Amazon HD Integration Questions
I have been using my new Node 2i for two weeks now, with Spotify, Amazon HD and Tidal.
For my system, Amazon HD has notably better sound quality than Spotify (no surprise) and Tidal (very surprising). Unfortunately, the relatively poor integration with Amazon may lead to me returning the Node if I can't come up with a solution.
Unlike other music services, Amazon does not offer a "like" or "favorites list" capability. A decent work around - when using their app - is to simply add it to My Music or add it to a playlist. However, the BlueOS app does not provide access to either of these Amazon functions.
As a result, I have no way to keep track of songs that I like; this is important to me, as I use the liked songs list to do subsequent investigation of the artist and/or to create playlists.
I have read multiple posts about the difficulty that Bluesound has had in integrating their software with Amazon, with some saying that it is Amazon's fault and some saying that it is Bluesound's fault. Regardless, it is a problem.
I am wondering if anyone has come up with a work-around by which I can identify and save a list of songs that I like, and to which I can refer on a subsequent basis?
For me, it would be much better if Amazon simply worked like Spotify does....that is, with NO integration, other than the ability to point to the device over which the music is to be played, while actually managing playback, favorites, etc via the Spotify app.
Is there anyway to do this? If not, is this something that Bluesound is considering as a future software enhancement?
It is too bad that Tidal's sound quality, for me, is not as good as Amazon's. Otherwise, I find the Tidal interface to be adequate (altho certainly not as good as Spotify).
One other thought...I have seem some suggestions that it is the MQA format that may be the cause of the SQ issues I am having when using Tidal (somewhat bloated low end, less detail and separation in the upper mids and higher frequencies). I am not technical enough to know why this would be the case, and I assume that there is no option to "turn off" MQA (or even if I can, I would lose access to hi-res versions)?
Sorry for the long post. Just trying to figure this out before my return window on the Node closes.
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Is there an easy way to go between Bluetooth and direct streaming? I had a hard time turning the Bluetooth off.
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I've had my Node 2i for only a week and am using Amazon HD on a three month trial. Both are very impressive. I've already cancelled my Spotify subscription but will miss the app and how Spotify Connect works, simply by recognising the Node in the devices list.
Maybe I haven't understood your issue Steve, but so far I've been making playlists in the Amazon Music app. They then appear in BlueOS - Amazon Music - My Music - Playlists. The only slight frustration is that I have to go back to the Amazon app to edit the lists (or at least I haven't found another way yet).
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Thanks. Yes, that can be done. But I rarely sit and listen to music through my computer system or on my tablet. I was looking for something a bit more convenient.
I agree about Spotify convenience. Per a recent call with Bluesound tech support, you can now do the same thing with Tidal (that it, use the Tidal app to manage your listening through the Node 2i)...thereby providing full access to Tidal interface/features/functions.
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I know it's not ideal, but I don't think I've ever listened to music on the Amazon Music app. I have it next to BlueOS on my tablet home page and only use it for editing the library/playlists, which I then access in BlueOS. However, I suppose I'm still at the stage of knowing what I want - music I had on Spotify but don't have in my own CD rips - so it's not likely to lead me to discovering new music like Spotify did. I still think it's worth it for the quality and price of Amazon HD. I guess I'll have to look for new stuff in other ways.
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So you can create multiple Amazon playlists, with unique names, in the Amazon app, and then access them via BluOS?
How are you doing that? Searching for each song in Amazon, then saving it somehow into an Amazon playlist that you create? Where in BluOS do you access them?
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Yes. I've only created four personal playlists so far but it only takes seconds. I start in the Amazon Music app - playlists - then create new playlist - give it a name - add tracks by clicking the three dots next to any song title. All the lists show up in BlueOS - Amazon Music - My music - playlists. I've subscribed (not sure what word they use) to a couple of the Amazon UHD playlists too and they appear on BlueOS as well.
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Great information. Thanks for sharing it.
Convoluted, but I guess I could keep Spotify for discovering music and tagging the stuff I like, then build playlists in Amazon using what I've tagged in Spotify.
It would be about the same price as Tidal to keep both Spotify and AmazonHD. Not as convenient, but gives me Spotify's leading-edge discovery capabilities and AmazonHD's better (in my system) sound quality.
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