[RickB]

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

I didn't get any message about a Mac app update.

 

[grokit]

Bitrate info is also currently available on the Mac desktop app.

 

[RickB]

Bitrate info is also currently available on the Mac desktop app.

I didn't see it on mine and I couldn't get it to come back by restarting the app or rebooting the Mac.

 

[grokit]

I didn't see it on mine and I couldn't get it to come back by restarting the app or rebooting the Mac.

I just noticed there's an update available. Let's see...

Okay It's updated. When I click on the 'ultra hd' button, I still get the 'track quality', 'device capability', and 'currently playing at' bitrates in the popup display.
Listening to their Beethoven ultra hd playlist, I'm getting 24 bit / 96 kHz across the board. Sounds pretty good to me

 

[tomwoo]

So disappointed there still isn't exclusive mode in the update

 

[runssical]

As the consensus shifts to Amazon HD being a flop I'm sitting here listening to audio files off my DAP. These streaming services don't seem to check all the boxes for any of us.

 

[a-LeXx]

Well, apart from battery drain and actually broken streaming, I don‘t have much to complain about SQ with Amazon Music HD.
Loaded few hundreds of albums into the iPhone, playing via DFR+Fiio A5 on a HD600 - this is as good as it can get, for me nothing to be desired...

Of course, usability is still an issue. But in exchange they have a huge catalog, price that is close to 50% of what Tidal is asking (with prime membership and yearly payment)... Loading the battery every 5-7 hours is acceptable. As I don‘t stream much anyway, but prefer to listen to full downloaded albums (I actually never even skip a track), it‘s an OK compromise for me for a time being...

 

[grokit]

Well, apart from battery drain and actually broken streaming, I don‘t have much to complain about SQ with Amazon Music HD.
Loaded few hundreds of albums into the iPhone, playing via DFR+Fiio A5 on a HD600 - this is as good as it can get, for me nothing to be desired...

Of course, usability is still an issue. But in exchange they have a huge catalog, price that is close to 50% of what Tidal is asking (with prime membership and yearly payment)... Loading the battery every 5-7 hours is acceptable. As I don‘t stream much anyway, but prefer to listen to full downloaded albums (I actually never even skip a track), it‘s an OK compromise for me for a time being...

That's how I feel as well. I'm going to drop Tidal, and save my personal Amazon vs. Qobuz shootout for when I'm able to devote more time to HD streaming.
I can explore Roon, and I have a neglected digital and vinyl collection of my own that needs tending to in the meantime...

 

[magicalmouse]

I have taken up the 90 day trial and after a week:

1. even when tracks downloaded there is the occasional sd track mixed with the hd/ultra hd on the same album (i've set preferences for hd/ulta hd)

2 the sound quality seems good on the desktop (win10) and is certainly superior to spotify premium by a margin

3 it seems remarkable value with a large catalogue (but still not as complete as spotify for genre music) compared to tidal/quboz

d

 

[Tooros]

1. even when tracks downloaded there is the occasional sd track mixed with the hd/ultra hd on the same album (i've set preferences for hd/ulta hd)

This. This is the thing that’s driving me up the wall. Why? Why, when Tidal (to pick one) can get a licence for an album, can amazon only get it for some tracks within an album?? It baffles me. Another annoying twist on this is that when searching albums, even if the whole thing is in SD bar one track, the app tells you the album is in HD/UHD when only one track is.

 

[Soundizer]

Is there anyway to search specifically for 24bit/96KHz tracks or albums?

At least these will be played at correct KHz without upsampling to my 24bit/96khz Audioquest Cobalt.

 

[a-LeXx]

This. This is the thing that’s driving me up the wall. Why? Why, when Tidal (to pick one) can get a licence for an album, can amazon only get it for some tracks within an album?? It baffles me. Another annoying twist on this is that when searching albums, even if the whole thing is in SD bar one track, the app tells you the album is in HD/UHD when only one track is.

It‘s not like they are only getting a license for 1 track. It‘s just how their database works. They do not store albums, they store tracks. So, if they have the same track from different masters, they store only the highest quality copy.

Now, imagine, there is a standard album that has been taken from an old master, all in SD. And then they license a compilation album, remastered, all tracks in HD. Some tracks of this compilation have the same names and length as the low quality track from the initial full album, so only those higher quality versions are stored, the lower quality versions are deleted.

When you play your original album, you will get the SD quality for all the tracks but for those coming from the compilation album, those tracks would be HD.
Whether this is good or bad - I guess I would prefer that they store full album versions, because remastered tracks can actually sound differently. But I don‘t think this would ever change, as I don‘t believe they would modify the way how they store data...

 

[Andrew_WOT]

I did notice mix of different bitrate tracks, but I really doubt it works as you described, that would be a total chaos. Track from compilation album has different id than the same one from separate release.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/catalog-number-2460354

So my guess that either they are still filling the gaps or this is some technical or licensing issue.

There is also option 'download duplicates', what is it set to?

 

[psikey]

Just signed up for the 90 day trial.

Just tried on my Desktop Media/Gaming rig where I listen at home which has a 24/192 audio capability through a set of KEF LSX speakers which are 24/96 capable.

All sounds great to me.

Currently playing a track and showing:

Track Quality: 24/44.1
Device Capability: 24/192
Currently Playing: 24/44.1

Just listened to a Diana Krall UHD Track (I'm familiar with Tidal MQA version) and sounds just as stunning

Track Quality: 24/96
Device Capability: 24/192
Currently Playing: 24/96

Will try with my LG V30+ and S10+ phones next
​

 

[grokit]

Currently playing a track and showing:

Track Quality: 24/44.1
Device Capability: 24/96
Currently Playing: 24/44.1

That's what I get with redbook tracks as well. No upsampling unless the popup is lying.