Amazon Music rolls out a lossless streaming tier that Spotify and Apple can’t match

WLDock

Well, Well, Well! The competition heats up!

https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/17/20869526/amazon-music-hd-lossless-flac-tier-spotify-apple

Amazon has a new, high-quality streaming tier of its music service called Amazon Music HD. It’s priced at $12.99 per month for Prime members ($14.99 per month for everyone else) and you can add it to your existing Amazon Music subscription for an additional $5 per month, whether you’re an individual or family plan subscriber. What you get for the additional cost is access to over 50 million songs in what Amazon is calling HD (16-bit, 44.1kHz or around what you’d expect from a CD), and then “millions” in Ultra HD (24-bit, up to 192kHz), which the company says is the highest available quality for any music streaming.

https://youtu.be/F--7n9hIjbw


90 Day Free Trial: https://www.amazon.com/music/unlimited/hd?tag=mashable-editpost-20

Nightfall

Great now we have to buy all new streaming equipment once they add Amazon.

mlistens03

Is that $12.99 on top of Prime? If so, that is just a bit more than what we are paying for Apple Music (And if not I can pay the difference!). I wonder if I can get my dad to switch to this... and also if it'll work with The Marantz CDP's DAC (Tidal did when I tried it.)

tophatjohnny

WLDock wrote: »

Well, Well, Well! The competition heats up!

https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/17/20869526/amazon-music-hd-lossless-flac-tier-spotify-apple

Amazon has a new, high-quality streaming tier of its music service called Amazon Music HD. It’s priced at $12.99 per month for Prime members ($14.99 per month for everyone else) and you can add it to your existing Amazon Music subscription for an additional $5 per month, whether you’re an individual or family plan subscriber. What you get for the additional cost is access to over 50 million songs in what Amazon is calling HD (16-bit, 44.1kHz or around what you’d expect from a CD), and then “millions” in Ultra HD (24-bit, up to 192kHz), which the company says is the highest available quality for any music streaming.

https://youtu.be/F--7n9hIjbw


90 Day Free Trial: https://www.amazon.com/music/unlimited/hd?tag=mashable-editpost-20

24bit 192k may be the highest quality for streaming service..just not for streaming. Catch is, gear that can handle higher rates is needed to jump in that party and actually hear the beauty.

As for the free trial...oh heck yeah.

erniejade

I wonder what app manufacturers will incorporate this first? My guess is BubbleUpnp since they already have Amazon cloud drive as one of their options.

rebelsoul

Just got it and from what I am hearing comparable to qobuz in sound quality. The plus is it has channels.

rebelsoul

Time after time 24/96 sounds amazing sda

BlueFox

How many of these streaming services do we need, especially when they all offer different artists. If there was one service that offered all songs in at least CD quality then I might try it, but as of now I will continue to buy CDs and download high-res files. I already have more music than I can ever listen to.

gudnoyez

Hopefully Spotify will lose tons of customer's because of this, forcing them to do the same. I'm happy with Tidal as of now for myself but also carry a Spotify account for the Wife. If Spotify was to add a HD tier, then I would drop Tidal. Don't care for having to have a prime membership to Amazon to participate, don't do anything with Amazon anymore.

BlueFox

You don’t need Prime to use Amazon. It just costs a bit more without Prime.

rebelsoul

12.99 with prime 14.99 without
Better then tidal sound quality
qobuz sound and have channels
beautiful layout
And more music then both of them

gudnoyez

BlueFox wrote: »

You don’t need Prime to use Amazon. It just costs a bit more without Prime.

When's the last time you got a CD from Amazon without a cracked case? I quit ordering stuff from them because of it.

displayname

This is great news! I also love that they are coming in with a 90 day trail rather than the typical 30 days. That's a much better timeframe to compare in my opinion.

Also, very very happy to see them pass on MQA for a pure 24/192 stream. I don't have a major beef with MQA, but I also kind of felt it would get bypassed at some point. I really hope this fires up Spotify to get in gear with lossless. Even if Spotify was $20/month I'd probably still stick with it because it is so well implemented into everything and is such a big part of my daily use and music sharing.

My question now is can I stream that Ultra HD straight to my CXN? Maybe via GoogleCast or Airplay? Anyone with more streaming experience have any ideas.

Thorton

gudnoyez wrote: »

BlueFox wrote: »

You don’t need Prime to use Amazon. It just costs a bit more without Prime.

When's the last time you got a CD from Amazon without a cracked case? I quit ordering stuff from them because of it.

I buy 4K blurays and CD's frequently from Amazon and not 1 has been cracked. Two came today in perfect condition. Could it be the carrier who covers your neighborhood?

Thorton

I’m excited about this. Hopefully, it will integrate with Roon.

BlueFox

gudnoyez wrote: »

BlueFox wrote: »

You don’t need Prime to use Amazon. It just costs a bit more without Prime.

When's the last time you got a CD from Amazon without a cracked case? I quit ordering stuff from them because of it.

What does that have to do with streaming? I rarely get a cracked case, but that is another reason to get a download from HDTracks if possible.

rebelsoul

It also lets me download the songs for free.

gudnoyez

Nothing it's just I've had dozens of shipments from them damaged due to insufficient packaging CDs, Blu Rays, stuffing them in a cushy envelope don't protect such items at all. I'm just not a fan of the whole Amazon way of doing things

tophatjohnny

BlueFox wrote: »

How many of these streaming services do we need, especially when they all offer different artists. If there was one service that offered all songs in at least CD quality then I might try it, but as of now I will continue to buy CDs and download high-res files. I already have more music than I can ever listen to.

I'm with the Fox but as a prime member that 90 day free trial will (like Tidals free trial) give me even more appreciation for my personal library. Plus I might bump into some new artists that perk me up??. Always game to learn about new music.

honestaquarian

I was all set to sign up for the trial and then I did something that I know I shouldn't have done. I READ THE FINE PRINT
The trial isn't for the Ultra HD 24/96-24/192 service. It's only for the HD 16/44.1 service that you can get from a couple of other streaming services.
So I changed my mind.

VR3

What are you guys using to stream it?

hochpt21

I have Amazon prime already for the shipping. I also use Spotify exclusively for streaming.

If Amazon’s HD Music interface is user friendly, then I would almost assuredly switch away from Spotify.

Emlyn

honestaquarian wrote: »

I was all set to sign up for the trial and then I did something that I know I shouldn't have done. I READ THE FINE PRINT
The trial isn't for the Ultra HD 24/96-24/192 service. It's only for the HD 16/44.1 service that you can get from a couple of other streaming services.
So I changed my mind.

I am Prime Member but never used their pay for music service before. I downloaded their player and started the trial. It is good for the Ultra HD tracks too. Got Springsteen's Thunder Road playing right now in 24 bit audio. Next up is The Clash's Should I Stay or Should I Go in 24 bit. Sounds really good.

There is a lot of popular and rock music content in 24 bit. Wasn't expecting something like Trimph's Magic Power from their Allied Forces LP to be on there, but it is.

There are gaps though. If looking for Mark Knopfler, his Sailing to Philadelphia and Shangri-La albums are in Ultra HD 24 bit but Golden Heart and Ragpicker's Dream in are HD (aka CD quality 16 bit audio). Almost all of Rush's albums are available in 24 bit.

tophatjohnny

Yes there is a charge for the 24 bit. 8 dollars a month more.

Emlyn

I'm only seeing the $12.99 a month charge for the HD service that would start being applied in December. Doesn't seem to be a separate option or charge for the Ultra HD library. I know the Unlimited (SD format only) would be $7.99 a month for me since I have a Prime membership for other stuff. I think it says something in the offer that the free trial for 90 days doesn't apply if someone already had their Unlimited music service.

rebelsoul

I just got the trial and thru the computer app to my dac i am getting 24/192

OleBoot

I don't really get streaming. Maybe I'm too stuck in the past. I listen to a local university FM station (remember them?) for new music and then either download it from HD tracks or Super Hi Rez if it's available there, or order a CD from Amazon and RIP it, Similar for older re-releases or older stuff I missed at the time. I suppose if you listen to a huge diversity of tunes, streaming maybe makes sense as that would be cheaper than buying downloads/CDs.

rebelsoul

3 months free -ultra hd and with prime 12.99 a month after trial.

pitdogg2

gudnoyez wrote: »

BlueFox wrote: »

You don’t need Prime to use Amazon. It just costs a bit more without Prime.

When's the last time you got a CD from Amazon without a cracked case? I quit ordering stuff from them because of it.

gudnoyez wrote: »

Nothing it's just I've had dozens of shipments from them damaged due to insufficient packaging CDs, Blu Rays, stuffing them in a cushy envelope don't protect such items at all. I'm just not a fan of the whole Amazon way of doing things

boom EXACTLY. Prreach it brother

BlueFox

Interesting. I have hundreds of Blu-Ray disks, and they have never been damaged. Even cheapo CDs have only had a few broken cases.

To be watched



Watched

honestaquarian

Can you get the Ultra HD during the free trial without having a Prime membership in advance though?