Music Streaming Services

[Wooster]

Only tried a few and they're fucking terrible, there's not depth.
Apparently the new Amazon Music HD is the dogs bollox (for £13 a month) , I tried it, and it's shit as well.

If you have say, Spotify premium or Amazon HD, fire it up and compare this track against their streams. (Toto: Roseanna)


You have to dig around, and some tracks aren't available, but the difference is night and day at 320kbps...and it's free.

[richietog]

I tend not to listen to music too much today. Nothing against new music. I think my ears need a rest from listening too much

If I do, I tend to use Spotify, no, not the premium version

[[PCF]Falcs]

I have noticed the music you get on amazon prime is pretty pants for quality so i just tend to rip my cd's still like in the old days and get good quality sound!

[keasy]

you really got to combine the source (streaming service) and the material.
There's many a high quality listen on Spotify afaic. 
Spotify is the new Radio1 in terms of suggested tracks. It sounds good on high and bright hardware, so it's good to go.

This may vary for you the listener.

The guitar chords are there, they're hitting the sound you expect them to but, there's little sustain to them, they're washed.

Listen again on Spotify and there's a huge difference if you're on high quality like premium offers.


Can't link that for ya, if you have premium then give it a go. There's an objective difference.
The YT is all on one level too. Not very discernible. The premium Spotify sounds separated with a noticeable sound stage. There is space there that isn't on the standard and YT.

In effect, the YT/standard lofi is just the one messy volume.

[keasy]

Just gave Amazon HD a go and I'm actually quite impressed.
My go to track of Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street is far richer than the standard Amazon Music offering and YT's. On Spotify it's apparent too. Spotify is serving it at 320kbs  compared to the full FLAC of Amazon HD at 16bit  44.1 khz which equates to 1.3 megabits.
I want 24bit and I'm even considering a new upgrade to an SB ae9 souncard that can hit 32bit.

Like I said in my previous post, the material can sometimes out do the source and in this case AmazonHD defo matches the source better than all the rest I've listened to. Would love to give Baker Street a go on TIDAL but my 'supposed' 30 day trial ended after three days. I think there may have been a bandwidth limit to it and I utterly kicked the arse out it!   LOL

[Wooster]

I tried Amazon HD as well, but it just didn't do it for me either...again, it sounded 'clipped'.

My tinnitus is pretty bad at times, so could be affecting a completely different suite of frequencies than yours.

[[PCF]Falcs]

amazon hd is a tenner a month isnt it?

[keasy]

I tried Amazon HD as well, but it just didn't do it for me either...again, it sounded 'clipped'.

My tinnitus is pretty bad at times, so could be affecting a completely different suite of frequencies than yours.

Have you retried it on your new cans?
Have you upped your SC settings from the default W10/W8/W7  to the highest your SC supports?

Have you considered you're using an on-board SC that's a decade and old and is shit. 

[keasy]

amazon hd is a tenner a month isnt it?

I've been trying to figure that out myself.

It seems to be 12 quid but, I can't work out if it's only 15 quids a month for a family membership with six supported devices at one time or if that includes the HD quality or not.

I'm paying 15 buckaroonies a month for a six device premium Spotify family membership.

I'd be happy to quit it and sub to AHD but, like I said the clarity on the payment options is as clear as mud.

[[PCF]Falcs]

seems a tad expensive really just a shame you cant get mp3 players anymore! i am still using my creative Xen 2 which has fab sound quality and the headphones ar ethe best i have ever tried (its over 12 years old now to!)

[keasy]

I reckon 15 quid a month for six people at high bit rate flac quality,unlimited listening,  all above board and legal is a bargain.

[[PCF]Falcs]

yeah thats not to bad for 6 people but there is only me so tad expensive for me plus i do like the cd's so i can listen in the car if you get them from amazon you normally get the digital version to which is good

[Wooster]

Have you retried it on your new cans?
Have you upped your SC settings from the default W10/W8/W7  to the highest your SC supports?

Have you considered you're using an on-board SC that's a decade and old and is shit. 

Yes (also wired on the old cans)
New cans are BT, so the SC doesn't come into play.

[keasy]

I'm trying to get Amazon Music to work on my Stereo network receiver, it's not supported via the the mobile app which isn't so good.
It does however support Alexa, meaning I can then buy an Amazon Dot to control it by. That only supports up to CD quality though, which is good but I'd like that SACD quality. For that I just have to stick with 'traditional' downloads and DLNA. So, meh, I don't know. It's a bit of a faffy work a round.