High-Resolution Audio (Battle of the Sound). What say you?


High-Resolution Audio (Battle of the Sound)? How does streaming audio match up against
or with downloading audio? Oh yeah and how about vinyl?? What say you?

Audio lovers and music connoisseurs have moved past the days of IPods and uploading small audio files onto portable listening devices. We moved into and past the days of Spotify or Pandora streaming 160 or 320 Kbps music. Audiophiles moved into the days of HDtracks, Super Hi-Rez and Qobuz, where we can own the music by downloaded high resolution FLAC files. Even the Apple crowd has enjoy ripping music into CD quality (16 bit/44.1 kHz) files such as AIFF and/or purchased audio files via ITunes Store. These audiophiles now own libraries of high resolution audio files now played back on computers or audio streaming devices often with external DACs. Many companies are well into the mix, such as Bluesound, Logitech, Cambridge Audio, Bryston, Auralic, Chord, PS Audio, NAD, Aurender, Sony, and many, many more.

Now we are entering into a new digital age of better music players, better external DACs and higher resolution files! Many audiophiles are letting go of their most cherished CD player. DSD and multibit DACs are pushing the limits of digital music playback. Even with the comeback of vinyl and the re-design or re-engineering of the turntable, digital music is inching forward. Meridian and Tidal’s MQA masters files have offered the folding of a hi-Rez file (24 bit/192 kHz) so that it can be streamed. HDtracks has been offering true hi-res file downloads for many years now. In all of this… these prices are competitive and bringing pure music enjoyment within the grasp of the blue-collar average Joe. Regardless of the success or failure of Tidal MQA, Spotify, Pandora, SuperHiRez, Murfi, Roon, Deezer, Qobuzor or any other emerging audio service or technology the questions begin to emerge in the evolution of digital audio playback….

Will audiophiles download high resolution audio files or will they stream these high resolution files? Most likely, I think record albums, digital audio streaming and digital audio downloads will exist together.

What say you? Will you be strictly an analog audio nut? Will you be a hi-Rez streamer? Or will you be downloading the hi-Rez music? Share your thoughts and your reasoning for doing so?

For me I really like streaming, but I put a VPI turntable on my Christmas wishlist???…..
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I got Spotify and I haven't looked back. I've listened to my CD collection way too much and I love having an unlimited library to listen to.
I got rid of Tidal, as their library is concentrated to mostly current music (which I don't relate to). MQA didn't seem worth it, either.
I grew up with turntables. Yes, they have a nice way of reproducing sound, but now that I am older, I don't have the patience to get up and change records every 30 or so minutes.
Am I missing out on higher fidelity? Perhaps.
But, there is nothing like changing music at a push of a button, and it sound pretty good, to boot.
B
Yes, that and also my favourite thing with the vinyl is cleaning stylus before every play. All this is one of the reasons of why I put what I listen to most on tape. Push the button and you are good for 45 minutes, and if you have a Nak Dragon with reverse for 90 minutes.
I have seen the future and it is spelled R - O - O - N 

Love the interface 

;-)
I must disagree that Tidal is concentrated on mostly current music. I was a teen when "I Want To Hold Your Hand" was climbing up the charts, and I've got almost ALL my 1960 to pre-2000 music (and beyond, of course) in my Tidal library. And there are many (and growing) of these albums in their Master collection. Ya just gotta look. :-)
The problem with Tidal is the marketing is very different from it's catalogue. 

The catalogue of old school music is fantastic. 

The marketing is 100% current music.  :( :( 
Yeah I like Tidal but it is currently without a CEO and Jay Z (and many other pop artists) being majority stake holder with Sprint (I think?) he really places his music front and center. Like erik_squires stated, the variety is there in the catalogue, but the marketing is really pushing current music (younger generation). I would really like to get into Roon, it sounds like the user interface and music is great.

BTW with the right system, and the right MQA remastered master album in Tidal the sound is really worth hearing to believe. Often with the MQA album collection the quality can be a mixed bag. Some sound okay, some sound glorious.
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The latest Sonic Stinker of the Week award for new media selected for Tidal Masters (MQA) goes to The Dream Syndicate "Filter Me Through You".  It is a close call between it and Death from Above's "OUTRAGE! IS NOW".

Anyone else picking up on JayZ's agenda?

Dave