Going from 16 bits to 24 bits results in a massive increase of dynamic range, which is the gap between the quietest and loudest sounds that can be captured.
In numbers, it's a jump from 96dB to dB, which is huge. Streams from Spotify and Apple Music use compressed file formats with relatively low bitrates, such as kbps Ogg Vorbis streams on Spotify Premium if you're a Spotify Free user, your file quality will actually max out at kbps and kbps AAC files on Apple Music.
This 'lossy' compression means that certain data is scrapped in the encoding process for the sake of convenience and smaller file sizes. Obviously, this affects the sound quality. To illustrate why hi-res should sound better than, say, an MP3, we need simply to compare the relative bitrates the amount of information being transferred measured in kilobits per second.
The highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of kbps. Music CDs are kbps — remember, they're your starting marker for hi-res. Provided your system is transparent enough, playing hi-res music can bring you more detail and texture, thus bringing you closer to what the artist wanted to say when they recorded their work.
And isn't that what we want? Although hi-res audio songs and albums have been available to download for several years now, streaming hi-res audio is relatively new across popular music subscription platforms — and some still don't offer it. While the terms 'lossless' and 'hi-res' may be used in close connection — Apple Music has launched Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless labels and, to complicate matters further, Amazon Music prefers the terms HD and UHD when referring to its more premium audio offerings — music that is 'lossless' is not always hi-res.
Here's the thing: where hi-res audio is defined as music that has a resolution higher than CD quality, lossless audio has no set specification in terms of bitrate. If no compression algorithm or codec has been used to compress the audio within your particular file, two things happen: lossless though not necessarily hi-res sound quality, and pretty soon a storage warning on your device.
They can both store CD-quality or high-resolution audio files. The drawback? These audio files are big. Now, let's introduce FLAC. So far, we've talked about uncompressed lossless files and compressed lossless files. Now, we'll talk compressed lossy files. This is where our old friend the MP3 comes in — a file format that compresses a file and reduces its size by discarding data that cannot be retrieved again. Spotify's announced 'HiFi' tier is also imminent, but the company remains tight-lipped on whether its leveled-up proposition will actually offer hi-res streams or whether it will top out at CD quality.
Here's an explainer on each service, the tech they use to deliver hi-res, what you'll need to play it, and, crucially, for whom each service will likely suit best. Tidal has been riding the hi-res wave since when it began offering hi-res audio streaming thanks to the adoption of MQA technology. But not all of these support hi-res playback of Tidal's Masters.
Masters are now available via both Android, iOS and desktop apps, and hi-fi components and platforms that support MQA. Tidal Connect — a similar concept to Spotify Connect — also allows for easy streaming to compatible products from within the native Tidal app, and it's able to cast Tidal Masters too. Now for the hi-res small print: playing Tidal Masters through the Tidal desktop app on a computer, via its 3.
The only way to entirely unpackage an MQA file for playback and therefore give you the best representation of the file data is by pairing your computer or Apple or Android device with an MQA-compatible DAC, taking the decoding process away from the software Tidal app.
Tidal also offers a growing catalogue of immersive audio tracks via its support of Dolby Atmos Music and Sony Reality Audio. Tidal HiFi subscribers need to connect their Atmos-enabled device to a compatible streamer running the most recently updated Tidal app. Whichever way you approach it, Amazon has gone super aggressive on pricing. You can access Amazon Music HD through three different avenues: a web browser, the desktop app, or through the Android and iOS mobile apps.
We need another hi-res terminology discussion, though. Amazon has decided to refer to and label hi-res music as 'Ultra HD'. Presumably it feels that this labelling will prove clearer for a mass audience. And perhaps it's right. Anyway, the files you'll get are actually FLACs. Streaming music from a service like Spotify or Tidal is great, but it's not always convenient. You'll need a solid internet connection, and while you can download songs for offline play, once you stop paying the monthly fee, access to all of it disappears.
Buying digital music such as MP3s makes sense for a number of reasons. It's yours to keep and put on whatever device you want, and it better funds the artist and labels who can then keep making more music. Whether you're looking to buy a music single or whole albums, here are the best sites to visit. We'll start with the biggies -- iTunes, Amazon and Google Play -- and move on to some of our favorites that you may not have heard of, like Bandcamp.
Yes, we cheated, iTunes doesn't sell MP3s. Instead, it sells its own AAC format, but these files can be read by almost every modern player. As the biggest digital music marketplace, iTunes still sets the standard for music downloads, and its catalog should furnish all but your most obscure needs.
If you're an Amazon Prime member, then Amazon Music makes a lot of sense. Also, I think this is more of a forum post…. It only looks like a lot because I've gone to the trouble of spelling out each step. I'd really like to know how you got this to work if you did I've followed your steps - bought the MP3 - got the email saying "here is your gift" When I try to redeem it using the second account - it demands US credit card details and address.
So, if you really do have a way around this - please share. Well - it just doesn't like me. Valid US address in both accounts including a valid phone number Too hard for me. I've signed up to a virtual US credit card.
That'll fix it! Thanks anyway. Hi jebdra, what do you mean, a "virtual US credit card"? Did it work with Amazon? Just like to say i went thru and followed damoos process exactly and it worked!
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