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Amazon launch HiRes streaming.

Amazon should do a proper job here (it's not like they are a small, resource-poor company) and write a proper app that engages with the ASIO hardware drivers (like Tidal and Qobuz have done). On my Windows tablet I get no sound at all from any of the ASIO drivers for my DACs.
 
As someone who dipped a toe in the streaming market with Spotify and then moved to TIDAL for quality reasons, is it worth jumping ship again to Amazon then? I like the TIDAL Windows application although there are a number of features Spotify has which I wish TIDAL did such a the ability to control playback from the Android app and native streaming with Google Assistant etc. I also like that TIDAL can take exclusive use of my Audiolab MDAC which it sounds like Amazon can't do yet?
 
Funk said:
As someone who dipped a toe in the streaming market with Spotify and then moved to TIDAL for quality reasons, is it worth jumping ship again to Amazon then? I like the TIDAL Windows application although there are a number of features Spotify has which I wish TIDAL did such a the ability to control playback from the Android app and native streaming with Google Assistant etc. I also like that TIDAL can take exclusive use of my Audiolab MDAC which it sounds like Amazon can't do yet?
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Amazon HD appears very rudimentary, with no driver support. I really dont understand why a mega company like Amazon, with many thousands of IT professionals, simply rolls out a V.9 software for an ostensibly important product.

In direct comparison to Qobuz with Hiromi Uehara's solo Spectrum release on IOS platform, Qobuz comes out clearly on top, with better inner dynamics, articulation and recording ambience. Qobuz outputs at the recording sample rate of 88.2, while Amazon seems to upsample to 192, not a multiple for math aficionados.

If you haven't followed Hiromi, shame on you. Japanese born, Boston Berklee educated, she is a true jazz phenomenon. My wife and I were at her big Boston homecoming at Scullers a few years back, with her professors in attendance - it was awesome
 
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Update: I found that installing the Amazon appstore allowed me to install the music app. Not sure why I can't install from the play store.
 
I'd be interested to know whether Amazon has the back catalogue of Caravan as the choice on both Qobuz & Tidal is pretty woeful.
 
webster said:
I'd be interested to know whether Amazon has the back catalogue of Caravan as the choice on both Qobuz & Tidal is pretty woeful.
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They seem to have about 40 of their albums: don't know anything about the band though so can't say if the classics are missing.

Overall I'm finding it a pain to use: you can't even sort your list according to albums you've added most recently (I can't anyway). The recommendations facility is very rudimentary. No info on albums or artists. Weird how a company based on using AI to shove stuff at you you might like can't offer something a bit more useable. I've just gone back to Spotify.
 
And why did a company with one of the world largest software capabilities fielded a music system with no driver support?
 
Tim F said:
Just realised that until my Auralic Aries supports this I'm not going to be able to use it!
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It turns out that Auralic is working on adding Amazon Alexa support in firmware 7. This will open the door to Amazon Music integration.

Also coming in firmware 7 is CD ripping, which is another nice additional feature.
 
Qobuz have just put a cat amongst the pigeons with their announcement this week.

Much easier to stream Qobuz to your hifi than it is to do Amazon HD.
 
According to the latest update bulletin today on John Darko's site it's going to be applied to the UK and all other EU countries served by Qobuz.
Unfortunately it doesn't mention when though!
 
DAVEDWACK said:
According to the latest update bulletin today on John Darko's site it's going to be applied to the UK and all other EU countries served by Qobuz.
Unfortunately it doesn't mention when though!
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Splendid! I’m happy to pay the current sub, it’s absurdly good value, so to get a big reduction is a bonus. Just hope they stay in business. (At least until Roon get their act together with Amazon)
 
I’m hoping Qobuz do keep going. I’m also hoping the price reduction is to keep/stay competitive, rather than as an indicator of something more sinister...
 
And Roon will be feeling the pressure until they can support Amazon. Not to mention all the fancy high end streamer vendors who can’t stream what is probably the largest catalogue available.
 
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