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Who has tried "TIDAL" vs other streaming applications?

Hello, I'm new to Audiogon, this is my first posting into Forums.

I enjoy streaming audio from my PC and have been using Spotify for a number of years now (college student discount to premium $5 a month). I just recently stumbled upon a App called TIDAL, that streams Lossless 16/44.1FLAC with their "HI-FI" subscription (Student $10 a month). Since I can queue up Spotify and Tidal at the same time, I was able to do an A/B and used Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. I noticed that TIDAL indeed sounds better to me but am convinced none of my family members could tell a difference. I then did an A/B with TIDAL and the actual Brothers in Arms CD, to my surprise TIDAL sounded scary close, if not just as good as the CD! This is hard for me to believe, I think I'm just trying to justify the extra cost of TIDAL on a crazy tight student budget, maybe its a placebo effect? I need to drop one of the services, but which one? I would appreciate your thoughts please... Thank you!
My system:
PC = Gaming Rig I built myself, using dedicated high quality audio card.
Krell KAV 400xi integrated
Sonus Faber Electa's with Sunfire HRS Sub
Cambridge AZUR 840C CDP/DAC
Luxman T117 Tuner
Sony SCD - C2000ES SACD Player
Kimber Silver Streak throughout  


grm

Showing 8 responses by mofimadness

mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
Anyone on here thinking that streaming Tidal is the same as having 24-192k files fed into a decent DAC has a screw loose.
Tidal has NEVER been associated with 24/192, (except maybe when MQA is talked about).  Tidal is a CD quality (16 bit, 44.1khz) service in a LOSSLESS format. Most of the other services are MP3 (lossy) and sound that way. The MP3 clocks in at 320kbps, Tidal is 1411kbps. Over 4 times the resolution.

If you compare Tidal to the other services (which I have extensive knowledge and experience with), it’s not even close.

I agree with your statement about 24/192’s sound quality, but comparing THAT to Tidal really isn’t fair...


mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
The illuminati here will definitely tell you Tidal is better...vastly better
+100! Tidal’s biggest cheerleader here. Yeah, nice system.

Tidal has a student discount:

https://my.tidal.com/us/account/subscription/offer/student
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
I can't explain it but several times I've compared TIDAL to Redbook CDs I own and TIDAL consistently is as good and in some cases sounds better. When TIDAL offers MQA, game, set & match to TIDAL.
+1

The only people who can say Spotify is superior to Tidal are deaf people.  

+1

mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
I would not spend hard to get $$ on a Tidal subsc. if I was (still) a student 
Tidal actually does a 50% off rate for students.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
Cerrot...you don't need to use ickstream anymore, if you don't want to.  They have added the Tidal app to mysqueezebox.com.

You can just add it right onto your Transporter's menu system.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
Just a quick correction, Tidal is 1411kbps, not 14,400.

I agree with both cerrot and jond, once dialed in, Tidal is vastly superior to any MP3 service.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
The movie "Searching for Sugar man" tells his incredible story. Everyone thought he committed suicide and an investigative reporter started looking for him. His story is wonderful and his music is outstanding. This movie is a must see and so are his albums.
+1 Excellent documentary.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,152 posts
 
Tidal is an awesome service, has an incredible library, and is a pretty good value given how much I listen to it.

+1
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