[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!

[Alanford69]

Please buy QOBUZ and merge into a single service with all quality flavors (from MP3 to HiRes)

The quality from QOBUZ with Spotify radio and music matching algorithms will make the definitive music service.

[Sergjjii]

@Alanford69 And that Qobuz would go from being a classy service for teenagers and lose its charm? We don't want that kind of happiness. Qobuz is a self-sufficient service. I don't like how Spotify is overloaded with unnecessary stuff and their constant updates are really annoying. There are a lot of problems with the app. Spotify is a mainstream popup service like I said for little kids with bluetooth speakers

Spotify has a very mediocre radio and very mediocre recommendations. I'd rather wish Pandora had bought Qobuz by comparison. Pandora Premium has the best recommendations and audio selection. Spotify cannot compete in recommendations with this service. So to speak, they are hopelessly 15 years behind Pandora.

[LawLee]

@ Alanford69

Spotify buy Qobuz? No! they'd just screw it up. Qobuz has depth and the right aesthetic for a serious music fan. If Qobuz develops something akin to Spotify connect I'd pay happily $20.00 for their service.

[LawLee]

Qobuz states that they are the service for the 1 percent of discriminating music consumers. They are not trying to compete with Spotify which is trying to appeal to the masses. That suits me fine. And Qobuz hits that mark like no other service.

[lejakou]

It is really a shame One year after announcement and still no hifi you are now the only one with no hifi...

I was waiting but now it is over ... 

Iwill move to Tidal or Qobuz really soon, the time to record my play list 

By Bye Soptify 

[londonguy73]

Just cancelled. The trial I had with tidal has given me everything i want so no point paying Spotify for an inferior service. 

[LawLee]

Et al,

It's interesting how Spotify's algorithm for making your Daily Mixes falls apart when you don't listen to Spotify. Mine have morphed into unrecognizable recommendations.

It's almost like a desperate love interest who recognizes that things are going downhill and tries desperately anything new to revitalize the relationship.

It's acting kind of pathetic.😉

[rinopopo]

26 days into 2022, 26 days being liars. how do you feel? I'm not happy at all.

[Elfunesto]

I know Spotify is still making a lot of profit, but they've lost almost 50% of their value at Wall Street from the beginning of the year. Could it be because they forgot that music is their business ? That podcasts are not as interesting as they think on the long run ? That promoting someone spreading misinformations instead of a music legend is a bad move ?

I am still a paying subscriber, but if things don't improve rapidly, I will leave for sure. It is your move Spotify, but the latest development (and absence of there of), is making it very hard for me to justify paying a subscription to you...

[habu77]

I'm running a trial with Tidal at the moment. €1 for 3 months. Sound quality on my budget system (Marantz NR1200 with Q Acoustics 3020 standmount speakers with the original QA stands) is a tad better than Spotify. UI comes darn close but lacks a few things. Tidal Connect is ok but Spotify Connect is the only one so far that recognises my amp as a device. I have tried Amazon, excellent sound quality but the worst UX ever. Qobuz sounds great but I also hate the UX. Deezer was decent but just didn't do it for me. Tidal is the one that impresses me the most at the moment although quite a few albums I love are missing. I will run both services simultaneously and if Spotify ever decides to go hifi I will ditch Tidal just because (for me) Spotify has the edge regarding UX.

Yesterday evening I did a blind A/B test between Tidal and Spotify. I showed a friend of mine which tracks to play, some of my favourite test tracks and covered my eyes and he A/B'd them. At some point I thought I had the favourites pinned and it turned out to be a draw... Spotify actually sounds pretty awesome on my system. Tidal has an edge when you play something like 'Rubric' by Philip Glass where the music is so dense and the separation is better but generally (again, on my budget system) the two are pretty close quality wise. Just flick the switch Spotify, hifi in February!