Streaming: Presto vs Idagio vs Naxos Music Library

AnotherSpin · March 24, 2025, 07:46:29 AM

Quote from: DavidW on March 24, 2025, 06:50:52 AMI still strongly disagree. Look here: https://support.idagio.com/en/articles/388939-connecting-idagio-to-your-sound-system. It is fairly well supported by multiple device ecosystems, as well as Chromecast, Apple Play, and Bluetooth.

I don't even know why you consider half a dozen a drop in the ocean. There are not that many audiophile companies making streamers. One to two dozen at most, not thousands. And most fit under the umbrella of offering support for Idagio. Just because it is not supported by your dinosaur streamer doesn't mean much.

But that's exactly what I was saying — that Bluetooth, Chromecast, and the like murder sound quality.

So what made you think my streamer is a dinosaur? 😆

Edit: To understand better why I consider half a dozen a drop -- look here: https://www.qobuz.com/us-en/discover/apps-partners - click audio

ChamberNut · March 28, 2025, 12:47:55 PM

Quote from: Brian on March 23, 2025, 12:29:58 PMMy Qobuz subscription renews in a month and I am contemplating switching to Presto for three reasons: (a) I haven't really used non-classical sections at all, (b) Presto is so much better at search and organization of albums, (c) it's nice to support a smaller business that is more in the classical community. However, it looks like there is a smaller catalog available - specifically it looks like Qobuz includes Hyperion but Presto does not? And there may be out of print old 70s-80s stuff not digitized on Presto. I'll have to research further - and reread this thread!

I noticed that the Hyperion Brahms Complete Chamber Music set isn't on Presto. Someone also mentioned that it wasn't on Spotify either.

Madiel · March 28, 2025, 12:54:11 PM

Quote from: ChamberNut on March 28, 2025, 12:47:55 PMI noticed that the Hyperion Brahms Complete Chamber Music set isn't on Presto. Someone also mentioned that it wasn't on Spotify either.

It's just a set of pre-existing albums. Have you looked for the components?

ChamberNut · March 28, 2025, 01:00:52 PM

Quote from: Madiel on March 28, 2025, 12:54:11 PMIt's just a set of pre-existing albums. Have you looked for the components?

Yes, that is true. Just super lazy.

If I really want to listen to all the bits that make up the set, I'll go to find them.

Madiel · March 28, 2025, 01:03:00 PM

Quote from: ChamberNut on March 28, 2025, 01:00:52 PMYes, that is true. Just super lazy. If I really want to listen to all the bits that make up the set, I'll go to find them.

Well it includes iterations of my beloved Susan Tomes which is always a plus.

Brian · March 28, 2025, 02:12:09 PM

Susan Tomes is the level of famous that I'd send a fan letter to. (Inspired by Elgarian's lovely story of correspondence with a singer whose name I temporarily forget.)

Madiel · March 28, 2025, 02:48:27 PM

Well I've sent her at least 3 emails and she always replies straight away.

ChamberNut · April 03, 2025, 12:36:56 PM

For those that wanted a customized 'Playlist' option on Presto, they now have it. So that is the good news.

The bad news is, it is by 'track' only. No option right now to do it by adding a whole album/disc at once. So, if you want all 10 tracks on a specific release, you'll have to do each track individually to add to your 'Playlist'.

DaveF · April 04, 2025, 02:05:28 AM

I'm new to streaming (2 weeks into a Qobuz trial, and already regretting all the money I've spent on downloads over the years), so the answer to my question may be obvious, but what I really like about Qobuz is the facility to download tracks at a bitrate of my choice for offline listening, and the fact that the tracks stay on my device for as long as I stay logged in to the app. Is that the same for all the other streaming services?

I would like to support Presto, all other things being equal - they are a bit cheaper than Qobuz and, most importantly, they are based in the town where I was born

Madiel · April 04, 2025, 02:16:33 AM

Quote from: DaveF on April 04, 2025, 02:05:28 AMIs that the same for all the other streaming services?

I think the great majority of services will give you the option to download tracks for offline listening, yes. Arguably any service that didn't would not compete in the market these days.

What gets me is that they treat the ability to listen offline as some new exciting advance, rather than... what we all did before streaming services existed. And I mean just in the era of iPods/mp3 players and smartphones.

DaveF · April 04, 2025, 05:39:10 AM

Quote from: Madiel on April 04, 2025, 02:16:33 AMI think the great majority of services will give you the option to download tracks for offline listening, yes. Arguably any service that didn't would not compete in the market these days.

What gets me is that they treat the ability to listen offline as some new exciting advance, rather than... what we all did before streaming services existed. And I mean just in the era of iPods/mp3 players and smartphones.

Thank you - I'll give my fellow Leamingtonians a try next. The Presto website doesn't make it clear whether you can choose your download quality (they make much of their Hi-Res capability, but for outdoor listening mp3 is fine for me), but I can find out at no cost.

It's perhaps not the offline listening that's such a great advance as the offer of an all-you-can-eat musical buffet for the monthly cost of a single download!

DavidW · April 04, 2025, 06:30:13 AM

Quote from: Madiel on April 04, 2025, 02:16:33 AMWhat gets me is that they treat the ability to listen offline as some new exciting advance, rather than... what we all did before streaming services existed. And I mean just in the era of iPods/mp3 players and smartphones.

Yes, I remembered doing that with NML on my iPod Touch!

ChamberNut · April 04, 2025, 07:46:28 AM

Quote from: DaveF on April 04, 2025, 05:39:10 AMThank you - I'll give my fellow Leamingtonians a try next. The Presto website doesn't make it clear whether you can choose your download quality (they make much of their Hi-Res capability, but for outdoor listening mp3 is fine for me), but I can find out at no cost.

It's perhaps not the offline listening that's such a great advance as the offer of an all-you-can-eat musical buffet for the monthly cost of a single download!

You can trial Presto for free for 30 days.

DaveF · April 05, 2025, 01:44:58 AM

Quote from: ChamberNut on April 04, 2025, 07:46:28 AMYou can trial Presto for free for 30 days.

On mature reflection, I think I'll stick with Qobuz, simply because of the range they offer. A good proportion of my listening is rock and folk, which you can't get on the other platforms.

Number Six · April 05, 2025, 09:03:11 AM

Quote from: DaveF on April 04, 2025, 05:39:10 AMThank you - I'll give my fellow Leamingtonians a try next. The Presto website doesn't make it clear whether you can choose your download quality (they make much of their Hi-Res capability, but for outdoor listening mp3 is fine for me), but I can find out at no cost.

It's perhaps not the offline listening that's such a great advance as the offer of an all-you-can-eat musical buffet for the monthly cost of a single download!

Should you decide to go with Presto down the road, just know that you can indeed choose your download quality. For albums that have hi-res, you get four choices: Hi-res flac, flac lossless, mp3 320, mp3 192. (some albums only go as high as lossless, but that's the same on any service, as they're serving up what the record label gives them)

As Madiel said, these kinds of options are pretty standard across the board. I think most services use AAC for lossy files, but a few use mp3 (or even ogg, for spotify desktop).

Number Six · April 05, 2025, 09:07:31 AM

I have been using Apple Music of late (alonsgside their classical app that I like very much), since I like also having lots of non-classical.

But I have found what I already knew: Too many albums in my saved library means things get lost and forgotten. Plus, you lose the benefits of Apple Classical on desktop.

So in order to segregate the classical from the others, I turned Idagio back on for the first time in a while. My Presto annual membership is still good for about 6 more weeks, but I just don't like it as much as Idagio.