24bit 96kHz FLAC (purchased from Bandcamp & HDTracks) -> JRiver Media Center software player -> Merging Anubis Pro DAC -> Coleman Audio M3PHmk2 passive monitor controller -> Pass Labs X250 class A solid state power amp -> B&W Nautilus 802 3-way floor standing speakers
Or if from vinyl KAB modded Technics SL1200mk2 -> Shure V-15MR cartridge -> Simaudio Moon LP5.3 balanced preamp ->
(in 20’ x 14’ x 9’ room with bass traps, absorbers and diffusors by GIK, ATS, and Auralex)
PC Spotify -> Schiit Modi -> Schiit Vali 2 -> PreSonus Eris E4.5 speakers.
Or
Pixel 8 Pro Spotify -> “TempoTec Sonata HD PRO” USB DAC -> Meze 99 Classic headphones.
Does anyone think it’s worth moving to Tidal for my music?
Also, I’m running out of space on my desk. I can put the stack of Schiit on top of a speaker with minimal effects, right?
I did recently and will not be going back to Spotify. There are so many small things with Tidal - actual patch notes each update, updates which clearly address user reported concerns/issues, straightforward playlist management and queue controls, an actual shuffle that isn’t some weird interaction based algorithm, and of course the quality. There’s been so many times I’ll be listening to a song, which I’ve listened to many times on Spotify, and notice something in the backing track which I wasn’t aware of or some aspect of a singer’s voice or instrument which really pops and adds texture. They also have great recommendations and a Daily Discovery playlist. And finally - it’s just music; no scrolling through podcasts or non-music this… Just high quality, easy to manage, music.
Mostly? I have uncompressed FLAC encoded music on my Plex server, and I listen to that streaming through over ear (Bose NC-700) headphones on a computer, or on our home theater system (Monitor UK, 2 stand speakers, 2 rear wall speakers, 1 subwoofer) with an Onkyo receiver.
I also listen to Tidal hifi a bunch and electronica on youtube because some of the Boiler Room and other club mixes are pretty dope :)
At home: Spotify through Amazon Fire TV through Klipsch The Fives.
On the move: Spotify through Jabra Elite 4 Active.
In the bathroom: Spotify through UE Boom.
I really want to ditch Spotify, but in the meantime…
Well, TIDAL just got some price cuts, and their library is pretty comparable. Just in case you didn’t know.
Just read that today! Thank you.
Same, but I want to export my playlists and liked songs from Spotify. Going through that manually atm seems like too much of a hassle.
If you plan to move to another service, there exists a number of tools to aid in moving playlists between streamers. It is really easy, once you find a good one.
Helped me break the feeling of being locked in due to have 100s of playlists.
Tried one service but didn’t work with some Spotify lists, like the yearly ones. Any good recommendation that might include these as well?
CDs ripped to FLAC and streamed using Emby. I also use Amazon Music. At work I have a pair of ATH-M30x headphones I really like. At home ibhave some Sennheiser HD350, which are ok, but I don’t like them that much as they’re not that comfy. I prefer going through the hifi - Audiolab 6000A amp, Wharfedale Pacific Evo 40 floor standers and a Wiim mini. I also have a NAD C541i CD player. On my PC I go through a NAD C320 amp and Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 bookshelves.
Tidal HiFi/medium tier ->Equalizer APO with just a tiny bit of tuning -> a xDuoo stack of USB DAC + hybrid tube amp -> Sennheiser HD560S
Definitely a little bit of overkill. But still overall fantastic budget, and do it all setup. Competitive shooters, movies, and music all sound fantastic.
My next goal is a multibit DAC + tube only amp -> something like a HD 6XX. Or maybe a good solid state -> planar magnetic headphones.
At the houses of my audiophile friends.
I’ve got a shitty little apartment, no home system. But I drive Uber, and I take great pride in always having excellent music playing when I’ve got a passenger.
I play spotify through usb to the car’s system. It doesn’t sound so great.
But most of my friends are more well off than me, and have great home sound systems. One’s got an underground theater, with a super heavy door. You close that door, the silence is like being in a tomb.
Audiophiles don’t listen to music, they listen to their headphones
Empty yoghurt with string
Download from Deezloader, listen with Lollypop on desktop and Auxio on mobile.
I also transfer all my music to my Hauwei watch GT2.
Edit: not sure if I count as an audiophile.
Spotify -> MOTU M2 -> HiFiMan Ananda non-stealth
“High resolution” audio is completely useless for listening (16 bit 44.1 kHz is the best it gets) and there is little value in lossless encodes for listening purposes too, so I don’t get the point of all those “Hifi” streaming services.
If you own lossless encodes, I guess it doesn’t hurt to use them even for listening as storage is cheap these days.Speaking of which, I’d like to switch to purchasing my music though because Spotify will certainly continue on its path towards full enshittification. I want to be in a position where I own all my favourite music before Spotify will be infected with ads on premium plans. Oh and artists are somewhat more likely to be paid a little for their work that way (I hope…)
I plan to use the free YT music for discovery at that point.Completely full of ads already, I routinely get promoted podcasts and gig ticket and merch notifications despite them being turned off.
I started using Spotify lite on my phone. And thankfully, there’s plenty of alternative clients on desktop (such as ncspot). No crap UI elements, just playlists.
I’ve ripped a bunch of cds or otherwise acquired/bought a lot of flac files from various places. Stored on Plex and use PlexAmp headless on some raspberry pi’s with HifiBerry hats to connect to the receivers. I’ll use Spotify in the car or to find new music. My receivers both support Spotify Connect.
I know there’s better hardware out there (isn’t there always?) but this is what I use.
Living room which is mostly movies but music too is a 7.2.4 Atmos setup with Klipsch reference premiere series powered by a Marantz SR8015 and two 18” subs powered by a 1500w Crown amp each. This has a 6 disc cd player and Blu-ray player can do SACD.
Work from home office has a 7.2 (old living room stuff) Infinity Beta series speakers powered by a Yamaha RX-A3030. Two of the matching Infinity 12” with 500w amps in each. Yamaha has a very nice multichannel stereo mode to use all the speakers. This is hooked up to a Sony 300 CD changer as well.
Headphones:
Sennheiser HD650
Hifiman HE560
AKG Q701 (rewired)
AKG K550 (rewired)
Audeze EL-8
Beyerdynamics DT880(600ohm)
Various others.
I wanted to see what I liked and I kind of vary them all by music or amp. Rewired was swapping them to a mini 4-pin XLR so I can use them with my balanced amps.
Headphone amps/dacs
LH Labs Pulse, Pulse xfi
Schiit Mjolnir (original)
Little Dot MK IV SE,MK VII+, DAC_1
JDS Labs Objective2 and ODAC
Think I’m missing a few others.
At home: FLACs ripped from CDs (prefer to buy albums I enjoy instead of Spotifying them) -> KORG DS-DAC 100 -> TEAC AX-501 -> Elac Carina BS243.4
On the go: The same FLACs on Pixel 6 Pro -> B&O Beoplay HX
I use Neutron Audio Player which has a profile for my headphones but at the same time I don’t really think Bluetooth could realistically be called audiophile.
So yeah I do the best with what I’ve got but don’t really go crazy with it.
„Audiophiles don’t use their equipment to listen to your music. Audiophiles use your music to listen to their equipment.“
Alan Parsons
I dunno if that’s actually an Alan Parsons quote but up vote for any mention of his name. Does sound like something he’d say.
