Amazon launches Music HD with lossless streaming

[Polky74]

In my opinion, Amazon slept soundly as long as Qobuz and Tidal had higher prices... but now thanks to the new tariffs especially from Tidal (at least for us audiophiles) the situation changes. In fact, for me, after moving from Amazon to Qobuz, the next step will certainly be to arrive at Tidal.

 

[rjacko01]

Windows to SMSL results in a non bit perfect result, it just reports what is being sent from the PC, can't see that changing, but as reported, android base on dedicated streamers can get round it

 

[PlantsmanTX]

I wish that were true. For some godforsaken reason, Amazon decided to label 16 bit/44.1 kHz files "HD," and everything else that's "higher," even when only the bit rate is higher at 24 bits "Ultra HD," which includes 24/44.1, 24/48, 24/96, and 24/192 tracks. In my Windows Amazon app, when a song is playing, I can only see if it's "HD" or "Ultra HD," not the actual bit/sample rate. I have to click on the "HD" or "Ultra HD" sign of the song to open a small window showing the actual original file bit/rate. THEN, I have to open a separate Windows Audio pane to change it manually to match the original file bit/rate.

For whatever reason, I (almost) routinely click the "Ultra HD" button on each track when I'm listening to an album, and they are uniformly 24/96 or 24/48, etc. That hasn't always been the case, but I've observed it enough to be satisfied that it's standard now. In the case of older albums, it's still not unusual for them have a mix of "HD" and "Ultra HD" tracks. I keep the Windows setting at 24/48. I change it every once in a long while when a 24/192 album comes up, just out of curiosity.

 

[PlantsmanTX]

All of this is irrelevant to my original question

You're right, sorry.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

W/r/t windows, any device using the Bluesound streaming software (afaik Lenbrook companies only) bypasses the windows audio stack, tracking the native bit/sample rates automatically, and allowing bit-perfect playback. I have never owned an apple device, but if memory serves, at one point at least its mobile devices also automatically resampled everything. I'm pretty sure that a Mac will automatically playback at the native rate, even with Amazon. But I think your complaint is just as much with Microsoft and Google as with Amazon.

WASAPI exclusive is part of Windows audio stack, and meant for bit-perfect playback bypassing OS mixer. What Microsoft can do if streaming app does not allow selection of this mode or ASIO.
You can lead horse to the water, but you can't make him drink.

E.g. this is Qobuz bit-perfect output selection.

 

[originalsnuffy]

So the solution to my issue with Amazon Music HD on IOS was fixed by deleting the app and reinstalling it. The downside is that my library needs to be downloaded again. However, the DAC once again is seeing above 48khz.

 

[JCworld]

Amazon music is not still available in UAE. Even I'm using Echo Show amazon device but playing music with Apple music....