[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]

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP IS ENDING 2022 WORTH NEARLY THREE TIMES AS MUCH AS SPOTIFY

DECEMBER 30, 2022

BY TIM INGHAM

Blackpink were one of Universal Music Group's biggest-selling artists of Q3, according to the firm's financial reports

It’s a hoary old debate in media circles: Which is the king of the entertainment industries – content or distribution?

In the music business, the markets appear to have given a resounding response to that question in 2022, with Spotify – the world’s largest music streaming subscription platform – seeing its value fall significantly below that of major music rightsholders.

At the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange today (December 30), the final trading day of the year, Spotify’s share price stood at USD $78.95, equivalent to a market cap of $15.26 billion.

That was significantly lower than the market cap of Warner Music Group (WMG), which has traded on the NASDAQ since summer 2020.

WMG’s share price at the end of trading today stood at $35.02, equivalent to a public market cap of $18.03 billion. That’s nearly $3 billion bigger than Spotify’s equivalent public market value.
Universal Music Group is worth nearly three times as much as Spotify (NYSE: SPOT) (musicbusinessworl...

[ToucanCam]

It is 1/4/2023 and this Lossless/Dolby conversation started on 3/2/2014, Almost NINE YEARS AGO! I mean what is the hold up here? Spotify has been working on this for nine years and still can't give us what we want? Every other major music streaming platform has Dolby music and Spotify doesn't. What is taking so long? 

[rinopopo]

It's all about money. Spotify wanted us to pay more for a HiFi subscription but apple took the lead here. Now they don't have any idea about how to monetize HiFi. that's why we don't have it now and we have podcasts and audiobooks, which it makes me think about the level of desperation this company has. I use apple podcasts to listen to podcasts BECAUSE it does not interfere with my music. Same thing with audiobooks, apple books, and audible. I'm not against podcasts or audiobooks, I'm against downgrading my music experience. This company doesn't care about that. no HiFi and podcasts/audiobooks in the same app, the music experience is far beyond its competitors but they do not care. All they want is MONEY. I'm so tired... currently testing apple music after being premium since 2013. Happy new year y'all!

[Dismiss]

I’m guessing that people have shown that they don’t really care about sound quality, by continuing to support Spotify even though they’re actively pushing audiophiles away.

They’re in a weird place right now, as they’re trying to monetize what other platforms are offering for free, and they have enough dedicated supporters to keep developing new additions to their new tier so that they can justify a significant price hike. I’m guessing that this is the reason for the delay.

Complaining on this forum isn’t doing anything. The only thing that will make them feel the pressure is if people actually abandon their Premium subs for other platforms, instead of threatening to do so.

At least until they finally make up their minds on what their hifi solution is going to look like.

[tos82]

I just cancel my order, since 2012

[mctesterson]

I'm so close to canceling our family premium plan.

I am still trying to convince my partner, but she's understandably big on "ease of use" and the larger catalog that Spotify has.  I've been able to match >90% of what is on Sara's Spotify playlist on Qobuz, which is probably going to be good enough.  But the "play anywhere" functionality of Spotify is really important to Sara.  I think we'll just need to take a little bit of time to walk thru using Qobuz together so that she's comfortable with the change (or so that we can identify any "must haves" that Qobuz is lacking).

I can't wait to dump Spotify, though.  Their strategic direction to move away from music (to audiobooks and podcasts), their disdain for and mistreatment of artists and customers, their platform support for and massive investments in the voices of conspiracy-extremists, their generally awful leadership ... those are all aspects of Spotify that prompt me to actively wish for Spotify's failure.

[nick2023]

A few months ago I switched to Amazon Music. I also had a little work
convincing my family. Out of 1000 songs, it couldn't find 4. I used a
utility to pass the lists.

I notice the improvement in quality with good equipment (Topping DX3pro+
and HD660S), but not on other devices like the car.
The Spotify interface is better and also the automatic lists.

[tos82]

I get Tidal and tested it song by song (windows app) Spotify vs Tidal with my wired Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.

Tidal are a lot of more dynamic 😁

I can't wait to test it more in my Car.

[LeMule]

I get that Spotify is sulking because they wanted to charge more for lossless and then Apple and Amazon gave it away for no extra charge, but some of us would still be willing to pay more. Why not put the option out there? 

[lappymusicman]

Well personally I’m happy with Amazon Music now at the same price as Spotify Premium but there are people who are happy to pay double what Spotify Premium costs for Tidal, Qobuz etc so surely Spotify could come up with some price somewhere in the middle for these people who want to stick with them but want better sound.
I can even listen to hi res radio using the Global Radio app and that’s free!!!