Xstream by NYA “stunning”- Rolling Stone
Technology milestone – Xstream by NYA, the first hi-res music streaming in the US proves that hi-res music streaming can be done with today’s technology. People can hear the difference at NYA and are writing about it.
We are very grateful to Rolling Stone for pointing out the “stunning sound quality” of Xstream by NYA in their recent coverage. When was the last time you heard anyone, much less a leading music journal for 50 years, describe the sound of a streaming service as “stunning”? Never. Streaming services today have the worst audio quality ever offered by the music industry.
It is possible for everyone in the world to hear the difference in Xstream by NYA and it is possible to change the face of the music industry. It is possible for all streaming services to have an Xstream like tier. We have proved that.
Today’s lack of depth in audio is slowly starving and smothering the enjoyment of all the music ever made.
I was there when all music was distributed at the same great audio quality, when vinyl was King. We all heard that sound together. Everyone. It was the norm and it was amazing!
Today, the sound is gone. It has been killed by the labels and Tech giant monopoly that distributes our music. They have sweet deals with one another that enhance their profits while cutting the artist royalty to shreds, and the deals allow the tech giant to lower the bar and sell our music with less than 5% of the quality that was originally it.
Young Artists – The greed of tech giants and record labels has stifled the ability of young artists to create the next generation of great music. Historically, young artists regenerate the music, turning it over every generation as it evolves. That’s how music grows. Standing on the shoulders of the greats that have come before them, now the young artists have only meager income from music and their tools to bring great sounding audio to the people have been taken away. They no longer have the ability to distribute their new music the way it is made in the studio like their heroes did. In a world like that, how can great music regenerate?
High-Res is what we all heard and felt when I started my career in music. I live and die for High-Res. I don’t like to listen any other way. That’s why we made Xstream by NYA. I can’t imagine how a young artist must feel; knowing listeners will never hear what was recorded in the studio.
NY in the studio, 1969
Hardware – Today the great audio companies who make whole systems for high resolution audio have no music available at a consumer price level to demonstrate the quality. As a result, there are fewer and fewer companies manufacturing equipment that can handle excellent audio and music.
At the same time, the high-resolution audio systems available easily reveal the inadequacies of iTunes’ mp3 compromised files. Played loudly, the iTunes files hurt one’s ears, where a top-quality file can fill the room with the depth and warmth of beautiful sounding music, not pain.
High Resolution music at an equal price would re-invigorate the audio hardware industry to create technology that would allow all the people a fair chance to hear and feel all the music, streaming it into their phones, homes and cars.
Pricing – The record company’s deals with the Tech Giants are directly responsible for the death of quality listening in the mainstream. They offer no alternative. Today’s artificially inflated high-res music prices have killed high resolution as a possible mainstream music experience.
It would be easy for cell phones to play great sounding high res. Some already do, the HTC 10 and the new LG V30, but the high price charged by record companies kills high res streaming as a viable business. The tech giants and record labels continue to only offer their shabby substitute to the mainstream.
Free the Music – It is my position that all songs should cost the same, regardless of the technology. The files don’t cost more to duplicate. The artificial high price is a blatant money grab. Let the people decide what quality they want to hear. Some will say high. Some will say low. Free the Music.
I do know some people cannot hear the difference in sound quality. Some people are color blind too, but that’s no reason to compromise color. If only cellphones had done for audio as they did for cameras, the world would be enjoying the true beauty of great music today. It still can and if I have anything to say about it, it will happen.
Again, thank you Rolling Stone for describing Xstream by NYA as having “stunning sound quality.” We are grateful for your helping hand. For us, it is a labor of love. It’s for all music, for all time.
NY/ NYA