When people talk about TIDAL, the first thing that usually comes up is sound quality.
And for good reason.
TIDAL has built much of its identity around lossless, HiRes FLAC and immersive Dolby Atmos audio, but there is more to the platform than simply choosing the highest quality setting.
From its artist-first roots to TIDAL Connect and some surprisingly useful listening features, here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about TIDAL.
1. TIDAL can stream music in up to 24-bit, 192 kHz
This is probably the biggest reason audiophiles pay attention to TIDAL.
With its Max quality setting, TIDAL can deliver HiRes FLAC audio at up to 24-bit, 192 kHz. Standard High quality uses lossless FLAC at up to 16-bit, 44.1 kHz.
That doesn't mean every song is available at 24-bit/192 kHz. The actual quality depends on the version TIDAL receives from the artist or rights holder.
You can also see the format and audio information directly in the TIDAL app while listening.
2. TIDAL moved away from MQA
If you've followed TIDAL for a while, you might remember MQA being a major part of its high-resolution audio story.
That's no longer the case.
Since July 24, 2024, MQA and 360 Reality Audio are no longer available through TIDAL. The platform chose FLAC for stereo music and Dolby Atmos for immersive audio going forward.
The move to FLAC is particularly interesting because it is an open-source format, meaning artists can deliver high-quality music without relying on a proprietary format.
3. TIDAL has more than 180 million tracks
TIDAL isn't a small niche service with a handful of high-resolution albums.
Today, TIDAL says its catalog contains more than 180 million tracks, giving subscribers access to a huge amount of music alongside its focus on sound quality.
That means you don't necessarily have to choose between a large catalog and better audio.
You can get both.
4. TIDAL supports Dolby Atmos Music
TIDAL isn't limited to traditional stereo listening.
It also offers Dolby Atmos Music, which uses spatial audio to position sounds around the listener and create a more immersive experience.
Depending on your setup, you can experience compatible music through supported phones, TVs, soundbars, AV receivers and other devices.
It's one of those features that can be surprisingly noticeable with the right equipment and the right album.
5. TIDAL Connect lets you control compatible speakers directly
TIDAL Connect is one of those features that can be easy to overlook.
It allows you to send music directly from TIDAL to compatible speakers and audio devices while using your phone as the controller.
You can start playing a song, choose a compatible device and let the music play there without having to keep your phone doing all the work.
TIDAL Connect supports products from brands including KEF, Bluesound, Cambridge Audio, NAD, Naim, Yamaha, DALI, McIntosh and others.
And this is actually something TIDAL users mention positively on Reddit.
6. You can listen offline
TIDAL isn't only designed for Wi-Fi listening.
Subscribers can download music for offline playback, which is useful when travelling, commuting or simply trying to save mobile data. TIDAL also lets you choose the download quality.
One thing to remember is that higher-quality downloads take considerably more storage.
For example, TIDAL says Max-quality streaming can use up to around 40 MB of data per minute, depending on the exact sample rate.
So HiRes audio sounds great, but your storage and data plan might notice it too.
7. TIDAL has a listening history feature that creates mixes
TIDAL can also turn your listening history into automatically generated mixes.
Its History Mixes can show your most-listened-to music by month, year or all time.
The service creates a Top 50 monthly mix, Top 100 yearly mix and Top 200 all-time mix based on your listening history.
It's a nice way to rediscover music you've been playing without having to build another playlist yourself.
8. TIDAL was built around artists
TIDAL describes itself as an artist-first, fan-centered music platform.
The company says it was founded with the goal of giving artists more control over their careers and helping them connect more directly with fans.
That philosophy is still part of how
TIDAL presents itself today.
It's also one reason TIDAL has historically tried to position itself as something different from a purely algorithm-driven streaming service.
9. TIDAL is now part of Block
TIDAL isn't an independent company in the same way it once was.
The service is now part of Block, Inc., the technology company behind businesses including Square and Cash App.
The acquisition happened in 2021, when Square acquired a majority stake in TIDAL.
Despite the ownership change, TIDAL continues to focus heavily on music, artists and high-quality audio.
10. People still use TIDAL specifically for the listening experience
This might be the most interesting thing about TIDAL.
There are plenty of music streaming services today, and they all have huge catalogs. What keeps people interested in TIDAL is often the combination of sound quality, music discovery, artist information and dedicated audio features.
Recent discussions on Reddit show exactly that split.
Some users complain about things like the interface or missing features, while others say they keep coming back because they like the sound, design, TIDAL Connect and overall music experience.
That probably explains TIDAL better than any marketing slogan could.
It's not trying to be everything for everyone.
It's particularly appealing if music quality actually matters to you.
The Bottom Line
TIDAL is much more than a music streaming app with a high-quality setting.
It offers HiRes FLAC up to 24-bit/192 kHz, lossless audio, Dolby Atmos, offline listening, TIDAL Connect, personalized mixes and a catalog of more than 180 million tracks.
And while Reddit discussions show that TIDAL isn't perfect, its sound quality and overall listening experience are still the main reasons many users stick with it.
If you care about high-quality music and want to get more out of your listening setup, TIDAL is definitely worth checking out.
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