Tidal switches from "Max" to "High" with Tidal-Connect enabled on many albums.

[Physicist]

Firmware 4.8.526344 (Build date 20230815)

Today i've got my WiiM Pro.
I have a Hifi-Plus abo and selected "Master" In the Tidal-Account-Quality settings.
I have no MQA compatible devices. I have selected "MQA beta: On" and "no MQA" at the external DAC settings.

On many albums on Tidal (for example: Twilight Force - At the Heart of Wintervale) the Tidal iOS App and the windows desktop app is playing showing the "Max" Symbol.
When i switch to Tidal Connect (on Windows or iPhone) the "Max" symbol switches to "High".
If i select "Chromecast" to the WiiM in the Windows Tidal App, the "Max" symbol stays there....

The difference is visible in the WiiM app. With Tidal-Connect i only get 16bit 44,1khz. The Chromecast connection shows me 24bit 44.1khz.
On some other albums i get 24bit/96khz using Tidal-Connect without problems.

I have made a total reset of the WiiM Pro but the problem still remains.

 

[Mr Ee]

I suspect much of this relates to the recent, and ongoing, changes in Tidal.
Tidal connect doesn't yet support high sample rate flacs.
When you're getting 24/96 it'd be an MQA album, with the wiim doing the first unfold 'cos of the mqa options you chose.
Chromecast reporting 24/44.1 is a chromecast issue - 24 bit 44.1 files are extremely uncommon.

Edit - to clarify, tidal connect itself doesn't support high sample rate flacs. This is not a wiim specific issue.
Not that you can trust everything you read about digital audio in what hi fi, but here's a quote from them from 1 month ago:
"Currently, HiRes FLAC (FLAC streams with a 24-bit/48-192kHz bitrate) is supported by Tidal's iOS, Android, desktop and web applications, with support for Tidal Connect, Chromecast and Sonos due to follow later this year."

 

[Mr Ee]

My next bit of advice...
Stop worrying about those meaningless numbers - close your eyes and enjoy the music

 

[MarkusSmith]

My next bit of advice...
Stop worrying about those meaningless numbers - close your eyes and enjoy the music

Maybe everyone will hate me but following your quote, I listened to Steven Tyler’s dream on from 2014 on YouTube. Not debating the type of music but the quality of this recording, outstanding and an absolute reference piece.
It did help that it was played through a pair of Martin Logan renaissance esl 15a accompanied by 2-15 inch subwoofers.
It’s equally impressive on much smaller simpler systems. As you say, it’s about the sound of the numbers.

 

[Amara97]

Have you ever tried to update the app to the latest version and reboot all your devices? If you still can't fix the problem. I'd recommend you use some third-party tools like Tunelf Tidal Music Converter. You can use it to get the Max music as a local file for offline playback. I had it for a while and it does help.

 

[Brantome]

Have you ever tried to update the app to the latest version and reboot all your devices? If you still can't fix the problem. I'd recommend you use some third-party tools like Tunelf Tidal Music Converter. You can use it to get the Max music as a local file for offline playback. I had it for a while and it does help.

I seriously doubt the legality of tools and sites like that as they're probably ignoring terms of use and could be infringing copyright.

 

[CrystalGipsy]

I seriously doubt the legality of tools and sites like that as they're probably ignoring terms of use and could be infringing copyright.

Also sharing account details with them seems a big security risk. They are all breaking copyright law no doubt about it. No 3rd parties are allowed to download their content and certainly not convert it.

 

[SuperSmudge]

I suspect much of this relates to the recent, and ongoing, changes in Tidal.
Tidal connect doesn't yet support high sample rate flacs.
When you're getting 24/96 it'd be an MQA album, with the wiim doing the first unfold 'cos of the mqa options you chose.
Chromecast reporting 24/44.1 is a chromecast issue - 24 bit 44.1 files are extremely uncommon.

Edit - to clarify, tidal connect itself doesn't support high sample rate flacs. This is not a wiim specific issue.
Not that you can trust everything you read about digital audio in what hi fi, but here's a quote from them from 1 month ago:
"Currently, HiRes FLAC (FLAC streams with a 24-bit/48-192kHz bitrate) is supported by Tidal's iOS, Android, desktop and web applications, with support for Tidal Connect, Chromecast and Sonos due to follow later this year."

Do we have any idea when high sample rate flacs will be supported by tidal connect?
Thanks for posting

 

[Brantome]

It’s been supported on the Pro and Pro plus for over a month, and the Mini in the last week or so. Check your firmware version and the Wiim release notes

 

[SuperSmudge]

It’s been supported on the Pro and Pro plus for over a month, and the Mini in the last week or so. Check your firmware version and the Wiim release notes

Thanks for your reply. That's really interesting. I still have 24bit 192khz flac on my phone "max" but when I use tidal connect to stream from my wiim pro it drops to "high" 16 bit 44.1khz. Other songs will play "max" through the wiim in 24bit 48khz flac. So my wiim pro won't stream high khz flac files it seems?

I'm running what I believe is the lastest firmware in the UK 4.8.536237.

Am I missing something with the settings maybe or is this still a limitation of the device or tidal connect?

 

[Brantome]

I’m not a Tidal user but just going on what was said in the release notes for the previous firmware version viz. “TIDAL Hi-Res FLAC Support: Introducing support for TIDAL Hi-Res FLAC via TIDAL Connect, enabling direct streaming up to 24-bit/192kHz from TIDAL App.”

WiiM Pro Release Notes

The firmware update is performed in batches such that the devices take turns getting updated. All the devices will be updated during the next few days. Please find the list of known issues here that we're working around the clock to fix and r...

faq.wiimhome.com

Hopefully a ”real” Tidal user can pitch in with actual experience of this and how they have their app set.

 

[SuperSmudge]

Not a "real" Tidal user because of reasons
But as Beta tester for that feature I still remember.

- Fixed output on.
- In Tidal app audio resolution on "max" means up to 192
- In WiiM app browser > Tidal > Account > Quality > max *
(- In WiiM app MQA off, but that is only my personal aversion and I do believe it does not affect the "real" high resolution)

(* This is often overseen.)
Done and worked!

I'm not sure what's happened but it's working.
I had all those settings you suggested, I did however turn off MQA which I had tried previously but this time i rebooted the device (something I hadn't tried before).

The reboot seems to have done it and I can finally listen to daft punk in max.

Thank you for your help

 

[merifon]

Thanks for your reply. That's really interesting. I still have 24bit 192khz flac on my phone "max" but when I use tidal connect to stream from my wiim pro it drops to "high" 16 bit 44.1khz. Other songs will play "max" through the wiim in 24bit 48khz flac. So my wiim pro won't stream high khz flac files it seems?

I'm running what I believe is the lastest firmware in the UK 4.8.536237.

Am I missing something with the settings maybe or is this still a limitation of the device or tidal connect?

I'm running 4.8.536231 on mini, after a month of previous beta.
Tidal is set for max from wifi and tidal connect streaming on WiiM, from tidal app, goes up to 192khz.
WiiM app streaming from, still doesn't support hi-res flac.

 

[Brantome]

WiiM app streaming from, still doesn't support hi-res flac.

I haven‘t heard whether Tidal have even released the API for that yet, never mind WiiM supporting it.

 

[merifon]

I haven‘t heard whether Tidal have even released the API for that yet, never mind WiiM supporting it.

I wasn't blame WiiM, just pointing out the only actual way to get hi-res from tidal...

 

[Brantome]

I wasn't blame WiiM, just pointing out the only actual way to get hi-res from tidal...

I didn’t read it like that anyway, just saying I hadn’t seen that Tidal had released the API yet

 

[Brantome]

I haven‘t heard whether Tidal have even released the API for that yet, never mind WiiM supporting it.

My Linn MDSM/4 coincidentally updated its firmware yesterday to support Tidal hi res files natively so it looks like the Tidal third party API to do that is available. Hopefully WiiM will follow suit and update the WiiM Home app/ firmware to do similar.

 

[merifon]

Firmware 4.8.526344 (Build date 20230815)

Today i've got my WiiM Pro.

Are you sure about FW level an build? The reported one, it's old and doesn't support hi-res flac with tidal connect.