If you’ve got an Apple AirPods Pro 2 and are looking for wireless lossless playback on your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you can now do so. Thanks to Tidal’s upcoming lossless tier, you can now listen to music in hi-res with up to 9216kbps of audio quality. This is a huge upgrade from the original 512kbps limit, and you may be surprised at how much better your audio quality is.
Stream quality is better than lossless streaming
There are lots of services out there and they all claim to offer the best streaming experience. In fact, most people live on these platforms now. However, not all services are created equal. Some offer the cheapest monthly subscription fees while others give you discounts for sharing them with friends and family. So, what’s the best choice for your music streaming needs?
For starters, it’s important to know the difference between lossy and lossless. Lossy streaming uses the same type of data compression as most other online content providers. While these services are similar, they differ in the amount of data they require to provide you with the quality you are paying for. On the other hand, lossless services are able to carry higher quality audio as long as you have access to high-speed Internet. This makes them ideal for those who own an Android phone with a higher-quality Bluetooth codec.
The trick to getting the most from your streaming service is to determine which one offers the highest quality at the lowest price. There are lots of perks to signing up with a premium music service like Spotify. Not only can you find some great deals, but you can also enjoy a premium mobile app for free. Streaming services are also becoming more sophisticated with features like intelligent algorithms and huge libraries.
One of the biggest advantages of a streaming service is that you can listen to your favorite songs on the go. Whether you’re in the office, on the subway or in the backyard, a good streaming service can keep you occupied while keeping your data use to a minimum.
HiFi aims to be accessible to as many fans as possible
Last year, the folks over at Spotify revealed their grand plan to turn their popular music streaming service into a high tech hub for music and a plethora of other media. At last count, the service was available in 180 markets. But in a flurry of news reports, it seems like the company’s executives have been scrambling to get their finger on the pulse of music fans worldwide.
The latest entrant to the fray is Tidal, a music-on-demand service that boasts an attractively priced albeit pricier subscription model as well as a snazzy app. Among its wares, there’s a slew of sexy features to swoon over. Some of the more noteworthy ones include a robust music library, a social component and some impressive user interface tricks. As you’d expect, the company takes care of its clients in spades. A quick search of the company’s website yields a plethora of perks. It’s hard to find a bad deal on a Tidal subscription.
The company has made a big splash in the hi-fi department as well. Several of the industry’s largest speaker manufacturers have enlisted the service to make their products sound more high end. Several of these companies have even released special offers to their customers. That’s not to mention their massively popular free tier. So while Tidal may be a distant second in terms of subscribers, it’s still the king of the high end.
There’s no question that a solid, multi-tiered strategy for a single service is the right move, but the company hasn’t been shy about making their mark. During the course of this year, the company has already unveiled several big and small improvements, from a slew of new features to the addition of some of the biggest names in the business.
Apple AirPods Pro 2 support wireless lossless playback
Until now, the AirPods have only been able to support compressed lossy audio formats. Those who want to listen to high-fidelity music need to connect them to an external digital-to-analog converter. Then, they can listen to audio tracks in ALAC. That’s the audio format used by Apple Music.
However, Apple has recently announced that they’re testing a new codec for wireless lossless audio. As a result, AirPods will be able to offer lossless music in the future. But it’s unclear how long it will take before the company launches the first pair of headphones with lossless support.
Esge Andersen, an Apple engineer, has outlined the differences between ALAC, aptX, and LDAC. He says that the Low Complexity Communication Codec doesn’t change the quality of the audio, but it can transmit at lower bitrates. It doesn’t sound too bad, but it’s not enough to make the difference between lossy and lossless.
While Apple’s AAC Bluetooth Codec isn’t lossless, it still offers excellent sound quality. Plus, the headset’s boosted H2 chip provides deep, rich bass and crisp high notes.
With the upcoming release of AirPods Pro 2, you will be able to enjoy wireless lossless playback on Spotify’s hifi lossless tier. You’ll also be able to use the Find My Case speaker, which will help you locate your case.
The AirPods Pro 2 will be released in September 2022. They’ll be compatible with IOS 16.0 or higher. If you’re an existing AirPods user, you can download a firmware upgrade to gain access to the feature. Alternatively, you can buy a new pair.
There are no specific details on how this service will work. We’re expecting to learn more at next month’s virtual WWDC conference.
Tidal HiFi goes up to 9216kbps
Tidal HiFi is a music streaming service designed for those who want the best quality audio available. This option features lossless music and a higher bitrate than the standard Tidal tier. A subscription costs $9.99 per month. The plan offers two additional lossless audio levels, High and Masters.
Tidal’s audio quality can be scaled up to 24-bit/192 kHz, as well as immersive spatial audio formats like Dolby Atmos. It can also be played on a range of devices.
Its interface is sleek, with an easy-to-navigate layout. Its home page includes featured content, such as songs from new albums, as well as suggestions based on your listening habits. You can create your own playlists.
The service has an extensive music catalog. Users can stream audio in AAC or FLAC format. The service has deals with Sony, Universal, and Warner. They also support surround-sound tracks.
Tidal’s metadata feature is a big step ahead of its competition. It works in conjunction with Musixmatch, which provides the database. In addition, the service has access to film soundtracks, so you can listen to audio from your favorite films.
Tidal’s hi-res catalog is now much larger and easier to navigate. The service is also more compatible with different devices, thanks to its newly-expanded iOS and Mac apps. Unlike Apple Music, Tidal offers an Android TV app.
Tidal HiFi users can also download music to play offline. However, Tidal’s iOS and Mac desktop apps do not support Dolby Atmos.
Tidal has been a major proponent of lossless audio. The service offers two separate audio quality settings, Standard (320 kbps) and High (320 kbps). Those choosing the HiFi tier also have access to the full Tidal catalogue.
Amazon Music HD boasts a similarly hi-res catalogue
Amazon Music HD is a music streaming service that offers high-quality audio and a large catalogue of songs. It competes with services such as Spotify and Tidal. However, it isn’t as well designed as its competitors.
The biggest selling point of Amazon Music HD is its ability to stream Dolby Atmos-encoded songs. This allows for pinpoint placement of effects. Although this isn’t a new technology, it’s only now being widely supported by popular devices.
Its interface isn’t as intuitive as the competition, but it’s easy enough to use. Plus, it supports Alexa. You can ask Alexa to play your favorite songs. Streaming to a smart speaker like the Echo Dot or Amazon’s Fire TV is also possible.
While the app doesn’t feel as polished as Apple Music, it still makes the grade. Users can choose from different subscription options and add-ons to customize their experience. In addition to streaming to multiple devices, users can create playlists and store their music locally.
Amazon Music HD is a great choice for audiophiles. The app supports various audio file formats, such as FLAC and Sony 360RA 3D Audio. These high-resolution files are optimized for lossless data transfer. But you can also get them in Standard Definition with bitrates up to 320kbps.
The Amazon Music app is available for both Android and iOS. As for the interface, it’s similar to other Amazon Prime Music services. Interestingly, the desktop app isn’t quite as good-looking as Tidal.
Amazon also offers a free trial for new subscribers. Unlike other music streaming services, however, you can test out the service without worrying about paying for it.
It’s worth noting that Amazon has also updated its service labels. You can now listen to ad-free tracks and enjoy more sophisticated recommendations.