Tidal has made significant improvements to its music streaming service by introducing six million songs in hi-res FLAC format. The move comes following Tidal CEO Jesse Dorogusker’s announcement earlier this year that the company would introduce hi-res FLAC for its HiFi Plus subscribers. Initially, Tidal offered hi-res FLAC tracks to members of the Tidal Early Access Program on iOS in June, and it’s now rolled out the feature to all HiFi Plus subscribers in August.
This enhancement is significant for audiophiles and music enthusiasts who value high-quality audio. FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is known for its lossless compression, which retains the audio quality of the original source without any degradation. Tidal’s introduction of hi-res FLAC files makes its hi-res audio offerings more accessible, as FLAC is a widely supported format and doesn’t require specific hardware or software for decoding, unlike MQA (Master Quality Authenticated), which Tidal previously offered.
Tidal’s existing MQA catalog will continue to be available on the platform alongside the new hi-res FLAC streams. To enjoy MQA tracks, users need both a HiFi Plus subscription and a compatible device or software capable of decoding MQA.
Tidal’s decision to offer hi-res FLAC music comes at a time when it’s looking to cater to audiophiles and differentiate itself in a competitive music streaming market. Other streaming services like Spotify have also promised to introduce high-quality audio tiers, but Tidal is among the first to make such a substantial move.
