Apple Music Streaming Service

David- it's a numbers thing. iTunes' Music store tracks are 256Kilobits per second (Kbps) encoded in the Advanced Audio Codec (AAC). Which is a lower bit rate than the competition. Pre Apple Music, Beats/MOG was 320Kbps.

If published the tech pundits will tear them apart.

The approach by Apple to not explain the technical details is not new. I suspect we'll get a collection of Mastered for iTunes/Apple Music along with the whole lot of other Apple licensed tracks. So, 256Kbps.

Technically speaking, Yes, Tidal* offers higher, up to 1400ish Kbps, rates. I'm going to stick out my neck and say, "You may not hear a meaningful difference between 320Kbps AAC and 1400Kbps AIFF files." Of course nailing down the right track, the right recording, and controlled listening environment is a must.

I am disappointed with Apple.

*I am Tidal subscriber. There is a difference. However, the integration into a new piece of software called "Roon" has made my local music and Tidal music a perfect match.
 
Apple will stream at 256kbps....

Yawning-Man.jpg
 
jaxwired said:
What he said.
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Devil's Advocate. If the masses have no clue about bit rate quality...does it make sense to push higher bit rates with added costs if 99% of the audience has no clue? Apple certainly could careless about me or a few others if the billions dollars filling their pockets are from those that do not even know what a bit is?
 
I knew it. The official announcement read as I suspected.
What gets me is why would you purchase a streaming service at 320kbps (which granted, is not good listening quality to many of us, but still better then anything below it even if it's only nominal) and chop it down more?
They want $10/month like everyone else (except Tidal, but Tidal has added cost for the bandwidth required to stream at CD quality, etc.). It would not cost Apple anything to keep it at 320kbps at least, especially since they bought it at that already to go. Doesn't make sense to chop it to me, but what do I know?
The trouble with that regarding Apple's business is the fact that there are already many services like that to choose from and even Spotify now has them beat with their mere 320kbps. Doesn't sound like they are offering anything different, but then folks who don't know decent sound quality or don't know they can have it won't notice.
Kind of sad really.
Just my opinion. I don't go too deep into this stuff.
 
MusicDirector said:
I knew it. The official announcement read as I suspected.
What gets me is why would you purchase a streaming service at 320kbps (which granted, is not good listening quality to many of us, but still better then anything below it even if it's only nominal) and chop it down more?
They want $10/month like everyone else (except Tidal, but Tidal has added cost for the bandwidth required to stream at CD quality, etc.). It would not cost Apple anything to keep it at 320kbps at least, especially since they bought it at that already to go. Doesn't make sense to chop it to me, but what do I know?
The trouble with that regarding Apple's business is the fact that there are already many services like that to choose from and even Spotify now has them beat with their mere 320kbps. Doesn't sound like they are offering anything different, but then folks who don't know decent sound quality or don't know they can have it won't notice.
Kind of sad really.
Just my opinion. I don't go too deep into this stuff.
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Of their market, percentage wise, essentially no one has audio equipment, interest or the ears to hear anything better than 320. The Apple/Spotify choice will not be based on bit rates.
 
I've tried LastFM, Mog, Rhapsody, Deezer, and Tidal. Now I don't pay for streaming at all. There is so much free music available via radio station broadcasts that are streamed worldwide. I have been enjoying Radio Swiss Jazz for a couple of months. Great background and decent sound quality. I stream it through a Sonos Connect to a Wyred 4 Sound Remedy then into my Esoteric K-03. It's enjoyable. I also link to it on my desktop computer with an icon pinned to my task bar and enjoy it often through my desktop computer speakers. It's fun.

Radio Swiss Jazz - Home
 
Double-D said:
I've tried LastFM, Mog, Rhapsody, Deezer, and Tidal. Now I don't pay for streaming at all. There is so much free music available via radio station broadcasts that are streamed worldwide. I have been enjoying Radio Swiss Jazz for a couple of months. Great background and decent sound quality. I stream it through a Sonos Connect to a Wyred 4 Sound Remedy then into my Esoteric K-03. It's enjoyable. I also link to it on my desktop computer with an icon pinned to my task bar and enjoy it often through my desktop computer speakers. It's fun.

Radio Swiss Jazz - Home
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Dan, thanks for the recommendation- I added it to my Sonos stations.

Last.FM is only good for audio scrobbling or recording your digital playback statistics. I use it with Roon, My iPhone, Jriver, iTunes, and Sonos. It does a good job.. http://goo.gl/G8mjDy
 
Double-D said:
I've tried LastFM, Mog, Rhapsody, Deezer, and Tidal. Now I don't pay for streaming at all. There is so much free music available via radio station broadcasts that are streamed worldwide. I have been enjoying Radio Swiss Jazz for a couple of months. Great background and decent sound quality. I stream it through a Sonos Connect to a Wyred 4 Sound Remedy then into my Esoteric K-03. It's enjoyable. I also link to it on my desktop computer with an icon pinned to my task bar and enjoy it often through my desktop computer speakers. It's fun.

Radio Swiss Jazz - Home
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Dan, thanks for the recommendation on this station. They have pretty good talent from some European jazz bands I've never heard of before. If fact I've built a playlist based on the talent on this station. Nice find.
 
Odyssey said:
Dan, thanks for the recommendation on this station. They have pretty good talent from some European jazz bands I've never heard of before. If fact I've built a playlist based on the talent on this station. Nice find.
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Le Roy.......It really is a nice jazz station. I also like the accents when there's female announcers between tunes. I listen almost every day. Lots of good music and free of charge. You can't beat that.

If you like classical there's Radio Swiss Classic: http://www.radioswissclassic.ch/en

There's also Radio Swiss Pop: http://www.radioswisspop.ch/en
 
I'm no fan of Swift's music or some of her other antics, but I like the way she made her statement, very eloquent, concise and on point (not used to hearing that come from her). Ok Taylor, well done on that one, seriously.
 
Mike,
I'm tempted to think Apple Music has to fail because they lost first mover advantages and they have nothing exceptional to bring to the party. (Apple's success has always coincided with transformative innovation.) On the other hand, I suspect that my outlook is colored by my appreciation for sound quality, which most people don't care about. As P.T. Barnum said, "nobody every went broke by underestimating the taste of the American people."
 
BayStBroker said:
Mike,
I'm tempted to think Apple Music has to fail because they lost first mover advantages and they have nothing exceptional to bring to the party. (Apple's success has always coincided with transformative innovation.) On the other hand, I suspect that my outlook is colored by my appreciation for sound quality, which most people don't care about. As P.T. Barnum said, "nobody every went broke by underestimating the taste of the American people."
Click to expand...

I've been wondering "what would Steve Jobs have done?" My guess is that he wouldn't be playing with fire with the musicians telling them they are SOL for getting paid during the trial period.

Offer the musicians 50 cents per $1 sold (50/50 split) and you would kiss Spotify and the others goodbye.
 
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