Lossless streaming woes.....
Posted by: SongStream on 24 May 2015
It seems that this lossless streaming fun I've been enjoying for the last couple of years may be about to end, or at least require further investment of cash. It is my understanding that Qobuz, my favoured provider, is still operating under bankruptcy protection, now on it's third extension of term, and this ends 15th June. With that fact in mind I have been considering my options should the worst happen and Qobuz are no more.
To my knowledge in the UK there are only two other options, those being Tidal and Deezer Elite. Having already sampled Tidal and not been impressed, baring in mind I use a Windows PC within my main system for things like this, I returned to their site, despite the recent hammering they've taken from the media, hoping things will have improved. Unfortunately I discover that there is currently no PC / MAC application, though they do say they're working on something. The origianl PC app was pretty terrible, but better than nothing at all you would think, not sure why they would feel the need to stop people accessing it if they want to, and instead force them to use their crappy web player. Also, the biggest news thrown at me while browsing Tidal briefly, was that I could access an exclusive video of Nikki Menagerie half naked, and making noises while chewing air. Not signing up for that obviously, so I watched it on Youtube. :-D And don't bother, it's probably been removed now, and was horrible anyway.
That's Tidal out then, so I head hopefully to Deezer. Looking at their subscription options there is no mention of the Elite offering. Eventually I found my way to a page giving information about the Elite service, and discover you can only subscribe to it, for us in the UK this is, if you own a Sonos Connect. What the ffff.....What is going on?
So....hopefully I won't need to worry and all will be well with my Qobuz subscription beyond next month. If not, looks like I will go back to Spotify, and wait to see what happens in the coming months, as there is nothing else available I would sign up to at the moment. Spotify could offer lossless one day, but they don't appear to be very worried about it. And with Tidal being ruined by the press, Qobuz (as far as I can tell) on the brink of bankruptcy, and Deezer only available if you own or purchase, what is for most music listeners, some pretty expensive hardware, and all at a very high monthly cost......mmmm, I can see why they're not too worried.
Hey ho.
Hm, just out of curiosity, and not that I would want to see it, but which half was naked?
It was hard to make out, but I think it was the fish end.
Ah, I was hoping for the left. Not to worry 
Hm, just out of curiosity, and not that I would want to see it, but which half was naked?
It was hard to make out, but I think it was the fish end.
Ah, I was hoping for the left. Not to worry
Sorry, I'm just not that quick; always 'left' behind. Ha, I don't know how I do it, it's the way I tell 'em.
I just had to capture this before they change it. I find it very very funny, and maybe it was intended to be humorous. In case you don't know Tidal when you land here, they do mention in some small print that they offer 'other' services too, such as music streaming and related video streaming. Oh, and perhaps a boxing match sometimes, and hopefully in the near future all-star female mud wrestling.
@phosphocreatine You need a piece of Sonos hardware to get a Deezer Elite subscription. Once you have the subscription you can also use it on OS X and listen in CD quality. There is also a Windows app. Both are in beta, but I can say that the OS X app has been very stable. Whether you can log in on other hardware I don't know.
@Goon525 Gapless, Yes for Deezer's 25m FLAC files. Deeper has > 35m files in total! Unfortunately there isn't support for booklets.
@phil. S Yes. A Sonos Connect will agregate music from the internet, your computers and or Network Attached Storage. However as @PaulinPosset says. Depending on your setup it may not be necessary.
It's worth keeping in mind that the Deezer Elite Sonos exclusive will lapse at some point. Suggestions at launch were that it was 6 months, indicating it might be available to all in the Autumn.
@phosphocreatine You need a piece of Sonos hardware to get a Deezer Elite subscription. Once you have the subscription you can also use it on OS X and listen in CD quality. There is also a Windows app. Both are in beta, but I can say that the OS X app has been very stable. Whether you can log in on other hardware I don't know.
@Goon525 Gapless, Yes for Deezer's 25m FLAC files. Deeper has > 35m files in total! Unfortunately there isn't support for booklets.
@phil. S Yes. A Sonos Connect will agregate music from the internet, your computers and or Network Attached Storage. However as @PaulinPosset says. Depending on your setup it may not be necessary.
It's worth keeping in mind that the Deezer Elite Sonos exclusive will lapse at some point. Suggestions at launch were that it was 6 months, indicating it might be available to all in the Autumn.
Some quite encouraging news there, Greg. Seems likely that the Deezer offering will evolve in to something more open, and compatible with my current setup. Thanks.
@phosphocreatine You need a piece of Sonos hardware to get a Deezer Elite subscription. Once you have the subscription you can also use it on OS X and listen in CD quality. There is also a Windows app. Both are in beta, but I can say that the OS X app has been very stable. Whether you can log in on other hardware I don't know.
@Goon525 Gapless, Yes for Deezer's 25m FLAC files. Deeper has > 35m files in total! Unfortunately there isn't support for booklets.
@phil. S Yes. A Sonos Connect will agregate music from the internet, your computers and or Network Attached Storage. However as @PaulinPosset says. Depending on your setup it may not be necessary.
It's worth keeping in mind that the Deezer Elite Sonos exclusive will lapse at some point. Suggestions at launch were that it was 6 months, indicating it might be available to all in the Autumn.
Interesting you should be listening to the Wailing Jennys. Their Ruth Moody is currently touring with Mark Knopfler, in fact at the Albert Hall tonight.
Ha ha.....hah. Please stop. It just get funnier by the day. :-D
