Tidal makes good

On June 3rd, music streaming service Tidal updated its Android app, which in my extensive testing over the weekend resolves a catastrophic bug that skips songs. The previous version jumped tracks before they finished playing on my Nexus 6 or 9. Last week, the lossless listening provider acknowledged the problem. The fix is in, and I am satisfied.

Tidal delivers HiFi streaming—1411kbps Free Lossless Audio Codec—at the premium price of $19.99 per month. For a music streamer charging more, about double other paid service competitors, the glitch was inexcusable. I first reported the erratic behavior nearly a month ago.

I started subscribing on April 1st (please, don't call me a fool for the date) and really enjoy the listening experience. I concede that not everyone will hear, or even prefer, the Tidal sound. We often like what we are accustomed to.

I most certainly can hear profound subtleties, particularly instruments like cymbals. It's the highs where I detect the differences—fine details. There is also, at least to my aged ears, a purity—a clarity—that is distinct from lower bitrate AAC- or MPEG-encoded music. However, people demanding and accustomed to mushier, bassier sound may feel Tidal tracks sound flat.

Photo Credit: Joe Wilcox