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TIDAL "Master"? Is this MQA on TIDAL?


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Looks like TIDAL is already streaming MQA? Output of this looks like 24/44.1 according to Audio MIDI Setup...

 

Screen Shot 2016-02-06 at 9.38.00 AM.png

Screen Shot 2016-02-06 at 9.20.19 AM.png

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

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So now that it's live:

1) does it cost more to have that option button show up?

2) is everything 24/44.1k now, assuming you choose "master" in settings?

3) if above answer is yes, do you notice any sq differences (this is not a "compare non-decoded MQA" question, simply a question of whether normal non-premium streaming sounds better or worse at 24/44)?

4) do actual MQA files identify themselves as MQA or Master-capable?

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So now that it's live:

1) does it cost more to have that option button show up?

When I first tried it it said my subscription was not good enough. Upon restart it worked fine.

 

2) is everything 24/44.1k now, assuming you choose "master" in settings?

Dunno. The few I tried (Sia's and Rihanna's latest) were coming out at 24/44.1 according to Audio MIDI Setup. My DAC said 44.1 but doesn't tell me the bit depth.

 

3) if above answer is yes, do you notice any sq differences (this is not a "compare non-decoded MQA" question, simply a question of whether normal non-premium streaming sounds better or worse at 24/44)?

Cannot tell yet. Sounds similar but I would have to listen to known good recordings (Rihanna's ANTI actually sounds ok compared to her other albums - but that's OT).

 

Both Roon and Auralic ARIES (streaming on Lightning DS) say 16/44.1. I presume only the TIDAL native app is able to access this mode. BTW it is annoying that the DAC selection doesn't stick on the TIDAL app!!!

 

4) do actual MQA files identify themselves as MQA or Master-capable?

I have no idea. For one as you see in the screenshot the quality label by the vol control says HIFI (but then again not sure what that means exactly). I don't have an MQA DAC (and I have not gone to Meridian to get my ears checked to become MQA certified myself either), so hard to tell what the diff is.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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i'm not sure that's what master means. in my system, this is simply the list of audio devices recognized by the system.

 

one.JPG

(1) holo audio red (hqp naa) > chord dave > luxman cl-38uc/mq-88uc > kef reference 1
(2) simaudio moon mind 2 > chord qutest > luxman sq-n150 > monitor audio gold gx100
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i'm not sure that's what master means. in my system, this is simply the list of audio devices recognized by the system.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24069[/ATTACH]

 

We're not talking about the driver settings, we're talking about the Tidal streaming settings above it in the screenshot; yours stops at HiFi.

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It was there for me yesterday, gone today, same version of the software :/

 

In any case, I could never get it to play yesterday, restart or not: it kept telling me I needed to "upgrade" my subscription . . . which sounds ominous there will be a higher tier for those who want MQA :(

John Walker - IT Executive

Headphone - SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable Ethernet > mRendu Roon endpoint > Topping D90 > Topping A90d > Dan Clark Expanse / HiFiMan H6SE v2 / HiFiman Arya Stealth

Home Theater / Music -SonicTransporter i9 running Roon Server > Netgear Orbi > Blue Jeans Cable HDMI > Denon X3700h > Anthem Amp for front channels > Revel F208-based 5.2.4 Atmos speaker system

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There's never been a debate as to whether MQA material will cost us more to stream; the debate, when choosing to upgrade and pay, is whether the normal current non-MQA content at that level will sound any different, and whether the upgraded service will be target-rich with true hirez, or just a paltry few real studio redos. And this debate assumes, of course, one thinks MQA is even worth it (the subject of dozens of large threads here and elsewhere). I assume this has been discussed before, but will Master level be available on a month to month basis, or will one have to commit longer. If month-to-month, the evaluation of Tidal Master (for those with current MQA-capable devices) will be cheap by any CA standards.

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We're not talking about the driver settings, we're talking about the Tidal streaming settings above it in the screenshot; yours stops at HiFi.

 

well, i feel silly . . .

(1) holo audio red (hqp naa) > chord dave > luxman cl-38uc/mq-88uc > kef reference 1
(2) simaudio moon mind 2 > chord qutest > luxman sq-n150 > monitor audio gold gx100
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There's never been a debate as to whether MQA material will cost us more to stream; the debate, when choosing to upgrade and pay, is whether the normal current non-MQA content at that level will sound any different, and whether the upgraded service will be target-rich with true hirez, or just a paltry few real studio redos. And this debate assumes, of course, one thinks MQA is even worth it (the subject of dozens of large threads here and elsewhere). I assume this has been discussed before, but will Master level be available on a month to month basis, or will one have to commit longer. If month-to-month, the evaluation of Tidal Master (for those with current MQA-capable devices) will be cheap by any CA standards.

It doesn't look like it will cost more... But this implementation feels a bit beta to me, so who knows.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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To draw an early conclusion...

 

Some of us here in US using the Tidal Mac app are able to access this function.

 

But others are not. Hmmmm.

 

Please keep posting your results folks.

 

Tom

Forgot to mention. I have two macs. This works on my music mini but not on my mac pro. Same configs. Same network.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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When I started Tidal for Mac today it told be there was a new version available. I updated to 1.2.0.697. Still no Master streaming quality. I have HiFi only.

I have that same version on both my mini and macpro. Mini gets Master, macpro does not. Same network, same account, same OSX, etc etc.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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I have that same version on both my mini and macpro. Mini gets Master, macpro does not. Same network, same account, same OSX, etc etc.

See for yourself... Left is my mini over screen sharing, right is my macpro.

TIDAL qual.png

 

TIDAL version.png

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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Seems like this is just a case of Master debating ! :)

You mean Master bating?

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

Link to comment

Just installed the new Tidal app on my macbook pro and the Master option is available so I selected it.

 

I see a little popup in the bottom right corner, playback changed to "LOSSLESS_HD", when I select Master.

Roon Rock->Auralic Aria G2->Schiit Yggdrasil A2->McIntosh C47->McIntosh MC301 Monos->Wilson Audio Sabrinas

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  • 10 months later...

My Tidal Windows program has just updated here in the UK and is now offering "Tidal Masters". Existing £20/month subscription.

 

When playing an album listed under "Masters" the flag in the bottom-right corner of the page switches from "HiFi" to "Masters". My Audiolab MDAC changes from "16bit/44.1kHz" to "24bit/44.1kHz" (and then back again when I selected a normal (non-Masters") recording). I cannot hear anything special (on Audeze LCD3).

 

I am infuriated that Tidal cannot be bothered to tell me what is going on with this upgrade to "Tidal Masters". There is not even anything posted on their FAQ pages.

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Thanks granosalis, for doing Tidal's marketing people's jobs for them. Here's another URL:

 

http://tidal.com/gb/masters

 

I note that good old What HiFi seem to have it wrong - I believe that Tidal Masters is only available on the Windows program, and NOT as What HiFi report on the Chrome web app?

 

Tidal write:

 

How can I listen to TIDAL Masters (master-quality recordings)?

 

All you need is a TIDAL HiFi membership to access thousands of master-quality albums only through the TIDAL desktop application.

 

I suspect this ("All you need") is untrue? I suspect that one also needs to go out and buy a new DAC offering MQA?

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