[ScottFree]

  I am so happy!!
 
I just tried Tidal Hifi free offer and I cannot hear a difference with Spotify

. I just saved 10$ per month! 

 
Lucky me... 
 
Seriously, do you REALLY hear a difference ?? I tried Tidal with all my headphones and I found no differences... zero, nada nothing!

 
Personally yes I can hear a difference between lossy and lossless music - Tidal and Tidal HiFi. The best way to describe it is with a lossy codec the music sounds like it is trapped in a bubble that is too small for it and it is straining at the surface but it cannot break through. Lossless (Tidal Hifi) is when the bubble pops. 

 

[Petyot]

  Personally yes I can hear a difference between lossy and lossless music - Tidal and Tidal HiFi. 

 
Good for you!

I still don't 

 

[Ulises]

   
Good for you!

I still don't 

 
For me it's not that the differences are very apparent, but I do get tired of hearing lossy much quicker than lossless. But then again, my source for lossy is Google Music which uses the horrible Mp3 format. So if you're using Apple Music (AAC) or Spotify (vorbis) differences could be less apparent.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

FWIW the difference on Tidal itself is likely not accidental. Comparing Tidal HiFi to Apple/Google/Spotify is more useful. Every time I took Tidal's test I managed to do pretty well, but on my own tests? Nothing.

 

[roggae]

so have we discussed why tidal has multiple copies of some albums listed?  for example many of the Frank Zappa albums.

 

[gefski]

so have we discussed why tidal has multiple copies of some albums listed?  for example many of the Frank Zappa albums.

Sometimes there are multiple releases of an album over the years - remastering and/or bonus tracks, etc.

I did notice a bunch of Joni Mitchell duplicates showing 48k right next to the same album showing 44k. Thought those might be MQA, but don't know since I'm not MQAing.

IMO

 

[sonitus mirus]

   
For me it's not that the differences are very apparent, but I do get tired of hearing lossy much quicker than lossless. But then again, my source for lossy is Google Music which uses the horrible Mp3 format. So if you're using Apple Music (AAC) or Spotify (vorbis) differences could be less apparent.

No issues with Google Music from me, and I've listened all day with most of the major music streaming services on multiple occasions, including Tidal MQA only and their Lossless (HiFi) tracks.  Google uses Lame version 3.98 CBR 320, which is mostly audibly transparent for just about all music.  
 
Can't explain why you would get tired, but it doesn't appear that you fully understand the quality level of mp3, and just how transparent it could be.  It is far from horrible.
 
With my current setup, I was able to successfully pass the Phillips Golden Ear Challenge when it was available.  So my ears and gear is not really the issue.  I was also able to identify a difference in an ABX test between Tidal FLAC and Tidal AAC, and the verifiable results are posted somewhere on Head-Fi, including the test files for anyone to test for themselves.  Now I did make my own test files based on a CD rip of the same Tidal song, and I was unable to hear a difference in an ABX between my own FLAC, the Tidal FLAC, and my own mp3 or AAC.  So whatever Tidal is doing to their AAC lossy files, it is causing a difference that I am able to detect with some music.  Then I extracted the Google Music version of the same song, and again I was unable to hear a difference between the Google file, the Tidal FLAC, my own CD-ripped FLAC, or either my own mp3 or aac file.
 
In fact, I did test several Google Music files with a  FLAC lossless at Red Book or even "HD" (24/96), and I was never able to show a difference with an ABX using Foobar.
 
Sorry you get fatigued, but I really don't think that well-encoded MP3 is any worse than AAC.  There isn't any reliable evidence to suggest otherwise.

 

[Tom Blake]

I have a couple of spots open in my Premium Family membership if anyone is interested. PM me.

 

[ScottFree]

Looks like Tidal has a interface update on iOS. Personally I like it a lot. Definitely easier to navigate for me.

 

[junapalm]

  I have a couple of spots open in my Premium Family membership if anyone is interested. PM me.

Can totally recommend him! The more join, the cheaper is gets!

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Is there any kinda desktop player like Roon that isn't $120 a year and will let me integrate Tidal and my local albums?

 

[eddiek997]

  Is there any kinda desktop player like Roon that isn't $120 a year and will let me integrate Tidal and my local albums?

On a mac, theres Audirvana.

 

[Ulises]

No issues with Google Music from me, and I've listened all day with most of the major music streaming services on multiple occasions, including Tidal MQA only and their Lossless (HiFi) tracks.  Google uses Lame version 3.98 CBR 320, which is mostly audibly transparent for just about all music.  

Can't explain why you would get tired, but it doesn't appear that you fully understand the quality level of mp3, and just how transparent it could be.  It is far from horrible.

With my current setup, I was able to successfully pass the Phillips Golden Ear Challenge when it was available.  So my ears and gear is not really the issue.  I was also able to identify a difference in an ABX test between Tidal FLAC and Tidal AAC, and the verifiable results are posted somewhere on Head-Fi, including the test files for anyone to test for themselves.  Now I did make my own test files based on a CD rip of the same Tidal song, and I was unable to hear a difference in an ABX between my own FLAC, the Tidal FLAC, and my own mp3 or AAC.  So whatever Tidal is doing to their AAC lossy files, it is causing a difference that I am able to detect with some music.  Then I extracted the Google Music version of the same song, and again I was unable to hear a difference between the Google file, the Tidal FLAC, my own CD-ripped FLAC, or either my own mp3 or aac file.

In fact, I did test several Google Music files with a  FLAC lossless at Red Book or even "HD" (24/96), and I was never able to show a difference with an ABX using Foobar.

Sorry you get fatigued, but I really don't think that well-encoded MP3 is any worse than AAC.  There isn't any reliable evidence to suggest otherwise.

To be honest it may be placebo. There's something about MP3 that doesn't feel right. I'm running a Beyerdynamic T5p v1 hooked to a dedicated amp and DAC. Anyhow, I wished GPM offered FLAC

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I 100% believe it's placebo, but it's a placebo I keep ending up giving to myself.

 

[sonitus mirus]

To be honest it may be placebo. There's something about MP3 that doesn't feel right. I'm running a Beyerdynamic T5p v1 hooked to a dedicated amp and DAC. Anyhow, I wished GPM offered FLAC

 
Yes, I wish GPM offered lossless FLAC as well, if only for peace of mind.  At this point though, the convenience of GPM trumps any potential sound quality improvements that might be gained by using Tidal with the Roon ecosystem.  I'm only one person though, and clearly others do not share my opinion on the matter.