Tidal’s hi-res Masters (MQA) tracks surpass one million

The introduction of Tidal Masters (Tidal's ‘typically' 24-bit/96kHz MQA streams) last January is one of the reasons the music streaming service remains our favourite. 

In fact, it has just picked up its fourth What Hi-Fi? Award, ahead of the likes of Spotify, which still doesn't have a CD-quality tier, let alone hi-res. 

 

At launch, the Masters – available to subscribers of its £20 per month HiFi package using the Tidal desktop app – featured 30,000 tracks, out of Tidal’s 40m catalogue. However, now the number of hi-res tracks has surpassed one million.

There are still over 40 times more CD-quality streams than hi-res ones in Tidal’s database, but a growth of almost 3000 per cent in 18 months isn’t bad going.

All we need now is for Masters to be accessible on Tidal's smartphone apps and web-based player.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.