French streaming service Deezer has announced the global expansion of the hi-fidelity audio portion of its service, Elite. Deezer Elite was launched in the United States in September 2014 but is now global so you can access Deezer. Deezer has partnered with Sonos to bring customers the product, so that means one can only listen to the service's 35-million-strong library through a Sonos brand of speaker.
Elite brings a five times greater difference in audio quality, the company claims. Deezer streams its Free Lossless Audio Codec files that stream at 1,411 kbps or higher sound five times better than the 320 kbps typically used by other streaming services and downloads from services like Amazon and Beatport.
Deezer sent an email to subscribers explaining, via Billboard, "You can now listen to performances as the artist intended with digital lossless capture of the original analogue audio sources. Experience the music at five times the bitrate [of MP3]: 1411kbps vs 320kbps."
Now audiophiles have more choices then ever with Deezer Elite going global. Tidal, which Jay Z recently purchased despite some complications with shareholders, also looks to take some of the marketplace next to Japanese service e-Onkyo, which just recently expanded to the Uniteed States, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Current users had the chance to upgrade in February, but the Elite is now available to new customers. New Elite users will be eligible for a free 30-day trial. Deezer is available in 150 countries. Deezer Elite comes at a price similar to a regular subscription at £9.99/month (£120 total) -- $14.71/month ($176.77 total) -- in the U.K. for a year if you pay up front, or £14.99/month -- $22.08/month -- if you want to pay as you go.
The question remains to be seen is how large the market is for these type of services. Deezer and Sonos are counting on the fact that the market will continue to grow in a similar trend as the vinyl craze continues.
