Skip to content
pop-culture — Audio — Review — technology — Preview — Home-and-garden — Hi-fi — Books — Show — Entertainment

Readers shared their preferences for high-resolution music listening, highlighting a predominant concern as sound quality.

Readers were inquired about their preferred ways to enjoy high-resolution music, and a dominant preference surfaced – superior sound quality, regardless of the agreed-upon ideal method.

,   and  Administrator
3 min read
Readers were inquired about their preferred methods for high-resolution audio listening, and it was...
Readers were inquired about their preferred methods for high-resolution audio listening, and it was evident that they all placed a significant emphasis on audio quality as the top concern, with no agreement on the superior technique.

Readers shared their preferences for high-resolution music listening, highlighting a predominant concern as sound quality.

Listening to high-res music in your hi-fi system? Our readers are split between using streaming services and buying digital files. Here's a breakdown of their preferences and insights.

Owning music is priority

Many readers prioritize owning the music they love, be it CDs, vinyl, or high-res digital files. Forum member Cork prefers HDTracks for hi-res downloads and uses Tidal to check out albums before purchasing. Simon Broch opts for local storage and buys digital music from Bluesound.

MusicSloth downloads music from Bandcamp and advocates for paying artists fairly. Adam Ranson supports artists directly through Bandcamp and agrees with this approach.

Combining streaming and downloads

Many readers use streaming services like Tidal and Qobuz for music discovery, then download the hi-res album from HDTracks, Qobuz Store, or Bandcamp to own the music permanently. Hootywwfc and ruffian22052 follow this approach, utilizing different services.

Streaming exclusively

While others exclusively stream music from different services like Amazon Music, Tidal, and Apple Music, sound quality remains important. DREADZONE and michael hoy prefer internal streaming, while others like streaming for its convenience.

James McWilliams downloads from Qobuz and focuses on jazz and classical music. He finds the high-res quality comparable to CD quality. Welzar, a lifelong vinyl collector, switched to streaming, appreciating the convenience and better sound quality.

Streaming for convenience and Roon integration

Readers highlight the convenience of streaming services like Tidal and Apple Music. Using a third-party platform like Roon, Joe_Christmas combines streaming and locally stored music for an enhanced listening experience.

Sticking to downloads exclusively

Some readers stick to downloading hi-res music from services like Qobuz, Bandcamp, and HDTracks. Busb has reservations about the permanence of streaming, warning about disappearing tracks and albums.

Discovering new music through streaming

Many readers use streaming services for music discovery and then buy the albums they enjoy. This can help mitigate concerns about licensing agreements and ownership.

Embracing various formats

Listeners enjoy mixing up streaming discovery with physical formats like vinyl and CDs. Mavplace64 grew up with vinyl, returned to it 15 years ago, and uses streaming for music discovery. Chris_Horner plays records for sound quality but uses streaming for its convenience.

In conclusion, there's no one answer to how our readers listen to high-res music. Whether you prefer streaming, downloading, or a combination of both, sound quality and owning your music remains crucial. So grab your high-res downloads, stream those new discoveries, spin those vinyl records, and enjoy your favorite tunes in your hi-fi system. Cheers!

Want to keep up with the latest hi-fi news, reviews, and deals? Why not sign up for our newsletter, straight to your inbox!

  1. Cork prefers HDTracks for hi-res music downloads and utilizes Tidal for album previews before purchasing.
  2. Simon Broch opts for local storage and buys digital music from Bluesound.
  3. MusicSloth downloads music from Bandcamp, encouraging fair payment to artists.
  4. Adam Ranson directly supports artists through Bandcamp, sharing the same sentiment.
  5. Hootywwfc and ruffian22052 utilize different streaming services for music discovery and then purchase hi-res albums from HDTracks, Qobuz Store, or Bandcamp.
  6. DREADZONE and michael hoy prefer internal streaming, while others appreciate streaming for its convenience.
  7. James McWilliams downloads from Qobuz, focusing on jazz and classical music, finding the high-res quality comparable to CD quality.
  8. Welzar, a lifelong vinyl collector, switched to streaming, valuing the convenience and better sound quality.
  9. Joe_Christmas combines streaming and locally stored music for an enhanced listening experience using Roon.
  10. Busb exclusively downloads hi-res music from services like Qobuz, Bandcamp, and HDTracks, expressing concerns about the permanence of streaming.
  11. Many readers use streaming services for music discovery and then buy the albums they enjoy, helping mitigate concerns about licensing agreements and ownership.

Read also:

    Related

    Latest