Streamer and subscriptions: How are you streaming music?

Sonnie Parker · Oct 17, 2024

While I enjoy listening to vinyl, I also stream music in various ways. We have HEOS for our whole-house background music, but we use Roon (Nucleus One) with subs to Tidal and Qobuz for more serious listening. The main listening and theater room uses a StormAudio MK3 processor. Other listening rooms have a WiiM Ultra and Eversolo DMP-A6 to access Roon. We have Amazon Music Unlimited, but we rarely use it. I've tried iTunes, but I've stuck mostly with Tidal and Qobuz due to my Roon lifetime subscription and how well it organizes and integrates our local music with the streaming music library. Now that I'm retired, discovering new music and rediscovering old music has never been more fun.

How about you... if you stream music, what streamers and subscriptions do you use?

Asere · Oct 17, 2024

I use the A6 with Qobuz and Tidal. I do enjoy vinyl but ever since I got the A6 vinyl has taken a backseat mainly because it's easier to sit for a while without having to get up to flip the record.

Gerhard Plume · Oct 17, 2024

I'm simply not streaming music. I have all my former CD's with me on a memory card within my mobile- that's plenty enaugh for me...two weeks of toujours listening...

Todd Anderson · Oct 17, 2024

That's an interesting move, Gerhard. If I had the motivation, I'd probably follow in your footsteps. But, all of my CDs are collecting dust down in my workshop, sealed away in CD binders. They rarely see the light of day... save for a review here or there.

I've had Tidal and Qobuz, but have only been using Spotify for the last year or two. That's largely because we have a family plan and everyone uses it. I tried to get my kids to migrate over to TIDAL and no one wanted to because none of their friends have it (they wanted to share playlists with friends).

So, Spotify it is.

When I stream, I either use the iFi Blue (Bluetooth) or the Wi-Fi variation.

Hyunkyu Kim · Oct 17, 2024

When I got the email, I got goosebumps. I thought someone was spying on my life. I have a lifetime membership to Roon like you and that's why I have to use Tidal and I also use Apple Music for my iPhone and HomePod. If you extend this to OTT services, I'm pouring all my money into streaming memberships.

Todd Anderson · Oct 17, 2024

Hyunkyu Kim said:
When I got the email, I got goosebumps. I thought someone was spying on my life. I have a lifetime membership to Roon like you and that's why I have to use Tidal and I also use Apple Music for my iPhone and HomePod. If you extend this to OTT services, I'm pouring all my money into streaming memberships.

Isn't that crazy!!?? Not crazy in reality... but crazy to think! There was a time when streaming was viewed almost as a hack to get around the exorbitant costs of services like cable... and buying physical music. But the industry has found a way to make big money on it. Now, it seems as if streaming is getting subdivided in a way that it's costing more than ever!

Hunter34 · Oct 17, 2024

I've got a premium Apple One subscription, which includes Music.

For streaming, I have Music on the high-def setting feeding an Ayre QB-9 Twenty. Sounds fantastic and as far as I can tell, all of the music is streamed 24/96. Whether some of it is 16/44.1 with a 24/96 wrapper could probably be debated, it still sounds great. I'm surprised at the depth of the catalog. It's rare that I search for an album that isn't in the catalog.

dan77 · Oct 17, 2024

I guess I take a wholly different approach. First, I do pay for the middle tier of Pandora (something like 7 USD/mo), so I am not totally opposed to making a monthly payment. But my listening availability varies throughout the year. So on the months that I listen to very little music, I feel the subscription pain.

Anyway, I downloaded 'Station Ripper' onto my PC and simply find online stations that I like. Then SR rips that station to a local folder. It automatically separates each song and titles it. I choose MP3 as the final format. I should note that SR is an old app. I am sure there are competitors that work better.

Then I just take that music and place it onto my phone. I also place a copy onto (2) thumb drives and then place those into my cars.

Since I 'groom' the music I ripped, meaning I delete the songs I don't like, what makes the final cut to my phone and thumb drives is only music that I like. Plus, I have full control to forward or reverse the playlist (without having to pay extra is what I mean!). Finally, since the music is local, all actions taken are instant as there is no cloud up/dn traffic. Not having the cloud delay does increase my listening enjoyment.

mibu · Oct 17, 2024

hi there! I only recently began to use the streaming platforms for my music. use distrokid to place it on most of the available platforms...

Dave MacKay · Oct 17, 2024

My streamer is a Bluesound Node. I listen almost exclusively to Tidal.

rxescobar · Oct 17, 2024

I also recently got into streaming using TidaL over a year ago. I'm using the Eversolo DMP-A6 Master Edition going into the Weiss 204 DAC with the Plixir Statement. BDC power supply in a dedicated room. The advantage of streaming IMO, is the convenience and access to new music. The downside, conceivably is less of a commitment to dedicated listening, just my 2 cents.

z2000 · Oct 17, 2024

I use Spotify for general listening. I still have many CDs, vinyl records and cassette tapes. Mainly I play CDs and all three (CD, tape, LP) lot of fun and memories

NBPK402 · Oct 17, 2024

I currently have the Roon Nucleus with Tidal and Qobuz, but when my one year ends for Qobuz...I p,an on dropping Qobuz. I am doing this because Tidal has more music that I like and I do not see any sound quality difference. In addition I live in Mexico and get the Mexico pricing (different countries have different rates), which is lower than in the USA.

tcutter · Oct 17, 2024

Qobuz to a Roon Nucleus Plus.

No longer listen to CDs and only occasionally listen to vinyl. I admit that vinyl still sounds better to my ear but nothing beats the convenience and music portfolio provided by streaming.

don105 · Oct 17, 2024

I use Idagio - I really enjoy it. Lossless streaming via Airplay from my iPhone to my audio system, or I listen with earbuds while out walking the dog.
Extremely well organized and expansive collection. Well worth the price IMHO.

rgpit · Oct 17, 2024

I have my entire CD collection ripped to a Linux PC running Lyrion Music Server (formerly known as Logitech Media Server). I also have the Qobuz plugin installed. For endpoints I'm using both Raspberry Pi4 running PicorePlayer and various DLNA capable devices. I'm very happy with the setup. As a side note Linux Mint, LMS, and PicorePlayer are all free software.

Sonnie Parker · Oct 17, 2024

Asere said:
I use the A6 with Qobuz and Tidal. I do enjoy vinyl but ever since I got the A6 vinyl has taken a backseat mainly because it's easier to sit for a while without having to get up to flip the record.

I know that feeling, and I literally had to put a chair in our vinyl room because it's a lot of work to get up and out of our huge chaise lounger. I sink about a foot down into that thing. I told my wife, "If we are listening to vinyl, I gotta have a comfy chair I can get up out of easier so I can flip the records." It has worked beautifully thus far.

Gerhard Plume said:
I'm simply not streaming music. I have all my former CD's with me on a memory card within my mobile- that's plenty enaugh for me...two weeks of toujours listening...

We have all of our CDs on our NAS and on our iBasso DAP, and they integrate with our Roon library. We quit buying CDs several years ago and there's too much new music for us that we want to hear from time to time to only live with the CD library.

Todd Anderson said:
That's an interesting move, Gerhard. If I had the motivation, I'd probably follow in your footsteps. But, all of my CDs are collecting dust down in my workshop, sealed away in CD binders. They rarely see the light of day... save for a review here or there.

I've had Tidal and Qobuz, but have only been using Spotify for the last year or two. That's largely because we have a family plan and everyone uses it. I tried to get my kids to migrate over to TIDAL and no one wanted to because none of their friends have it (they wanted to share playlists with friends).

So, Spotify it is.

When I stream, I either use the iFi Blue (Bluetooth) or the Wi-Fi variation.

I'm surprised you don't have a NAS, Todd... load all your CDs. However, all that music is available with streamers today, so CD libraries may not even be needed. It was certainly time consuming to load them all on the NAS.

Hyunkyu Kim said:
When I got the email, I got goosebumps. I thought someone was spying on my life. I have a lifetime membership to Roon like you and that's why I have to use Tidal and I also use Apple Music for my iPhone and HomePod. If you extend this to OTT services, I'm pouring all my money into streaming memberships.

LOL... I'm with you... we are streaming poor if you count Netflix, Hulu, MGM, Prime, Paramount, etc, etc. It's quite the list.

Hunter34 said:
I've got a premium Apple One subscription, which includes Music.

For streaming, I have Music on the high-def setting feeding an Ayre QB-9 Twenty. Sounds fantastic and as far as I can tell, all of the music is streamed 24/96. Whether some of it is 16/44.1 with a 24/96 wrapper could probably be debated, it still sounds great. I'm surprised at the depth of the catalog. It's rare that I search for an album that isn't in the catalog.

My wife and I thought we were not going to be able to find a song last night that we wanted to hear, but after searching a bit, finally found it in a compilation section. There's just not much you can't find these days. The catalogs are absolutely endless.

dan77 said:
I guess I take a wholly different approach. First, I do pay for the middle tier of Pandora (something like 7 USD/mo), so I am not totally opposed to making a monthly payment. But my listening availability varies throughout the year. So on the months that I listen to very little music, I feel the subscription pain.

Anyway, I downloaded 'Station Ripper' onto my PC and simply find online stations that I like. Then SR rips that station to a local folder. It automatically separates each song and titles it. I choose MP3 as the final format. I should note that SR is an old app. I am sure there are competitors that work better.

Then I just take that music and place it onto my phone. I also place a copy onto (2) thumb drives and then place those into my cars.

Since I 'groom' the music I ripped, meaning I delete the songs I don't like, what makes the final cut to my phone and thumb drives is only music that I like. Plus, I have full control to forward or reverse the playlist (without having to pay extra is what I mean!). Finally, since the music is local, all actions taken are instant as there is no cloud up/dn traffic. Not having the cloud delay does increase my listening enjoyment.

That "Station Ripper" sounds interesting. We like listening to Roon Radio... it helps us discover new music. I really haven't experienced any issues with delays using Roon with Tidal and Qobuz, thus far anyway.

mibu said:
hi there! I only recently began to use the streaming platforms for my music. use distrokid to place it on most of the available platforms...

It seems to be the life of music now.

gatestick · Oct 17, 2024

After reading the other posts, I realized that I'm a cheap SOB. I don't pay for any streaming services (music). 95 percent of my listing is in the car. I use Pandora or Spotify. Mostly Pandora because Spotify has a commercial every other song. I think Spotify sounds better. I don't have a dedicated 2 channel system. No DAC. I had a Roku, and just replaced it with an Apple TV box. Otherwise all of my CDs are on thumb drives. I do still use my pioneer 100 disc changer. At home I use that more than streaming. Might be because I don't pay for upgraded service, but I like the sound of CDs better.

Audio_Guy_UofW · Oct 17, 2024

I have a Roon lifetime subscription and stream Tidal and Qobuz. I had meant to migrate from Tidal to Qobuz to save money, but have procrastinated due to hassle of migrating favorites....and have less incentive now that Tidal has dropped prices. One day...

Sonnie Parker · Oct 17, 2024

Audio_Guy_UofW said:
I have a Roon lifetime subscription and stream Tidal and Qobuz. I had meant to migrate from Tidal to Qobuz to save money, but have procrastinated due to hassle of migrating favorites....and have less incentive now that Tidal has dropped prices. One day...

I was going to do the same thing... drop Tidal, but kept procrastinating as well. Then Tidal dropped its price, so I decided to keep it.

Desmond Fretz · Oct 17, 2024

Sonnie Parker said:
While I enjoy listening to vinyl, I also stream music in various ways. We have HEOS for our whole-house background music, but we use Roon with subs to Tidal and Qobuz for more serious listening. The main listening and theater room uses a StormAudio MK3 processor. Other listening rooms have a WiiM Ultra and Eversolo DMP-A6 to access Roon. We have Amazon Music Unlimited, but we rarely use it. I've tried iTunes, but I've stuck mostly with Tidal and Qobuz due to my Roon lifetime subscription and how well it organizes and integrates our local music with the streaming music library. Now that I'm retired, discovering new music and rediscovering old music has never been more fun.

How about you... if you stream music, what streamers and subscriptions do you use?

TIDAL, Digital Concert Hall (Berlin Philharmonic), medici.tv. Interfaces: dCS Mosaic thru Bartók, roon (Nucleus+ for purchased content), TIDAL Desktop on Mac, TIDAL app on AppleTV 4K thru Oppo 205 for videos. Disappointed that TIDAL abandoned MQA and spatial audio--but reduced subscription cost by half

Craig LeMay · Oct 17, 2024

Sonnie Parker said:
While I enjoy listening to vinyl, I also stream music in various ways. We have HEOS for our whole-house background music, but we use Roon (Nucleus One) with subs to Tidal and Qobuz for more serious listening. The main listening and theater room uses a StormAudio MK3 processor. Other listening rooms have a WiiM Ultra and Eversolo DMP-A6 to access Roon. We have Amazon Music Unlimited, but we rarely use it. I've tried iTunes, but I've stuck mostly with Tidal and Qobuz due to my Roon lifetime subscription and how well it organizes and integrates our local music with the streaming music library. Now that I'm retired, discovering new music and rediscovering old music has never been more fun.

How about you... if you stream music, what streamers and subscriptions do you use?

QOBUZ rules my Klipsch JUBILEE 5.1 system w/ Danley HT50 Tapped Horn-loaded SubWoofer), while Streaming with my new Cambridge Audio CXN100 Streamer !

-Jim- · Oct 17, 2024

I moved from vinyl to CDs (with well over 1200 pristine Albums in my collection then) ages ago. Then got into MP3s early on but found them lacking. But when FLAC came along, it had me rip all of my CDs (my Brothers, Friends, etc.) and eventually download many others to fill the gaps. Now I have a large FLAC library (well over 1.73 TB - over 80K Tunes) on my PC and Backed up twice (one not at home at my Brother's house). I still have a large MP3 library (470+ GB - over 120K Tunes) which I keep for the Car also backed up.

A few years ago I got into Spotify and eventually their premium Family Package. I typically use it from my iPhone to Bluetooth Headphones for working around the house. I use it a lot for Sports Podcasts when making dinner, as well as tunes when cutting the lawn, working on the cars, etc. Nothing serious as the Quality just isn't there, even though they promised Lossless Streaming 3 or more years ago but have failed to deliver.

As it's a Family Plan, why don't we just dump it and go to those with Lossless Streaming? I'm the only one in the Family who cares about going Lossless, and the rest are all dumb & happy with it as it is.

So it is, what it is... :rubeyes:

mark d · Oct 17, 2024

I use Roon on an M1 Mac mini and subscribe to Qobuz and Apple Music that either I stream to a Bryston DAC or to a Sony AVR. Works nearly all the time. There's an occasional hiccup when Roon tells me 'no audio devices found' which I fix by restarting the app.

One might guess that the sound from a CD being played in a player is pretty much the same as the sound from that same (lossless ripped) CD being streamed. Both sources arrive at the same pre-amp and speakers. But quaility isn't the same to my ear: the CD being played by the nice Sony deck sounds better (sources matter). But the convenience of dialing up any song I want to play on the Roon app is addictive. Must be a modern world thing: having to get up from the chair is a negative.

And vinyl sounds best. I grew up with vinyl and maybe that's the reason it sounds better. But instruments are always clearer and have a kind of bloom around them like I am hearing them live. Better transients and better bass. I don't get that from my streaming system, but see the convenience factor above, which is really a factor with vinyl.

ChristopherP · Oct 17, 2024

Hmm. Okay; I use two streamers: My Yamaha AVR for radio and Airplay, and WIIM Pro+ for my primary streaming of music, as both analog and digital source. My service is primarily Qobuz Studio sub. and Apple Music. I also stream Jazz24 Internet Radio. I am exceedingly happy that my JRIVER Library streams to the WIIM without issues. So all files and music is sourced via the WIIM. The interface is excellent and very easy. I once had 'Roon envy' and now don't need that platform. I wish sometimes I could access the extended information of the web, but can easily live without it for the price. I'm also use Soundcloud for podcasts, and share ad hoc music from my devices via wifi. Again, primary is WIIM streamer to switch, into my rig, with two channel output from Classe CA100 to Kef LS50 Metas. Very nice clean and stable.

Streamer and subscriptions: How are you streaming music?

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