New updates on Tidal have seen its library expand to include six million tracks now available in hi-res FLAC format. This upgrade was first mentioned by Tidal's CEO, Jesse Dorogusker, during an AMA (ask me anything) on Reddit, which highlighted the company's plans for enhancing the listening experience for HiFi Plus subscribers.
Tidal's commitment to improving its service quality reflects positively in the competitive music streaming market, where promises of superior audio quality, such as Spotify's HiFi tier, are still yet to be actualized.
In keeping to its commitment, Tidal not only retains its MQA playlist, despite the recent complications in administration, but also allows its hi-res FLAC streams to be enjoyed alongside the MQA hi-res streams.
Opinion: The Upside of Delivering High-Audio Quality Without Price Inflation
The Tidal HiFi iOS app update now supplies more FriendLy Audio Codec (FLAC) tracks, making it more appealing to the novice audiophile. As FLAC files are prevalent and more versatile than MQA files which require an MQA-compatible hi-res audio player for full enjoyment, Tidal's hi-res offering is now within reach of a broader listener base.
The new rollout, with its visual and verbal tweaks, is available to all platforms in an updated app format. Tidal has redesigned its audio quality levels by replacing “Masters” with “Max” for iOS users and “HiRes” for users seeking files of CD superior quality.
The redefined audio quality levels in Tidal's library include:
- “Max” – Offers high fidelity lossless audio up to 24-bit / 192kHz with HiRes FLAC and Master Quality Authenticated audio (MQA)
- “High” – Offers lossless audio with FLAC (16-bit / 44.1kHz)
- “Low (up to 320kbps)” – Affords the listener the music they love while using less data with compressed AAC files, which max out on Spotify.
Teaming up superior sound quality with competitive pricing makes Tidal exceptional among popular music streaming platforms. While it's trailing behind Spotify and Apple Music in terms of sociable features, Tidal ups the ante with its Live social music streaming feature, which allows proactive DJing and music sharing.
Notably, Tidal has managed to keep its HiFi Plus subscription prices constant, where counterparts like Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, Deezer, and Spotify have recently bumped up their prices. Tidal's commitment to delivering high-quality audio at zero extra cost deserves commendable recognition.
Exploring the Best Music Streaming Platforms: 7 Game-Changing Insights from a One-Month Experiment
After conducting a one-month experiment exploring the best music streaming platforms, several game-changing insights emerged. Firstly, it became clear that the user interface and ease of navigation are crucial factors in determining the overall user experience. Platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music excelled in this regard, offering intuitive interfaces and personalized recommendations. Additionally, the quality of the audio streaming was a significant consideration, with Tidal standing out for its high-definition audio options. Moreover, the availability of exclusive content and features, such as podcasts and artist collaborations, played a key role in distinguishing platforms from one another. Overall, the experiment highlighted the importance of considering a variety of factors, from audio quality to content selection, when choosing the best music streaming platform for individual preferences and needs.
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