Tidal now offers HiFi at $10/month for HiFi!


​I’m not connected with Tidal in any way. Just wanted to pass this on.

Tidal now offers HiFi for $10/month for HiFi! :beerchug:

Since 16/44.1 FLAC is all I need/want, that now cuts my Tidal cost in half. It now competes with Apple, Amazon, Qobuz, etc.

Tidal also has a free ad-supported access to their catalogue now with 160kbps.

 

Although Spotify claimed to be offering CD quality this year, it is STILL nowhere to be seen, and somehow I doubt, even if they do, that they will be competitive in price.

 

This thread on Spotify’s forum page goes back almost 8 years with Spotify’s mods interjecting with comments maybe two times in all those years and neither comment was encouraging for offering CD quality upgrades.

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/All-Platforms-Music-HiFi-Quality-Lossless-Streaming-16bit-44/idc-p/5297025#M235738

 

Also, how cool is this for artists:

Direct Artist Payouts:

“Up to 10% of your subscription is directed to the artists you listen to the most.

Fan-Centered RoyaltiesComing in 2022

The artists you stream get paid based on your streaming habits”

 

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Thanks.

$10 - HiFi Quality Sound - Up to 1411 kbps

$20 - Innovative Audio Formats - Up to 9216 kbps - Master Quality audio, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio, and HiFi

Right. You can always upgrade to 9216 kbps, but for my needs 1411 is good enough.


 

Regarding spotify, for those who haven't read this older article in Variety dot com, they have been dragging their heels for a long time.

“Spotify Dismisses Amazon’s High-Definition Audio: ‘It’s Not a Big Differentiator’

Spotify-dismisses-amazon-hd-high-definition-audio

 “We haven’t talked much about [a high-fidelity option],” he said when asked whether the company has plans to launch its own high-definition service. “If you go back and look at it, it’s not really something that’s been a big differentiator among the different services. It’s really about user interface, algorithms, playlists, discoverability and those type of things.” “We think that in terms of what consumers are looking for, it’s not something that’s really resonated.”

Spotify VP and head of investor relations said they are not interested in lossless streaming. 

Spotify doesn’t care about improving their streaming beyond MP3 quality.

https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/spotify-dismisses-amazon-hd-high-definition-audio-1203338841

 

 

I had the $20 for a year level and enjoyed the service but on a laptop without a separate DAC, the SQ wasn't near what I wanted.

Also, how cool is this for artists:

Direct Artist Payouts:

“Up to 10% of your subscription is directed to the artists you listen to the most.

Fan-Centered RoyaltiesComing in 2022

The artists you stream get paid based on your streaming habits”

Your payment only goes towards that with the $20 per month HIFI+, as I read it. I actually just downgraded to the $10 HIFI service. Been using the $20 per month service for at least a couple years, but the new lower tier gives me what I want; I don't need MQA or '3D sound'.

The payouts to artists, which I think is very cool, doesn't seem very clear who would get those direct payments. Seems to infer it may be going to their 'most popular' artists overall. 

I listen to a lot of classical, many with dead conductors, and various orchestras. The way I've read it, I'm not even sure those orchestra's, (even if they are still around), would receive any payment.