Music streaming service Tidal has announced Tidal Connect, which it says is the “first and only HiFi casting technology” that allows users to stream music directly to connected devices.
Users subscribed to Tidal’s Premium or HiFi tier can now stream their favourite albums or tracks to devices in their preferred quality with the Tidal app acting as the controller.
This sounds very much like Tidal’s version of Spotify Connect, but what makes this different is that Tidal will be offering the ability to cast music to other devices in higher quality formats such as MQA and Dolby Atmos,. That’s considerably better than the 320kbps bit-rate you get from Spotify Connect. There’s no mention of whether tracks in Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format can be cast to compatible devices too.
Related: What is Dolby Atmos Music?
Device launch partners include the well-known brand names across both sides of the pond in Bluesound, Cambridge Audio, DALI, KEF, iFi audio, Lyngdorf, Monitor, NAD, and Naim Audio. Vienna-based outfit StreamUnlimited is also an additional integration launch partner.
To cast music, users will need to open the “Now Playing” screen while playing a song, click on the device selector in the bottom left corner of the app and choose a Tidal Connect-enabled device for playback.
Lior Tibon, TIDAL COO, said, “TIDAL consistently looks for opportunities to normalize and elevate the HiFi listening experience, with its chief aims being uncompromised high-fidelity sound and seamless access to entertainment. TIDAL Connect offers HiFi members another route to discovery, making it easier to control music on a preferred device and motivating users to use TIDAL as intended, wherever and whenever.”
The addition of Tidal Connect is another feather in the cap of a music streaming service that’s carved out a space as the premium high-quality alternative to Spotify. Tidal Connect is available to subscribers of Premium (£9.99) or HiFi (£19.99) tiers now.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
