On Friday Wall Street Journal ran full page article in business section on Apple’s new Classical music app. I found piece hopeful, but uncertain. Apple has the resources to make the best music app, but article left me wondering if they have the patience and the will.
Until my CDS3 went to the next life I loved the selections and editorial from UK’s Presto Music site. They are now offering streaming. I’ve not signed up, but was wowed by coherence & organization of their files. Has anyone tried Apple Classical or Presto?
I find Qobuz most satisfying sound, but struggle to find favorite recordings, many seem to be on Presto.
I also like Presto - I dont mind if Apple or Presto owns the user interface, it is understandable for them to be able to plan and implement new services quicker. Or just monetize.
But I would hope for a server interface like the one Spotify run (except lossless of course). It would make it easy enough to allow hifi-brands (or just enthusiasts) to compete writing their own optimized implementation integrating their streamers and compete on music/hifi quality.
You can “try” Presto in that you can look for anything and if they have it then you can almost always try the first minute of each track. If you buy something from Presto then you can already stream that fully in whatever resolution you bought.
I have noticed that Presto doesn’t always have high res available whereas Qobuz usually does, for example the new Solti Ring re-masterings are available on CD and vinyl on Presto but on high res from Qobuz (and the new mastering have been released by Decca in 24/96 high res.
I haven’t tried the new Apple offering but a friend of mine has and is happy with what they offer (but isn’t interested in high res).
For Naim owners, the limitation is poor integration with Naim products of course. Not Naim’s fault, but it’s still an issue.
They may come a bit later than Qobuz. I used to buy lots of hi res downloads from Presto but several times I had to look elsewhere because they either had no downloads at all or only CD quality ones. But overall I like Presto more than Qobuz which is clogged up with all that pop/rock stuff that doesn’t interest me.
The main ones I could never get in hi-res from Presto were Channel Classics releases—which I always bought direct from CC as a result. Of course, that was before CC was sadly subsumed (or, possibly, consumed).
Edit: I agree entirely with your comment at about Presto being better than Qobuz generally for classical.
I have now been running Presto, Apple and Qobuz for a few weeks now and I really like the simple and elegant Presto UI.
I also really appreciate their efforts in making life easy for EU-customers so I can buy CD:s and pay the EU-taxes to Presto on purchase and get delivery straight to my mailbox.
So despite normally being an Apple fan-boy my first stop is now Presto and getting my electronica cravings from Bleep and Bandcamp.
I listen to streaming/demos from all these services via the new licensed Airplay2 support in an OrganikDAC-upgraded Klimax DSM and it works great.