All About Streaming Music Services

Started by Wakefield, July 02, 2015, 04:15:10 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.


Spotted Horses

Quote from: Papy Oli on March 09, 2023, 07:16:03 AMApple Music is coming soon as well by the looks of it:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical%20music%20news/article/apple-music-launches-a-new-standalone-app-for-classical-music?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1678374439-1

That could be interesting. I had a trial subscription to the generic Apple Music (let it lapse) but I noticed a lot ofstuff was marked "lossless," so we might expect their classical app to feature lossless compression.
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Madiel

Quote from: Papy Oli on March 09, 2023, 07:16:03 AMApple Music is coming soon as well by the looks of it:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical%20music%20news/article/apple-music-launches-a-new-standalone-app-for-classical-music?utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1678374439-1

Only about a year late. We've moved past me being mad about the shutdown of Primephonic to me no longer caring because I'm so comfortable with Idagio as a replacement.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Papy Oli

Quote from: Madiel on March 09, 2023, 11:59:58 AMOnly about a year late. We've moved past me being mad about the shutdown of Primephonic to me no longer caring because I'm so comfortable with Idagio as a replacement.

but...but...they have complete and accurate metadata ! ...and specially commissioned composer portraits...  :o

Idagio has some annoying flaws on the android phone app but the PC app and their web player work fine for me. Idagio stays for me too.
Olivier

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: OrchestralNut on March 08, 2023, 10:13:25 AMI hinted to my girlfriend as a possible birthday gift.....and I think it may just happen!  8)
;D

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Madiel

Quote from: Papy Oli on March 09, 2023, 12:20:56 PMbut...but...they have complete and accurate metadata ! ...and specially commissioned composer portraits...  :o

Idagio has some annoying flaws on the android phone app but the PC app and their web player work fine for me. Idagio stays for me too.

I doubt anyone has complete and accurate metadata. Primephonic didn't, though one of the great things about Primephonic was how willing they were to fix specific mistakes that I pointed out. No way that's going to happen with Apple.

But in Apple's case the only way is up. Maybe I'll try it just to see if a search for Mozart Symphony no.12 actually produces at least one recording of the relevant symphony. Because on Apple Music, it didn't.

I do need to try out Presto at some point, but really I have so few issues with Idagio that I'm not actually looking for change.

And there's a more fundamental reason why Apple is of no interest to me: the risk that using Apple streaming will fuck up my own personal library on my iPhone.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

DavidW

My only issue with Idagio is the desktop app for when I'm at work.  It is surprisingly not as full featured as using a browser.  And Qobuz' desktop app is great because you can disable any alerts from Windows or other apps when listening to music.

The tables are turned when I'm listening at home on my stereo.  Using Idagio in that context is way easier than Qobuz.

Madiel

I don't think I've ever tried the desktop app for Idagio. I'm not sure I knew one existed!
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Madiel

Okay, so I just downloaded the Presto Music app, and one thing immediately impressed me.

It knew about my account with the store from my email address, and once I signed into my account it knows all of the albums that I've purchased on CD from the store.

I did kind of already know this might be the case, and I don't necessarily need easy access to these CD purchases in the app. But gee it was nice to see how smoothly this happened.

Where the app is immediately falling down, though, is in the ability to play a work rather than album. If you browse recordings of a work on Idagio, then what you will play is the particular work - you have to deliberately move to the album to play the whole album. But Presto is not doing this. It will show me a list of albums with recordings of Beethoven's 3rd piano sonata, but pressing play will begin the album at the beginning, and predictably the result is the 1st piano sonata.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Holden

Quote from: Madiel on March 09, 2023, 03:46:53 PMOkay, so I just downloaded the Presto Music app, and one thing immediately impressed me.

It knew about my account with the store from my email address, and once I signed into my account it knows all of the albums that I've purchased on CD from the store.

I did kind of already know this might be the case, and I don't necessarily need easy access to these CD purchases in the app. But gee it was nice to see how smoothly this happened.

Where the app is immediately falling down, though, is in the ability to play a work rather than album. If you browse recordings of a work on Idagio, then what you will play is the particular work - you have to deliberately move to the album to play the whole album. But Presto is not doing this. It will show me a list of albums with recordings of Beethoven's 3rd piano sonata, but pressing play will begin the album at the beginning, and predictably the result is the 1st piano sonata.

I'm a presto customer so that will be interesting.

Surely they have track listings that can be accessed

Anyway. I'll give them a try

Cheers

Holden

Madiel

They do have track listings yes. I just mean that when you search for a work, it doesn't automatically lead to playing that work. The shortcut will play the album, not the work.

The overall presentation, including showing the works and tracks within an album, is very attractive.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Holden

I signed up for the free trial. Each track only plays for a minute before moving on to the next one. Have I done something wrong?
Cheers

Holden

Madiel

Quote from: Holden on March 09, 2023, 10:47:29 PMI signed up for the free trial. Each track only plays for a minute before moving on to the next one. Have I done something wrong?

I get the same on a free account, on albums other than the ones I've purchased. I hadn't initially noticed because I was only dabbling.

If you've signed up for the 30 day free trial of a "proper" account then I expect this shouldn't happen. But if you're literally on a free account then maybe this is all you get.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Holden

Quote from: Madiel on March 09, 2023, 11:16:09 PMI get the same on a free account, on albums other than the ones I've purchased. I hadn't initially noticed because I was only dabbling.

If you've signed up for the 30 day free trial of a "proper" account then I expect this shouldn't happen. But if you're literally on a free account then maybe this is all you get.

I found out that I wasn't actually using the web player but accessing Prestos catalogue which only gives sound bites of course. I was initially excited because I thought it gave me access to the full Hyperion catalogue but this wasn't the case. The poor search engine and clumsy GUI made it a no no for me so I cancelled, realising that Qobuz would provide everything that Presto would. I'll still use them for CD purchases though.
Cheers

Holden

DavidW

I've finally come to a tipping point and Idagio wins.  I've cancelled my Qobuz account.

Brian

Qobuz has a feature where you can download albums that you have not purchased to your phone for mobile playing away from wifi. For example, I download jazz albums for road trips.

Given the arrival of this feature, I don't know that I see a reason to keep purchasing download files...?

Todd

Quote from: Brian on March 29, 2023, 04:49:05 AMGiven the arrival of this feature, I don't know that I see a reason to keep purchasing download files...?

You really like the recording and want it available for all devices without internet connectivity.  Also, Qubuz will likely go out of business or be sold one day.  For immediate needs, though, for most recordings, no purchase necessary.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

DavidW

Quote from: Brian on March 29, 2023, 04:49:05 AMGiven the arrival of this feature, I don't know that I see a reason to keep purchasing download files...?

If you cancel the service you can still play purchased downloads.  If Qobuz loses the rights (as I've seen happen several times before) to stream something you can still play purchased downloads.  Just because you download a stream, doesn't mean that you can play it if Qobuz loses the rights to it.  The distinction between the two is DRM, and the ability to download the music outside of the app.

I encourage you to still pay to own music that you enjoy.  Also you are rewarding the artists and record label with far more money than they would receive otherwise.

Spotted Horses

#298
Quote from: Brian on March 29, 2023, 04:49:05 AMQobuz has a feature where you can download albums that you have not purchased to your phone for mobile playing away from wifi. For example, I download jazz albums for road trips.

Given the arrival of this feature, I don't know that I see a reason to keep purchasing download files...?

I may be outing myself as a dinosaur, but I still see value in "owning" a personal music collection, although I don't distinguish between physical media and files which are free from DRM and can be played without access to an active account. I don't want items in my library to disappear without warning or notice because a streaming service has a dispute with a content producer, gets bought out, or goes out of business. I also like the idea that purchasing content directs more revenue to the content producer, as opposed to streaming, where mostly the tech company operating the streaming service profits.

It is sort of peculiar that audio streaming services have pretty exhaustive catalogs while video streaming services usually have a very incomplete collection, where things frequently appear and disappear from the service. I'm not confident that audio streaming won't become more like video streaming services, making my access to music I want insecure.
There are simply two kinds of music, good music and the other kind. - Duke Ellington

Madiel

Quote from: Brian on March 29, 2023, 04:49:05 AMQobuz has a feature where you can download albums that you have not purchased to your phone for mobile playing away from wifi. For example, I download jazz albums for road trips.

Given the arrival of this feature, I don't know that I see a reason to keep purchasing download files...?

You'll stop being able to play them once you stop paying.
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!