New Tidal tiers

[Dave H.]

This is what Tidal say is HIFi when you downgrade, so what exactly is it, standard 16-bit and 44.1 kHz or something different?

• HiFi - $9.99 USD a month with standard sound quality (1411 Kbps)

It's the same bitrate, i.e. quality, as CD.

Edit - I should probably say that there are questions about whether you're actually getting the same data as a CD, or whether it's affected by Tidal's way of processing files (i.e. it may have technical aspects in common with the MQA version, albeit that it's not actually in MQA format.

But that's more of a matter for technical arguments more than it is a significant audible effect.

 

[Eyebroughty]

@Dave***t Thanks for that, I have downgraded as of a few minutes ago.

I have Qobuz and it is better on standard rates than Tidal, that is on two different systems in different houses.

I think I may just ditch Tidal now, cannot see the point in having both now.

 

[JTC]

I'd like a PAYG model. Maybe 50p per day I actually stream something. I quite like the idea of having ad hoc access, but didn't feel I was getting my money's worth when I paid a monthly fee.

 

[JezmondTutu]

So presumably hires Quboz is better than Tidal HiFi? Therefore as they are as good as the same price, Quboz wins?

 

[Zombie]

Quboz is more pipe and slippers

 

[Dave H.]

So presumably hires Quboz is better than Tidal HiFi? Therefore as they are as good as the same price, Quboz wins?

There's more to it than that. Firstly, not everyone gets much added value from hi-res files - personally I think anything above CD quality is pretty much a waste, but YMMV. Also, different services can apparently sound subtly different to some people even at the same bitrate - and Qobuz is probably more often cited as the winner there, though I've seen preferences in both directions.

Then more generally the catalogues and UI/user experience differ. It's a while since I compared, but when I last did, Tidal had fewer holes in its collection than Qobuz for music I'm interested in. Also the auto-generated playlists, recommendations etc are valuable to me, and Qobuz is comparatively poor in that area.

But if Qobuz has everything you want, you wouldn't miss any of the UI features where it's bit behind competitors, and you can reliably hear improved SQ, then Qobuz definitely wins.

 

[JTC]

Tidal's ok but I hate most of the music it plugs. All over-processed, auto-tuned modern shite. There, I said what you were all thinking, innit

 

[Warszawa]

OK boomer.

 

[JTC]

OK boomer.

Tell you what, I feel like it some days. But I'm much younger than that

 

[JezmondTutu]

There's more to it than that. Firstly, not everyone gets much added value from hi-res files - personally I think anything above CD quality is pretty much a waste, but YMMV. Also, different services can apparently sound subtly different to some people even at the same bitrate - and Qobuz is probably more often cited as the winner there, though I've seen preferences in both directions.

Then more generally the catalogues and UI/user experience differ. It's a while since I compared, but when I last did, Tidal had fewer holes in its collection than Qobuz for music I'm interested in. Also the auto-generated playlists, recommendations etc are valuable to me, and Qobuz is comparatively poor in that area.

But if Qobuz has everything you want, you wouldn't miss any of the UI features where it's bit behind competitors, and you can reliably hear improved SQ, then Qobuz definitely wins.

Cheers. I noticed a difference but not £20 a month difference!

 

[kristoffer]

Now available on both desktop and ios here.

Spot-checking the Tenet soundtracks sounds a bit better in 24bit...

 

[Adam D]

Oh yes, today is the big tier normalisation day.

I will have a listen to it later.

 

[Paraheadache]

Mine has automatically changed to max in settings

 

[serendipitydawg]

I'm using the Tidal desktop app. Any hints as how to search for hi-res would be much appreciated.

 

[kristoffer]

Search for 192kz - There are some playlists.

 

[Peter Stockwell]

Firstly, not everyone gets much added value from hi-res files - personally I think anything above CD quality is pretty much a waste, but YMMV.

Qobuz has the buy option, somehow I can't ge over wanting to "own" the music I listen to, that's not so I don't stream at all, so the "Sublime" tier from Qobuz offers a substantial discount in HiRes downloads, even if you only need/want the CD quality. I've never tried tidal, and the last time I looked, but 11€ bings it cheaper than Qobuz @ 15€ per month, unless you opt for the annual payment. Hmmm, maybe a trial is useful here.

 

[serendipitydawg]

Search for 192kz - There are some playlists.

Thanks !

 

[krenzler]

Has all MQA files been replaced with hi-res by now or is there still some ways to go before they've been through the whole library?

 

[kristoffer]

Unfortunately not everything has been replaced. I still come across MQA from time to time.

 

[speed]

Please note that if you have EVER had any sort of free trial with Tidal you will not get the 30 days free they are offering!!

Same as Apple then If you bought an iPad in 2018 and took an offer, Then you can't use an offer ever again