[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!

[billystamps1]

Deeze is good with cd qa sound but I found it a little lean .Tidal I found better sound and with project s2 box even better.-also cheaper than qobuz for hi res.

[JustDewItPLZ]

It doesn't help that not only do you have to make sure the "Premium Quality"¹ slider is checked, but you have to disable "Normalize Audio"² because Spotify converts the song to a lower quality, with increased or decreased volume (both options are off¹/on² by default)

Disable 'Normalize Audio' if you want the true full bitrate that's offered!

[raceredstang]

Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know the normalize audio function made a difference.

[chefboyct]

I also didn't know. But with good acoustic sound set up, it is standard to
use normalised option as the DAC will do all the work. Or you listen to
standard recording quality of the actual materlal. Either way Tidal's
quality excels Spotify.

[JustDewItPLZ]

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@raceredstang wrote:
Thanks for the tip. I didn’t know the normalize audio function made a difference.

And at least on the mobile apps, delete all the cache, so Spotify can re-download the higher quality version after disabling Normalize Audio

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[HenrikStevn]

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@JustDewItPLZ wrote:

It doesn't help that not only do you have to make sure the "Premium Quality"¹ slider is checked, but you have to disable "Normalize Audio"² because Spotify converts the song to a lower quality, with increased or decreased volume (both options are off¹/on² by default)

Disable 'Normalize Audio' if you want the true full bitrate that's offered!

That is an incorrect assumption, based on misinformation I've seen going around before.

The normalization works similarly to the Replaygain standard. The tracks are analyzed for their average volume level in comparison to a reference sound level (-14 LUFS, as far as I know). A correction value is created and stored as metadata. The audio content of the file is not changed, and it is not converted to a lower quality if normalization is on.

All the normalization does is use the correction value to apply a volume change, to make tracks play at the same loudness level. Nothing more, there is no reduction of bitrate.

Source: I've implemented similar functions, and I've worked on a streaming service similar to Spotify (but much smaller).

[MathiasLaubli]

Hi Blueshound, I have been a sound engineer for thirty years now, and I can
hear the difference between .mp3 on spotify and Tidal's FLAC, but it is a
spacial detail, and a subtle one at that. So if you hear a VERY significant
difference, maybe you should consider a career in a mastering studio.

[billystamps1]

I have been using qobuz for about a week. The sound seems clear and full and better than spotify which has better interface but to my ears worse sound

[Blueshound24]

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I appreciate that, but I just retired recently and I'm not too keen on going back to work! Lol

However, that does sound like a very fun career, and I sometimes wish I would have taken a different path than I did in life, but my chosen career was very fulfilling so no regrets.

@MathiasLaubli wrote:
Hi Blueshound, I have been a sound engineer for thirty years now, and I can
hear the difference between .mp3 on spotify and Tidal's FLAC, but it is a
spacial detail, and a subtle one at that. So if you hear a VERY significant 
difference, maybe you should consider a career in a mastering studio.

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[solarriors]

But true lossless and depth is at least 24bit 96KHz