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Pandora vs. Spotify


wrf

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Any thoughts on the merits of these two music services?
 
I've been a Pandora Plus subscriber for several years but have grown weary of their repetitive play lists.  I just signed up for Spotify.  Turns out my Logitech Transporter/Squeezebox infrastructure can't do Spotify, so I was forced to buy a Sonos Connect.  I'm still in trying to learn the Sonos.
 
If I go with Spotify, I may have to scrap the Logitech components (2 Transporters, 2 SB Touch).  So far I like Spotify, but I'm not too impressed with the Sonos.  Thoughts on replacements?
 
Thanks. 
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Any thoughts on the merits of these two music services?
 
I've been a Pandora Plus subscriber for several years but have grown weary of their repetitive play lists.  I just signed up for Spotify.  Turns out my Logitech Transporter/Squeezebox infrastructure can't do Spotify, so I was forced to by a Sonos Connect.  I'm still in trying to learn the Sonos.
 
If I go with Spotify, I may have to scrap the Logitech components (2 Transporters, 2 SB Touch).  So far I like Spotify, but I'm not too impressed with the Sonos.  Thoughts on replacements?
 
Thanks. 
 
Agree with your frustration with Pandora. Tuesday they served up children's songs 6 times repeatedly despite my  thumbs down and request for jazz. Dumb programmers and programs that fail to learn.  Reported online that they have more limited number of selections available compared to Spotify.  I still use Pandora in my car since its the only service my 2-yr old Pioneer head unit can access. Let us know how your trial with it goes. My mates in Oz like Spotify. Sorry no suggestions on your hardware crisis.
 
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Only thing I do not like on spotify is one day you may listen to a song but a week later that song will be grayed out because it is no longer under license, and it happens a lot. Even if you check the save/download of the song.

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Wayne,
 
My whole house system is hardwired. I used a Yamaha Receiver and a Russound Distribution Amp (karma'd here).
 
The family didn't use it much because it was a hassle. We had to go in to the main cabinet and fire up the amp, select the source and make sure that the in wall volume control in each room, that we didn't want music, was turned off.
 
I bit the bullet and installed a Sonos (some with amps and some without)  unit for each zone. Bypassed the volume pots in each room. 
 
So, in my case, these units are not for critical listening.
 
The kids pushed me to subscribe to SPOTIFY for the family and we couldn't be happier.
SONOS recently updated their app and it integrates very well with SPOTIFY. I wish it were an exact 'lay-over' of the  the Spotify app but it does very well. Each individual account in the family can be accessed via the app to play in ANY zone. Volume controls/playlists for each and all zones is so convenient.
 
There are times when the four of us are playing our own music at various locations around the house.
 
I have not experienced songs/artists disappearing from my play lists or favorites.....
 
I also use a number of Apple Airport Express units for zones that are not SONOS. The Spotify app works well
with those zones as well. 
 
Here is my install:
Running a Parasound for the main zone amp.
Running a TFM-45 (Dennis Miller) for the big outdoor system.
 
One thing about the SONOS hardware... it runs HOT. I have usb powered laptop cooling fans running 24/7 under them.
 
 
 
20171027071726415.jpg 
 
20171027071819447.jpg 
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I prefer Spotify over Pandora and recently Tidal over Spotify. I went with Tidal Hi-Res for MQA capability. I seem to find more good music on Tidal. My son is a student so it's Hi Res for $10 a month. I think the Auralic Mini is probably the best sounding unit from my research. I bought the Bluesound Node 2 but wish I had tried the Auralic. The bottom end on the Node 2 is astounding. Some MQA stuff sounds incredible and some recordings sound a more 2 dimensional. Poor recordings still sound like compressed CD.

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I prefer Spotify over Pandora and recently Tidal over Spotify. I went with Tidal Hi-Res for MQA capability. I seem to find more good music on Tidal. My son is a student so it's Hi Res for $10 a month. I think the Auralic Mini is probably the best sounding unit from my research. I bought the Bluesound Node 2 but wish I had tried the Auralic. The bottom end on the Node 2 is astounding. Some MQA stuff sounds incredible and some recordings sound a more 2 dimentional. Poor recordings still sound like compressed CD. 
 
Spotify is beta testing a High Resolution product.
(and I would have a hard time paying Jay Z for Tidal) 

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I used Tidal for a free trial and I found that they really lacked a lot of the music I was looking for. I really enjoy Pandora. I was hoping that they either had, or were planning, a higher resolution format

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My $.02 FWIW... 
 
I have been a Pandora subscriber for a long time.
I believe the key is in making your own radio stations.
They can get repetitive, so the key is to input more "seed" artists.
 
I also subscribe to Deezer Elite, which is available through being a Sonos user.
It's HiRez audio and sounds better than the Apple Music option.
They, too, have songs 'grayed out' due to likely licensing issues.
I've been tempted to give Tidal a whirl too, I just haven't yet.
 
I have 3 Sonos Connect devices. Very good interface if somewhat limited in streaming bitrate.
The one in the Living room feeds an Adcom irDAC which was a huge improvement in SQ.
One in the garage feeds an old monster Kenwood receiver system.
One in my basement is used for my office and electronics bench. 
 
I would like to upgrade my main streaming device at some point, I haven't researched what's on the market much yet. Which is why I haven't earmarked the $$$ for it yet. 
 
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I should also note that I use Pandora when I don't want to deal with music selections. 
I just pick one of my stations and press play.
 
I use Deezer for album listening.
I tried a couple of their stations but was not enthused.
 
 
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Yep, Tidal High Res for me here. Pandora is nice for background noise, and if you don't mind not being able to sit and listen to a full album. I hate just hearing one song then switching to a totally different artist. With Tidal, I can listen to a full album, and/or a bunch of albums from the same artist.

 

Plus BT streaming in the car is great as well.

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I have been using Spotify (free) off my MacBook hooked to my system.  I really need to get a DAC.  My current EM-U external soundcard does not have the Mac OS drivers.  But most of time I am just playing my library via iTunes on the Mac.  

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Spotify seems to be taking the lead.  
 
Microsoft's decision to dump Groove, and partner with Spotify is something I'm keeping my eye on. 
 
If Microsoft were to infuse technology and $$ to Spotify - high-rez services might advance - which is an obvious organic move for Spotify.
 
I have Tidal - but don't use it enough..., been thinking of cutting my expenses to wait and see while continuing to play vinyl. 
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UM, they can be better especially with MQA in my opinion. However, a high res version of a compressed and harsh CD recording still sounds that way. When it's right, its like the ultimate vinyl without the flaws. 

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Most of Pandora's streaming is MP3. They don't use any lossless or high-resolution files.

 

If I want to listen to an entire album, I will most likely either just play a CD or album. I like the way Pandora finds songs for me. But I would like to have a better quality stream

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Most of Pandora's streaming is MP3. They don't use any lossless or high-resolution files.

 

If I want to listen to an entire album, I will most likely either just play a CD or album. I like the way Pandora finds songs for me. But I would like to have a better quality stream
 
Have you priced CD's lately? For 20 bucks a month, Tidal is the better way to go for me. Plus, I can't play vinyl in my car. 
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I had Zune ---Microsoft discontinued in 2015 ( I believe)  and my collection is moved to Groove,  now I get notice and Microsoft discontinues Groove and my collection goes to Spotify.  
 
Lost quite a bit of my early Zune purchases due to the original WMA issue when Zune was discontinued,  I guess we shall see.  Some of my collection is not available on Spotify, when it transferred last week,  I noticed it substituted some similar works by artists in my collection.  I ended up with some new tunes that I didn't have by similar artists.    I guess we will see how it goes now with Spotify.  
 
Basically it is music that I listen to on my computers,   and on my Zune player in my car.
 
Not sure if it has been worth the $$$ over the years with all the changes. 
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My spouse shared   " The Kitchen & Living Room will be painted by Thanksgiving"   (this has been a rather long remodel process)  So hopefully more of the Carver gear and CD & Turntable will be back in the living room.   I've got a lot of vinyl in the basement that has been in Limbo for the past year.     So the computer tunes will be less frequent in the near future

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Most of Pandora's streaming is MP3. They don't use any lossless or high-resolution files.

 

If I want to listen to an entire album, I will most likely either just play a CD or album. I like the way Pandora finds songs for me. But I would like to have a better quality stream
Have you priced CD's lately? For 20 bucks a month, Tidal is the better way to go for me. Plus, I can't play vinyl in my car.
I had Tidal for one month. After I looked up about half a dozen songs that weren't available, I decided it was not the format for me. I'm the same way with my car. If I want to listen to an entire CD, I'll just take CDs with me in the car, or I'll use an iPod or similar player. My whole interest in streaming music, is quick availability to stuff I don't own, or finding new music I'm not familiar with. The introduction to new music or various recordings of a particular song or one of the reasons I like Pandora so much.
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Most of Pandora's streaming is MP3. They don't use any lossless or high-resolution files.

 

If I want to listen to an entire album, I will most likely either just play a CD or album. I like the way Pandora finds songs for me. But I would like to have a better quality stream
 
Have you priced CD's lately? For 20 bucks a month, Tidal is the better way to go for me. Plus, I can't play vinyl in my car. 
I had title for one month. After I looked up about half a dozen songs that weren't available, I decided it was not the format for me. I'm the same way with my car. If I want to listen to an entire CD, I'll just take CDs with me in the car, or I'll use an iPod or similar player. My whole interest in streaming music, is quick availability to stuff I don't own, or finding new music I'm not familiar with. The introduction to new music or various recordings of a particular song or one of the reasons I like Pandora so much.
 
Ditto, Travis.
 
I buy CD's for a buck ($1 each) at Goodwill.  Or in mass, on Craigslist when people are "dumping" their collections for pennies on the dollar.  I'll never listen to them all.  (I've collected Cassettes too, this way.) 
 
Sure, I don't get the "latest" releases, but I'm old, and like the older stuff - so I'm not missing much relative to my listening repertoire.  
 
For CD's It feels like 1992 again, when you could almost drive down the street and see people's entire Vinyl collections on the street for the garbage pick-up. People be kickin' themselves now!
 
On a road trip, I can't find XM radio all that great (maybe No Shoes Radio - but most of it is not doing it for me) and I do FM to see what is playing regional, when driving across the country - but mostly play CD's, or ripped music I have on my phone. 
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UM, they can be better especially with MQA in my opinion. However, a high res version of a compressed and harsh CD recording still sounds that way. When it's right, its like the ultimate vinyl without the flaws. 
Same opinion here.
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