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The moment I first fired up Spotify back in 2009 is forever etched into my memory. As someone who had witnessed the era of the Limewire, being granted access to such a colossal assembly of music, with legality and instant access, was beyond mind-boggling.
The Choice Matters
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I hastily put together a playlist of my all-time favorite songs, and rapidly sifted through new releases to assess their worth before deciding to physically own them. I no longer had to throw cash at mediocre albums that sat collecting dust.
Promptly, Roberta from Spotify's persistent spiel convinced me to upgrade to a Premium subscription. From that point on, I substantialized regular monthly payments for nearly about 15 years of loyal service to Spotify. However, the time has come for me to finally switch over to Tidal, and here’s why you should consider it too.
The Superiority of Sound
During my tenure as a What Hi Fi? staff member, sound quality was of paramount importance. As the most pronounced difference between Spotify and Tidal, it should come as no surprise that this stands as one of the core reasons behind my switch.
Moving from Spotify Basic to Spotify Premium was motivated by the appreciable improvement in sound quality rather than the removal of ads. Subscribers’ music is streamed at 320kbps compared to the former's 128kbps. The difference was palpable to my auditory senses, and having experienced superior sound, there was no going back.
However, Spotify's prospects of unveiling a Hi-Fi equivalent remain nebulous despite competition from rivals offering high-fidelity sound. Two years have lapsed amid rumors of Spotify introducing their Hi-Fi—or shall we say, ‘Spotify Supremium'? Yet, we have like-minded audiophiles such as myself longing for an audio quality upgrade. My anticipation turns into disappointment when a potential hi-fi announcement ends up being details about Spotify's new selection of audiobooks. While definitely an intriguing addition, it wasn't what I was expecting.
While Spotify dilly-dallied, Tidal took initiative and invested in quality sound. Launching in 2014, their sound has always been at CD-level quality, with 16-bit/44.1kHz, which was upgraded to high-fidelity 24-bit/192kHz FLAC files in 2023 when MQA bid adieu.
If you're an audiophile sporting premium headphones (ideally connected via aptX HD), you will undoubtedly perceive the nuances of improved sound quality. The differences are further amplified when streaming music via a high-quality speaker equipped with Tidal Connect. Tidal Connect works in a way similar to Spotify Connect, using Wi-Fi to stream content directly from the source, eschewing the limitations of Bluetooth, and propelling the potential of high-resolution tracks to the foreground.
Catering to Music Enthusiasts
Switching platforms no longer poses the risk of losing access to your favorite artists. Spotify may have had the upper hand with numerous exclusives, but odds are, music available on Spotify will be accessible on Tidal as well. With obscure artists and genres enjoying considerable overlap and more than 100 million tracks available on either platform, you're sure to find your musical cravings satiated.
While Spotify may draw you towards their podcasts and audiobooks, Tidal sports its own set of unique features, too, with a strong focus on music. It brings to the table HD music videos and exclusive interviews with artists, while also supporting spatial audio.
Compensating Artists Fairly
Although music streaming made soundtracks accessible to listeners everywhere, the repercussions on royalties for artists cannot be ignored. Needless to say, some platforms handle it better than others. Attesting claims of offering better pay as part of their ‘artist-owned' philosophy, Tidal ensures artists are compensated fairly. Assuming an approximate payout of $0.0125 per stream (around £0.01 / AU$0.018), an artist could earn $12.50 /£10 / AU$18 per 1,000 plays on Tidal, while Spotify would pay about $4.30 /£3.40 / AU$6.40 for the same ($0.0043 / $0.0034 / AU$0.0064 per stream).
Evidently, the industry expects more from Spotify. Maybe their elusive, high-priced hi-fi tier could be the revenue source?
Certainly, parting with Spotify after 15 years is more than just a casual breakup. Spotify has guided me through my musical journey, helping me discover unfamiliar artists. Still, I acknowledge that Spotify now extends beyond its musical attributes. As another audiophile, TechRadar's Al Griffin correctly evaluates, those anticipating Spotify Hi-Fi should “cut the cord.” I concur with Griffin; it's merely a question of the audiophile within me. Unless, of course, a sound-boosting resolution is Spotify's New Year surprise.
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