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Thread: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

  1. #1
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    Default Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    TIDAL is the first to offer master quality streaming (96khz/24bit)(TIDAL.com, 2017). Apparently others are inbound (TheVerge.com, 2017).

    Great reason to have great equipment!

    http://www.theverge.com/2017/1/5/141...res-audio-hifi

    https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/a...-TIDAL-MASTERS
    -Ben

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    Yet another branding exercise that requires you to buy new equipment. It doesn't make sense. I still think this is going to fail just like SACD and DSD did. A good Schiit DAC and Ascend speakers paired with a proper amp is all you need in this world.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    I guess... However, the market population that this is going to appeal to is the population that you, I and the most that peruse this forum belong to. I don't think many of us would need to buy any new equipment to make the most of this new service.
    Last edited by dtsequoia; 01-06-2017 at 10:29 AM.
    -Ben

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    For current Tidal Hi-Fi subscribers there is no change/increase to your account, but you can only access the Master titles via the desktop application. Since I only access Tidal via their iPhone app I would, consequently, have to purchase a laptop to take advantage of this.
    Ed

    * Sierra-2EX's W/V2 crossover upgrade
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    Quote Originally Posted by Mag_Neato View Post
    For current Tidal Hi-Fi subscribers there is no change/increase to your account, but you can only access the Master titles via the desktop application. Since I only access Tidal via their iPhone app I would, consequently, have to purchase a laptop to take advantage of this.
    Currently, but TIDAL mentioned that they are working on porting it to the mobile app soon. And yes, for current subscribers of the HIFI service, Master is free. I mean, I would never buy a laptop for that, lol. I certainly agree with both of you there (if that is what you were referring to Sludge). But, the silver lining in my original post is that other streaming services are planning on upgrading their quality. To MQA? I don't know. But, I am hoping for lossless in the least for services like Pandora or Spotify. I am sure this push by TIDAL will force other services to upgrade, which benefits all of us audiophiles!
    Last edited by dtsequoia; 01-06-2017 at 11:09 AM.
    -Ben

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    Although I don't use Tidal, I do use an HTPC for nearly everything in my system. My HTPC is pretty high end, but for someone who is looking for something small and inexpensive, something like this could do:

    https://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC5i5R...ords=intel+nuc

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Location
    Houston, TX
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    I was checking TIDAL Masters and there are some interesting albums. I had to update the desktop application before have access to the MASTERS tab. I did an A/B comparison between MASTERS and HIFI and it's very hard to tell the difference. At least not noticeable with my Dynaudio studio monitors.
    Enrico Castagnetti @ Rythmik Audio
    Media Room: Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers w/ RAAL, Horizon w/ RAAL, Sierra 2s & Lunas | Rythmik F12SE (x2) + FV25HP | Emotiva XMC-1 | Emotiva XPA-3 & XPA-200 (x2) | Panasonic 820 | Bluesound Node 2 | Sony VW295ES | 92" Stewart ST100 |
    Desktop: Dynaudio BM5 mkIII | Rythmik L22 | Apogee Quartet | 27" iMac|
    Bedroom: B&W 685 S2 | Rythmik LVX12 | Marantz SR6013 | Sony 65Z9D |

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    Quote Originally Posted by mikesiskav View Post
    Although I don't use Tidal, I do use an HTPC for nearly everything in my system. My HTPC is pretty high end, but for someone who is looking for something small and inexpensive, something like this could do:

    https://www.amazon.com/Intel-NUC5i5R...ords=intel+nuc
    Man that thing is cool.
    -Ben

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    For the Tidal application, you don't need a new DAC, because they are converting it to PCM before it hits your computer, so that begs the question, why even bother with MQA at all? It's just a marketing tool at this point for them.

    For what Meridian wants to do, you'll need a DAC that claims MQA compatibility. They have been trying to get manufacturers on board, but because of what happened with DSD, no one is biting, so I think they reversed their approach with Tidal and just made it a server side implementation, but since it's coming to your computer in PCM anyway, I don't see how it can make a single bit of difference.

    Schiit has an incredible breakdown of why MQA is a huge mistake for the industry: http://schiit.com/news/news/why-we-w...supporting-mqa

    I think their best point is the first one, what MQA is trying to demand. We've seen this before, and it's just people elbowing their way into the market, trying to demand that they get market share because of their technology, when it doesn't really solve anything in the first place.

    I'm all for these services giving out better quality, but the way to do that is the Hi-Fi approach that Tidal has taken, with better PCM streams. MQA is just another way to squeeze money out of people while giving them no benefit and just buzzwords.
    -Alex
    PS4/Nvidia Shield --> Emotiva XMC-1 --> Emotiva XPA-5 --> Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers and Horizon Center w/ RAAL tweeters (L/C/R), HTM-200 SE (Surrounds), 2x Rythmik F12 subwoofers

  10. #10
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    Houston, TX
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    Default Re: Master Streaming is here! More on the way!

    OK I just discovered that you have to make some setting changes that were not available before to get real 96khz/24bit. You have to go to TIDAL/Settings and make a change on the audio interface as follow:

    Screen Shot 2017-01-06 at 3.35.09 PM.png

    Screen Shot 2017-01-06 at 3.35.25 PM.png
    Enrico Castagnetti @ Rythmik Audio
    Media Room: Ascend Acoustics Sierra Towers w/ RAAL, Horizon w/ RAAL, Sierra 2s & Lunas | Rythmik F12SE (x2) + FV25HP | Emotiva XMC-1 | Emotiva XPA-3 & XPA-200 (x2) | Panasonic 820 | Bluesound Node 2 | Sony VW295ES | 92" Stewart ST100 |
    Desktop: Dynaudio BM5 mkIII | Rythmik L22 | Apogee Quartet | 27" iMac|
    Bedroom: B&W 685 S2 | Rythmik LVX12 | Marantz SR6013 | Sony 65Z9D |

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