Alternatives to Spotify Premium.

[Devils Advocate]

I'm about to cancel my payments to Spotify in favour of the recently opened Tidal streaming service.

Has anyone tried this or maybe using another lossless streaming site you'd recommend?

Cheers

[Miro]

I use Spotify (free) but also Rdio. The free version only allows you to play "stations" based on chosen artists (which turns up some unlikely "similar to" results!) - you can't select specific tracks/albums or build your own playlists, all of which I presume you can with a subscription. But I like it because using the Android app on my phone or tablet I can cast through Chromecast via the TV to my HiFi, and there are NO ads for some reason, just non-stop random(ish) music.

[Devils Advocate]

Thanks for the input Miro, appreciated .It was the sound quality and streaming rate I'm more interested in at this time.

Anyhow just signed up for Tidal, it's got some rave reviews. At 20 quid a month I hope it lives up to the hype.
Still fathoming how to get the FLAC streams from it as I type

[markwilding]

I've heard Tidal is by far the best music streaming service, sound quality wise.
Tell us how you get on.

[Devils Advocate]

Listening to it now Mark.......just broke away to reply to your post.

I'm very, very and very again impressed with it on my first try. I've got 7 days to make a decision.
Spotify Premium is excellent and I reckon so far that if you are just streaming to a phone or tablet and listening through earbuds then maybe Spotify is a better bet, difference's are small as I've tried it.

However if it's going through a hifi then Tidal is a revelation, the extra depth it's brought is incredible.
It's a bit notchier than Spotify to navigate but one of the guys reckons the site is having problems today..we'll see.
Library is vast...all our old funk and soul stuff is there Mark

Just swotting up for an android app for tablet/phone to control the laptop.

The DAC does confirm the feed is 16bit 44.1 lossless CD quality by the way....I'm still experimenting though. I shall report back.

[ashtondav]

I don't spend anywhere near £20 a month on music. I should think i buy 3 or 4 albums a year, so if i want to stream i use spotify free - but yes the quality is not good if plumbed through HiFi kit.

But even so, why does it cost an American $20 a month and a Brit £20 a month - about 50% more for the same service?

[Devils Advocate]

But even so, why does it cost an American $20 a month and a Brit £20 a month - about 50% more for the same service?

Yes, and that will be a factor as to whether I continue with it after the trial, doesn't make sense the way they've pitched it.

I guess Spotify will go lossless at some time in the near future too, and probably put the price up.

Edited, Ashtondav, how to you connect your streamer/Tablet/Laptop to the Hifi.........3.5mm jack to phono/Din?

If so you can well improve the sound with a cheap alternative.

[Devils Advocate]

I've heard Tidal is by far the best music streaming service, sound quality wise.
Tell us how you get on.

After a proper back to back yesterday doing Spotify v Tidal with a couple of mates through some good hifi it became clear there is no contest between the two in terms of sound quality. Yes Tidal is in its infancy and it lacks a few features like a remote and does have a bit of lag after picking a track, unlike Spotify, but it's library for a newcomer is impressive and vast and still growing, and it seems to have attracted artists who did not put their works on Spotify.

The clincher though is the pure 16bit/44.1 feed, clarity beyond belief. Don't get me wrong Spotify premium at 320kbps is very good, but Tidal streams at over 1400 kbps, the extra info in the playbacks is astounding both in depth of sound and clarity.

To that end I cancelled my Spotify subscription this morning, and shall become a subscriber to Tidal when my trial period ends on Thursday. Yes price is a bit of a hike, but for what you get I personally feel it's worth it.
I'd assume Spotify will have to go lossless soon as an option.

[johnr]

I spent a few hours comparing tracks I know well the other day. As you say, through decent equipment, the difference is incredible. The only real problem I have with it (apart from the current lack of a desktop app) is the lack of gapless streaming. But the sound quality makes up for that. Shame to leave Spotify but ...

[Devils Advocate]

Agree totally John about the lack of features offered by Tidal. However it's a brand new venture and I'm sure gapless tracks and a remote app will be with us soon. You have to say though that their library is vast for a newcomer, some really rare stuff on there too.

Great to hear you noticed a big difference over Spotify 320kbps, I thought that was great for 10 quid a month until I heard Tidal, as you say it's incredible and worth the fee if streaming into a hifi.

Nothing much else to touch it.