![]() ![]() ![]() Sound quality is top-notch and when it comes to resolution and bit rate, Apple Music's "lossless" delivers full “CD-quality” at 16-bit/44.1kHz and up to 24-bit/192kHz for true Hi-Res Audio. This all points to big benefits for quality-audio consumers who are reaping the audio rewards along with Apple's spatial audio advances on some content, which help to make it the biggest rival to Spotify right now and better value than a Spotify Premium subscription. Existing subscribers suddenly had access to high quality music streams without needing to lift a finger. Another reason to ditch spotify comes with the news that Apple music now has over 100 million songs available. In a more recent surprise move, Apple Music upgraded its audio quality output from compressed lo-res audio files to full CD-quality music files as a bare minimum, with little fanfare and no extra charge. Starting out as the iTunes downloads platform, it morphed (as consumer listening and buying habits changed) into the Apple Music streaming giant we have now. Hi-res content won't play on Windows desktopsĪpple has made a impressive journey to the digital music steaming service it is today. Plus, if you’re at all bothered about artist remuneration, subscribers to Tidal HiFi Plus can take comfort in the knowledge that almost 10% of their subscription fee is shared between the artists you listen to the most.įind out how Tidal compares in our full Tidal vs. You don’t need to be an audiophile or spend a fortune on headphones to hear the benefit, you just have to listen. If, however, you have a compatible system that can realize the full resolution of a Tidal Masters file, you'll will be rewarded with a rich and detailed presentation that's worth the extra outlay. Sound quality is pure musical pleasure no matter what you listen on. Tidal streams at a CD-quality 1411kbps on its HiFi tier, while a HiFi Plus subscription gives access to content mastered in Sony 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos spatial audio, plus millions of true high-resolution audio tracks known as Tidal Masters that use MQA technology to stream at a giddy 9216kbps. Its HiFi and HiFi Plus packages are mostly differentiated by audio quality. While Tidal recently introduced a free subscription option called (unsurprisingly) Tidal Free, offering 160kbps streams of its entire music catalog with “limited interruptions,” the perks of the music streaming service lie elsewhere. If it’s the music that primarily concerns you, and you’re prepared to pay to listen to it, there’s only one place to put your subscription money - and that’s Tidal. Only the lack of full hi-res support with Windows desktops may limit its appeal for some users. It's great value, has a large library ( now over 100 million), and the excellent and easy-to-use interface gives it further appeal. It also supports artists through its transparent remuneration policy.Īpple Music is also priced at $9.99 per month but offers full CD-quality streams as well as hi-res and spatial audio content. Tidal has an extensive music library, wide platform support, and it sounds great. What are the best music streaming services?Īt the top of our list of the best music streaming services, Tidal gets the balance right with a HiFi tier offering CD-quality sound (16-bit/44.1kHz) and costs $9.99 per month, and a HiFi Plus tier that adds Master Quality audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz), Dolby Atmos, and Sony 360 Reality Audio content for $19.99 per month. ![]() I've had hands-on experience with the majority of music streaming services around today, and am ideally placed to highlight the pros and cons for each service. As a consumer tech editor and a hi-fi hobbyist, I care a lot about user experience, sound quality, and value for money. ![]()
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