Bad Sound Quality

[kzhang]

Brief description of the issue: A few days ago I noticed the lower registers of my music sounding less full and distorted. I've narrowed it down to the Spotify app, as I've tried other music apps and they sound fine, just the Spotify app sounds bad. 

Steps to reproduce the issue:

1. No clue, it just happened. This issue came a few days ago, well after the most recent update.

What steps you’ve tried already: Adjusting the streaming quality, reinstalling the app, turning off my equalizer app

Your device and operating system OnePlus One, 6.0.1

Type of Spotify account you have: Premium

The app version of Spotify you’re using: Most current as of 10/6/2016

Any thoughts on what my issue could be?

[aodhokeady]

Have you deleted all the cache and data when you were reinstalling the app??? If not, go to device settings - apps - Spotify - clear cache - clear data - force stop - uninstall. This is the best way to clean your device of an app. Also turn off your phone and once as it is completely off, don't turn it back on for about 10 seconds. Turn your phone on and go to the Google Play Store and redownload the app.

[Titrate]

This happened to me too. Probably after the latest Android OS update last week? EQ is available in my phone's own music app but disappeared from Spotify. I have Samsung galaxy A3.

[ml000]

I came here after getting annoyed about bad sound quality on my desktop client, starting after some of the latest updates. 

Very hard to put the finger on exactly what the problem is. But my listening experience is similar to when listening to a source with too low bitrate or something.

I have enabled high quality streaming, and also deleted all local cached files. 

[Kian1me]

I have an iPhone and I've had the same problem, I was thinking of just moving to Apple Music because the sound quality is just so bad on Spotify even at 320kbit/s. I couldn't say when it started but I've notice it for some time now. I've found that the web player is much better quality even thought it's 120kbit/s compared to the app, therefore the app is the issue in some way.

[squalidozzi]

I too have noticed this. Changing to high quality has done nothing noticeable to improve sound quality. It is lower than iTunes or youtube... thinking of cancelling my subscription.

[Aig1]

I noticed poor sound quality on my Galaxy S7 yesterday sounded great in the morning & then lower quality by the afternoon while driving. Thought maybe it had to do with signal but don't believe so because I still had 4g. Switched over to my iPad air & quality is great! I think it has something to do with the Android system... But can't put my finger on it. It did have an update a couple days ago but has been working fine after that till midday yesterday. I've reinstalled the app several times but no change... Switched over to wifi... No change. This is so frustrating!

[Superfrankie]

Same problem on my iphone 6. I'll switch to deezer or apple music

[GucciLittlePig]

I've got Amazon Music (part of Amazon Prime), Tidal (3 month trial) and Spotify Premium.

Music on Spotify is far less quality than Amazon and Tidal. Tidal is high res, but Amazon is supposed to be at a lower bitrate (256 kb/s) than Spotify's 320 kb/s.

Even the same song is so much quieter when all settings on all apps are set to highest streaming quality via WiFi.

Just contacted support asking why this is and they did their best but they couldn't help.

iPhone 6 Plus user.

[Joe]

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@GucciLittlePig wrote:

Even the same song is so much quieter when all settings on all apps are set to highest streaming quality via WiFi.

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When did volume become a measure of music quality?

[GucciLittlePig]

I didn't say loudness is a indicator of quality. 

Was just a comparison that I noticed.

I have high end equipment including headphones and speakers, which enable me to hear the differences.

Trust me, the quality of audio is much poorer compared to both Amazon and Tidal.

[agferg]

I too am having a diffiult time. I just got Spotify, have the settings set to extreme, and the music is quite "muffled" or "dirty." Definitely signs of being way over-compressed. I've tested on three different apps and Spotify is the only one that is so lossy. Amazon and Apple sound VERY good in comparison. If a solution isn't forthcoming, this Spotify Premium will be a short lived purchase. I'm very disappointed. 

[Aig1]

I think I stumbled across a solution on my own. Hope this works for you too. I realized that the Spotify sound quality would tank whenever I had a Bluetooth headset enabled in my Voxer app. I assume Voxer is changing some kind of sound card setting in the phone whenever a Bluetooth headset is enabled.

[agferg]

I've been doing my testing with a direct Aux out so that isn't applicable to me. I've just switched back to Amazon and my problem is solved.