Lenbrook and HDTracks are to create a HiRes streaming service which will support both FLAC and MQA formats. The service is aimed squarely at discerning music fans according to the two companies and will be the first subscription service using the AIRIA (MQA) codec.
David Chesky, HDtracks co-founder said, “We have wanted to launch an HDtracks streaming service for some time. In Lenbrook we have a partner with global reach to help us launch a service ensuring quality and consumer choice. Fans will get to choose their format – either PCM/FLAC or MQA – in a service that will ensure high resolution audio streaming whether you are in your home or on-the-go.”
The HDtracks service will be the first to use Lenbrook’s AIRIA by MQA Labs which is ‘a transparent delivery codec equally suited for streaming from the cloud or wirelessly from a device to headphones’. The service will be available across platforms. In addition to its own applications for mobile, the service will find its way into many of the world’s leading high-end audio ecosystems, apps, and brands, that count on service providers for their content.
The partnership announcement did not go into details as to when it will become available or how much the streaming service might cost. HDTracks business is currently focussed on downloads, so it will be interesting to see at what price point the streaming service will be introduced. If the streaming price is competitive with the likes of Apple, Amazon Music and TIDAL then HDTracks may end up killing its core download business as its customers may well move to streaming. The new service will not be unique as Qobuz already offers a competitive HiRes streaming and download service.
One way the service may get traction is if it ends up being bundled with Lenbrook’s hifi products in a freemium model. For example, the company might offer 6 months or a year’s free streaming when you buy a NAD streamer and then hope that customers will continue to subscribe.
In any event, if the streaming service takes as long as Spotify’s lossless service to launch, then interest in MQA will surely fade.
