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Amazon Music HD (plug)

I've been using Amazon HD for a while and was formerly using Quobuz. Amazon HD is cheaper , has more streaming content at hi res and has been fault free when played on the Amazon HD app on the pc. I use this to stream via a dac to a Naim pre.
My main use though is multiroom where I use a Node 2i into a Qutest dac into Naim pre's. The sound quality is outstanding and for a tenner a month I have not yet failed to find anything I was looking for. New releases, older stuff that has been digitised in various qualities (none below 44/16) and many hires 192/24. I can 'see' whether the stream is as indicated via the Qutest. There are two limitations that I've found. You can't buy and download the hires streams from Amazon, which you can do often from Quobuz, and there is the occasional failure of 192/24 streams with drop outs. This happens only on certain streams. One artist will stream in 192/24 where another won't. I suspect it is a glitch on the storage and interconnectivity of the holding server, via Amazon and out to the Qutest. There's and end to end delay that the Qutest buffer isn't big enough to handle. Other than that its an extremely effective system and it has got me listening to so much more than I would have previously. I can now try out stuff that I wouldn't have bothered buying previously. Great service imo. Oh I live in France at the end of a very slow internet service - 4mbps on a good day.
 
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I've been using Amazon HD for a while and was formerly using Quobuz. Amazon HD is cheaper , has more streaming content at hi res and has been fault free when played on the Amazon HD app on the pc. I use this to stream via a dac to a Naim pre.
My main use though is multiroom where I use a Node 2i into a Qutest dac into Naim pre's. The sound quality is outstanding and for a tenner a month I have not yet failed to find anything I was looking for. New releases, older stuff that has been digitised in various qualities (none below 44/16) and many hires 192/24. I can'see' whether the stream is as indicated via the Qutest. There are two limitations that I've found. You can't buy and download the hires streams from Amazon, which you can do often from Quobuz, and there is the occasional failure of 192/24 streams with drop outs. This happens only on certain streams. One artist will stream in 192/24 where another won't. I suspect it is a glitch on the storage and interconnectivity of the holding server, via Amazon and out to the Qutest. There's and end to end delay that the Qutest buffer isn't big enough to handle. Other than that its an extremely effective system and it has got me listening to so much more than I would have previously. I can now try out stuff that I wouldn't have bothered buying previously. Great service imo. Oh I live in France at the end of a very slow internet service - 4mbps on a good day.
We appear to have quite a lot in common.:)
I also stream Amazon HD through a Node 2i into a Qutest and live in France.
My internet service is a fair bit quicker and (touch wood) I've not experienced any playback problems with 192/24 streams (even via optical).
As you say outstanding sound quality with a very complete library at an unbeatable price.
 
If you right click on any song in Amazon Music HD you can download it to your local storage and it will play from there rather than re-stream. Also all albums have a download link.
 
Downloading is device dependent and at 4 mbps download of Joni Mitchell's complete collection in hires ultra HD takes a while :) Unlike buying the download is coded to play only via the Amazon app, which is understandable.

Also I play native on the Node so nothing to download to on there.

The link takes you to whats available to buy - normally cd quality.

All good though and worth the cost per quality.
 
It's been a bit of a game changer here. I've basically run out of room to store physical media so instead of just splurging on a CD or LP that I want to hear it's all now just a couple of clicks away on the phone. I used to use Spotify but never really got on with the MP3 quality , likewise iTunes. But this is different, this is good.

My system's not high end - Denon 7.1 AVR , Q Acoustics 7000 with Cambridge Minx satellites with an LG V30 phone as a controller using Heos. It sounds really great. Well, it does to my ears anyway.

I can switch the amp on using the phone, choose what to listen to by scrolling on the phone and then stream at the highest available quality wherever I am around the house. Download it at the same quality to listen to on headphones too if required ( the LG V30 has a pretty good DAC - with the right impedance headphones)

Bloody love it actually. So convenient. For £6.58 a month? It's a no brainer.
 
Did someone say Chromecast Audio has optical output ? Is it a dual thingy with the minijack ?
 
I had to drop Amazon HD. The reason, which appears on the face of it to be pretty weak, is that before Amazon HD we all used the Amazon Echo speakers around the house and could use them all freely; we could listen to radio and/or limited streamed music. When I signed up for the single account HD, using it on my Node 2i (awful interface), the rest of them couldn't listen to anything on their Echos - they used to get a message to override me listening on the Node so that they could listen to BBC 6 or whatever.

When I spoke to Customer Support, they said I'd need to purchase the family plan at nearly twice the price. Cancelled the trial and I'll go for Qobuz next maybe.
 
I have been using Amazon HD for a while and share it with my Granddaughter .. I stream through my mac and airport express .. 3.5 to phono into the back of my Primare i30 .. sound is very good .. my Granddaughter Amy streams from her iPhone 12 to a bluetooth speaker again the sound is very good ..
 
Been using Amazon hd for a few months now & it’s rather painful with BluOS on my node.
Think it will get dumped again in favour of tidal or Qobuz.
It’s ok for Alexa but that’s about it.
 
Here’s a fresh Amazon link if anyone is considering signing up. I don’t think there is an offer at present, but the link still helps pfm.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Been using Amazon hd for a few months now & it’s rather painful with BluOS on my node.
Think it will get dumped again in favour of tidal or Qobuz.
It’s ok for Alexa but that’s about it.

Sell the Node and buy yourself a Wiim Mini. It works brilliantly with Amazon HD, sounds terrific, and you'll have cash left over. :)
 
Sell the Node and buy yourself a Wiim Mini. It works brilliantly with Amazon HD, sounds terrific, and you'll have cash left over. :)
Do you get full hd via the optical out?
Not that there seems to be much HR on Amazon.
Also does it have Alexa built in as my kids just tell Alexa want they want to listen to rather than using an app.
It seems easier to use airplay on my iPhone direct from the Amazon app to the node.
 


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