[All Platforms][Music] HiFi Quality - Lossless Streaming 16bit 44.1khz

[timiambeing]

I've just started a trial of Qobuz - they offer the standard 320kbps as well as lossless FLAC streaming (and high res downloads if you purchase them) the sound quality is noticeably better and on classical it's just wonderful to get all that resolution through your hi-fi or headphones! The catalogue has a way to go to get to Spotify's level, but they are getting there. The iPad app isn't' too bad (the desktop app is in need of an upgrade but I hear they are putting all their efforts into mobile apps right now).

So - lossless streaming - if Qobuz can do it then so can Spotify, they must have the same source - and obviously if you are asking £20 a month then those record labels and distributors take enough notice to make the high res tracks available for streaming. What this all means is soon, very soon, we will get lossless streaming and closely followed by high res downloads - but if Spotify aren't careful it will be Apple who get there first with an audiophile premium offering, and when they do it will be a much harder market place to make money in!

** please don't lump this suggestion with the main one on lossless downloads, that's a different idea entirely guys!

[timiambeing]

I've just started a trial of Qobuz - they offer the standard 320kbps as well as lossless FLAC streaming (and high res downloads if you purchase them) the sound quality is noticeably better and on classical it's just wonderful to get all that resolution through your hi-fi or headphones! The catalogue has a way to go to get to Spotify's level, but they are getting there. The iPad app isn't' too bad (the desktop app is in need of an upgrade but I hear they are putting all their efforts into mobile apps right now).

[timiambeing]

So - lossless streaming - if Qobuz can do it then so can Spotify, they must have the same source - and obviously if you are asking £20 a month then those record labels and distributors take enough notice to make the high res tracks available for streaming. What this all means is soon, very soon, we will get lossless streaming and closely followed by high res downloads - but if Spotify aren't careful it will be Apple who get there first with an audiophile premium offering, and when they do it will be a much harder market place to make money in!

[Crash7386]

I am now looking for an alternative as well. I came back to Spotify on their announcement of HiFi last year, which clearly was a load of BS. It won't be TIDAL for me, but maybe back to Amazon HD. Seems its never gonna happen here, just a bunch of fake news. 

[LawLee]

et al,

During my sabbatical from Spotify look what I found!

Everybody's been talking about Amazon and Apple and Dolby Atmos music. I use Amazon Music Unlimited but honestly their Android tablet app is a dumpster fire. But I was auditioning Atmos music because it can connect directly to my system. Still I subscribed to Qobus though, and was rooting for them. Qobuz's last mention about Atmos was in January of 2020 in the well respected whathifi online site.

Qobuz talks Amazon Music HD, 3D audio, new features and more | What Hi-Fi? (whathifi.com)

As I was perusing their website to find out if they've done anything here with Dolby Atmos I was shocked to find this rows upon rows of Atmos mastered and remastered music. And I haven't even heard a peep from them about Atmos.

Here's the cool thing. My Yamaha receiver using MusicCast connects directly to Qobuz, without needing a Chromecast receiver or an external streaming DAC. The spatial sound on some of these recordings takes it to the next level. On my receiver the display switches between telling me that I'm processing the stream from FLAC to Dolby Surround: viola...

Not only do the major services now have CD and hires music. But apparently little Qobuz has quietly rolled out Dolby Atmos music too. Now Apple, Amazon and Tidal already had it.

The competition wasn't just waiting around. As soon as the Spotify Car revved their engine and sputtered in February, the other services accelerated past and lapped them. Spotify you need to be talking about Dolby Atmos now, which is possible at 16bit, 44.1kHz I believe. So Spotify Hifi quality should suffice.

This could be why the delay. I hope they're retooling their offering for Dolby Atmos support.

[Jonas51]

After having tried Apple Music, I recently started a trial on Amazon music HD - they even connect to my bose system without having to use a manual casting option.  Sound difference is night and day, just like Apple. I'll switch over and convince my family to do the same.

Good luck, though you do not deserve any.

[Pietras]

C'mon Spotify, it's 2022 and we're stuck with 160kbps on web player and a measly 320 kbps in an app.
Seriously, get your act together, because it feels like you've sat down on your laurels or popularity, and just cut off coupons off of that, instead of focusing on delivering a competitive service. Not to mention the podcasts, which are limited to 96kbps quality!

Are you kidding me!?

I'm moving to Tidal. Go suck a fat d!ck.

[Samppa3]

In Finland, news articles now also question if Spotify has ditched Hifi due to Apple making mess of their original plans.

The articles also point to this original source from 9to5mac:

https://9to5mac.com/2022/01/09/spotify-hifi-support-still-missing/

Some really good comments.

[lappymusicman]

It’s not just Apple who have upset things. For around the same price as Spotify you can also have Amazon Music HD, Tidal CD quality, Deezer and Qobuz so Spotify are really up against too much competition to stand still or offer the same with no price increase. 

[Samppa3]

Yep I know (and Im trialing each at the moment in case Spotify fails to deliver Hifi), it all escalated this way and other services have each brought their plans more to the competition and all this time, now as the others have really put good things on the table, Spotify has done nothing but been quiet spectator.

[pabeadle]

I have a 6 month free trial with Apple Music. If by the end there isn't an update about HiFi, I'm probably gone. Spotify seems to take it users for granted. 

[LawLee]

What is Spotify thinking? What are they doing? I've been silent on these points, but this bugs me.

They've spent almost $200 million on things absolutely unrelated to their core music business. Daniel Elk has invested €100 million in a defense technology startup?

They paid Joe Rogan a $100 million contract for his podcast on Spotify and then they censor some of his content? Some of Spotify's own staff took issue that they even made this deal.

Who feels that $200 million would have been better spent fixing this Hifi issue? Who doesn't believe that investment would have got this done?

These two decisions alone show that Spotify is not a company that is ethics-oriented, or music-oriented, but money-oriented. They've clearly taken their eye off their core business. Their competition has shrewdly exploited this.

Since earlier this year almost all of the music streaming companies have neutralized their advantages. Deezer, Apple, and Amazon offer podcasts as well. Tidal and Deezer offer free ad-based subscriptions. The other companies now offer hi-res music, Spatial, and Dolby Atmos music completely surpassing Spotify.  Everyone has dropped their prices. We are going to see Darwinian "survival of the fittest" in the music streaming industry moving forward.

I predict this is going to be a bruising year for Spotify. It's like watching a slow-motion train wreck. It's tragic to see but you can't take your eyes off of it...

Spotify is vulnerable. Amazon and Apple are circling like sharks, they've got deep pockets and they're brutally focused on taking market share. Even the little guys like Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz are positioned to grow out of this stumble. Google "Spotify Hifi". They've got paid adds in the search results and offers to tempt away the masses. Spotify needs to get this done, or they may be done, as market leader...

[user-removed]

Please vote for the below to have all your Artists displayed in your library, not just followed Artists..

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Live-Ideas/Your-Library-Show-all-Artists-in-Library-not-just-follow...