Spotify not using correct audio output from the start

[matdorsz]

Plan

Premium

Country

Poland

Device

PC + S.M.S.L DL200 DAC via USB (but with the same exact problem via coax connection)

Operating System

Windows 11

My Question or Issue

I'm having troubles with Spotify app output device after every launch. My default device is set in windows settings (USB DAC), but whenever I'm running spotify it plays through my monitor speakers first. Only after I change output to the monitor and back to DAC sounds plays through right output. It's extremally annoing. I've alreadt tried to even disable all other outputs, but then Spotify displays info that it cannot play selected song right now (for all songs ofc...). Please help me figure it out.

[Yordan]

Hi @matdorsz!

Could you check if the correct output device is set for Spotify? You'll find a detailed guide on how to do that here.

In case the device is automatically reset to your monitor speakers when you open Spotify, check if you have any other software installed that may have control over the output device (such as your DAC's settings), as it's possible they have a feature which changes the audio output device when you launch a certain app (in this case Spotify).

Keep me posted on this. Cheers!

[matdorsz]

Hi @Yordan,

Yes, I've checked this before - Spotify settings are set to default device. When i changed it to DAC - it played on monitor speakers regardles of chosen output on windows. As for external apps - after reading your suggestion I've installed driver for my DAC (XMOS USB DAC driver) - it does resolve the issue, but only in a certain way that for me is not acceptable - I'd need to switch to USB 1.1 mode to use the driver - but it drops the sound bitrate from 384 to 48.

Happy to try some other suggestions if you have any 🙂

Cheers!

Mateusz

[Yordan]

Hey again Mateuz!

I think the issue is coming from the sample rate you've set for your DAC, as Spotify supports a sample rate of up to 192 kHz. Could you confirm that everything works fine on your end if you set your DAC to anywhere between 44.1 and 192 kHz?

At the moment, you don't necessarily need a high sample rate for Spotify, since Premium offers an audio quality of up to 320 kbps, so running 44.1 or 48 kHz would be just fine.

@matdorsz