Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions

[What Hi-Fi?]

Welcome to another instalment of our monthly Ask the Reader column, where we ask our readers for their input on a key topic of discussion.

In this month's discussion, we want to know how you listen to high-resolution music in your home hi-fi set-up. We're talking higher than CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) files, meaning digital files that are in 24-bit quality, going up to 192kHz, as well as DSD files.

It was the case only a few years ago that if you wanted to stream your favourite albums in hi-res quality, then you'd have to buy and download the album from sites such as HDTracks, 7Digital, Qobuz or NativeDSD, store them on a server, hard drive or on your laptop, and then use a hi-res streamer (or network audio player) that could stream those files over your home network and wi-fi.

Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions : Read more

 

[michael hoy]

For me it is internal streaming, I download the album or track to my Server / NAS and stream to my Linn streamer.
I don't use any of the streaming sites to stream music.

 

[busb]

Until a couple of years ago, I'd say that streaming was my favourite option - renting rather than buying. Using iTunes has enabled me to locally cache a huge amount of music including classical & individual songs.
However, differences in SQ aside, dozens of tracks &/or whole albums suddenly become unavailable, despite d/ling them. "This song is no longer available in your region." Others maybe able to explain the why's but there's no technical reason music can't effectively be available for ever - you don't need to make another batch of CDs or LPs!
If I "buy" music, I don't own it but do have the right to listen to it - you don't get home to find some CDs or LPs are missing.
I do agree that equitable payment needs to be sorted out but politics seems to be intervening. I'd say to anyone thinking of streaming: be aware that your favourite music may suddenly be unavailable!

 

[michael hoy]

Until a couple of years ago, I'd say that streaming was my favourite option - renting rather than buying. Using iTunes has enabled me to locally cache a huge amount of music including classical & individual songs.
However, differences in SQ aside, dozens of tracks &/or whole albums suddenly become unavailable, despite d/ling them. "This song is no longer available in your region." Others maybe able to explain the why's but there's no technical reason music can't effectively be available for ever - you don't need to make another batch of CDs or LPs!
If I "buy" music, I don't own it but do have the right to listen to it - you don't get home to find some CDs or LPs are missing.
I do agree that equitable payment needs to be sorted out but politics seems to be intervening. I'd say to anyone thinking of streaming: be aware that your favourite music may suddenly be unavailable!

That is why i do what i do with my music. It won't disappear (unless i delete it of course 🙂