Tidal Hi-Fi or Hi-Fi Plus? It's an EASY choice

Summary

In this insightful episode, the host delves into the reasons for subscribing to Tidal's streaming services, despite having accounts with Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud. Highlighting the unique features of Tidal Connect, Rune integration, and superior audio quality, the discussion navigates the merits of Tidal's Hi-Fi and Hi-Fi Plus tiers. Through personal anecdotes and a technical breakdown of audio streaming quality, the host shares his experiences with Tidal, comparing it to other services like Cobas and Apple Music, and concludes with a thoughtful analysis on whether the Hi-Fi Plus tier's higher cost is justified for audiophiles seeking the ultimate listening experience.

Takeaways

• 😊 The video discusses whether to subscribe to Tidal's HiFi or HiFi Plus tier
• 👂 Tidal Connect allows handing off streams from phones to network streamers
• 🎧 Rune's Tidal integration enables discovery through customized playlists
• 🔊 Tidal offers better quality streaming compared to Spotify
• 🔬 High res benefits relate to digital filters, not exceeding human hearing
• 😕 High res differences are subtle with the author's gear
• 💰 HiFi Plus costs much more than HiFi but extra benefits are minor
• 🎼 8% of Tidal's library is available in high res format
• 🤔 Modern remasters often sound worse than original masters
• ❓ The author will compare Tidal to Apple Music in an upcoming video

Q & A

What are the three main reasons the narrator subscribes to Tidal?

The three main reasons are: 1) Tidal Connect allows handing off music streams from phone to hifi system, 2) Integration with the Rune music app, especially the Rune Radio feature, and 3) Higher quality audio streaming compared to Spotify.

What is the difference between Tidal's HiFi and HiFi Plus tiers?

The main difference is that HiFi Plus offers high resolution audio up to 96kHz/24-bit, while HiFi is limited to CD quality 44.1kHz/16-bit. HiFi Plus costs almost double the price of the regular HiFi tier.

Why does the narrator say high resolution audio may not sound much better than CD quality?

He says even with high-end gear, the difference between high-res and CD quality is weaker than the price difference suggests. Also, different masters of the same album can sound more different than switching between high-res and CD quality of the same master.

What percentage of Tidal's catalog is actually available in high resolution format?

The narrator estimates only about 8% of Tidal's 100 million track catalog is actually available in high resolution format on HiFi Plus.

What are the drawbacks of Tidal's Cobalt service?

The main drawbacks are no Cobalt Connect feature similar to Tidal Connect for handing off streams, and more holes/missing content in Cobalt's library compared to Tidal.

What does the narrator say are often issues with modern remasters of classic albums?

He says modern remasters can often sound worse than the original masters, and streaming services typically replace the originals with the remasters once they become available.

What functionality does the narrator highlight with Tidal's integration in the Rune music app?

He highlights the Rune Radio feature which uses AI to keep playing similar music, helping discover new music, once a playlist ends.

Why does the higher audio quality on Tidal focus more on the digital filter rather than exceeding human hearing?

The audible benefits have to do with the placement and slope of the digital filter used, not the frequency content exceeding human hearing range.

What does the narrator say about the video content available on Tidal?

He says Tidal's apps on TV devices like Android TV are 100% focused on music videos and clips, not just music streaming.

What song is the narrator unable to pronounce when talking about discovering new music?

He's unable to pronounce "who are slowly reissuing" when talking about discovering new EPs from a Berlin label.