[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!

[decooney]

Amazon HD

If your streamer-player supports AirPlay/2, you can stream 16/44.1 CD quality AND use the NATIVE application for Amazon HD, same with Qobuz, Tidal.  No middleware required, use the native app just like you would with Spotify Connect.  

The application and catalog and features gets updated in Amazon HD more than expected every month, and if you are an Amazon Prime member, you get a discount on Amazon HD Music.  Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, and particularly Spotify better step up their game fast or become history in a few years.  Amazon HD is already taking away lots of customers.  Too bad Spotify didn't listen to their customers 2-3 years ago. You'll know when you see them all offering really good deals to try and keep you.  

[Blueshound24]

X2

"Amazon HD is already taking away lots of customers.  Too bad Spotify didn't listen to their customers 2-3 years ago. You'll know when you see them all offering really good deals to try and keep you.  

[mikolaj_sedek]

I would gladly test Amazon HD, actually the catalog of masters on Tidal is still very limited (they still don't have King Crimson and Dead Can Dance records in the master quality 😭)  but AHD is still not officially available in Poland 😞 

[unknownmemoirs]

I would really really REALLY want this. All other services don't have the same breadth and playlist curation that Spotify has. I would really just wanna spend money on ONE music streaming service if possible. Please make this happen. Thanks. 

[cromatox]

Lossless CD-Quality should be the core business for a music streaming service. We pay for a kick in the ass - That's really a shame!! It is the same with the TV broadcast offers (in Germany). You can only buy UHD TVs and 90% of the channels don't even broadcast in Full HD. What a load of **bleep**!

[StevenSGT98]

Even adding Wasapi/asio to the desktop players would be a big step up. Just being able to get around the windows mixer is a huge benefit for those who have external dacs.

[zombiekiller567]

Ive run an external dac for who knows how long from spotify. Usb to DAC
doesnt touch your internal DAC

[StevenSGT98]

But it still passes through windows mixer. Wasapi or asio completely bypass Windows messing with the bits between the app and the dac. It results in cleaner sound as Windows mixer doesn’t internally resample and let’s your dac do to heavy lifting.

[Audioplayer]

StevenSGT98 is correct and it is also not implemented on Deezer and not properly implemented on Amazon. It does work properly with Tidal but screw Tidal for it’s use of MQA B.S.. It also works correctly with Qobuz. So for best sound quality I recommend Qobuz if it is available in your region as currently they are the only ones to get it right on sound quality so far.

[rastaman2000]

Fidelify - High Fidelity Spotify Client

Fidelify uses Spotify Core to deliver streaming content directly to the soundcard, using either ASIO or WASAPI. This enables the user to easily avoid sampling conversion or mixing, ensuring a bit perfect stream.

http://fidelify.net/

ASIO

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Stream_Input/Output

http://wiki.hydrogenaud.io/index.php?title=Audio_Stream_Input/Output

WASAPI

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/coreaudio/wasapi

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_features_new_to_Windows_Vista#Audio_stack_architecture

*

However, even Fidelify only plays the Spotify's post-PROCESSED (max.) 320 kb/s Ogg Vorbis files/streams, so the term "High Fidelity" should be assessed with caution.

How does Spotify process audio files?

https://artists.spotify.com/faq/mastering-and-loudness#how-does-spotify-process-my-audio-files

How does Spotify calculate loudness?

https://artists.spotify.com/faq/mastering-and-loudness#how-does-spotify-calculate-loudness

On the other side, according to the info available, TIDAL delivers music (supplied by artists) in its original form, i. e. BIT-PERFECT.