I've been getting some of my classical fix from Tidal (and sampling other albums) and I strongly agree--the rap nonsense has to go. They're trying to push their product to audiophiles who also, I'm sure, don't need to see this stuff either. One day I logged in to the word "motherf***er" splashed across the screen. Yeah, really nice. Quite frankly I'm fed up with them between that, the watermarked music files, and hopping into bed with mqa...My opinion is that Tidal is not very smart from a marketing perspective. I listen to classical music and opera. Nonetheless, every time I logged in, Tidal pushed rap music (and associated imagery) at me.
Issues now are Pandora Premium can only play through a smartphone so far and the resolution is not 320 yet.
What? Pandora Plus works on all Android devices. I use a tablet for it because my computer isn't always on and my phone isn't "Chromecast Optimized"...but are you saying that Premium is more limited?? Also SQ is almost uniformly impressive with the jazz music I favor. When I switch to rock it's more variable for some reason. Maybe the economics of it are such that compressing the more popular music makes sense? My brow is furrowed as I type that, though. I don't know.
I know you've been on a tear the past year trying out different streaming services. I've mentioned this before in other threads but it's worth repeating. Algorithms are well... algorithms; the more you put in the more you get out.This was just this was just the first day I used Pandora Premium and I had to keep giving thumbs down on James Taylor, I don't know why they keep pushing him on me I have never like his voice! Maybe it's my demographic or something I don't know. I figure if I give him a thumbs down every time they try to play him eventually they will figure it out and stop doing that!
Some good points and ideas.. I will start entering more stuff I like and see where that takes me. I have only fiddled with Pandora Premium for a day so haven't given it any chance at all. It is a tough thing for any service to be expected to do. 40 million tracks is like looking at an ocean, and figuring probably 50% of it is crap by any standard, and of the other 50, probably for whatever reason 45% of that isn't what I want .. Finding those gems out there that I want to buy and play is what I am looking for in a streaming outfit.I know you've been on a tear the past year trying out different streaming services. I've mentioned this before in other threads but it's worth repeating. Algorithms are well... algorithms; the more you put in the more you get out.
Please consider the following as well-intentioned advise, not as a "you're approaching it all wrong" retort.
Selecting genres out of the gate (like some offer) is a starting point. But to actually realize the song recommendation engine prowess of any particular service, you gotta feed it a healthy diet of what appeals to you. This entails more than up/down thumbing and/or hearting songs in a given "radio" que for a month or two or three. Otherwise you're not gonna get much beyond "best popular guesses" based upon the genres/artists you selected.
The more you give/use/work it and the larger your collection...the smarter and much better it gets "knowing" you. This has been my overall well-heeled experience (to varying degrees) with ALL services.
So, the next crucial step beyond initial selection of artist/genre preference and thumbs/hearts is to ADD a plethora of titles/albums from your present music library to your service library. Some services are indeed better than others recommending selections by tapping into/seeing your existing library. But the more inventory it has, the more it will draw upon for new to you/discovery cuts and suggestions. While it may seem unnecessarily redundant, this is key intel for "the algorithm". Sounds like a lot of "work" eh. Well, it can be. But over time the dividends can and will be your wildest discovery dream huge.
Note: My Spotify collection has 15,000+ tracks. And it rarely disappoints when it goes to non-library radio mode. For the outstanding cuts that bubble up...it's a one click operation to add it to the library or a playlist.
Yep. Hence why I'm suggesting that you build a sturdy lighthouse and take the time to sow several taste buoys offshore of your locale. Port in a storm mate....It is a tough thing for any service to be expected to do. 40 million tracks is like looking at an ocean,
Most certainly, they play it safe. But they do so with good reason. Generally, people prefer familiarity. Get too "daring" out of the gate and most will run away.most streaming companies start out not very daring in the selections.
Indeed most don't like that. Numerous studies have shown that "we" form a long lasting and strong affinity for certain types of music in our early teens; tailing off in our early twenties. And most casual listeners, especially in time constrained environments, find it very comforting to stick close to "the date" that brought them to a new dance. That's exactly the main reason most commercial FM radio is the way it is. It's a broadcast, targeting a broad genre based demographic. My gut tells me that's pretty much where you've been "stuck"/disappointed spinning your diversity wheels with streaming services. Well, pick up the damn phone and call the DJ.I want it all mixed up, (with an occasional PF in there so long as it isn't "Money") different genre's decades, mix it up! I suspect most don't like that, and want to play either whole albums, or at least the same era, genre etc.
If I could get a streaming outfit to do this with suggesting material I would like that very much!
Yep. Hence why I'm suggesting that you build a sturdy lighthouse and take the time to sow several taste buoys offshore of your locale. Port in a storm mate....
Indeed most don't like that. Numerous studies have shown that "we" form a long lasting and strong affinity for certain types of music in our early teens; tailing off in our early twenties.
Again, I'm not saying streaming should be a replacement for your own finely honed and favorited music collection. But I can say that from an "old salt" like me that's been at sea as long as I have, by using streaming in tandem with my own aged library has made the journey of expanding my musical horizon most automatic and extremely enjoyable.
Simply searching (with Pandora) will just pull a list of similar artists or songs stations, what I suggested was to ADD albums/songs from your existing collection to your streaming library. This will help the suggestion engine.Now that I have searched (as you suggested), where will the suggestions based on the searches manifest? All I see is individual radio stations based on each search.
Ha! Caro Emerald is a guilty pleasure here, or do I simply mean a pleasure?
Appropo of nothing, my Pandora / Chromecast Audio does the weirdest thing, with complete regularity. After I've been listening for awhile to Pandora Plus via my Nexus tablet, I presently perceive that the tablet is playing a different stream through its tinny little speakers than what I'm listening to over my stereo system. So I look at it and sure enough it says it's stopped casting. So I switch Pandora off. I understand this--it's casting directly through my router to the CCA units.
But here's the weird part: I close Google Home and it has no effect. Then I shut my Nexus tablet completely off. The music keeps streaming, though of course I no longer have any control of it (that's the annoying part). The only way to get it to stop playing (and casting) is to shut off the router and wait for the buffer to empty out. The weird part is that Pandora Plus thus permits me to run two instances simultaneously if I desire (though I don't). Normally that's absolutely verboten.
Indeed. And Pandora's implimentation in particular is especially wonky with Chromecast. .Chromecast has long had that issue, where the casting controller loses sync with the streaming device. I gave up on Chromecast due to this and the lengthy connection issues, long ago. Sounds like it hasn’t improved.
Available in the US this summer sometime.. Hi Rez without the need for yet another DAC.Funny... Pandora does not work on phones for me, which is why I bought the Nexus 10 (tablet) dedicated for that purpose only. Yes you'd think Amazon would make it very easy to buy CDs etc. Now what's this about France? First I've heard of it, but I'm not very plugged-in to the streaming world, which is probably no surprise from someone using Pandora....