Is Tidal in trouble?

According to a report by Norwegian site Dagens Nærringsliv, Tidal – the rapper-fronted, CD-quality and, lest we forget, Award-winning music streaming service – may only have six more months left. It lost the equivalent of around $44m in 2016.

The report says the service is living on large loans from the owners' holding company.

However, a spokesperson told Engadget the business has grown each year, with the company claiming it will achieve profitibalility in mid-2018.

Needless to say, such a cash issue could spell bad news for its subscribers and the MQA audio technology behind its hi-res Masters streams. It would also leave just Qobuz and Deezer as advocates of "audiophile" streaming.

Fingers crossed the streaming service can turn the tide, then.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.

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