Amazon offers lossless and high bit rate streaming

[RichW]

After I got the free blurb to trial it I noticed it was also warning me my current library on Amazon was about to go bye-bye, and downloading was a real pain so I said screw that I might later. Are downloads for sale available and at what price? Or can you download to device/computer for free?

Yes Amazon allows you to download to computer for free. Don' know if they still work if you quit service though.

 

[RichW]

Thanks, after further reviewing the sound options in the Windows sound settings in the Advanced tab for the AVR-X5200, it only shows movie related options, such as various permutations of Dolby and DTS formats. No other options, so I guess the 5200 just won't play the Amazon Music output.

You can only change the sound options for your sound device in your computer through Windows. Your receiver should handle what is input to it unless it's pretty old. Go to Control Panel/Sound and then click on Speakers which is the sound device playing the sound from the computer. Then click Properties. Then click advanced tab on next box that pops up. Then in drop down for default format, click the 24 bit-192000 Hz Studio Quality) line. Also check the 2 boxes for Exclusive Mode, and then click Apply. If your computer doesn't list that high, then click 24/48000 or 24/96000 and Apply. Then hit test and make sure it plays the test sound. If those options aren't available, then your computer isn't capable. In that case get a internal sound card or external sound card or DAC. You can get some pretty cheap External USB Sound card/DAC's from Creative which will do the trick if on a budget.Or you can spring for a better standalone DAC. Amazon only streams 2 channel stereo, so surround sound card not needed if your only streaming music. I have 3 different computers (2 older Dells and an HP Laptop) hooked to 3 different receivers and 3 different sound card/DAC's setups and all play great. at full 24/192. Doesn't matter if your receiver can play 24/192 if your computer isn't outputting it. Most don't unless it came with an upgraded sound card or you upgraded.

 

[RichW]

I was a long time Tidal subscriber who consequently added Qobuz and have also been listening to the free trial of Amazon Music HD.

The Amazon Music HD desktop app is crippled because it uses shared mode in Windows. It can not take advantage of Wasapi exclusive mode as Tidal and Qobuz can. At least on Windows it is not bit perfect. Whatever the native sample rate and bit depth is streamed it will be up or down resampled in Windows mixer to the user setting.

I am hearing degradation of sound quality in Amazon Music HD compared to Qobuz and Tidal which I attribute to shared mode. Amazon has their own forum and trial users have been complaining about why the service was rolled out half baked without exclusive mode and no one is giving answers.

Considering the sound quality it does not make sense to save a little money over Qobuz. Despite the buzzwords they throw around I don't think Amazon is really targeting audiophiles.

You can set to Exclusive mode in Sound settings/Speakers/Properties/Advanced then check the Exclusive box's.

 

[mtrot]

You can only change the sound options for your sound device in your computer through Windows. Your receiver should handle what is input to it unless it's pretty old. Go to Control Panel/Sound and then click on Speakers which is the sound device playing the sound from the computer. Then click Properties. Then click advanced tab on next box that pops up. Then in drop down for default format, click the 24 bit-192000 Hz Studio Quality) line. Also check the 2 boxes for Exclusive Mode, and then click Apply. If your computer doesn't list that high, then click 24/48000 or 24/96000 and Apply. Then hit test and make sure it plays the test sound. If those options aren't available, then your computer isn't capable. In that case get a internal sound card or external sound card or DAC. You can get some pretty cheap External USB Sound card/DAC's from Creative which will do the trick if on a budget.Or you can spring for a better standalone DAC. Amazon only streams 2 channel stereo, so surround sound card not needed if your only streaming music. I have 3 different computers (2 older Dells and an HP Laptop) hooked to 3 different receivers and 3 different sound card/DAC's setups and all play great. at full 24/192. Doesn't matter if your receiver can play 24/192 if your computer isn't outputting it. Most don't unless it came with an upgraded sound card or you upgraded.

I found out that it doesn't work that way with my Denon AVR-X5200 and I believe the vast majority of AVRs. The 5200 will not allow streaming over USB from a device such as a computer. It will play high res audio from the USB input via a USB memory stick.

Now, I was able to stream up to 24/192 to my 5200 over HDMI. When connected via HDMI, I was able to go into the sound settings, as you described, and use the drop down list to select 24/192 for the Denon 5200. It works and sounds fantastic, but you have to deal with HDMI syncing, which was rather slow and erratic.

 

[mtrot]

You can set to Exclusive mode in Sound settings/Speakers/Properties/Advanced then check the Exclusive box's.

That only works if the app, Amazon in this case, allows exclusive mode, which they do not. I have those boxes checked, but Amazon still doesn't allow exclusive mode. If I'm listening to Amazon music and some system sound plays on the computer, it will be heard along with the music that is playing.

 

[RichW]

Had Qobuz, Amazon HD, and Apple music all at the same time and with 3 different sound options. Internal sound card, External USB sound card, and a Stand alone USB DAC. Qobuz sounded good, but the app was glitchy, and songs would just freeze up playing and never recover without switching songs. Apple wasn't too bad but lesser quality, but I don't care for the ITunes interface, and it's still only 256 KB playback and the player seemed slow to me. Although you Have better modes you can set in Qobuz, I couldn't really hear a difference between it and Amazon HD and sound properties set to Exclusive Mode. But I found Amazon easier to use and their catalog pretty much just as good. And it is a few bucks cheaper if your a prime member. So I'm going with Amazon myself.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes Amazon allows you to download to computer for free. Don' know if they still work if you quit service though.

What bitrate/codec is the download, tho?

 

[JengaHit]

What bitrate/codec is the download, tho?

Should download same format as the streaming track/album. I just downloaded the "Ultra HD" Beatles Abbey Road (Super Deluxe Edition) to my LG V50 phone. In Amazon Music offline mode the album displays as "Ultra HD". But I've had many instances where tracks within a downloaded playlist are greyed out and inaccessible in offline mode. I'll get a dialog box that says the track is no longer available or my subscription has expired. Neither of which is true; in online mode the same track streams and plays fine.

 

[lovinthehd]

Should download same format as the streaming track/album. I just downloaded the "Ultra HD" Beatles Abbey Road (Super Deluxe Edition) to my LG V50 phone. In Amazon Music offline mode the album displays as "Ultra HD". But I've had many instances where tracks within a downloaded playlist are greyed out and inaccessible in offline mode. I'll get a dialog box that says the track is no longer available or my subscription has expired. Neither of which is true; in online mode the same track streams fine.

Well that functionality isn't encouraging on the unavailable thing. I still suspect they can arrange things such that a download isn't the same stream as your subscription but not sure, as they usually don't provide tools to really know. The stuff I've downloaded from Spotify is sometimes so fast I can't believe its the same as the premium service but since I only use it in the car it doesn't really matter either.

 

[JengaHit]

Well that functionality isn't encouraging on the unavailable thing. I still suspect they can arrange things such that a download isn't the same stream as your subscription but not sure, as they usually don't provide tools to really know. The stuff I've downloaded from Spotify is sometimes so fast I can't believe its the same as the premium service but since I only use it in the car it doesn't really matter either.

I haven't had the problem with straight downloads of specific tracks or albums (like Abbey Road), only with tracks within downloaded playlists. Sometimes deleting the entire downloaded playlist and re-downloading it works. Or deleting the downloaded playlist, then updating it by deleting the greyed-out track in the playlist, loading the track again or loading a later published version of the track, and then re-downloading the updated playlist. A frustrating hassle. Unfortunate, because I wanted to use downloaded playlists for road trips where cell coverage is spotty.

 

[RichW]

Well that functionality isn't encouraging on the unavailable thing. I still suspect they can arrange things such that a download isn't the same stream as your subscription but not sure, as they usually don't provide tools to really know. The stuff I've downloaded from Spotify is sometimes so fast I can't believe its the same as the premium service but since I only use it in the car it doesn't really matter either.

Don't know if it would download at best quality if your phone isn't capable of playing it at that quality. When your playing songs Amazon downgrades the stream to match your computer/device capability. May be doing the same with downloads.

 

[JengaHit]

Don't know if it would download at best quality if your phone isn't capable of playing it at that quality. When your playing songs Amazon downgrades the stream to match your computer/device capability. May be doing the same with downloads.

You're probably right re matching devices. Fortunately, my LG V50 ThinQ phone should be capable of playing "Ultra HD". It has an ESS ES9218P SABRE DAC, or "QUAD DAC", and supports up to 32-bit 384 kHz PCM, DSD512, and native MQA decoding, according to ESS. It's also compatible with the latest apt-X HD and LDAC bluetooth. That's why I got it, mainly for its "audiophile" capabilities. (And it was only $41 under my group plan.)

ESS Technology :: ESS QUAD DAC® Audio with 5G Speed in LG’s new V50; High-Bandwidth meets High-Resolution

LG’s new V50 Smartphone with High-Bandwidth 5G is a Powerhouse for Streaming High-Resolution Audio, Ideal Match for the ES9218P Integrated Audio System with 32-bit, QUAD DAC™ Technology.

www.esstech.com

Audio Science Review measured the LG G7, which has the same DAC. Measured very well. The review also notes LG bypasses the 16-bit limit of Android. Interesting reading:

Review and Audio Measurement of LG G7 ThinQ Smartphone

This is the review and measurements of the audio performance of LG G7 ThinQ smartphone. It was purchased by my son a couple of weeks ago. It retails for USD $750. Its claim to fame is inclusion of an ESS quad (four paralleled) DACs ES9218P with integrated headphone amplifier. There are...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[lovinthehd]

You're probably right re matching devices. Fortunately, my LG V50 ThinQ should be capable of playing "Ultra HD". It has an ESS ES9218P SABRE DAC, or "QUAD DAC", and supports up to 32-bit 384 kHz PCM, DSD512, and native MQA decoding, according to ESS. It's also compatible with the latest apt-X HD and LDAC bluetooth. That's why I got it, mainly for its "audiophile" capabilities. (And it was only $41 under my group plan.)

ESS Technology :: ESS QUAD DAC® Audio with 5G Speed in LG’s new V50; High-Bandwidth meets High-Resolution

LG’s new V50 Smartphone with High-Bandwidth 5G is a Powerhouse for Streaming High-Resolution Audio, Ideal Match for the ES9218P Integrated Audio System with 32-bit, QUAD DAC™ Technology.

www.esstech.com

Would probably depend on the actual app installed in the tv as to what its capabilities are for audio.

 

[JengaHit]

Would probably depend on the actual app installed in the tv as to what its capabilities are for audio.

I'm listening right out of the LG phone's headphone output, and using LG's own installed player (see the Audio Science Review link on the earlier LG G7 phone, which has the same DAC, in my amended reply above). Have gotten good results from my Sennheiser HD569s. Haven't tried my Sennheiser HD600s yet. ESS says the headphone output is 2 volt rms.

 

[JengaHit]

Would probably depend on the actual app installed in the tv as to what its capabilities are for audio.

Also, my bad. In my post #212 above I omitted the word "phone" after LG VQ50 ThinQ. Have amended that. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[lovinthehd]

Also, my bad. In my post #212 above I omitted the word "phone" after LG VQ50 ThinQ. Have amended that. Sorry for the confusion.

LOL sounded like a tv. How does a phone fit into your streaming particularly?

 

[JengaHit]

LOL sounded like a tv. How does a phone fit into your streaming particularly?

Mainly listening to Amazon HD via headphones from my phone's headphone output. Haven't used bluetooth yet as I have an old-fashioned 2-ch pre-amp and don't have a streamer/player (probably future purchase) or bluetooth receiver. Haven't tried connecting my phone to my stereo yet via the phone's headphone jack and analog cables. We'll see.

 

[JengaHit]

So apparently the Amazon Music HD app down-samples 24/96 or higher to 24/48 on my LG VQ50 phone. There's a feature where if you click on the "HD" or "Ultra HD" label while a track plays, a dialogue box pops up that shows you the track quality (16/44.1, 24/44.1, 24/96, 24/192), device capability, and file type. It consistently displays 24/48 device capability for my phone, which doesn't match ESS's own specs. ESS documents that its Quad Hifi DAC supports up to 32/384. Thus I can't listen to bit-perfect "Ultra HD" Amazon Music streams. Have been reading on other forums that other VQ50 owners have this same problem and haven't found a solution by talking to Amazon customer service. Now, 24/96 might actually not sound better than 24/48, but it would be nice if Amazon's app actually allowed my phone's DAC to operate at full capability so I could listen for myself.

 

[Auditor55]

So apparently the Amazon Music HD app down-samples 24/96 or higher to 24/48 on my LG VQ50 phone. There's a feature where if you click on the "HD" or "Ultra HD" label while a track plays, a dialogue box pops up that shows you the track quality (16/44.1, 24/44.1, 24/96, 24/192), device capability, and file type. It consistently displays 24/48 device capability for my phone, which doesn't match ESS's own specs. ESS documents that its Quad Hifi DAC supports up to 32/384. Thus I can't listen to bit-perfect "Ultra HD" Amazon Music streams. Have been reading on other forums that other VQ50 owners have this same problem and haven't found a solution by talking to Amazon customer service. Now, 24/96 might actually not sound better than 24/48, but it would be nice if Amazon's app actually allowed my phone's DAC to operate at full capability so I could listen for myself.

16/44.1 is sufficient. Don't worry about anything above that, it's just snake oil anyway. Just take note of it and file it away.

 

[sterling shoote]

16/44.1 is sufficient. Don't worry about anything above that, it's just snake oil anyway. Just take note of it and file it away.

My experience suggests I cannot distinguish AAC from AIFF; therefore, I no longer have interest in purchasing hi-res downloads. But I do believe there's reason to play AAC to a nice DAC. In experiments with Apple Music played via Airport Express optical S/PDIF output to a 20 year old Sony DAP vs. Apple Music played via OPPO-205's DAC, the music from OPPO is not smeared as it sounds processed by the Sony, when listening to it at high volumne.