Tidal’s hi-res Masters (MQA) tracks surpass one million

The introduction of Tidal Masters (Tidal's ‘typically' 24-bit/96kHz MQA streams) last January is one of the reasons the music streaming service remains our favourite.

In fact, it has just picked up its fourth What Hi-Fi? Award, ahead of the likes of Spotify, which still doesn't have a CD-quality tier, let alone hi-res.

At launch, the Masters – available to subscribers of its £20 per month HiFi package using the Tidal desktop app – featured 30,000 tracks, out of Tidal’s 40m catalogue. However, now the number of hi-res tracks has surpassed one million.

There are still over 40 times more CD-quality streams than hi-res ones in Tidal’s database, but a growth of almost 3000 per cent in 18 months isn’t bad going.

All we need now is for Masters to be accessible on Tidal's smartphone apps and web-based player.

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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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