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It looks as though the tides are changing for the premium music streaming service Tidal. Originally known for high fidelity above all else, the Jay-Z–backed platform is changing course – at least in terms of championed audio formats.
Those who love music will perhaps notice that Tidal no longer offers the option for Master Quality Authenticated. Between 2017 and now, this format was the quality pinnacle of recorded music, the service had claimed. With very minimal adoption, Tidal now goes back to the basics with FLAC files for lossless listening.
The changes acknowledge the format fight felt by music fans. While MQA packed quality into smaller files, its specialized hardware never caught a wave. As competitors now provide hi-res at no extra cost, Tidal’s premium pricing hit a sour note.
It’s a sign of the times, though, that earlier this year Tidal streamlined its tiers. Now, a single $10.99 monthly plan will get you access to high-res and Dolby tracks. This is a transitioning approach that recognizes quality audio alone as not being the clincher, not least against behemoths like Apple Music.
