How does WiiM Pro Google Assistant interaction work with Tidal as streaming service?

[DG77]

So I am curious to if I would be able to use Google assistant (Google Nest, Google Nest Audio) using VOICE COMMANDS to control Wiim Pro connected to my ACTIVE SPEAKERS with Tidal as music service, where I can ask it (by voice) to play specific songs (from Tidal)?

This is to my knowledge not explained anywhere and by stating that Wiim Pro supports Google Assistans, and Tidal as streaming service I got curious, since Google Assistant by itself DOES NOT work with TIDAL as a streaming service.

My use case scenario would be:

Google Nest --> "Voice Command" --> Wiim Pro --> "Tidal Music Service" --> Digital Output to Active Speakers

Reasoning:
As Tidal offers higher quality audio than Spotify and since Google Assistant does not support Tidal this use case would make it possible to control Tidal/Wiim using voice commands and get the higher quality audio.

 

[Stessull]

Unfortunately you'll not be able to voice control Tidal because, as you say it's not supported by Google. There are several other ways of getting your Tidal content to your WiiM, Tidal Connect, Chromecast, LMS and Roon. Echo devices allow a work around if you link your Tidal account to Plex and ask Alexa to ask Plex to play something. Unfortunately only tracks and albums in your Plex library though, no mixes etc.

 

[DG77]

Thanks for the fast reply!

Too bad, I’m specifically looking to use voice commands, it is so annoying that the only option for this with google assistant is Spotify or Google music both of which lack CD quality.

I have a roon core on a nuc, tidal, and google assistants. But lacking the comfort and luxury of voice commands.

 

[Stessull]

Thanks for the fast reply!

Too bad, I’m specifically looking to use voice commands, it is so annoying that the only option for this with google assistant is Spotify or Google music both of which lack CD quality.

I have a roon core on a nuc, tidal, and google assistants. But lacking the comfort and luxury of voice commands.

Google also supports Deezer in CD quality and Apple Music in dubious quality.

 

[DG77]

Google also supports Deezer in CD quality and Apple Music in dubious quality.

Thanks for the tip, I will give Deezer a try

 

[Brantome]

Tidal is supported by Alexa, but unfortunately only in the USA. I’m not 100% sure though that Alexa supports Tidal in lossless quality - I’ve heard that claimed, but never with much conviction tbh.

 

[DG77]

yeah, to many uncertainties.
Just waiting for spotify to get that cd quality and the other services can go bye bye

 

[Achim1811]

A good way, if one is young enough

 

[DG77]

They have indeed been slow with that feature!

 

[Achim1811]

More and more I am convinced that they have more serious priorities and issues than this "Supremium" tier. The figures and developments could show they have to solve and sort other things before. And we should not overrate the explosion of subscriber numbers especially not in this sound quality focussed bubble here. And with an announced higher price from Spotify in relation to the competition of Amazon and Apple may be a significant reason to postpone and postpone and postpone....But, we will see.

 

[DG77]

I mean, there is really no reason for them to do anything at all, they are the biggest streaming service and their renvenue is skyrocketing, why should they care, a bit like Apple
Tragic of course, the bigger you get as a company the less you care about your customers.

 

[Achim1811]

and their renvenue is skyrocketing, why should they care

I agree what you are writing about Apple. But Spotify is totally different. The performance is really bad.
"Spotify's costs have grown too quickly, with Ek pointing out that operating expenses grew at about twice the rate of revenue in 2022. While this wouldn't be an emergency for some highly profitable tech companies, it is an emergency for Spotify. 24.01.2023"
Additional for those who are not in this thing: Ek is Spotify's CEO.

 

[Achim1811]

One of the first things I have learned from my dad when entering the business: Revenue is not equal profit!

 

[Mike in NY]

The performance is really bad.

One of the first things I have learned from my dad when entering the business: Revenue is not equal profit!

Absolutely, their Q1 2023 earnings call saw another gigantic loss of $156 million, that following a $231 million loss for Q4 2022.
While they did have a hugely successful IPO, if the street ever turns on them that cash cow of selling shares could be milked dry at some point, as it shouldn't be so damn hard to make money on a $3 billion business. Currently they aren't that close.

 

[Mark Dirac]

it shouldn't be so damn hard to make money on a $3 billion business. Currently they aren't that close.

What's wrong at Spotify that's clearly not (as) wrong at Qobuz and Tidal?

 

[Mike in NY]

What's wrong at Spotify that's clearly not (as) wrong at Qobuz and Tidal?

I don't think I understand your question, but suffice it to say I never for one moment suggested that there is nothing wrong at Qobuz or TIDAL, or for that matter that the entire business model for streaming must in some way be broken/unsustainable. I believe it is, and that's why I use Qobuz Sublime, I can buy the things I really like and not face the threat of someday losing them.

The post you quoted is saying that when a company such as Spotify conquers the market share to the extent of building a $3 billion business, there should not be an endless string of consecutive quarters in which they lose lots of money. I think if memory serves there was exactly one quarter in which Spotify didn't lose money, though I don't remember the details for exactly why that was the case.

TLR Daniel Ek et al in the executive suite should be able to find a way to turn Spotify profitable after all these years and now on $3 billion in annual revenue. Handing a shock value podcaster $200 million just isn't the way to get that done.

I'd also add that how they've treated the music artists/content creators this whole time leaves much to be desired, despite their public stance (PR bullshit) on the matter, though much of that blame resides where it always did, with the record labels. Coupled with the announce-then-renege on lossless twice in seven years, and Spotify doesn't appear to be a very well run company.

 

[Mark Dirac]

Thanks Mike. Sorry for my ambiguous if not terse question.

In this thread, it is pointed out that Spotify's revenue is 1000x more than Qobuz's. Given that there are a lot of fixed costs (as compared with marginal costs) in this business, I would have expected that any financial challenges faced by Spotify would be faced similarly, and more extremely, by Qobuz, and also Tidal. But this seems not to be the case. Even though Tidal is not a thriving business, and even though Qobuz went bust many years ago in the mid teenies, nonetheless Qobuz and Tidal do not seem to be struggling financially in the way that we often hear that Spotify are.

So my question, to anyone really, was seeking to find out if there is some reason for this at Spotify in particular, such as bad management, or bad management decisions, or bad strategic decisions, or counterproductive interference from shareholders, or mis-spending of finance such as bad purchasing decisions or excessive marketing budgets or lavish salaries, etc?