Sony launches hi-res streaming service in Japan

Do we need another streaming music service? Possibly not. But if it's a high-resolution streaming service from Sony, then we're interested. Sony Music Entertainment has teamed-up with Rhapsody, the company behind Napster, to launch just such a service in Japan.

The service is called Mora Qualitas and uses Rhapsody's Powered by Napster platform to deliver lossless FLAC files in up to 24-bit/96khz. There will also be CD quality streams, available in 16-bit/44.1khz.

The service will cost 1,980 Yen a month (around £14) and is launching on desktop for Windows and Mac, with more platforms promised to follow.

Shigeki Tanaka, senior vice president of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., sees "a lot of momentum happening in streaming", which is no doubt why Sony wants to get in on the act.

Neither Tidal nor Qobuz, which both offer hi-res streams, are currently available in Japan, so Mora Qualitas helps fill something of a gap for lossless audio fans in Japan.

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Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff and The Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).