DAC That Streams Hi-Res Tidal

Ok so the higher cost service (deezer, Tidal) are providing higher ..or..faster bit rates for customers? does this higher rate sound better? I am still confused. I thought 16/44 was the base cd format when it first came out in the 80's?? I feel so stupid about this.

Yes, 16/44.1 was and still is the CD standard, which as was mentioned corresponds to a bit rate of 1411.2 kbps (kilobits per second). Streaming services have traditionally used much lower bit rates than that, coupled with lossy mp3 compression to partially compensate for the lower rate, in part because until fairly recent years most people's internet connections would not have been fast enough to work reliably at 1411.2 kbps.

Enjoy! Regards,
-- Al

Matt...I think some of the confusion comes from the companies (i.e. Deezer, Qobuz, Tidal) and many other sources, claiming in ads and other places that they offer "HIREZ" streaming.

They offer "HIGH QUALITY" streaming, not "HIREZ".

There is a new Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) that has been working with the record companies to finalize a "set" description for HIREZ.

Anything over 20bit/48khz is considered HIREZ.

Here is the press release.

Thanks Mofi, the Info you linked, really helps me understand this digital medium better. Of course thanks to AL as well for explaining things fully.

As long as you've set up the ickstream plugin on your Touch, any DAC will take its coaxial input. To my ears, Tidal via Touch>coax>DAC sounds much better than laptop (Chrome browser)>USB>DAC.