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Ideas: Higher Audio Quality

Ideas: Higher Audio Quality

pboser
Underground
Status: Open Ideas

How about higher audio quality?  Amazon has introduced this feature, and others have been ahead of Pandora as well.  It would be great to have the Genome Project advantage with higher audio quality.  Do others agree?

Moderator Edit: Edited title for clarity

Labels (1)
318 Comments
boulderskies
Opening Act

to those who have Amazon HD/ultraHD, the comment about needing to let it buffer to reach full quality, is this something we agree with? i didnt notice any buffering going on when i had my trial membership.

i think it could be a matter of getting used to something. this happened to me when i would buy new equipment. at first, i was dubious but a week or so into it, i started to think it sounded pretty good.

perhaps humans have some kind of algorythym that adjusts our hearing over time?

sounds wired i know but i've noticed it several times in my experience....

KevinEyewanders
Local Performer

Today I left Pandora after almost 16 years of continuous paid-use.

Please listen up Pandora....

I've been with you since 2005. I was the first person of anyone I knew to pay for the subscription. Every year. I even kept my Plus account paid and active while I was out of the US (and couldn't even use it) for nearly 2 years. I've been a Premium subscriber now since it was first offered on a select invitation basis only, then transitioned into full trial period and almost immediately over to full paid and have been with it ever since. I've only had short windows of non-subscription, nones since moving to Premium. Today, after all these years, I left.

For years now I have asked about higher bitrate streams numerous times and have always received (and read elsewhere) the same copy/paste response from multiple Pandora spokespersons. It reads as such:
"We are constantly testing and evaluating what the right rates are for each setting level and do plan to migrate our high audio quality to 320kbps AAC over time."
This is what I've been politely told before Premium existed almost 10 years ago. It's what I've been told since  Premium arrived. It's what I was told the day before I canceled. This is no longer good enough.

And so I'm finally gone. (But certainly not to Amazon --- come on people! there are far better options than Bezostunes.)  I'll still access ad-supported Pandora radio sometimes (and perhaps Plus if I can't stand the ads which is possible), but for now I've finally gone elsewhere (and am enjoying Qobuz immensely, much more than expected).  There's nothing to match the Pandora interface and Genome Project based algorithm, but again, it's no longer enough. I'm finally done waiting.

The moment you add FLAC (I might settle for 320kbps, but let's just move ahead completely shall we?) to the Premium "high quality" stream delivery, I'll be amongst the first to return. Until then, after a decade and a half, it's your turn to make a move. 

Let me know.

Cheers and thanks for the tunes.

KevinEyewanders
Local Performer

I just left Pandora after being nearly continuously subscribed to Plus and then Premium since early 2005. The moment FLAC (or perhaps even 320kbps) is brought to the platform, I'll be back. But I finally got tired of being told the same thing "it's coming in the future". I'm out.
Let me know when we reach the future. 

kailasa108
Underground

I too would like to know where to vote for a new/good idea as the last comment said Support told him to do.

I am a Pandora subscriber

ArmandoAudio
Local Performer

I am currently trying out Amazon Music HD.  When I listen to it through my headphones or car stereo (Bose equipped), not much difference in sound quality when comparing it to Pandora.  However, when I tried it out on my Denon connected to Goldenear Technology speakers... holy @$1%, I was like... gimme some more FLAC.  I was about to subscribe to them until...  I realized that Pandora's stations are MUCH better.  With Amazon, I spent more time skipping their "B side" music than listening to music.  Their apps are also not as simple as Pandora's.  Pandora, offer FLAC, please.  I have a decent home sound system and I want to enjoy some high quality Pandora on it.

Blaine1
Local Performer

PLEASE - Give us the option to upgrade to Hi-Res.  Like others I love the Pandora user experience,  but really miss being able to hear the quality that I can get out of my home stereo.  I understand this has been a niche market, but with Amazon moving into the market that no longer is the case.  

Cheers.

 

boulderskies
Opening Act

does anyone from Pandora really read these? theress's no acknowledgement, thank you, not even a form email with the obligatory thanks.

Blaine1
Local Performer

Who knows if they read or act on these, but it can't hurt.  Also, I think it's worth voting on your favorite feature requests.  There is a chance that they will refer to this when building their backlog for enhancements.

https://community.pandora.com/t5/Feature-Requests/idb-p/Backstage/tab/most-kudoed

Cheers

BreenX
Diamond in the Rough

Any movement on this? Oooooooooo, and it makes me wonder.

I think this is a very important "upgrade" that needs to happen to be competitive in this new world of lossless music streaming that is now being offered by Amazon and Tidal. At the very least, for now, Pandora needs to be competitive at a minimum of 320kps(ish) and not their 192kps, especially for Premium subscribers, like I am. When I'm listening with Pandora, I don't feel like I getting the best audio of what's out there for what I'm paying for. I also have a Tidal account, and there I know I'm getting the best audio for what I'm paying for. Pandora, don't underestimate the "warm and fuzzies" people get when listening, whatever the reason. Win the audiophile, and the rest will fall in line.

KevinEyewanders
Local Performer

@BreenX Given that this has been a promised upgrade for the better part of the last decade, I'd be surprised (pleasantly though) if anything comes of it. It seems Pandora is far less responsive since the Sirius/XM ownership occurred to be honest. 
Try out Qobuz - so much better than Amazon and Tidal in my opinion. Between that and ad-supported Pandora for occasional radio listening (cuz Genome algorithm prediction just can't be beat, still) I've been amazingly happy for the past month or two since leaving Premium Pandora behind. Sad but true.