[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!

[robigouk]

I read this earlier: - https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23884577/spotify-supremium-lossless-audio-tier-code   Hopefully it's coming finally.... hopefully 1st October 2023 and not 31st October 3000 🙂 

[vaajy]

Nice article, but this line said everything.

At Spotify, we are constantly iterating and ideating to improve our product offering and offer value to users,” Spotify spokesperson CJ **bleep** tells The Verge. “But we don’t comment on speculation around possible new features and do not have anything new to share at this time.”

I actually feel thrilled when their forum bleeps even their spokesperson name after I quoted article part.

Article previous poster linked again:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23884577/spotify-supremium-lossless-audio-tier-code

[walp]

Found in the code (credit: u/Hypixely), "Starts at 19.99/month":

Well done Spotify, even more expensive than Qobuz 🤦🏻‍♂️

[mctesterson]

@vaajy ...

is that bleep really true?  i'm going to try just the word itself here ...

**bleep**

wow, that's wild.  Even Spotify is offended by their own spokesperson??

[vaajy]

Probably just because he didn't provide anything to satisfy customers and investors.

[bart1981]

All those updates for Spotify on ios. No Hifi?

[PaulMac]

Qobuz are currently charging £10.83 per month for superb 24-Bit Hi-Res quality. 

Hard to see why any Qobuz subscribers would be willing to move to Spotify for the same audio quality at nearly double the price. Same thing goes for current Tidal and Apple subscribers who are already enjoying lossless audio...why move? 

[walp]

Because podcasts!








Hahahahaha

[stadi1]

I can tell you why. I've tested bot Qobuz and Tidal, I'm using Tidal currently but will subscribe to this once Spotify makes it available.

- Android Auto sucks on both Tidal and Qobuz, which I am using regularly (this is why I've kept my Spotify subscription)

- There are albums / artist missing from both Tidal and Qobuz, which I'm listening to (Qobuz has more of them missing)

- Tidals offline implementation / caching is bad, which makes the Android Auto experience even worse

- At least here in Germany, Spotify had Germans children stories (as music, not podcasts), like Benjamin Blümchen, Bibi Blocksberg, etc, and my children are listening to them.

[Aquarius17]

Not to forget Spotify Connect which makes it possible to easily control your music almost everywhere including a Google Assistant implementation (voice control).

Unfortunately no one else is offering that kind of seamless (smarthome) control at the moment 😔

But still valid for Spotify:

No HiFi = No money!