[PS5] Poor audio quality issue from PS4 persists on PS5 app

[user-removed]

I just received my PlayStation 5 today, and after downloading the Spotify app to listen to my music I noticed that the PS5's Spotify app has the exact same problem with the audio quality that the PS4 has had for over 5 years.

For those who aren't aware of what I'm referencing please read the responses from these two forum posts (Post 1 and Post 2).

In short, the lows are very flat, mids are average to below average, and most notably the highs are tinny and sound very distorted. This is especially apparent in songs where vocalists use a lot of "s" sounds with their voice.  Overall, music from the Spotify app on PlayStation sounds tinny and highly compressed when compared to music played from literally any other app on the PS5/4. This has been said many times by multiple users here on this community forum and yet Spotify's developers have done nothing about it since Spotify for PlayStation launched in 2015.

After 5 years the PS5 has now released and we're still having the same issue. This seems like it would be such an easy fix; simply increase the default bitrate or disable Volume Normalization. But who knows, maybe I'm wrong and it's not that simple. Either way hopefully Spotify does something about this soon.

Plan

Premium

Country

U.S.

Device

PlayStation 5

Operating System

2.20

[Novy]

Hey folks, 

Thanks for your patience while we're looking into this. 

We haven't been able to replicate this behavior from our end. Even though we can't commit to a specific timeline for a fix, we can confirm that this is something that's being looked into by the teams in charge. 

For now, we'd recommend keeping the app up to date on your console. We also encourage you to keep adding info that could help us continue investigating. If you know someone else who's also experiencing this issue, ask them to add their +VOTE here. 

Cheers.

[Novy]

Hey folks,

Thank you for reporting this issue to us and for your patience while we looked into this.

We just wanted to let you know that the right folks are aware of this issue and working on it.

While we're not able to provide an exact timeline for a fix, we'd recommend always keeping your Spotify app up to date to ensure you're on the latest version. If this issue continues for you, please provide the following info so we can forward it to the team in charge:

• PlayStation console/model.
• Exact Spotify version.
• Connected external devices.

Thanks again!

[max3560]

Hi!

I've also experienced the sound from the ps5 Spotify to be weird. I tried changing the volume a bit, and it seems like the problem of Bad Sound occurs when you have the volume at more than around 80%. the all-around quality of the music just worsens after 80%. Hope there is a way to fix this. thanks!

Sincerely Max Hardt

@**bleep**

[felixfamilie]

Well Spotify, the isseu is still not fixed. And since yesterday Apple Music is available on the PS5. And the music quality is great. So goodbye Spotify. After 5+ years the sound is still bad on the PlayStatation, it took too long. Time to leave.

[uookie]

Hello, same problem here. I just started using Spotify on my console and it's sound wierd and much worst that on other devices.

Spotify Plan/Version

Premium/3.72

Country

Poland

Device

PlayStation 5

Operating System

21.02-04.50.00.05-00.00.00.0.1

Speakers

Soundbar SAMSUNG HW-Q70t

[Linus_]

Hi!

This problem has existed for a looong time on Playstation, long before the PS5. Like another user said here, if you go over 80% volume it will not sound clean. I suggest that you try putting it to 100% so that you can definitely hear what we are talking about. It was like this before on my PS4 Pro too. I have noticed the problem even more when listening to podcasts. It's sounds like the bitrate is really low, so I suggest that you try podcasts too. I have tried listening on my PS5, with the TV app and wifi directly to my soundbar and the PS5 is the only one that is like this. No problems what so ever with the other methods. And I also agree that the app probably is normalizing the sound since it's kinda superflat sounding and when compared to my wifi soundbar and my TV app I need to increase the volume in the Playstation app pretty high for it to be on the same level as the other two. I really hope this helps you to fix this problem once and for all.

Playstation 5 Digital OS: 21.02-04.50.00.05-00.00.00.0.1

App version: 3.72

Plan: Premium

Country: Sweden

Speakers: Samsung Q810A connected to my Q60A TV through HDMI (PS5 also connected to TV through HDMI)

[efe4fd]

Bump... This drives me insane. PS5 Spotify app has no option to select stream quality. It sounds so highly compressed and Tinny compared to my laptop hooked up to my same receiver/speaker combo. Exact same issue others are reporting. Apple music sounds at least twice as good through the PS5. 128 bitrate max? Please look into this team.

[JaxonAnthony]

I have the exact same problem on my ps5 app

[EsSpyderMonkey]

I gave up and just use Apple music now on playstation. Sounds way better

[LoveBomber]

It’s such a shame that Spotify is letting down audio enthousiasts that own a Playstation, I just bought a pair of Kali Audio LP-8 to mix at home, just hooked em up to my TV and instantly I noticed something was off when playing my favorite song on the Spotify Ps4 app, I thought it was the speakers that were bad, but they sound SO GOOD when I hook them up to my laptop via Spotify or my turntable. 

Spotify, please stop fumbling with our hard earned money, after 3 months of saving up for those, it’s a shame that I can’t have good audio from my PS4 that is constantly turned on my TV, now I have to plug in my laptop everytime I want to listen to a song and I’m strongly considering your competitors that are available on Playstation. It is a very simple feature to be able to chose the audio quality that works for you, and you have it on every single other devices but the Playstation. People have been complaining for more than 5 years.