[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!

[LawLee]

@habu77

I'm surprised you can't resolve a big difference between your Tidal tracks and Spotify. Your system should be able to resolve audible differences. A lot of it can depend upon the content that you're listening to. Maybe listen to some speaker test songs. A number of folks have made playlists that are designed to really resolve fine detail. Maybe try one of those playlists and then find the same songs in Tidal.

Cheers

[taravasya2]

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@Elfunesto wrote:

they've lost almost 50% of their value at Wall Street from the beginning of the year.

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 Where does this information come from, can you share the source?

[habu77]

@LawLee I know, the difference should be so profound but it really isn't. It should be night and day but it's so close. I will look up some of those audiophile playlists and transfer them to Tidal as well and have a play with it, cheers!

[vaajy]

Spotify stocks can be found here to see how they drop:

https://www.google.com/search?q=spotify+stocks

It seems every stock is now dropping.

[mctesterson]

Ah, so Spotify has "only" lost 32% of market value, YTD:

"166.33 USD-77.82 (-31.87%)year to date"

In the last 12 months, though, it has lost 49%:

"166.38 USD-159.10 (-48.89%)past year"

Finally delivering on the promise of Hifi audio, and having a bold, confident marketing campaign touting how they're taking on their competitors' high-quality sound directly and aggressively, with best-in-class user-interface and unmatched Spotify Connect technology, could be a way to woo back investors and demonstrate that they're not giving up on the streaming music side of their business.

Maybe they could even get a solid entertainer celebrity to join them on such a marketing campaign.  Billie Eilish, perhaps?  Neil Young?  😄  Steven Wilson? (ooh, _that_ celebrity endorsement would perk up the attention of high-resolution fans!)

[LawLee]

@habu77

Are you listening to the HiFi or the HiFi Plus tier of Tidal? It was stated by the Goldensound video that all of their lossless catalog is being mastered for MQA. This means that unless you have an MQA decoding DAC you are listening to a facsimile of a lossless track. Without an MQA decoder, the bit depth of the reproduction may be as low as 13 bits. Keep in mind mp3s are capable of 16 bits of resolution.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwi8iJ3mxNb1A...

Something like this may explain why Tidal isn't stand out in comparison to Spotify. I have Yamaha Aventage systems that operate both in stereo and in 5.1 modes. In stereo, it's true that the differences aren't as apparent. However, when the 5.1 channels are thrown into the mix you can really hear dramatic differences in the soundstage.

I liked Tidal a lot but MQA is one reason I stayed away from it. Too much controversy. Like you I have tried all of the services. From my listenings, Qobuz is without equal in terms of sound quality. However, I do like Deezer and it's algorithm for connecting you with the artists that you select. I'm having a hard time though with the $15 for HiFi without a proper way to connect directly to my receiver the way Spotify can.

For me it's down to Qobuz, Amazon, and Deezer. Both Deezer and Qobuz are working on a "Spotify Connect" style direct connection likely based on DNLA. When one of them does launch this they will have my business permanently.

Take a look at that Spotify! I'm willing to pay between $13 to $15 for HiFi. You could have launched your new tier already at a premium and retained some of the customers that you have lost.

[habu77]

@LawLee I am using the HiFi (so cd quality) tier. It sounds marginally better and I just love the idea that for the same price I get this quality by default. I am keeping Spotify for the moment because of the UI and I am missing a few albums on Tidal. Like I said, I will instantly revert back to Spotify when they go hifi because for me Spotify Connect and the UI are still superior to any of the other services I have tried. I'm a dreamer. I still think it will come, they just can't be the only big one left behind offering 320 when all the rest has moved on and put cd quality as default.

[lappymusicman]

I’ve settled on Amazon Music HD and purchased an Echo Flex to plug directly into my HiFi which gives me the equivalent of Spotify Connect. Improved the sound over Apple Airplay which his limitations in quality. 

[LawLee]

Et al,

Wow!

The news on Spotify keeps getting worse. Joni Mitchell has joined Neil Young in removing music from Spotify. Analysts have said that $4 billion of Spotify's market capitalization has evaporated in the 6 days since that announcement.

In the wake of this controversy, trending on social media are the hashtags #CancelSpotify, #DeleteSpotify and #ByeSpotify.

Why is this relevant here?

On top of that Neil Young takes a swipe at the sound quality saying to Variety that Spotify's sound quality is "sh*tty, degraded and neutered". He announced a new partnership with Amazon Music Unlimited. Ouch!

Will you guys please release HiFi already?

For your own sake, and that of your fans and investors, try generating some positive press instead of the constant barrage of self-inflicted foot bullets...

[user-removed]

Spotify cares little about music anymore . It wants podcasts , which possibly  generate more revenue. Not sure though. 

One thing is certain though . Adding lossless without raising prices like Apple will reduce their revenue most likely with increased server costs .