Tidal and in car audio with 2021.40.x

[Zacster]

Initial impression is that it really is high fidelity after downloading an MQA album it was treated as Hifi and that's what it said in Tesla player, things that I cannot hear as clear in Spotify are crystal clear using Tidal, I did a hip-hop song by the weekend.

Spotify treated certain parts of song as bass whereas tidal didn't which I'm sure is closer to what was originally meant when the song was created, Spotify tends to favor punchy bass. Voice crystal clear on both, it was the instruments and bass that were the difference. Tidal much more clear.

Will test rock and other types later.

So far really nice! utilizing the Y's incredible sound system.

I went for the $2 version with MQA but the car doesn't seem to distinguish these over the rest. You get the Hifi box when you play over wifi, it is just an indication that it downloaded in CD Quality. So if these are hi-fi, what does that make what Tesla previously offered with their premium sound system? I'd say lo-fi, or maybe crap. I don't know which.

I should add that when I played it today, it sounded so much better than anything I'd played in the car before, except when I would play Qobuz with the browser, but that only worked while parked. Downloading a 75 song playlist took some time, but downloading a normal album took seconds. I don't know how much I'll be able to download, something tells me it'll be more than a few but still not a lot. It goes to the MCU storage is my understanding and not the sentry USB stick. If it could go to a USB MSD I'd get a large stick or SSD.

I just checked on TeslaFi and it looks like the new software went out to just about everybody over the last couple of days.

 

[SkynetT10000]

I went for the $2 version with MQA but the car doesn't seem to distinguish these over the rest. You get the Hifi box when you play over wifi, it is just an indication that it downloaded in CD Quality. So if these are hi-fi, what does that make what Tesla previously offered with their premium sound system? I'd say lo-fi, or maybe crap. I don't know which.

I should add that when I played it today, it sounded so much better than anything I'd played in the car before, except when I would play Qobuz with the browser, but that only worked while parked. Downloading a 75 song playlist took some time, but downloading a normal album took seconds. I don't know how much I'll be able to download, something tells me it'll be more than a few but still not a lot. It goes to the MCU storage is my understanding and not the sentry USB stick. If it could go to a USB MSD I'd get a large stick or SSD.

I just checked on TeslaFi and it looks like the new software went out to just about everybody over the last couple of days.

Yeah looks like MQA is not an option in Tesla, makes sense! very few devices can do MQA. HI-FI sounds really good to my ears so far, downloading so many albums and will enjoy good music on my commute to work. Don't mind paying 9.99 for CD quality in Tesla as I can definitely hear the difference.

 

[Nick77]

Does the Masters stuff not get downloaded then shows up as HiFi?

On my playlists there is a download button over on the right, which only works over WiFi.

 

[SkynetT10000]

Does the Masters stuff not get downloaded then shows up as HiFi?

On my playlists there is a download button over on the right, which only works over WiFi.

Yes Masters and standard album both show up as Hi-fi when downloaded, I can't tell a difference between MQA and Standard album as both play in Hi-Fi so masters must default to standard hi-fi when MQA is not active.

 

[Zacster]

It is something like that. MQA is a bit mysterious which is why some audiophiles hate it. It's kind of like bitcoin. What is it, how does it work, why does it have value?

 

[Sunvalleylaw]

MQA requires unfolding/decoding for full effect. Here is a couple year old link explaining it. An inconvenient truth: MQA sounds better! | Darko.Audio (not saying Darko is the end all/be all, but I do tend to agree with him based on my experience, with regard to audio things) So, I would guess that ”unfolding” is not built into the software and/or DAC in the Tesla audio system. And yes, MQA can be controversial, and yes, it might not matter that much in a car. But I just trust my ears and tend to like it at home, and enjoy the masters versions playlists, etc. And am glad the Tidal service is in the car, as I tend to earmark my music and build lists and favorites there.

 

[skateboarder]

I’ll be taking out the 3 month Hi-fi Plus trial. Does anyone know if I will get to keep downloaded tracks if I don’t continue with full price subscription ? Thanks

 

[MrBadger]

I’ll be taking out the 3 month Hi-fi Plus trial. Does anyone know if I will get to keep downloaded tracks if I don’t continue with full price subscription ? Thanks

They are only available from the Tidal app (or a Tidal enabled app such as Roon) so if you can’t log in to tidal because no subscription then you can’t play previously downloaded material.

This also means that you can’t take the downloaded* or streaming tracks and play outside a Tidal eco system - includes tidal friendly third party software such as Roon at home. * I’m not convinced that Roon plays downloaded tracks even if added to library - just streaming but it doesn’t really matter when playing at home.

If anyone wants to try Roon at home, I have a link in my profile. I get no benefit from this other than spreading the word of a system that I was involved in before it was even called Roon.

 

[ramonneke]

MQA requires unfolding/decoding for full effect

MQA requires "believers" for full effect... No material exists to verify *any* claims. Second, why would you care in a car while driving? You really aren't going to notice any of that.

Third, Tidal is just as crappy as Spotify in the Tesla because these are not officially maintained apps but crappy implementations by Tesla themselves on top of APIs provided by these services.

Seriously, Tesla should just add actual app support or add Android Auto and Apple Carplay so that you can use native apps. Until then we will keep this sub par support for streaming services.

 

[FlyingTimbo]

I'm sceptical that Tidal will offer anything greater than Spotify does in the car. I guess it is to support existing subscribers.

What did surprise me, is how much of an improvement the premium sound system in my new LR is compared to my old SR+. It's much more musical and sounds great even when driving on the motorway.

 

[Durzel]

I listened to Tidal on the way home from Bristol last night, after I'd listened to Spotify on the way in. To my untrained ear it sounded better, even over LTE. It is possible that my mood or the type of music I was listening to (was more dance stuff on the way back) played a part, so it's not scientific.

"Hifi" (over wireless) bitrate definitely sounds better to me, not unlike the FLAC stuff I have on my USB SSD.

MQA is imo a complete waste of time in a car (from the above it sounds as if it's not supported anyway) with the environmental noise that exists while you're driving.

 

[Zacster]

MQA requires "believers" for full effect... No material exists to verify *any* claims. Second, why would you care in a car while driving? You really aren't going to notice any of that.

Third, Tidal is just as crappy as Spotify in the Tesla because these are not officially maintained apps but crappy implementations by Tesla themselves on top of APIs provided by these services.

Seriously, Tesla should just add actual app support or add Android Auto and Apple Carplay so that you can use native apps. Until then we will keep this sub par support for streaming services.

While I don't disagree with what you are saying about app support and features, the one feature of Tidal that matters is the higher bitrate. That distinguishes it from everything in the Tesla before it, including Spotify. But even then, the app that I have on my desktop for Tidal is a bit busy IMHO, and in the Tesla it is stripped down for ease of use. After all, you are supposed to be concentrating on driving, not reading the liner notes.

I gave up on MQA a while ago and went with Qobuz instead. MQA was supposed to be the next great audio thing, but at this point only Tidal seems to support it. Unless one of the other big streamers decides to support it, it is basically dead.

 

[Zacster]

I'm sceptical that Tidal will offer anything greater than Spotify does in the car. I guess it is to support existing subscribers.

What did surprise me, is how much of an improvement the premium sound system in my new LR is compared to my old SR+. It's much more musical and sounds great even when driving on the motorway.

That's what happens when you take a system tuned for 15 speakers and remove half of them. I think my SR+ system generally sucks too. I keep going back and forth on what to change to make it right but every option has its own drawbacks.

 

[browellm]

Ironically, the one place MQA *might* be useful is on the move - because of the data compression schema.

The SQ claims and worse, the claims of provenance, are utterly hilarious. As far as "trusting your ears" goes, don't. Aural memory is one of the most fallible sensory effects. It's been shown over and over.

 

[gangzoom]

Ignorance is bliss.......

I made the same mistake as you, been quite 'happy' with Spotify (I have free for life premium connectivity) but listening the same tracks back to back on Spotify versus Tidal is quite noticeable. Dynamic range at the top and bottom end is really noticeable, even at national speed limit speeds. Its a shame even with paid for 'premium' Spotify Tesla streaming is set a low rate.

Luckily it appears been a forever 'student' does bring some benefits, I might have to accept paying for music is something I have to do again

Ignorance is bliss, but I might now have to sign up to Tidal,

 

[Durzel]

That post needs more whitespace.. I was scrolling hoping for some amazing plot twist at the end, but alas

 

[psuKinger]

I'm still waiting to be offered the new 2021.40.... anxiously... is the delayed release often this slow? Is there some sort of action I can take to encourage getting this pushed to me? I don't usually care all that much about how many days it's taking my car to get the new firmware... but I'd really like to start using Tidal in the car.

 

[Zacster]

I'm still waiting to be offered the new 2021.40.... anxiously... is the delayed release often this slow? Is there some sort of action I can take to encourage getting this pushed to me? I don't usually care all that much about how many days it's taking my car to get the new firmware... but I'd really like to start using Tidal in the car.

TeslaFi is showing that everybody on most of the prior releases have been upgraded to this in the last 2-3 days. There are a few releases that have not and my guess is these are the FSD beta releases. 36.5.1, 36.5.8 and 36.8.8 seem to not be getting upgraded, all the rest already have. I just got mine a day and a half ago.

 

[Epyx]

2021.40.6 just arrived
Login to my existing Tidal+ account worked like a charm.
First thing I've done is to Download my existing "Sound Calibration" Playlist (26 songs) via Wifi. As mentioned in prior posts, downloads go into local MCU for the obvious reasons VanillaAir_UK already mentioned earlier.
In this particular playlist I have also 4 x 2 songs with and without Sony 360° Audio. In all 4 x 2 songs, I couldn't hear a difference which leaves me to believe that 360° Audio is not supported by the Tesla speaker system.
Can anyone confirm ? (You need the Tidal+ subscription for this)

 

[MrBadger]

I had a brief play. Took a few attempts for Tidal to login and a few more for the car to clear the QR but I think that was down to iffy internet on my phone and being too lazy to connect to a closer access point. I note that the QR code takes you to a trial signup page by default. If you get the option, assuming you are UK based, select a US region as US pricing after FX costs works out cheaper than UK pricing, albeit at a slightly different regional set of music. However, once signed up to Tidal and locked into a region, you cannot change it, so not entirely risk free but I save a fair bit each month being billed in $.

Operational wise, not a bad first attempt imho. I don't know what its like with Spotify, but it was nice to see favourites appear under favourites (including what appeared to be the daily Tidal curated play list which is always a pretty good effort) although I suspect I will need to do some pruning. I tried to download a few things but didn't seem to get very far with that, but wifi was probably iffy too.

Audio wise, I'm not expecting any difference to the FLAC on my USB but I will do some comparisons at some point just for personal curiosity. Playback did seem great though although I did have a couple of glitches. Without comparing against anything similar, Tidal did seem a bit louder than I was expecting and definitely was against DAB. I need to do that FLAC/Tidal comparison, but having used Tidal at home for quite a few years now in a system that integrates Tidal with the same FLAC files as on my in car USB, I know its not the source material. tbh, with the recent change in the Tidal pricing model, unless you want the other media formats at home and have the kit to take advantage of them, I see no need to subscribe to the new HiFi+ tier.

Common theme of temperamental internet in car and on phone probably means I need to reboot my wireless access point which I have to do every 6 months or so.

Nice to have album art back, on both Tidal and USB.

Didn't test media searches, but that will be a killer feature for me if it works well.

A good start for me, I just need a bit longer to listen on the move to see how reliable it is. It will quite possibly make my USB audio drive redundant if I can 'transfer' album favourites and playlists between Tidal on my Roon based system and the car with such ease as it appears. Ironically I never got round to using my USB media as much as I was expecting as search was non existent.