Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,052
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 9, 2019 10:08:58 GMT
a few days back, i accidentally paid for Tidal believing i had signed up to their 120 day trial for £1.99.
That aside, i thought i'd give it a fair crack of the whip and see what it offered.
The first issue i felt needed addressing was the fact i cant use it with Volumio without paying. I was only trialling this for a month so decided against paying for Volumios plug in, plus the new versions of Volumio don't play well with my version of JRiver in my experience, so i did not want to mess up my normal settings.
I downloaded BubbleUPNP and streamed a few albums but i have to say, the disconnection between the rather slick interface of Tidal on the Laptop, due to having to use bubble entirely put me off.
Whilst it works, i cant browse anywhere near as easily as i can via the Laptop, but i need Bubble to make it work. Hmm, it isn't good.
Next up SQ,
I listened to a lot of music and whilst i can't fault it in it's entirety, i think the SQ is better off my NAS, Via Jriver. I played a few albums like-for-like and i dont know why but i preferred the NAS driven tracks. I am fully willing to accept that it may just be a familiarity to the processing of the software but hey, that's just how it is!
So how about the well used line of "it's great for discovering new music!"
Well again, i use Youtube for this reason and yes, whilst i found a couple of albums (now on the way on CD to be ripped) i thought would be welcome additions, i actually found browsing Tidal via Bubble impossibly clunky and prohibitive.
Today, i cancelled the subscription.
I just cant reconcile spending £20 a month for something i'll never own.
Anyone have any beter experiences with it?
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Post by antonio on Dec 9, 2019 10:45:38 GMT
We love Tidal via Roon. Yes I know Roon is expensive but it is so quick and easy compared to the dCS app we were using before. Although we listen to our own library we also add Tidal to it as well so as not forget those albums.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,052
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 9, 2019 11:16:52 GMT
We love Tidal via Roon. Yes I know Roon is expensive but it is so quick and easy compared to the dCS app we were using before. Although we listen to our own library we also add Tidal to it as well so as not forget those albums. I did think that to get the best out of it that you'd need to really invest in the surrounding peripherals. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 13:57:35 GMT
It's Sh#t.....To the OPs Q.
Try Vinyl.!!!
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,052
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 9, 2019 13:58:37 GMT
It's Sh#t.....To the OPs Q. Try Vinyl.!!! Yes, yes, we all know about vinyl. Have you tried any streaming services? |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 14:00:12 GMT
Why the Fuk would I want to try a lesser format.......?
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,052
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 9, 2019 14:11:37 GMT
Why the Fuk would I want to try a lesser format.......? There are many people who would disagree with that statement. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2019 14:20:43 GMT
And many people who would endorce it....!!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2019 0:38:05 GMT
I’ve had Tidal since late 2016 and it’s opened up a massive world of music that I’d never have heard without it and once I find music I like I buy the record.
If a new record comes out that I think I might like I listen to it first on Tidal and so have avoided buying lots of duff LP’s.
It’s also very good for background music.
As for sound quality I’ve used it with a variety of quite expensive streamers and DACs and it’s just about up to CD quality but CD rips for some reason played from a USB drive always sound better.
I’d only use it for the above reasons and never for primary listening for that I always play a record but for me because of all of the above it’s worth the £20 a month.
It is though a pain in the arse to use with Pi based streamers like the Pecan all that Bubble Upnp and Volumio is just to clunky.
Also my Mrs loves it which is a massive bonus trying to teach her to use it via Volumio was a huge ball ache. If there was a Pi based streamer that could actually stream Tidal properly then I’d buy it tomorrow.
Another great feature is that you can download hundreds of LPs and play them when your offline which is great when your traveling or to save your data when your away from WiFi.
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Post by jandl100 on Dec 29, 2019 11:19:31 GMT
I'm 99% internet streaming. Finally managed to kick out vinyl altogether 2 or 3 years ago - good riddance. YouTube is always there for me and is a wonderful free resource. At HD rez it sounds just fine. I suspect I could manage OK with just YT for my music. If I had to. But I don't have to. I tend to alternate paid-for streaming services, often dependent on what good deals are going. Currently on TIDAL with its £1.99 for 4 months black friday deal. I stream direct from my laptop - Wireworld USB cable straight to my DAC (via some reclocking and USB/SPDIF widgets). No hassles with Volumio interfaces and all that crap, it just works and sounds great imo. Searches are a doddle, album suggestions are often interesting. The streaming services are just super fantastically wonderful imo. I've used Qobuz, Deezer, Spotify, Primephonic, iDagio (the last 2 classical only), as well as TIDAL. I only used Amazon before it went to a decent level of rez, it sounded awful and I guess that's put me off it - the UI was clunky back then as well. I think I prefer Qobuz overall, with TIDAL a close second. TIDAL is a bit brighter tonally, ime, so some fettling with cables sorts that out. I just love streaming to bits.  |
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Post by antonio on Dec 29, 2019 11:27:22 GMT
In all honesty we couldn't tell the difference between Tidal and Qobuz so stuck with Tidal. We are big fans of Roon, the app is so quick and easy to use, it's the way forward Jerry, you just need a Roon ready streamer. Shame you don't leave a little nearer.
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Post by jandl100 on Dec 29, 2019 11:34:02 GMT
In all honesty we couldn't tell the difference between Tidal and Qobuz so stuck with Tidal. We are big fans of Roon, the app is so quick and easy to use, it's the way forward Jerry, you just need a Roon ready streamer. Why? What I've got both works and sounds great. I've used other people's streaming systems with a variety of interfaces - I prefer mine, and not by a little! |
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Post by antonio on Dec 29, 2019 11:48:53 GMT
If you're happy with what you've got, don't try Roon.  |
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Post by jandl100 on Dec 29, 2019 11:55:05 GMT
Maybe, but on my system the sq differences between TIDAL and Qobuz are quite obvious - both are good but different. Maybe my setup is working better than yours as it's showing differences. We'll never know! |
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Post by macca on Dec 29, 2019 12:19:01 GMT
Lot's of people seem to complain about the interfaces, not just with Tidal but with all of them.
I envisage a future interface where you don a VR headset and enter a virtual 'Music room' where you can walk about and select an album or single by browsing virtual bookshelves. You then virtually walk to the virtual turntable where you put the virtual record on and cue it up. The full tactile experience without all the mucky muck.
Then you sit in the virtual chair and watch the virtual record player play your selection. And because you can see it's a record player you're listening to it will sound like vinyl even though it is just a file! Everyone's problems are solved!
Optional plug-ins will offer additional realism - A virtual cat that will come in and scratch the spines of your most valuable 'records'. A virtual friend who will borrow albums and not bring them back. Or bring them back scratched, warped and with 'skinning-up' marks and stains on the covers. A virtual wife who will come in at random intervals to complain that you should be going to with her to Morrisons, or taking that old mattress to the tip.
Please contact me if you'd like to crowdfund this venture and see it through to (virtual) reality.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2019 13:36:15 GMT
No thanks Macca, I will stick to me vinyl.
I just ♥️ records to bits.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,052
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Post by Bigman80 on Dec 29, 2019 16:09:04 GMT
Lot's of people seem to complain about the interfaces, not just with Tidal but with all of them. I envisage a future interface where you don a VR headset and enter a virtual 'Music room' where you can walk about and select an album or single by browsing virtual bookshelves. You then virtually walk to the virtual turntable where you put the virtual record on and cue it up. The full tactile experience without all the mucky muck. Then you sit in the virtual chair and watch the virtual record player play your selection. And because you can see it's a record player you're listening to it will sound like vinyl even though it is just a file! Everyone's problems are solved! Optional plug-ins will offer additional realism - A virtual cat that will come in and scratch the spines of your most valuable 'records'. A virtual friend who will borrow albums and not bring them back. Or bring them back scratched, warped and with 'skinning-up' marks and stains on the covers. A virtual wife who will come in at random intervals to complain that you should be going to with her to Morrisons, or taking that old mattress to the tip. Please contact me if you'd like to crowdfund this venture and see it through to (virtual) reality. Im in lol |
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