[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!

[H7p3ri0n]

cl2solutions : most likely you find flac streaming better than Spotify because it "is" flac streaming, and because the subscription price is higher : not because it's actually better. 

It's called placebo effect, and it's very, very common in music reproduction. So common that most of the audio gear business is uniquely based on it.

Unless different streaming services use different masters : in blind test it can't sound different. 

[Audioplayer]

@NoNoise

Do be aware that Amazon HD does not properly offer an exclusive mode yet Qobuz does if that matters in your use case. Qobuz can be had for $12.50/Month if you pay for an annual subscription up front otherwise it’s $14.99/Month. Don’t know how much you are paying Amazon with Prime though.

[Audioplayer]

“So it would be a waste of time (and money, that's right) for Spotify to disable OGG encoding for Streaming, because FLAC is not for streaming but for achieving and makes no difference in sound. Furthermore : everybody will start pirating FLAC for personal archiving with moded apps, which is not Spotify business model.“

B.S. This hasn’t been reported with the services that are. Those that pirate already are anyway. Plus Spotify got it’s start by pirating music. Spotify have also recently announced they may be raising prices in some areas. If they do they better be offering something to make it worth while and they can’t raise them much as the competition has lowered their prices to be not all that much higher than Spotify is now.

[rlowe]

@H7p3ri0n
You are choosing to ignore many facts here.  Selectively choosing 'facts' to support your theories is equally as bad as ignoring them all together.  It's why courts allow both sides of the story to be presented.   But you will continue to ignore everything we are saying, so I am wasting time once again.

[PedroMJ]

Insulting... interesting. When somebody knows s/he is wrong, s/he appeals
to insult and disrespect. You can judge yourself.

[PaulMac]

@Waltson,

Glad you found your version of audio perfection. I doubt if anyone on the planet who knows the slightest thing about HiFi equipment would agree with you but sure as long as you're happy that's the main thing. 

[H7p3ri0n]

@trollers above : as I have always stated : what I posted is not an opinion : it's indéniable technical facts for anyone with basic digital sound reproduction background. I'm perfectly aware of the lack of information on this subject and sometimes marketing disinformation, which causes many audio enthusiasts to buy useless gear, and in the present case : useless audio formats. 

And it's precisely why I posted : as an engineer and experienced musician : I can't stop myself from trying to teach.

Anyway I would be fine with a flac Spotify subscription, but it shouldn't be called "Hifi" cause it wouldn't be more high fidelity than "Premium". Maybe it could be called "Infinitium" or "BatMium" 😉

[Waltson]

@H7p3ri0n

Flat-earthers claim to have facts as well... 

Still, I don't understand what are you trying to achieve here. You keep posting same story over and over again that lossless codecs and high-end audio gear are useless. If you find them useless - fine by me, no-one is forcing you to listen lossless codecs and buy high-end gear. But why is it so bothering to you that some people are willing to pay more for something what pleases them and makes them happy?

[rastaman2000]

CENSORSHIP made by SPITify

BRAVO!

🎧

[rastaman2000]

@H7p3ri0n Newbie: "what I posted is not an opinion : it's indéniable technical facts"

SOURCE(S)?

in Wikipedia's language: [CITATION NEEDED]

💡