To put it in perspective, here’s a comparison. The difference might be awfully low but as the number grows apart the amount of data loss increases. It is often more prominent in quality headphones and DACs. Should It bother you? Depends. Our ears are not particularly used to the difference until we’re very careful. If you aren’t using a DAC (Digital to Audio Converter) it’s possible you are not listening to the intricacies. But there is a long way to go ahead and immersing yourself in the world of possibilities, well, eventually you might become an Audiophile. So get a DAC and see the difference yourself. If you’re still curious here are more details on the loss of data in different formats.
How to get Tidal outside supported countries
So if you’ve finally decided to invest in proper hardware and listening to High-res music streaming, here’s a guide to install Tidal, we’re sure you’re excited.
Android
Before we get started, we need to install the Tidal app on our smartphone. There is a possibility that you wouldn’t find the ‘Tidal’ app in the Play Store. Fret not, you can easily sideload the APK to surpass the country restrictions. Simply search Google for “TIDAL APK” or click on this link to download it for APKMirror.Once you downloaded the APK, tap on it to install it on your phone. In some cases, you might be prompted to allow installation from unknown sources, enable and manually install the APK. To do so, follow the steps on the screen. Once done, you will be able to install the ‘Tidal’ app on your phone. But, there is still one problem. You won’t be able to log in, as Tidal is not officially available in your country. To fix that, you can need to use a VPN and switch your IP address to that of a country that Tidal supports. For this instance, I’ll switch to the United States. Here’s the best free VPN that we recommend at TechWiser. Keep in mind, this is only a one-time process, once you create a Tidal account, it’ll automatically get assigned a US account (or whatever country you choose). Next time onwards, you can simply log in to your Tidal account from any device, without using a VPN. Once you switch to the US server, go back to the Tidal app. You’d be welcomed with a Tidal’s Sign-up or Sign-in screen. Sign-up if you already aren’t a member. You can do that by entering your email and type a suitable password and continue. Create your account by entering your birthday and click sign up. Done and dusted. Now that you’ve installed TIDAL, let’s talk about using it to the fullest.
In-built Streaming Quality Go to My Collection, and select a setting from the top-right menu. Then scroll down to Quality and select Streaming, You’re given an option to choose from Normal to Master. Both of these options will let you stream without using much data, so if you have a slow connection or limited bandwidth this one might be the right one for you. Else, we have HiFi and Master.
iOS Installation
It’s equally easy to install on an Apple device, available for iOS 11 and later. The user interface for both Android and iOS are the same. The only problem that you might encounter is the availability (country-wise) on your App Store, fret not, click here for a workaround. After you’ve installed just sign-in and follow the same steps as Android.
Things to know
High Fidelity (HiFi) Sound While MP3 cuts out details, HiFi works with a format called FLAC. When you select this option, you get uncompressed audio tracks (CD Quality). Imagine the little intricacies an artist added, maybe extra thump on the guitar or really soft background vocals. FLAC lets you listen to the track as the musician would mostly want you to. Tidal Master TIDAL has partnered with MQA (Master Quality Authenticated) to deliver studio audio quality. It was first introduced in desktop but slowly rolled out to other platforms. Imagine if mp3 retains 10% of the information, MQA captures and reveals 100%. Though the option to select is there in the app itself, a dedicated DAC plus a good pair of headphones will only be able to bring out the beauty of this format. Pro tip: Having a device that has MQA enabled will enhance quality. Check out compatible devices, here.
Closing Words
Whether you’re an audiophile or a casual listener, good streaming makes sense for everyone. In the pool of streaming music platforms, TIDAL reaches a point where it still is for a specific audience and user base. Call it ignorance or casual behavior, the truth is people don’t really focus on the streaming quality. Personally, that is exactly what makes it a really good option. It is tailored for audiences and sure will add exclusive content with time. It is a platform which not only boasts of the large database but good video content. So if you already have a DAC and good pair of headphones or you’re merely looking to experiment. Tidal is a great way to jump right into it.
