I have been with Tidal from the first day it was available here in the US. Up until a few days ago, I could only listen through my tablet or computer.
I have a Squeezebox Duet and ickstream finally opened up their service to beta testers. I had a few problems with the Duet working initially, but have been able to at least try Tidal on my main system.
I am still getting a few dropouts, but ickstream says they are working on corrections.
So far, I really like Tidal. It is WAY more open and throws a much nicer soundstage than any of the "lossy" providers. I have tried Spotify, Rhapsody, Beats, and MOG, (I really miss MOG).
I am only hoping that ickstream can get things working perfectly. If not, I might consider switching to Sonos, once they have Tidal on the device, (it's been sent to Sonos, but Sonos apparently has to "lab test" it before they release it to their units). |
Mofi I have been using Tidal through a Bluesound Node and I love it |
Evank...is Tidal an App on the Bluesound Node, or do you
have to do what us poor Squeezebox users have it and jury
rig it to make it work?
The Bluesound was the other unit I was looking at.
I should add that ickstream just released a new version
early this afternoon with a few "fixes" for initial problems
that were reported.
So far, I've played two complete albums with NO dropouts...a
first for me. So I am hoping that they got most of the bugs
worked out. Fingers crossed... |
It's an app on the Bluesound and the built in DAC is very good |
Can the OPPO 103D stream Tidal if Ethernet hard-wired? |
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Tidal will be a boon to audiophiles. However, will the unwashed non-hifi masses pony up twenty bucks to listen to the radio? For ten bucks a month, Rhapsody and Pandora quality is more than good enough sound quality for most. I just don't see a guy with a Best Buy receiver-based system paying $20 per month. I can't see the earbud iPhone-iPod guy paying $20 per month.
The $20 question is, are there enough audiophiles for Tidal to survive?
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Mitch...you're probably right. Hopefully Tidal will be just the shot in the arm that audiophiles need and will support.
Time, (and money) will tell.
I'm sure enjoying it now that everything is working like it should. |
I own both Bryston BDP-2 music server and BDA-2 DAC. Does anyone know how to stream Tidal to BDP-2? Is it via Manic Moose web-based app? |
I liked the demo I heard of Tidal, but most audiophile music streamers don't seem to support it yet. I have heard that Aurender is working to provide access to Tidal through their servers. That said, I would welcome the chance to hear new music that is well-recorded with good resolution. That's what this hobby should be about. It's a shame that it is easier to "surf" for new music using an iPod than using a megabuck stereo system.
True, I can't see paying $20 a month to hear Tidal yet, but think it has a lot of potential, especially if they widen the accessibility and iron out the bugs quickly. If bugs persist, bad word of mouth will hit a tipping point and it will likely fail.
The PS Audio Bridge and the Auralic Aries, although streaming hardware rather than streaming software, should serve as cautionary tales. I have looked at the endless threads about the bugs of both products, and can't see why anyone would buy or subscribe to a product that involves so much potential aggravation. Not surprising that the Bridge has disappeared into the ether and Paul McGowan is saying his team reinvented the wheel yet again, this time with the Direct Stream DAC (of course, after you break it in for a few thousand hours.).
Bottom line: I hope Tidal succeeds quickly, because time is not on its side. |
Sorry, but I need to clarify some of my comments.
Tidal itself has been perfect. I signed up on the first day that they were available here in the states. Tidal has worked fine on my laptop and tablet.
The reason I decided to try Tidal was because I had heard that someone was working on a plug-in for the Squeezebox devices. Since Logitech completely abandoned all of it's Squeezebox users, we have had to count on these 3rd parties to help us out.
ickstream is that 3rd party. They just launched the beta this last Friday (11/14/14). It's only taken these last few days for them to respond to the problems and try to fix them. I have the UTMOST respect for ickstream. They have been GREAT and very, very reactive to what was happening. Without them all of us Squeezebox users would be screwed.
Also, ickstream will work with Deezer, Qobuz and a few other services.
Overall, I consider us very lucky to have this available and indeed hope that it continues to work well. |
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Implementation is everything in this case. If Tidal can get this thing right, it would be the final nail in the coffin for any type of disc music.
Killer implementation and a comprehensive database of music would make Tidal the new 800 lb gorilla of the music world. I hope they have enough start-up money to get a serious all-encompassing music library. If the library has too many holes, or if the implentation is wonky...it won't fly. Sure the die-hard audiophiles will bite, but that's not where the money is. The real money is with Ordinary Joe with the ordinary music system. Getting them to subscribe is the key. Audiophiles have long been waiting for something like this and are ready to jump if it's the real thing.
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A data point on the depth of Tidal's catalog: I have recorded as a bass player in a studio precisely once, for a holiday compilation album of North Carolina bands. That track is on Tidal. Enter "Three Ships First Noel" in the search box to hear our track, recorded on a vintage analog tape console.
If everyone on A'gon listens to it, I'll get paid three thousandths of a cent. ;-) |
I have used Tidal from day one here in US. Some problems with drop outs early, first few days. No problems since. I use Tidal daily on two systems and never have a problem.
One of the issues with streaming is the idea that free access will destroy the world. Hmmm. Think of the heyday's for recording artists, when gold records, platinum records etc were the talk of the town. Record stores were everywhere and people bought records, cassettes and then CD's by the millions. AND, music was free everywhere. Streamed on something called a RADIO. I never paid for listening to a radio, I just endured ads. Radio stations didn't pay artists to play their music. Artists, ( record labels ) paid the radio stations ( pay for play ). This way people heard about your music, album etc. So, in addition to getting paid three thousandths of a cent, some people who have never heard of you might buy the CD, download etc. I think that if we make music available and make it easy for people to purchase what they want at a higher quality we can have our cake and eat it too. |
Lateboomer, I'm streaming TIDAL from my ipad to by BDP-2 via sharepplay. Works great.
Steve |
Hi Davt, I enjoyed reading your post, I believe it sums it up!, I agree with you, all the streaming services should go the way of the radio as you clearly explained why, this method never failed for everyone to make money, why would it fail with streaming services? |
I was excited about Tidal, and signed up on the first day. Since there is no ap yet for Sonos, I was streaming it from my Mac Mini music server into my Metrum Hex. I was disappointed in the sound quality, even compared to Spotify and Beats, both of which I also have. I assume something was not optimized, but I don't know what...
This was a pain, as I usually just stream from my Sonos unit to my dac, without need to turn on my Mac. When Sonos released the Deezer ap, I signed up, also on the first day. It has the same CD quality content as Tidal, is only $10/month if you sign up for a year, a VERY deep library (at least for me), and has a great interface.
Call me a happy camper now. |
Dave...I'd love to try Deezer, but that is only available here in the states to Sonos users. I've given them my email address, (twice) for early admission, but haven't ever heard anything back.
Tidal sounds wonderful on my system, much better than Spotify or Beats or Rhapsody. Must be an interface thing? |
Sorry, Davt, your rationalizations for appropriating intellectual property don't fly. Besides the questionable ethics, they are false. music was free everywhere. Streamed on something called a RADIO. I never paid for listening to a radio, I just endured ads. You did pay for the music you heard on the radio. The cost of the ads that supported the medium were rolled into the cost of the products. Radio stations didn't pay artists to play their music. Artists were, and continue to be, paid royalties for their work that is played on the radio through entities called performance rights organizations such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. I don't have any data to back up my suspicion, but I believe that one of the reasons that tickets to live performances for popular music have become so outrageously expensive is that since they are no longer paid much of anything for their recorded content, they are making up the lost income in other ways. Me, I'd rather pay $10 for recorded content and $25 for a live show than get the recorded content for free and pay $100 for the live show. I assume you get paid for your work and musicians deserve to get paid for theirs. |
I currently have a subscription to Rdio (320kpbs) and have been trying out Tidal for the past month or so. In the past I've used Rhapsody.
Sound quality of Tidal is clearly superior to Rdio. That's the only pro.
Interface is antiquated and sluggish, discovery is nearly non-existent, social element is non-existent. Catalog isn't very deep. Mobile app is terrible.
I think they should have pushed the launch to shore up more label deals and roll out something more competitive. It doesn't look like anyone would have beat them to market with the "hi-res" streaming claim anyways.
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Dbarger - I also thought something sounded off with Tidal the first time I played it with the Mac application. I didn't hear an improvement over premium Spotify. I opened audio midi and found the sampling rate was set for 48kHz. When I changed that to 44.1kHz, it sounded much better. Hope this helps others who have been underwhelmed with Tidal on their Mac.
Deezer sounds like a great alternative, but I don't have Sonos. |
i've been using tidal as per cymbop's suggestion. pretty satisfied. some music i like is not available but not a major swath. now i just need to upgrade my dac. suggestions? currently using a vdac. |
In response to the comment above about setting the sampling rate to 44.1, this raises a question for me: I'm planning to get a Sonos Connect box to stream Tidal (or possibly Deezer Elite). I am planning to either get the Wyred4Sound modified Sonos unit, or use Empirical Audio's Synchro-Mesh with a stock Sonos unit to help with jitter from Sonos. Either route enables me to select a sampling rate up to 96 kHz (which is usually recommended). I am wondering if, given that Tidal is 44.1, if I should actually select that sampling rate for the Wyred4Sound modified Sonos or with the settings for the Synchro-Mesh clocking device. My DAC, by the way, is the Bryston BDA-1. And I am not planning on using Sonos for much else besides streaming lossless cd quality. Any idea what I should do? thanks! Margot |
Been listening to Tidal all day and its great! $19.99 and loads (LOADS! - there is ALOT there!)of music and LOSSLESS. The web player doesnt sound as good as JRiver (to my little crooked ears) but just the first day so no tweaking settings yet. A pure internet streamer (homebuild) player on its way for me so I can start tweaking this. |
Are there any streamers that have an app for Tidal yet? I have been looking and cannot find any. I am using Sonos righ now, and satisfied with it, but would like to add a Tidal option without having to fire up my Mac. Preferably just a streamer without a dac as I use my hex, but I haven't found any such device either...
I think there may be a Squeezebox option but don't really want to go there again as it has been abandoned by Logitech.
I do have Deezer also, but I do like the Tidal catalogue a bit more. |
Bluesound Node has the Tidal player |
Signed up with Tidal yesterday, running the OS X app off my Mac Mini to a Directstream DAC.
I'm impressed. Not quite as good quality as my library, but certainly satisfactory+, and I've already found and heard a wide variety of new music that makes it, in one day, worth the higher price. I can easily forsee buying far fewer CDs, save for those special ones you just have to have.
I hope they don't crash... The discovery makes it fun to listen, explore, and try new things. |
Just got an Auralic Aries which works with Tidal and sounds night and day better than the Mac Mini it replaced, not even close.
"The ARIES serves as a bridge between music files on network storage or high quality online streaming services and the consumers DAC enabling DACs for the first time to stream high-resolution music quickly and wirelessly in virtually any sampling rate, including DSD, Double-Rate DSD and DXD." |
Totally agree on buying less CD's. That is a win - win. |
Yes, the Aries is the type of device I am looking for. Are there any other similar devices out there? Less expensive would be great. |
Eastein, that's great to know. I've had my eye on the Aries in case my Touch ever blows up.
Lately I've been living like this: 1) Peruse the Music Direct and Acoustic Sounds LP catalogs with a highlighter in hand. 2) Mark all the titles I would have Santa Claus bring be if Santa could bring me unlimited amounts of albums. 3) Listen in lossless on TIDAL. |
Cymbop, hard to beat nearly unlimited access to lossless music. Aries makes it convenient to access and sound it's best. I really like this combination. |
I was told by a Auralic dealer in Indiana that one must buy an iPhone or an iPad to utilize the entire system. I have thought about getting an Aries with the Tidal service. I own a P S DirectStream DAC already ! |
Yes, you need an iPad to run the auralic lightening ds application which configures the Aries and then is how you select music. Apparently other devices will be coming soon though. |
Will I be able to control the volume on Tidal from my ipad? |
