Sound is clipping / distorted (Marina and the diamonds)

[flemmingdjensen]

Hi All,

Just bought Spotify Premium to try out the better quality to get from spotify by subscribing.

By listening to "Marina and the Diamonds" i hear several numbers where the Bass tracks are clipping, distorted.

Listen fx to this number : "Walley of the dolls" approx 47 seconds into the song....

Has several tracks been sampled in overloaded - distorted???

BR Flemming

[webst]

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@kennethjonsson wrote:
Indeed, the artist must find it disappointing to have their music delivered like this. Compare this: https://open.spotify.com/track/2WrXmz0Ix6suovIH7Hq0LI where a less intense music is delivered with high precision and no traces of clipping.

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For me this track clips terribly when Spotify volume is at 100% but recovers to normal at 80%. 

[parker_ackley]

I conducted a test, based on volume settings to try to find out what is going on. Indeed, by adjusting the volume level the distortion can be eliminated. So much for “conspiracy theory”, (but It did start a nice discussion). To perform this test, I used Wave MP3 Editor v15.7 to monitor for clipping on the waveform in “real time”. This was also confirmed by looking at the peak recording level indicators in DC6 Ver 6.00 (Diamond Cut Productions Inc.). The Spotify Player application was downloaded from Spotify. Under Advanced Settings/Playback, Set the same volume level for all tracks was selected.

When using the Spotify Player, the volume level can be adjusted through the Spotify player volume or the Windows Mixer. My configuration has a Spotify channel in addition to the master “Speakers” volume.
Playing Right Track, by Nicole Sabourne with the following settings:
Spotify Player at 100, Speakers at 100, Mixer at 40: Easily achieved 0dB, Easily repeatable.
Spotify Player at 100, Speakers at 63, Mixer at 63: Easily achieved 0dB, Moderately repeatable *.
Spotify Player at ~70, Speakers at 100, Mixer at 100: Easily achieved 0dB, Not easily repeatable.
* Because Speakers limits the maximum level of all other mixer channels, it automatically brings down the Spotify channel also, effectively reducing the control setting ability.

When using the Spotify web-based player, the volume can be adjusted through the Spotify web-based volume control or the Windows Mixer “Speakers” volume. The dedicated Spotify mixer slider has no effect with the web-based player.
Playing the same song located at https://play.spotify.com/album/0EqKmduYmKZCLtFC732oVA.
Spotify Web at 100, Speakers at 100: Easily repeatable. However, the maximum level I could achieve was approximately -7dB.

Playing One More Angel from the album Eternal Beauty, web version located at https://play.spotify.com/album/0gSq5AEue1uEipwnTgWvOx
Spotify Web at 100, Speakers at 100: the maximum level was approximately – 19dB.
Spotify Player at 100, Speakers at 100, Mixer at 40: Easily achieved 0 dB.

Playing Teacher Teacher from the album Seconds of Pleasure, web version located at https://open.spotify.com/track/4MndAZVT7FqXDKCk0HBNIS
Spotify Web at 100, Speakers at 100: the maximum level was approximately – 10dB.
Spotify Player at 100, Speakers at 100, Mixer at 40: Easily achieved 0 dB.

It would appear that to enjoy undistorted sound, the volume setting in the Spotify web-based application needs to be adjusted for best results for each song. By using the Spotify Player application, with Set the same volume level for all tracks selected, undistorted sound can be achieved without the need to set the volume for each song. The next question is – can Spotify modify their web—based player code to automatically adjust the volume for all tracks?

[kennethjonsson]

Interesting test, but I hear distortion on all levels independent on Spotify settings and volume levels.

However, I think I improved the sound and reduced distortion, by downloading a new Windows 10 driver for my Creative Live! external soundcard. And one more strange thing, all the time I have had good quality when playing music with Windows Media Player - everything else staying the same. And no matter what the volume setting is.

Cheers!

[parker_ackley]

I won't profess to know a whole lot about digital audio beyond basic digitizing techniques, I'm more of an analog guy myself, but drivers certainly seem to have a lot to do with performance in the digital world. That is one reason I use the Spotify Player app on my PC. I assume I always have the most up-to-date driver and the player is optimized for Spotify playback.

Also, as I have aged, I know my hearing has detereorated due to normal age effects and from some hearing abuse when I was younger and listened to music VERY loudly with headphones for MANY hour per day. As part of this hearing change, I have noted that with some songs, well remembered from years ago, I now hear distortion (working from the same media which has not deteriorated). Other songs (also well remembered) still sound clean, but don't contain the "transparency" any longer.

The latter is easily explained by the fact that I can't hear any frequencies above 4K (normal aging, I used to be able to hear 19.5K) and I have a big "hole" in my hearing at 2K (caused by loud music). After consulting with my ear doctor (his father used to work for Avery Fisher), he said that the ear itself does introduce distortion to the sound, afterall it is a mechanical device.

Tracking down what is distortion and what is not gets to be an extremely complex task because all measurement devices introduce their own forms of distortion. That is a discussion I don't want to get into because it will never end. Ultimately, each person hears sound differently, so who is to say what is right and what is wrong?

Personnally, I tend to put faith in objective measurements using instrumentation as much as possible. This information is easily traceable and repeatable to defined standards. Lacking pure objective measurements, I will rely on statistical tools to quantify impure objective and subjective 'measurements'. (One has to be careful to apply the correct statistical tool or the results could be misleading.) If all else fails, I ask "Does It Meet Specification?" Yes, it is good to keep improving, but sometimes meeting spec is all that matters. In the case of listening to music - do I derive pleasure from listening to it? If I don't, then I simply don't listen to it and go on to the next song.

[webst]

As far as I know digital audio there are following places where distortion can be introduced:

Improper mastering - if there are clean tracks on spotify and single one sounds distorted on every volume level this is it. You can't do anything about it but informing the artist and hope it'll be fixed.

Problem with digital zero - if there are clean tracks on spotify but some sound distorted at near 100% volume level this means that samples in digital file are so close to digital zero dB that rebuilt waveform goes beyond that zero causing distortion. Digital volume control takes care of it. Not much to do with it either, lower your spotify volume and enjoy.

Other problems - if there are no clean tracks on spotify. This can be caused by various other hardware or software problems you need to investigate yourself after you exclude two above.

[rupert1020]

this track is TOTALLY distorted. I have use two different amps / preamps and two different speaker sets... man, I almost sent my speakers to be repaired

https://open.spotify.com/track/3I05foFixB2sSZvV5Ppty8

[rupert1020]

....

[rupert1020]

In reply to my own question : the distortion problem was caused by the equalizer settings on one of my devices (ipad) (whew !) .. So luckily its not my speakers or the track itself. Greetings.

[mschellstede]

Hi

I'm am pro in Livesound for 30 years and I can hear distortion very well if there is any.

I bought a ZTE Axon 7 smartphone wich is well known for its high end audio.

I had distortion on several tracks with spotify premium. Wether i listen 100% or less, on the mac and on the Axon. Online or downloaded. There is defenetly a problem that should be sorted out. Unless than it is very frustrating when that happens...