[a-LeXx]

You can set the streaming quality to HD/Ultra HD Only.

Unfortunatelly not, not on the iOS app. Initially I was also thinking that wold work, but the setting applies for cellular data only. It‘s clearly stated that on WiFi, the app would auto-rate depending on a connection quality, and there is no option to force it to stay e.g. at a highest rate. That‘s a real problem, forcing me to download everything. I already made lots of experiments and I see that no matter how good my WiFi is, from time to time this app would fall back to 128kbps, which is even worse than normal SD at 256kbps...
Those app developers probably have no idea on what they are doing, no interest whatsoever in hifi music. They don‘t have a slightest clue that what works good for video (there, it‘s better to have a bit more blocking artifacts because of reduced data rate than frame drop-outs) is absolutely unacceptable for hifi audio, and they should instead just implement longer buffers...

 

[a-LeXx]

Unfortunatelly not, not on the iOS app. Initially I was also thinking that wold work, but the setting applies for cellular data only. It‘s clearly stated that on WiFi, the app would auto-rate depending on a connection quality, and there is no option to force it to stay e.g. at a highest rate. That‘s a real problem, forcing me to download everything. I already made lots of experiments and I see that no matter how good my WiFi is, from time to time this app would fall back to 128kbps, which is even worse than normal SD at 256kbps...
Those app developers probably have no idea on what they are doing, no interest whatsoever in hifi music. They don‘t have a slightest clue that what works good for video (there, it‘s better to have a bit more blocking artifacts because of reduced data rate than frame drop-outs) is absolutely unacceptable for hifi audio, and they should instead just implement longer buffers...

It‘s in German, but easy to understand. Above, in the WLAN (WiFi) section, there is nothing to select. There is only an explanation, that the app would select an appropriate data rate based on a WiFi signal quality, dynamically.

Below that, there is another section for Mobile Daten (cellular in German), where you can indeed hardcode it to best quality. But unfortunately, this has 0 effect on a playback via WiFi, I ran multiple test to validate it... It would always start with a best quality, but then, in a middle of the track, fall back to the lowest quality possible. Without any real reason for that, as my WiFi coverage is good enough to play multiple HD Video streams simultaneously, and here we are talking about Audio-only...

This might be another bug, maybe they will fix it as well later... But currently, only downloading works reliably...

 

[grokit]

I dont think anyone should have to do this.

This is my feeling as well, even though I don't typically listen with a mobile device.

I want to use my streaming service as my very favorite radio station. This means discovering new music with random playlists etc, where downloading 1st would interrupt my listening flow. I do like Amazon's Ultra HD playlist for that, as it includes certain genres that I probably wouldn't otherwise seek out. It seems like they are improving as they go along, almost like it's still in beta.

I need to try Qobuz and Roon soon; when I do Ultra HD and MQA may both be heading for the virtual wastebin. But for now I'll keep playing around with Amazon and Tidal, at least until Amazon starts charging me then I'll have to choose. When I have more time to listen, and to get back into curating my own digital library (2 moves in the last 2 years, surgery upcoming), I will pit the victor against Qobuz and Roon.

edit: I have no idea about Roon's compatibility with any of the streaming services. I also don't know how Roon will do against Apple's new Music software, so that's another fun comparison to look forward to.

 

[originalsnuffy]

I get a kick out of all the love that MQA gets. Probably sounds fine but it does in fact involve some lossy compression whereas flat out 24 bit old school PCM for hi res is uncompressed.

I have been playing this from my iphone to a portable DAP (used in DAC mode) and everything sounds just fine to me. I know there is this brittle theory going on here but I suspect it is related to the DAC in phones etc. and not the music source itself.

My key beef at this point is that every so often I will encounter a track that probably did not download properly and causes glitches in the app. It seems that the same songs continue to be problems even if removed and put back in; so the source files probably have problems. One example for me is the alternate version of I Want You (She's So Heavy) in HD from the Abbey Road 50th release.

 

[hifi80sman]

Unfortunatelly not, not on the iOS app. Initially I was also thinking that wold work, but the setting applies for cellular data only. It‘s clearly stated that on WiFi, the app would auto-rate depending on a connection quality, and there is no option to force it to stay e.g. at a highest rate. That‘s a real problem, forcing me to download everything. I already made lots of experiments and I see that no matter how good my WiFi is, from time to time this app would fall back to 128kbps, which is even worse than normal SD at 256kbps...
Those app developers probably have no idea on what they are doing, no interest whatsoever in hifi music. They don‘t have a slightest clue that what works good for video (there, it‘s better to have a bit more blocking artifacts because of reduced data rate than frame drop-outs) is absolutely unacceptable for hifi audio, and they should instead just implement longer buffers...

Gotcha.

Yes, it would be nice if they fixed that, however, I personally have not had any issues with either the mobile or WiFi setting, but obviously that's person to person, so it would be good to include it in the app for WiFi specifically. The fact that you're getting 128kbps or 256kbps on what I assume is your home WiFi, then something's amiss. From what I've read, Germany's internet service should be good, so it may actually be Amazon's servers that are overloaded.

 

[Brava210]

I get a kick out of all the love that MQA gets. Probably sounds fine but it does in fact involve some lossy compression whereas flat out 24 bit old school PCM for hi res is uncompressed.

I have been playing this from my iphone to a portable DAP (used in DAC mode) and everything sounds just fine to me. I know there is this brittle theory going on here but I suspect it is related to the DAC in phones etc. and not the music source itself.

My key beef at this point is that every so often I will encounter a track that probably did not download properly and causes glitches in the app. It seems that the same songs continue to be problems even if removed and put back in; so the source files probably have problems. One example for me is the alternate version of I Want You (She's So Heavy) in HD from the Abbey Road 50th release.

I listen through an LG V40 with a decent DAC.
Amazon HD sounds sub standard.
I have a few faviurite albums which i am very familiar with. These sound very strange through Amazon not so through Tidal.

 

[a-LeXx]

Gotcha.

Yes, it would be nice if they fixed that, however, I personally have not had any issues with either the mobile or WiFi setting, but obviously that's person to person, so it would be good to include it in the app for WiFi specifically. The fact that you're getting 128kbps or 256kbps on what I assume is your home WiFi, then something's amiss. From what I've read, Germany's internet service should be good, so it may actually be Amazon's servers that are overloaded.

That‘s not a problem of my WiFi. I have 50mbps internet connection and full WiFi coverage at my home. When I download an album, it‘s getting downloaded in no time. But when I stream, the behavior I described happens. And this is only this amazon app. Never had any problems neither with Qobuz nor with Tidal when playing HiRes content.
Maybe it happens in your setup as well, but you just do not notice. The yellow badge, saying it‘s Ultra HD, would not change, but I perceive sudden changes in SQ, and after I click on a badge, I see the reproduction quality changed to Standard instead of HiRes. Then, sometimes after few seconds, sometimes never, the quality starts to climb up again, usually first to 24/48, then to 24/96...

 

[Soundizer]

Do you have Loudness Normalization turned on?

No i don’t and my music is downloaded at ultra hd. 75mb download wi fi speed.

 

[Soundizer]

Apparently there was an update a few days ago on BlueOS devices which integrates Amazon Music HD. The update as I understand has now addressed the frequency so correctly addressed these issues and no longer upsamples.

Perhaps then this is indicative that Amazon could potentially fix this upsampling issue on other devices.

 

[hifi80sman]

That‘s not a problem of my WiFi. I have 50mbps internet connection and full WiFi coverage at my home. When I download an album, it‘s getting downloaded in no time. But when I stream, the behavior I described happens. And this is only this amazon app. Never had any problems neither with Qobuz nor with Tidal when playing HiRes content.
Maybe it happens in your setup as well, but you just do not notice. The yellow badge, saying it‘s Ultra HD, would not change, but I perceive sudden changes in SQ, and after I click on a badge, I see the reproduction quality changed to Standard instead of HiRes. Then, sometimes after few seconds, sometimes never, the quality starts to climb up again, usually first to 24/48, then to 24/96...

Fortunately for me, I've had none of those issues. So far, so good.

 

[maxwillis]

Does amazon music keep stopping on A&K players? Or does it run fine in the background when you turn the screen off?

 

[Brava210]

 

[RickB]

Mysteriously, the Mac Amazon Music app suddenly stopped providing bit and sample rate information for each track played, making it impossible to make adjustments in the Audio Midi Setup. Since I only listen to albums, making this adjustment manually wasn't too onerous. Now Amazon makes it impossible to even do that.

I did try restarting the app several times, and then I rebooted the Mac. Still not showing bit/sample rate information. This makes the service useless to me and I cancelled.

Like has been said countless times before in this thread, Amazon is clueless about what audiophiles want.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Was there app update? Hope they don't follow Deezer steps that removed info on streamed material quality.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Android app was just updated. Bitrate is still there.