Streaming Music Services - Which is Best?

jcosta79 · 09-09-2015, 10:32 AM

Okay, so I want to steer this discussion more towards sound quality rather than features, but features also matter as does the amount of music in their collection.

There are quite a few music streaming services out there and some are offering high bitrates (320 kbps for Spotify Extreme) and even lossless in the case of Tidal Hi-Fi.

Which one do you recommend (we are talking about the premium pay services here, not the basic free ones that offer lower quality) and how much does it matter if I will be streaming it through my phone (not via Bluetooth, I will be plugged in via the headphone jack)?

I want to build a decent system this year for my car but if I don't have a good source for the music, putting the best equipment isn't' going to make much of a difference.

Your thoughts?

kenchan · 09-09-2015, 01:00 PM

i dont know about best, but i stream pandora-one in my cars. best part is that i dont need to take my phone out of my pocket especially in the winter when i wear gloves. just select everything from my pioneer HU, even like/dislike if i want, select channels, etc.

TarheelGolfer · 09-12-2015, 12:10 AM

I use Google Play Music, and am really enjoying it.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

jchammond · 09-12-2015, 12:21 AM

I'm fine with streaming I-Heart in my ~Z~,,,the Bose system really comes to life!

Fuzzzy · 09-12-2015, 01:24 PM

I use Spotify via my phone with Bluetooth. Works great. I chose Spotify because they seem to have the broadest selection of music available.

I recently got a new phone and added a large SD card, so I downloaded all my music with their "extreme" option simply because I had plenty of space to do so.

I haven't noticed any difference in sound quality in my Z. I haven't used the phone with enough other Bluetooth speakers yet to tell if it makes a discernible difference there. I doubt that, inside a moving Z, differences in bitrates will make a noticeable difference.

bigaudiofanat · 09-14-2015, 09:42 AM

Spotify is hands down my go too place for streaming music. Sadly the radio stations once you start thumbing down so does the music choices.

hawsome · 09-16-2015, 03:51 AM

+1 Google Music. I got grandfathered in at $8/month. Works great +no ads on YouTube music videos.

posades · 09-17-2015, 11:17 AM

I use Groove Music (formerly Xbox Music); it's $9.99 a month for unlimited streaming and offline downloads, but there's always deals out there (I got a year sub for $50).

Sounds quality is up there with the best of them as far as I can tell, and if you have Win10 or an Xbox One it's really convenient to have your music library on all those devices too.

kenchan · 09-17-2015, 12:41 PM

yah, my pandora-one was like 43 for a yr.

if other internet radios have direct access from the HU like pandora, id check them out, but for now pandora is the only one that seems to work properly from the HU alone.

i dont care for services where i need to take the device out of my pocket each time.

09-09-2015, 10:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
jcosta79 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: N/A Posts: 1,430 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 15	Streaming Music Services - Which is Best? Okay, so I want to steer this discussion more towards sound quality rather than features, but features also matter as does the amount of music in their collection. There are quite a few music streaming services out there and some are offering high bitrates (320 kbps for Spotify Extreme) and even lossless in the case of Tidal Hi-Fi. Which one do you recommend (we are talking about the premium pay services here, not the basic free ones that offer lower quality) and how much does it matter if I will be streaming it through my phone (not via Bluetooth, I will be plugged in via the headphone jack)? I want to build a decent system this year for my car but if I don't have a good source for the music, putting the best equipment isn't' going to make much of a difference. Your thoughts? __________________ 2012 PW NISMO #0559 - GT Spec Brace Kit - Swift Springs - ARK TP & Invidia CBE K&N Intake - UpRev Tune - 15mm Z1 Spacers & Studs - StopTech Slotted Rotors & SS Lines - ZSpeed CMAK with Stage 2 Clutch and Lightweight Flywheel

09-09-2015, 01:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	i dont know about best, but i stream pandora-one in my cars. best part is that i dont need to take my phone out of my pocket especially in the winter when i wear gloves. just select everything from my pioneer HU, even like/dislike if i want, select channels, etc. pL4tiNumfi5t and Hotrodz like this.

09-12-2015, 12:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
jchammond A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: South Carolina Age: 58 Posts: 15,204 Drives: 13’ 370Z TS 7A/T Rep Power: 2684395	I'm fine with streaming I-Heart in my ~Z~,,,the Bose system really comes to life! __________________ MazWorx built long block \| FI-TT-100 Stage 2.75 \| IPT built 7A/T http://www.the370z.com/members-370z-...s-musings.html

09-14-2015, 09:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
bigaudiofanat Car Audio Installer Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Magnolia DE Posts: 8,342 Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x Rep Power: 853	Spotify is hands down my go too place for streaming music. Sadly the radio stations once you start thumbing down so does the music choices. __________________ Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/

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09-12-2015, 12:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
TarheelGolfer Base Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 18 Drives: 12 Nissan 370z GR M7 Rep Power: 10	I use Google Play Music, and am really enjoying it. Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

09-12-2015, 01:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
Fuzzzy Track Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MS Posts: 876 Drives: 2014 370Z 7AT MR Rep Power: 21860	I use Spotify via my phone with Bluetooth. Works great. I chose Spotify because they seem to have the broadest selection of music available. I recently got a new phone and added a large SD card, so I downloaded all my music with their "extreme" option simply because I had plenty of space to do so. I haven't noticed any difference in sound quality in my Z. I haven't used the phone with enough other Bluetooth speakers yet to tell if it makes a discernible difference there. I doubt that, inside a moving Z, differences in bitrates will make a noticeable difference.

09-16-2015, 03:51 AM	#7 (permalink)
hawsome Base Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: LA Posts: 18 Drives: '16 370Z CS M6 Rep Power: 10	+1 Google Music. I got grandfathered in at $8/month. Works great +no ads on YouTube music videos.

09-17-2015, 11:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
posades Base Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Birmingham, AL Age: 37 Posts: 14 Drives: '16 Nissan 370Z MB Rep Power: 10	I use Groove Music (formerly Xbox Music); it's $9.99 a month for unlimited streaming and offline downloads, but there's always deals out there (I got a year sub for $50). Sounds quality is up there with the best of them as far as I can tell, and if you have Win10 or an Xbox One it's really convenient to have your music library on all those devices too.

09-17-2015, 12:41 PM	#9 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141521	yah, my pandora-one was like 43 for a yr. if other internet radios have direct access from the HU like pandora, id check them out, but for now pandora is the only one that seems to work properly from the HU alone. i dont care for services where i need to take the device out of my pocket each time.