Welcome to another instalment of our monthly Ask the Reader column, where we ask our readers for their input on a key topic of discussion.
In this month's discussion, we want to know how you listen to high-resolution music in your home hi-fi set-up. We're talking higher than CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz) files, meaning digital files that are in 24-bit quality, going up to 192kHz, as well as DSD files.
It was the case only a few years ago that if you wanted to stream your favourite albums in hi-res quality, then you'd have to buy and download the album from sites such as HDTracks, 7Digital, Qobuz or NativeDSD, store them on a server, hard drive or on your laptop, and then use a hi-res streamer (or network audio player) that could stream those files over your home network and wi-fi.
These days, however, you can stream millions of songs in hi-res quality (24-bit and above) from various music streaming services for a monthly subscription fee. Platforms such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and Qobuz offer millions of hi-res songs that you can stream directly from your phone, tablet or laptop, or even via being integrated into the streamer itself. No downloading or storing is necessary – it's all available to stream at the tap of a button.
Recent data shows that music streaming dominates how we listen to music generally (over 88 per cent!), while music downloads have taken a hit to their lowest point in three years. But is that the case for our community of hi-fi fans and audiophiles?
What we'd love to know is how many of our readers still buy and download hi-res tracks, and how many of you simply stream hi-res tracks from streaming services? Do you prefer one over the other?
Do you still have a NAS library full of digital downloads, and if so, how many albums do you tend to buy every month and do you combine it with any streaming service subscription? Do you use services like Roon Ready to organise your library?
Or have you gone on to the fully streaming-only path, and do you stick to one streaming service only or use a combination? Have you made the switch from digital downloads to streaming, and have you found the process easy and practical?
We'd love to know your habits in how you experience hi-res music in your hi-fi system today, and any recommendations or tips you've found on your journey. To get involved, post your thoughts in the comments section of this page, on our social media channels or directly on our forums.
As with previous Ask the Reader columns (which dealt with topics such as OLED burn-in and vinyl buying habits), we’ll compile your insights and comments over the month into a dedicated feature.
Thank you in advance for your contributions!
MORE:
Hi-res music streaming services compared: is Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon or Apple Music better?
Where can you buy hi-res music? Here are the top download sites
What is high-resolution audio? Everything you need to know
Why sound (or picture) quality is our testing priority – but not our only concern
