[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!

[gihayes]

Thank you for that!!

You've said it all and provided great info!

[Audioplayer]

Also Spotify connect vs Apple Airplay. (Spotify connect is better).

Part 1:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pqpNwUgmxco

Part 2:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cavOhIie348

[BertH1]

https://www.whathifi.com/news/neil-young-says-spotify-sounds-shitty-pushes-fans-to-amazon-music-free...

[LawLee]

@Audioplayer

Great post! Thanks for your research. I am currently using Qobuz I agree that it's sound quality is without par. I do like the Deezer interface very much, especially the way it links into Musiccast. For me it's a two way race. The first of these companies that develop a DNLA or Spotify type connector will get my permanent business.

Like you Tidal is ruined by MQA for me. I hope they shed themselves of this boat anchor so that they can be taken seriously.

[LawLee]

Graham Nash and India Arie join Neil Young's Spotify boycott over 'problematic' Rogan (msn.com)

One news reporter take is that Spotify is a podcast company. Then boy did their investment in Joe Rogan pay dividends. By the time this is over they may have nothing but podcasts... 😏

Since they're not interested in high quality music or musicians, I wonder how long before there's a mass exodus, not just of musicians, but of music customers...

[dpzepp]

Just to let you folks know I went from any time to free. Because of their dishonesty to us and the lossless cause.

[Nir888]

It's time to leave. Spotify CEO does not know when the quality will improve. I will consider becoming your customer again as soon as the situation changes.

[LawLee]

Spotify Removes 70 Episodes of ‘Joe Rogan Experience’; Podcast Host Apologizes for Using N-Word (yah...

"An independent research poll conducted this week found that 19% of Spotify users claimed they had canceled their accounts or were planning to do so because of Rogan’s podcast, but analysts believe the effect of a boycott movement will ultimately be minimal."

Do you get the idea that many Spotify customers don't give a darn about podcasts?

That's on top of those who are leaving for audio quality reasons. Spotify's got some real problems

[DenoBeno]

Frankly, I am not even convinced that "HIFI" version will sound better, but ignoring this is giving other platforms ammunition to claim they are better than Spotify. You really need to do something about this.

Why I'm not convinced? I have relatively good ears and relatively good equipment. I tried this test and failed to identify which is which: http://abx.digitalfeed.net/spotify-hq.html

For some songs, I had slightly better results than for other, but generally speaking it's very very difficult to differentiate. And it's probably completely impossible to differentiate when listening on a phone, even with excellent Bluetooth over the ear headphones. 

Which means that one pays for more data being transferred without actually gaining anything. And even on unlimited data contracts, this is not environmentally friendly as more data transferred means more energy being used. Again, without actually gaining anything in terms of a sound quality.

[LawLee]

DenoBeno,

Its all about the content. I didn't find the samples in that abx test suitable for highlighting the differences between compressed and lossless. In fact in my opinion they seem selected or designed to obscure the differences. Try the NPR test below.

Here's an answer to whether folks can hear the difference between uncompressed and compressed music. Took this test one time and got 5 out of 6 right. The last one Suzanne Vega track I actually got right several times later. Since I listened only to about 10 seconds of it instead of the whole track I'm now sure I could have gotten that one as well.

An av receiver and even budget speakers like mine are like a microscope. They can detect the difference between compressed and uncompressed streams with good content.

Test Setup:

Yamaha Aventage RX-A780 from Windows 11 Computer, optical Toslink at 48kHz 24bits

ELAC Cinema 5.1 Speaker System

Microsoft Edge Browser

How Well Can You Hear Audio Quality? : The Record : NPR