[Double C]

I know I can download original FLACs from Tidal, and move them from device to device, so I don't need to download them separately on different devices using the Tidal app. Does anyone know if I can do the same on Qobuz or Amazon HD?

How do you do this?

 

[liuj2001]

I don't think you can do that legally. Speaking of keeping Tidal afloat

Edit: Please don't get me wrong: As a Tidal subscriber you are of course doing your part, as long as you don't keep them FLACs after ending your subscription. I still don't think it is legal, though. Personally I do NOT want to risk getting Tidal lawyers on my back.

Yeah, I read the fine lines and am very aware of that. I've no intention to unsubscribe at any time soon. The pandemic keeps everyone at home, and my internet data limit is capped out everyone, this pushes me to seek alternatives other than streaming all the time.

 

[liuj2001]

How do you do this?

Google is your friend Sorry, I think it may be a bit controversial to post instruction here.

 

[Double C]

Google is your friend Sorry, I think it may be a bit controversial to post instruction here.

Gotcha, I thought it was something built in I had missed. Ty

 

[rkw]

I can't help but think that Spotify Hifi is going to have some impact on Tidal in terms of some users dropping Tidal for Spotify.

Of course Spotify HiFi will impact Tidal (and Qobuz). Spotify HiFi will bring an additional choice and more competition. We have already seen the effect of Amazon HD here on Head-Fi, where members discussed choosing between services and some decided to drop Tidal for Amazon. This will also happen with Spotify.

The real competition is between the big three: Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon. This is where Spotify is trying position itself. In comparison, the subscriber numbers for Tidal and Qobuz are in the noise, a roundoff error. They have less than 1% market share and get dumped into "others" category in the charts.

 

[PortableMusic]

i wonder why Primephonic, Qobuz, and Tidal won't all merge together and try to stay afloat that way?

since they are all so small, why not join forces and try to be successful as the high end boutique of streaming services?

 

[MrWalkman]

Yeah, I read the fine lines and am very aware of that. I've no intention to unsubscribe at any time soon. The pandemic keeps everyone at home, and my internet data limit is capped out everyone, this pushes me to seek alternatives other than streaming all the time.

I usually stream to discover new music, and then I get what I like on the SD card of my Sony WM1A.

 

[boxster233]

i wonder why Primephonic, Qobuz, and Tidal won't all merge together and try to stay afloat that way?

since they are all so small, why not join forces and try to be successful as the high end boutique of streaming services?

Different beliefs, strategies, technologies, existing contracts with music industry, who wants to end the boss. So many reasons why companies don’t merge.

 

[PortableMusic]

Different beliefs, strategies, technologies, existing contracts with music industry, who wants to end the boss. So many reasons why companies don’t merge.

it seems highly likely that some form of consolidation is inevitable due to the continued loss and bleeding at these smaller boutique-y streaming services. there can't be that many of them around for too much longer. their owners wouldn't want continued losses ad infinitum!

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Spotify has a free tier and that is where most of their numbers from from. So I doubt how meaningful that pie chart is. Google music? LOL I guess that also counts all the poor victims who used google music on their phones.

There are very few bit perfect or lossless services. Google is not, Deezer is not (unless you have a Bluesound device) last time I looked scamazon was not. Apple is not. Looking at mass market numbers where google and scamazon make it easy to add on if you're already roped into paying for their other things is not very meaningful. The audiophile market has always been a tiny percentage compared to boombox audio. The services doing bit perfect will always have audiophile customers, they don't have to be the biggest or have ten zillion "subscribers" to make their business viable.

 

[bfreedma]

Spotify has a free tier and that is where most of their numbers from from. So I doubt how meaningful that pie chart is. Google music? LOL I guess that also counts all the poor victims who used google music on their phones.

There are very few bit perfect or lossless services. Google is not, Deezer is not (unless you have a Bluesound device) last time I looked scamazon was not. Apple is not. Looking at mass market numbers where google and scamazon make it easy to add on if you're already roped into paying for their other things is not very meaningful. The audiophile market has always been a tiny percentage compared to boombox audio. The services doing bit perfect will always have audiophile customers, they don't have to be the biggest or have ten zillion "subscribers" to make their business viable.

The problem is that none of the current services offering hi-res are anywhere close to being financially viable. The audiophile customer base is far too small to support a streaming service in isolation.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

The problem is that none of the current services offering hi-res are anywhere close to being financially viable. The audiophile customer base is far too small to support a streaming service in isolation.

And yet they've been in business for years. So I have no idea what that statement means.

 

[bfreedma]

And yet they've been in business for years. So I have no idea what that statement means.

They have been supported by initial investment, but that isn’t an endless source of income. Tidal and Qobuz have both been clear that they aren’t profitable and have never been. Neither are showing a rate of growth indicating there is any change to this coming.

They will either need to merge with one of the larger streaming services or will likely disappear in the next 2-4 years. The costs for negotiating and maintaining licensing agreements and underlying infrastructure require more subscribers than just the audiophile community.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

They have been supported by initial investment, but that isn’t an endless source of income. Tidal and Qobuz have both been clear that they aren’t profitable and have never been. Neither are showing a rate of growth indicating there is any change to this coming.

They will either need to merge with one of the larger streaming services or will likely disappear in the next 2-4 years. The costs for negotiating and maintaining licensing agreements and underlying infrastructure require more subscribers than just the audiophile community.

I don't find the FUD compelling. What happens happens. Until then all we can see from the outside is they continue to work fine. Nobody should be ditching their CDs or albums though.

 

[bfreedma]

I don't find the FUD compelling. What happens happens. Until then all we can see from the outside is they continue to work fine. Nobody should be ditching their CDs or albums though.

How is quoting market share and public financial statements FUD? I want the hi-res services to succeed, but they live under the same p&l constraints that any other business does.