[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!

[Faintandfuzzy]

You announced it in March of last year. You are the only provider sticking
with low resolution, lossy music. And then you and Spotify comes and tells
us “In the future” with no explanation or dates. Not good enough.

[PaulMac]

Hey Spotify,

Thanks for the update!

"We feel the same, and we’re excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future. But we don’t have timing details to share yet."

Could you maybe let us know if that's the same level of excitement as you were feeling this time last year?

Obviously there was no point in including any timing details this time around as no one would believe you anyway..

[Audioplayer]

@Faintandfuzzy

Actually Spotify announced it in February and Pandora and YouTube Music are also low fidelity holdouts. The rest of your post rings true however! The moderator that posted is just that a mod with no information. Someone at Spotify needs to get that lazy **bleep** of theirs CEO Daniel Elk to get on here and tell us the honest and insightful truth for a change. There should be nothing for Spotify to hide as there is nothing to be worried/paranoid about because their competition have already surpassed them with higher fidelity offerings. Spotify already looks foolish and arrogant so they really should come clean otherwise it will only get worse for them.

[LawLee]

Yordan

Thanks having the fortitude for saying something about this. Yours is the first semi-official voice that has been heard on this issue for months.

Spotify is an excellent service. Hands down its features are excellent. You can see the level of frustration that many listeners are having now. I hope you can relay this up to those who have some involvement in this. So far if you look back at this thread the impression that was given by the German article was that this was something that was tabled indefinitely.

I'm rooting for Spotify. I would love to come back. I would even pay a premium for the pleasure of having Hifi. Right now I'm paying about $23 to have both Amazon and Qobuz because together they have qualities that I enjoy that are lacking in Spotify. I'm a little worried for Spotify, because if they don't respond on this issue I fear that Apple and Amazon are going to take significant market share from Spotify. They've already taken mindshare on the issue of high resolution lossless music.

They've got deep pockets. Honestly, I'm not interested in either of them winning out to you. But its up to you...

Cheers

[Will1831]

Thank you Yordan for the official statement, which is what we need !

Sad to hear that it looks like you're nowhere near the initiation of the project internally as I was really looking forward to this.

Looking forward to see another statement, in the nearest possible future 😉 about the hires implementation.

[EerilyBlack]

Thank you for your timely update *cough* *cough*.

Aaaah, that is too bad. I'm moving to apple music permanently now. Bye!

[inetbas]

From the days before streaming services, I already had my LPs and CDs digitized on my NAS, but still mostly in MP3 iPods and MP3 player only had a few GB's of storage at the time. During the Corona period I uplifted all these CDs and LPs to FLAC 🙂 It took a while, but I finally got it done. At the same time a new set of front speakers arrived, Teufel Theater 500 series.  I listen to a selection of my favorite tracks using Spotify (Very High quality) and FLAC-coded from my NAS.  Both over my new front speakers and even with my good headset. I hear a clear difference between the same song on Spotify and played FLAC from my NAS. The  FLAC coded songs just give more dynamics and clarity in the sound spectrum.  I am already an older person and don't have very 'trained' ears in respect of listening to music and I notice already the difference.  

So yes if you truly want to replace your CD's and LP's with a streaming service offering and even have a nice, but not over the top, speaker/av-receiver setup you NEED Lossless music quality.  All other streaming services, Tidal started, are offering this now ..... Spotify where are you?  2031 maybe, another decade??

[GBillett]

'Hey folks,

We know that HiFi quality audio is important to you. We feel the same, and we’re excited to deliver a Spotify HiFi experience to Premium users in the future. But we don’t have timing details to share yet.

We will of course update you here when we can.

Take care.'

Spotify has a rebellion from its customers on its hands and its silence,  despite these few words from a moderator,  remains deafening.  It is no longer a leader in music streaming but a leader in podcast purveying.  Its faux recent investments include war technology.   It has fallen demonstrably behind in its prime business model and been overtaken by relatively small and moderate companies.  The King has no clothes.

I repeat ' From where I stand, Spotify is spinning its fans along, dumbing down it's services, providing less customer responsive services, diluting its core music streaming service by diversification, compromising its quality by not taking commercial risks like its competitors and rapidly losing technological ground as others embrace higher bit rate services.'

Daniel Ek I call you out personally to remedy this.

Until then,  I hope your frustrated customers continue to trial your competitor's services,  continue to voice their justifiable ire here and to continue to hold this once great company accountable for their current  malaise.

It is Spotify who needs to 'take care',  not it's empowered and vocal customer user base.

[LawLee]

It looks like my posts are being censored now... I just posted one that they would not push though. My post wasn't even anti Spotify. It was agreement that Bluetooth transmission can't greatly benefit from hi-res music

With that I think I'm taking a break. Best wishes all.

Best wishes Spotify with all sincerity...

[MightyMacT]

Can this please include the option of spatial sound? Like Dolby Atmos?