Best hi-res streaming services

It is interesting that in the area of TVs, there aren’t the antics that go on in home audio, and little snake oil. Perhaps because there, calling out the King for not wearing any clothes is easily done by any one involved in that experience. And no such thing as golden eyes!

Where video streaming services are concerned also, one chooses on content, not on who gives a better picture or even better sound for the picture.

There are video “golden” nerds too, but it is much more difficult to structure a video demo because of the variety of technology choices. There are 2-4-8k resolutions, multiple display technologies, multiple CODEC’s, Color Gamut choices, and as of this writing, the new HDMI 2.1a standard. When standing close to the display it’s easy to notice that one can read finer newsprint on an 8K display, but much harder to decide which picture is “best” when a 4K wider Color Gamut is compared to a narrower 8K Gamut. Another aspect to control is monitor “Calibration”. This is similar to, but more complicated than, setting audio systems to “flat” for the demo. One cannot assume that a monitor leaves the factory set to “flat” or that such a setting exists. Calibration requires time, skill, and instruments.

Thanks so much everyone for these helpful responses. I’ve been on a digital break for a few days, but was delighted to log back in and read them all. I think I’ll try some free trials and see what sounds best to my ear, mindful that if I think I can tell the difference above CD quality, it’s probably all in my head!

If the Hi Res streams are running a slightly higher sound level, the difference isn't just all in your head; every head that hears such in a comparative test would think the same. Easy solution to getting the other stream to sound just the same - nudge the volume control slider a tad to the right! Outside of a test comparison, things are simple. Just set the volume control to give the sound levels at which you like to hear the music.

I’ve been doing A/B tests between Amazon Ultra HD tracks and their Apple Music lossy AAC equivalents streaming through the Sonos app. Im listening both on a pair of Sonos Ones paired with a Sonos Sub 3 and on a large system of Aperion Audio speakers and a powered sub connected to a Denon receiver with the stream supplied by a Sonos Port.

Frankly I can’t hear a difference. Like at all on either setup.  Even on the best quality recordings I could find (jazz, acoustic, electronic, folk, etc) the 24/192 and AAC versions sound identical.  If hardware is limiting me then I hate to see what level of hardware someone would need to hear the hi res difference because that Aperion Denon setup cost about 3500 dollars. 

I normaly use Apple Music and I was upset at first that Apple’s Lossless and Hi Res streams are not yet supported in the Sonos app.  But after listening to Amazon Ultra HD tracks side by side with the Apple tracks I’m not so worried anymore.  I say choose the music servicer you like best and if it has 24 bit 192 khz streaming to Sonos then great. If nbot you are likely not going to notice it anyway because as long as you are listening on decent speakers it all sounds really good anyway.

Sensible conclusion. And yet, there is so much user angst and gnashing of teeth over bits and bytes, fuelled by marketers of digital snake oil…

And in the case of Apple Music, this continues even after Apple Music have themselves said that there is no audible difference between their lossy and lossless. Apple Music does not do Hi Res, else they may have extended this statement to that as well. 

I don't think any more spend on “better” hardware would serve because it still would have to be play in the presence of the ambient noise floor in even quiet domestic spaces; if there is anything to be heard, it would take high quality headphones, to eliminate the room from the frame, and give a chance for audible differences, if any, to be picked.

I scrapped a Denon / Infinity setup that cost about double that $3500 for my Sonos. No regrets.

Money doesn’t buy better sound once you get to high quality equipment. Inaudible differences for piles more money are for game-playing not music playing.

Speakers are a bit different there, you really want to buy what sounds good to you, not what has the most impressive numbers or that the sales guy is pushing. I’ve had $200 speakers I liked better than $750 speakers. The expensive ones were big, shiny and had great numbers, didn’t sound good by comparison. Glad I managed to unload them for a small loss.

My ears aren’t great now and I couldn’t hear the difference in hi-rate audio back when they did so I’m not paying money chasing rainbows and unicorns there either.

@Kumar Apple’s lossless codec comes in two flavors “Lossless” (16 bit/44.1 Khz) similar to Amazon’s “HD” streams and CD’s and “Hi-Res Lossless” (24 bit/192 Khz) similar to Amazon’s “Ultra HD” streams. The former is much more common than the latter.  I rarely see Hi Res Lossless albums but they do exist. https://www.soundandvision.com/content/hands-apple-music-lossless-and-high-res-lossless

That said, even if Sonos did stream Apple Lossless files through the S2 app, the end result would be no different than my listening tests between lossy AAC and Amazon’s Ultra HD streams.  

It reminds me of the megapixel wars with cameras.  Once you got to a certain point its just numbers and has no real effect on the quality of the image.

@Stanley_4 I’m happy with my Sonos setup (2 Ones and a Sub 3 paired in my office, a Move in the kitchen and for taking outside, and a Port in the living room connected to my Aperion/Denon surround setup.  I might get two more pairs of ones for the bedrooms but for now this does exactly what I want it to do.  I came to Sonos after struggling with a piecemeal Apple Airplay setup that never really worked well at all.  Sonos impresses me with its reliability, solid sound and ease of use.

I’m under no illusions that Sonos is the end all of sound quality as my Aperion/Denon setup clearly outperforms it (at around 2 times the cost too).  But rarely am I sitting in one place anymore to listen to music.  So for what it is (whole home streaming audio that is easy to use for the whole family) Sonos really can’t be beat.