Anyone else still up listening to tunes?

[ASK1974]

Just before Christmas the penny dropped and I realised that the solution to my inability to enjoy Hi-Fi at loud volumes was a pair of decent headphones, so I treated myself to the following;

- A pair of Sennheiser HD630VB headphones. £400 closed back, literally just released.
- Arcam Music Boost. £120 iPhone 6/6s sheath with DAC and headphone amp,
- A subscription to Apple Music.

Needless to say I'm in seventh heaven! A perfect solution to getting back into music in a big, big way. I work in the Hi-Fi industry (Hi-End contract company) and have a Sonos system which I use all the time, but family life has restricted me to moderate volumes and limited times when I can turn it up and enjoy - no more...

It's 1pm and I'm listening to some of the best breakbeat I've heard in a long time curtesy of Digitally Imported Breaks and Apple Music at silly volumes whilst my family sleeps! Oh yes....

Happy days!

[mybrainhurts]

Speak up, I can't hear you....

[Truffles]

Isn't the apple music low bit rate noticeable on equipment like that?

[gizlaroc]

It sounds shocking when you compare it to other online streams like Tidal.

[JustinP1]

It's funny you say that, and funny the same questions.

I'm a hi-fi/music buff. My setup is well into five figures, and I love listening to music, but with a family now it has become impossible.

I started an Apple Music subscription a few months ago, and I am listening to music more now on headphones than I ever did speakers.

At Christmas I upgraded my trusty Beyerdynamic DT770s for the new DT1770. £400 was a decent outlay, but the change is fantastic - like night and day.

Now, here's the rub - I have perfect CD rips which I listen to. On phones though, I would say that the Apple Music streaming is not far off, and I would certainly not be able to pick up the phones and get it right first time in a blind test.

It's really rejuvenated my enjoyment in music, which really did wane over the last 5 years. Even better, my access to both old classics and new music recommended to me is fantastic. I've not listened to as much music in my life.

[tomw2000]

I've also recently got an Arcam MusicBoost to improve my headphone listening experience on my iPhone 6s (mostly) when commuting. I've an 'ok' pair of Shure 315s (which I _might_ look to upgrade at some point.

Maybe another topic completely - but should I consider dropping Spotify and Deezer and move to Apple Music?
Uses are:
1) listening at my desk at work
2) listening on my commute
3) listening via sonos at home

Cheers

[gizlaroc]

I am a big Apple fan, I love the way their products just work, but to me Apple Music is too much of a compromise.

It is only 256kbps for a start, which is the lowest quality of all the providers, and worse still most of my collection is ripped lossless, and the problem is, as soon as you enable Apple Music rather than playing your lossless files it will match the music in your library with the tracks from Apple Music, so even though you might have the alnum ripped lossless on your phone the best you will get is 256k again.

I am sure apple will go lossless in the near future, and I will then jump on board, or if they didn't integrate the Apple Music with the iPod/Music app on the phone I would sign up, but while it is all under one app and stops me listening to my favourite albums in decent quality then I will stick with Tidal and Spotify.

[Frances The Mute]

I have dedicated rooms for Hi-Fi and Cinema so I guess I'm lucky enough to go and listen to music and watch films at essentially obscene volumes, whenever I choose, without annoying anyone.

The irony is I'm normally far too busy/tired to do that so the most I get to listen to music is either in the car or when I'm stuck in departure lounges/on flights.

First world problems at its finest...

[Truffles]

gizlaroc said:

I am a big Apple fan, I love the way their products just work, but to me Apple Music is too much of a compromise.

It is only 256kbps for a start, which is the lowest quality of all the providers, and worse still most of my collection is ripped lossless, and the problem is, as soon as you enable Apple Music rather than playing your lossless files it will match the music in your library with the tracks from Apple Music, so even though you might have the alnum ripped lossless on your phone the best you will get is 256k again.

I am sure apple will go lossless in the near future, and I will then jump on board, or if they didn't integrate the Apple Music with the iPod/Music app on the phone I would sign up, but while it is all under one app and stops me listening to my favourite albums in decent quality then I will stick with Tidal and Spotify.

That's terrible? Can't you play the files on another music app on the phone, or does Apple Music interfere with everything?

I have to say I never use my iPhone for music. I splashed out on an Astell & Kern A100 II and couldn't live without it now.

[gizlaroc]

I don't know, I've not looked into it too much, I'm not that fussed.

I don't listen to much other than dance on my iphone, and I buy tracks in 320kbps and do all my mixes at the same rate.

I was more mentioning it as he said he uses his iphone for music and should he swap to apple music.


I listen to 'proper' music on my home system, and the difference between Spotify at 320 and Tidal lossless is massive on my main system, in the other room I just have a Sonos Connect amp with some older MS speakers and a Rel sub, and in there either is fine.

It is the smoothness and soundstage that Spotify and Apple Music looses out on, it almost sounds mono compared to Tidal, even my wife who has zero interest in that side of things admitted the difference was enough to justify the £20 a month for Tidal.

Plus it shouldn't be long before MQA goes more mainstream, that of course may change everything, I know Tidal are on board, but if Apple and Spotify start to offer MQA files (which they should as that are only MP3 size but better than lossless) then I may jump ship.

[ASK1974]

tomw2000 said:

I've also recently got an Arcam MusicBoost to improve my headphone listening experience on my iPhone 6s (mostly) when commuting. I've an 'ok' pair of Shure 315s (which I _might_ look to upgrade at some point.

Maybe another topic completely - but should I consider dropping Spotify and Deezer and move to Apple Music?
Uses are:
1) listening at my desk at work
2) listening on my commute
3) listening via sonos at home

Cheers

I never bought into Spotity as I saw it as 'just another subscription', however a few mates kept introducing me to new music they found on the service so I was well aware of the benefits. The three month trail for Apple Music was too good an offer to ignore and now I'm committed there are two benefits over the other services from my perspective;

1. The music service is completely integrated with your existing library so no swapping apps to play music you've ripped that Apple don't have in their services, so you can mix playlists with your own music and Apple Music.
2. I love dance music and Apple have a pretty huge catalogue, I keep sending links to friends who use Spotify and they can't find the tracks. I believe this is pretty much the same with the other services. I may be wrong as I can't speak from experience but no matter how good a service is, if it doesn't have the media you want then...

Don't you just love the MusicBoost. Brilliant!

[ASK1974]

Truffles said:

Isn't the apple music low bit rate noticeable on equipment like that?

No. Not even close.

[ASK1974]

gizlaroc said:

I am a big Apple fan, I love the way their products just work, but to me Apple Music is too much of a compromise.

It is only 256kbps for a start, which is the lowest quality of all the providers, and worse still most of my collection is ripped lossless, and the problem is, as soon as you enable Apple Music rather than playing your lossless files it will match the music in your library with the tracks from Apple Music, so even though you might have the alnum ripped lossless on your phone the best you will get is 256k again.

I am sure apple will go lossless in the near future, and I will then jump on board, or if they didn't integrate the Apple Music with the iPod/Music app on the phone I would sign up, but while it is all under one app and stops me listening to my favourite albums in decent quality then I will stick with Tidal and Spotify.

There's the rub....

I've done a comparison between Spotify and Apple Music and there's nothing to call between them in terms of quality. Tidal is better but doesn't meet my media requirements. I work in the industry so I know as much as anyone what's possible but even after 20 years I wouldn't say I'm a die hard audiophile, I just love music so I make the best of what's available that meets my needs and I challenge anyone to listen to my setup and be critical, you'd have to have the most ridiculous expectations and frankly if you're such an audiophile that you ignore new music just because it's not 'as good as it could be' you're missing the point completely.... Not directed at you by the way.

Most of my family and friends have listened to my setup and they all sit there with absolute amazement on their faces; could it be better with uncompressed music? Of course. Is it very good? Hell yes? Is there a simple alternative that gives me instant access to the music I love? Not even close - that's why I had been listening to the same old tunes for years.

[Driller]

JustinP1 said:

At Christmas I upgraded my trusty Beyerdynamic DT770s for the new DT1770. £400 was a decent outlay, but the change is fantastic - like night and day.

Out of interest Justin, did you swap the cable of these headphones out to something of better quality?

[JustinP1]

Driller said:

JustinP1 said:

At Christmas I upgraded my trusty Beyerdynamic DT770s for the new DT1770. £400 was a decent outlay, but the change is fantastic - like night and day.

Out of interest Justin, did you swap the cable of these headphones out to something of better quality?

I did actually - Beyer kindly include a shorter, coiled cable in the box as well.

[gizlaroc]

ASK1974 said:

.....and frankly if you're such an audiophile that you ignore new music just because it's not 'as good as it could be' you're missing the point completely.... Not directed at you by the way.

I totally agree, and I listen to music constantly, I listen to everything from classical to jazz, to counrty to techno, nu disco and indie through to some pretty cheesy pop.

I tend to listen to my jazz, folk, acoustic and classical stuff on Tidal or from bought lossless, but still use Spotify as much as anything as I like the interface.

I have been playing around with Roon too, a simply awesome front end that really lets you find new music easily, well worth checking out. Not sure if I can justify yet more outgoing though for music. To be fair, Tidal has got me into lots of new artists through their suggestions, although not as much since the take over as it seems to be pointing me to more mainstream artists now rather than all the small groups and artists that it used to, which is a shame.