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      03-13-2019, 04:52 PM   #1
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Where do you get your Hi-Res audio ?

I have the B&W upgrade on my X5 and plan on maximizing the system's capabilities with hi-res audio files [other than discs!].

Was curious to hear about user experiences on this one?
Also, where do you download or purchase these?

ITunes, Amazon and Sirius are compressed and are <= 48kHz and <= 320kbps . While I heard a significant and positive impact from the sound system even on these sources during extended and multiple test-drives, I still want to utilize the full capability of the system when I pick up my car.

I have some example websites listed here [ but not tried them yet]:
https://www.sony.com/electronics/bes...s-hi-res-audio

Some folks have also mentioned Tidal for streaming , but the iphone App only comes with CD quality audio, gotta get the desktop app for higher quality content.

Thoughts?
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      03-13-2019, 06:34 PM   #2
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Old CDs I have, a free good websites I could link and places I will not mention
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      03-14-2019, 07:10 AM   #3
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Yeah, don’t tell me about CDs and the last one , mind sharing the good one ?! 🙂

Thanks. I’ll also keep poking around and post what I find.
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      03-14-2019, 11:48 PM   #4
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I convert my CDs and use https://allflac.com/

Some others:
https://tidal.com/us/
https://www.bowerswilkins.com/eu-en
https://www.cnet.com/news/top-6-site...ng-flac-music/
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      03-15-2019, 08:00 AM   #5
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Thank you

I have started a 30 day trial of Tidal and will let you know. Didn’t seem to make a difference on the highest quality tier on the base audio system on my current car, but that could be more of its own limits. Will test it out on my home audio system and then the BW system tomorrow.
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      03-15-2019, 10:08 AM   #6
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Thank you

I have started a 30 day trial of Tidal and will let you know. Didn’t seem to make a difference on the highest quality tier on the base audio system on my current car, but that could be more of its own limits. Will test it out on my home audio system and then the BW system tomorrow.
Tidal can't stream at 24bits so I'd recommend getting had FLAC copies of your music. The B&W system is amazing as a whole but even with Tidal (yes I've tried it) the audio quality isn't the same
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      03-15-2019, 12:47 PM   #7
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Thank you

I have started a 30 day trial of Tidal and will let you know. Didn’t seem to make a difference on the highest quality tier on the base audio system on my current car, but that could be more of its own limits. Will test it out on my home audio system and then the BW system tomorrow.
Tidal can't stream at 24bits so I'd recommend getting had FLAC copies of your music. The B&W system is amazing as a whole but even with Tidal (yes I've tried it) the audio quality isn't the same
Qobuz, a new streaming service based in France, came to the US last month. They offer a fair amount of "high res" music, some of it native and some remastered older recordings. I use both Tidal and Qobuz and prefer the latter.

I believe you can stream high res files from Qobuz via an iPhone but I'm not sure if the B&W system will actually decode a high res stream. And I'm also not sure there's really an audible advantage to high res (vs. lossless flac files, I.e., CD resolution) in the noisy environment of a car.

Qobuz has a trial plan so it's worth checking out.
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      03-15-2019, 03:05 PM   #8
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Thank you

I have started a 30 day trial of Tidal and will let you know. Didn't seem to make a difference on the highest quality tier on the base audio system on my current car, but that could be more of its own limits. Will test it out on my home audio system and then the BW system tomorrow.
Tidal can't stream at 24bits so I'd recommend getting had FLAC copies of your music. The B&W system is amazing as a whole but even with Tidal (yes I've tried it) the audio quality isn't the same
Qobuz, a new streaming service based in France, came to the US last month. They offer a fair amount of "high res" music, some of it native and some remastered older recordings. I use both Tidal and Qobuz and prefer the latter.

I believe you can stream high res files from Qobuz via an iPhone but I'm not sure if the B&W system will actually decode a high res stream. And I'm also not sure there's really an audible advantage to high res (vs. lossless flac files, I.e., CD resolution) in the noisy environment of a car.

Qobuz has a trial plan so it's worth checking out.
It doesn't matter because streaming at that bandwidth requires a lot of data which can be tricky while driving. Add this to the lack of bandwidth via BT (I know iPhones can play music via USB) and it's better to just use hard files.
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      03-15-2019, 10:21 PM   #9
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It doesn't matter because streaming at that bandwidth requires a lot of data which can be tricky while driving. Add this to the lack of bandwidth via BT (I know iPhones can play music via USB) and it's better to just use hard files.
Carplay can use Wifi, but agreed best to use USB.
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      03-15-2019, 10:34 PM   #10
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It doesn't matter because streaming at that bandwidth requires a lot of data which can be tricky while driving. Add this to the lack of bandwidth via BT (I know iPhones can play music via USB) and it's better to just use hard files.
Carplay can use Wifi, but agreed best to use USB.
I wish AA did even though that's not an option on BMWs. I have a 128gb flash drive I use and a 256gb one
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      03-16-2019, 01:26 AM   #11
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I wish AA did even though that's not an option on BMWs. I have a 128gb flash drive I use and a 256gb one
Yes, not an option yet. I have a few 2TB hard drives I use.
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      03-16-2019, 10:25 AM   #12
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I wish AA did even though that's not an option on BMWs. I have a 128gb flash drive I use and a 256gb one
Yes, not an option yet. I have a few 2TB hard drives I use.
HDD or SSD? If it's the former you sir like to live dangerously I never trust HDDs when they're not perfectly stationary
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      03-16-2019, 04:02 PM   #13
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HDD or SSD? If it's the former you sir like to live dangerously I never trust HDDs when they're not perfectly stationary
HDD. Same thing that is in vehicle.
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      03-16-2019, 04:58 PM   #14
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HDD or SSD? If it's the former you sir like to live dangerously I never trust HDDs when they're not perfectly stationary
HDD. Same thing that is in vehicle.
would bumps in the road potentially cause an issue? I've had HDDs get corrupted in laptops before when writing/reading. One of the times I didn't out the PC to sleep in my bag so walking around killed it
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      03-16-2019, 08:28 PM   #15
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would bumps in the road potentially cause an issue? I've had HDDs get corrupted in laptops before when writing/reading. One of the times I didn't out the PC to sleep in my bag so walking around killed it
Yes, it is possible. But, I have not had any issues.
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      03-16-2019, 08:51 PM   #16
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Yes, it is possible. But, I have not had any issues.
Good to hear I don't think the roads here would be kind enough on an HDD
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      03-18-2019, 06:27 PM   #17
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Tidal can't stream at 24bits so I'd recommend getting had FLAC copies of your music. The B&W system is amazing as a whole but even with Tidal (yes I've tried it) the audio quality isn't the same
Agree after 2 days of extended listening
Tidal at Max quality has been underwhelming on both my car system as well as my home audio gig. I've downloaded to phone, but still wireless connection to stereo - which is the new weak link.

Download to flash drive it is then. Will do a staggered trial of Qobuz also.
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      03-18-2019, 06:30 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by kschac View Post
Qobuz, a new streaming service based in France, came to the US last month. They offer a fair amount of "high res" music, some of it native and some remastered older recordings. I use both Tidal and Qobuz and prefer the latter.

I believe you can stream high res files from Qobuz via an iPhone but I'm not sure if the B&W system will actually decode a high res stream. And I'm also not sure there's really an audible advantage to high res (vs. lossless flac files, I.e., CD resolution) in the noisy environment of a car.

Qobuz has a trial plan so it's worth checking out.
Thanks, I will check it out.
In my home audio system, I can easily tell the difference between a good ol' CD/DVD versus any compressed source. So based on this , I still have some hope for good FLAC or DSD sources.
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      03-18-2019, 06:35 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kschac View Post
Qobuz, a new streaming service based in France, came to the US last month. They offer a fair amount of "high res" music, some of it native and some remastered older recordings. I use both Tidal and Qobuz and prefer the latter.

I believe you can stream high res files from Qobuz via an iPhone but I'm not sure if the B&W system will actually decode a high res stream. And I'm also not sure there's really an audible advantage to high res (vs. lossless flac files, I.e., CD resolution) in the noisy environment of a car.

Qobuz has a trial plan so it's worth checking out.
Thanks, I will check it out.
In my home audio system, I can easily tell the difference between a good ol' CD/DVD versus any compressed source. So based on this , I still have some hope for good FLAC or DSD sources.
DSD will not play natively though the car, FLAC will play just fine
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      04-06-2019, 02:21 PM   #20
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Fine music and movie junkie here. I buy my hi-res audio through HDTracks.

www.hdtracks.com

I'll be honest, even as a pseudo-audiophile, I'm still waffling about whether to purchase the B&W audio system. (in my case, probably for an X7 purchase) $3400 is a huge amount to upgrade from the HK, which historically I've found to be pretty good. I spend big $$$ on my audio systems at home. But I always keep in mind that car driving is so far from an optimal listening environment, even with as quiet as the X5 and X7 are. Why spend big $$$ on top-end equipment, if the very nature of the setup prevents you from getting so many of the gains you're trying to get to?

Last edited by Wild Blue; 04-06-2019 at 02:58 PM..
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      04-08-2019, 08:57 AM   #21
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Fine music and movie junkie here. I buy my hi-res audio through HDTracks.

www.hdtracks.com

I'll be honest, even as a pseudo-audiophile, I'm still waffling about whether to purchase the B&W audio system. (in my case, probably for an X7 purchase) $3400 is a huge amount to upgrade from the HK, which historically I've found to be pretty good. I spend big $$$ on my audio systems at home. But I always keep in mind that car driving is so far from an optimal listening environment, even with as quiet as the X5 and X7 are. Why spend big $$$ on top-end equipment, if the very nature of the setup prevents you from getting so many of the gains you're trying to get to?
Thanks. I checked it out yesterday - some of my fav songs are not purchasable for FLAC download individually, have to plonk $$ for the entire album. Will need to spend more time to see if its a regular theme or not.

I can understand your view point on the audio upgrade. We have different priorities on how we spend and on what. Interestingly, all it took for me was a 10 min audition ( as part of a longer comparison to the base system) on my list of known good songs to know this was a great system. To be honest, I was already pre disposed, and the audition was more to (in)validate my thoughts and bias. But I saw it as a value upgrade to be honest, compared to the cost of a similar home audio setup.

Good marketing on their part IMO. Thanks to the beautiful sound, now I am hankering for a pair of 804-D3 floorstanders ($9k a pair !!) and because these beasts spend a lot of time hovering between 2.5 and 4-ohms @ < 1kHz, you'll need a hefty power amp to make them truly sing as well. Then add in a sealed sub-woofer or two (say from SVS) to give the bass a solid, fast foundation, and we are approaching $15k for a comparable build, so the in-car audio sounds like a deal IMO. Like I said, good marketing on their part. Dang!

Bonus 1: in sport plus mode, the (fake but tastefully done) exhaust sounds are piped through the speakers, and the bass from the dual subs is glorious - you feel the shifts (sonically also), engine over-runs, blips and other notes and it is fantastic theater and drama!

Bonus 2: The speaker grills light up ! This is for the kid in me to jump up and down, does nothing for sound - but such a fun thing. Always delights me and people.

I am sure you already know plenty of this - but do give them a listen. Terrible for your wallet though
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      04-08-2019, 01:25 PM   #22
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Thanks. I checked it out yesterday - some of my fav songs are not purchasable for FLAC download individually, have to plonk $$ for the entire album. Will need to spend more time to see if its a regular theme or not.

I can understand your view point on the audio upgrade. We have different priorities on how we spend and on what. Interestingly, all it took for me was a 10 min audition ( as part of a longer comparison to the base system) on my list of known good songs to know this was a great system. To be honest, I was already pre disposed, and the audition was more to (in)validate my thoughts and bias. But I saw it as a value upgrade to be honest, compared to the cost of a similar home audio setup.

Good marketing on their part IMO. Thanks to the beautiful sound, now I am hankering for a pair of 804-D3 floorstanders ($9k a pair !!) and because these beasts spend a lot of time hovering between 2.5 and 4-ohms @ < 1kHz, you'll need a hefty power amp to make them truly sing as well. Then add in a sealed sub-woofer or two (say from SVS) to give the bass a solid, fast foundation, and we are approaching $15k for a comparable build, so the in-car audio sounds like a deal IMO. Like I said, good marketing on their part. Dang!

Bonus 1: in sport plus mode, the (fake but tastefully done) exhaust sounds are piped through the speakers, and the bass from the dual subs is glorious - you feel the shifts (sonically also), engine over-runs, blips and other notes and it is fantastic theater and drama!

Bonus 2: The speaker grills light up ! This is for the kid in me to jump up and down, does nothing for sound - but such a fun thing. Always delights me and people.

I am sure you already know plenty of this - but do give them a listen. Terrible for your wallet though
You are speaking my language, my friend. I have a privately built theater room in my house with high-end equipment. Parasound gear, M&K THX speakers in Dolby Atmos setup, dual SVS subwoofers, of what used to be their top-end model. Front projection.

So yes, I definitely would appreciate the B&W performance. I think I don't have to fool myself there. I probably shouldn't be reading stuff like this thread, but I'm like you. Perhaps I'm subconsciously looking for a reinforcement push to just go ahead and justify making the purchase! LOL.

Add yet another 5% of options onto the car base purchase! Geez... this is getting expensive.
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