don't waste your money going 'up the ladder', unless you have a lot of money to waste.

The differences are so small, despite the hyperbolic adjectives used to describe them, that the money is much better spent on better headphones/iems, or on something productive in your life.

As for Tidal, it wins for me because it has the best artist payout, especially with the 10% to the artist you listened to most for each month (~$2). It is still pitifully small, but much more than others are doing.