them Streaming Services though.

 

[NiagaraPete]

Now, I see what you mean. I would call them Streaming Services though.

Yes okay, agreed bad name.

 

[CBM]

I use Spotify for music discovery. I save 3 or 4 Discovery Weekly tracks each week. But I transfer them to Tidal HF because over time I can tell a difference. I couldn't pass a blind test but enjoy Tidal more than Spotify.

Because you use Tidal Connect and a Node, would you try this track to see if you hear any distortion? https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tidal-connect-distortion.32691/
It's "Something" by Marc Sibilia.

 

[NiagaraPete]

I use Spotify for music discovery. I save 3 or 4 Discovery Weekly tracks each week. But I transfer them to Tidal HF because over time I can tell a difference. I couldn't pass a blind test but enjoy Tidal more than Spotify.

Because you use Tidal Connect and a Node, would you try this track to see if you hear any distortion? https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tidal-connect-distortion.32691/
It's "Something" by Marc Sibilia.

Personally I now prefer Apple Music for discovery and I don't have any other work.

 

[Mehdiem]

I use Spotify for music discovery. I save 3 or 4 Discovery Weekly tracks each week. But I transfer them to Tidal HF because over time I can tell a difference. I couldn't pass a blind test but enjoy Tidal more than Spotify.

Because you use Tidal Connect and a Node, would you try this track to see if you hear any distortion? https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/tidal-connect-distortion.32691/
It's "Something" by Marc Sibilia.

I couldn’t hear the distortion here: https://tidal.com/track/80910085

Could it be caused by the way that one of these devices encodes the file?

 

[CBM]

I couldn’t hear the distortion here: https://tidal.com/track/80910085

Could it be caused by the way that one of these devices encodes the file?

Well it's the same device, the Node. It's just controlled by Tidal Connect or BluOS. It should sound the same because it's the same file. It's baffling to me.

 

[AdamG]

The only question that really matters, is do you hear a difference? Since we all have different hearing abilities and possibly listener training. It’s irrelevant what others hear. So take your own blind test and make the best decision for yourself. I don’t mean this in a condescending manner.

If your original question is you have two choices, then it must be you who decides, if you can tell the difference with your gear. Good luck.

 

[tvih]

Hi guys. I am a Tidal user (HiFi only) and contemplating a move to Spotify. The reason is that I don’t like Tidal’s playlist management.

Incidentally Spotify's playlist management is what I like the least about it, it's atrocious even after all these years. Legendary levels of incompetence.

 

[DanielT]

Test a few different streaming providers. Everyone has a free trial period.
Try to do it systematically then you weigh in factors that can be important (for you): functionality, user-friendliness, flexibility, integration with other software and so on and so forth. Give everyone you test an honest chance and really test them. Spend some time on it. The last test week, you do not care about the systematics, or any objective evaluation, but the one you use the most, you choose. Then you let the subconscious control. This is the service you are most satisfied with. Then you have made both an objective and subjective assessment (and let them both influence your choice).

If you can not distinguish and also, for some reason, find that two different complement each other then have two different streaming providers for a year (if you think it is worth the money).

By the way, I have not tested Tidal yet. I have Spotify but have tested Amazon Music and Qobuz.

Can you add a selection: Have not tested
That would be good, I think.

 

[MaxBuck]

Deezer is also worth considering.

 

[DanielT]

List of streaming media services - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But wait, that list on Wikipedia. Regarding Apple Music , is not all music nowadays lossless? Didn't Apple make it available (without raising the price) last year?

It is possible (I think so) to play Apple music via Android but I do not think you get lossless in that case? In any case, if you like apples, then of course the choice, or absolutely to try, Apple music is obvious.
If you are not an apple person then well then I see no reason to try Apple Music.

Anyway, a list of different suppliers

 

[Zenek73]

I'm Spotify uses for 5 or more years. It was cheaper than Tidal and I couldn't hear difference unfortunately. I was very sad Once i could hear sth but occurred that both services have track with the same glitch...
Now I switched to Tidal and I use LMS but I thinking about Roon - which doesn't support Spotify...

+ Spotify has better UI for me but I started using external applications (lms/Roon)
+ I have Radio which has only Spotify Connect but I started using Raspberrypi instead for music (and I still love radio!)
+ IF I will start using Roon the only choice is Tidal in my country
++ Spotify spends millions (!) on celebrities and podcasts while Tidal is more Artists oriented
+ similar price but as we know Tidal has better SQ (even if not audible for many of us)
- Tidal has no Rammstein albums but with lms/Roon we can use our local files.

I'm focused on CD SQ I'm not sound geek. I started buying my favourite albums when I noticed thar quite often some (most of) albums are remastered or incomplited.
Lossless - if price is similar I prefer to listen such kind of music. It enough I know Spotify Is not - it's like eating soup which tastes great but you know that somebody spot on it.
Of course I was waiting for lossless Spotify but when I started considering Roon and nothing happened for year I switched to Tidal.
I still pay for Spotify (family) but probably I will abandon it in May...

 

[DanielT]

Of course I was waiting for lossless Spotify but when I started considering Roon and nothing happened for year I switched to Tidal.
I still pay for Spotify (family) but probably I will abandon it in May...

Tip:

Will you stop using Spotify now? Vote

It seems that Spotify will not offer lossless, as they said they would in 2021. We do not know when and if Spotify will come with lossless.This is Spotify's only public ,as far as I know, information about lossless...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[3125b]

Didn't Apple make it available (without raising the price) last year?

By now 99.5% is lossless. Even recordings where that is totally pointless. Some Dolby Atmos content too.

It is possible (I think so) to play Apple music via Android but I do not think you get lossless in that case?

Lossless is available on Android, it's just the same Apple Music app they use in iOS, works the same.
Lossless is not available on Windos though, neither through iTunes (wich is just terrible to use in 2022, should have replaced that years ago) nor in the browser.
All these applications have performance issues on the various platforms to some degree despite only being asked to play music on comparatively powerful hardware.

 

[DanielT]

By now 99.5% is lossless. Even recordings where that is totally pointless. Some Dolby Atmos content too.

Lossless is available on Android, it's just the same Apple Music app they use in iOS, works the same.
Lossless is not available on Windos though, neither through iTunes (wich is just terrible to use in 2022, should have replaced that years ago) nor in the browser.
All these applications have performance issues on the various platforms to some degree despite only being asked to play music on comparatively powerful hardware.

Thanks for the clarification!

Aha, last year I thought about testing Apple Music, in connection with the release of the catalog in lossless, but since I have Android I hesitated. Also then, last year, if I remember correctly there were some types of restrictions Apple Music via Android that is or if it ... hm ... I do not remember. Maybe it has changed now, or I read wrong then.

But even if you now get the entire Apple music catalog lossless in Android without restrictions (same functions, lossless and so on, everything you get via Apple iOS) so hm, well. Perhaps an old notion, prejudice I have that never two should those worlds mix. Though I embrace the multicultural computer society so why not. I'll take another look at it ..... or maybe not because I like Spotify, after all.