Marantz M-CR510 and Spotify Streaming Quality

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

I recently purchased a M-CR510 and I'm very disapointed with the sound quality of Spotify, is there a way to check the bitrate I'm getting?

M-CR510 User Manual.pdf Spotify, page 37.

[Bittencourt]

Hi, if you are a premium user, the mp3 quality is up to 320kbps. But I don't think this is the cause.

Have you checked the sound quality from other sources?

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

Hi Bittencourt.

Yes, I'm a Premium user and I have compared the quality to Internet Radio Stations, USB(MP3 320kbps) and Music Servers(Harddrives in my PC and TV) all sound better, FLAC via USB is probably the best. I'm really disappointed with the quality of Spotify. Can't really compare the quality with Spotify on my phone or PC as the amp and speakers etc are very much inferior compared to my Marantz/KEF house system.

I suspect the quality being streamed to my M-CR510 is not 320kbps(Ogg Vorbis).

https://support.spotify.com/uk/learn-more/faq/#!/article/What-bitrate-does-Spotify-use-for-streaming

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

I finished work early today, decided I would solve this sound quality issue "once and for all".

Expecting to fail and cancel my Spotify subscription as a result, I turned on my system.

To my surprise there was a huge increase in sound quality.

So which one of you lot works for Spotify?
If there was a limit on the bitrate being supplied to me there isn't now judging by how it now sounds.
Whoever you are, thank you.
Spotify, worth every penny ...

[Bittencourt]

That's great news, SHADEYMAN-GB.

I do not work for Spotify, but I'm sure no one altered the your "bitrate supply".

Anyway I'm glad the problem is solved. I'd appreciate if you gave me kudos and/or click on accept as solution.

Best,

[SHADEYMAN-GB]

Whilst I appreciate you trying to help, I'm not 100% sure why the sound quality has improved so dramatically. So it would be inappropriate for me to give Kudos or accept your comment as "the solution", especially when the format used by Spotify is "Ogg Vorbis", not MP3 as you suggested in your comment.

My audio equipment has not changed, everything is as it was, so the only variant is "Bitrate". Whether this has been increased by Spofity or was somehow restricted by my ISP I do not know. All I know for sure is its much better today than its been for the past week.

Perhaps Spotify lower the supplied bitrate when the data connection is slow, bandwidth is limited?

[Bittencourt]

It could be a bandwidth issue, but I guess we'll never know for sure. I can only assure there's no one in the Spotify staff regulating the users individual bitrate flow.

Anyway, enjoy!

[SHADEYMAN-GB · Accepted solution]

After searching this forum and the rest of the internet all week I'm sure I've finally found the solution, its already been posted by another user "Jude".

Although my audio equipment remains the same I've had some electrical work done outside today(new garden lights installed) so the electricity supply to everything was turned off for a few hours. I'm sure this would have cleared the cache in my M-CR510(presuming it has cache) and allowed fresh, higher bitrate tracks to be streamed.

A quick read of this post by "Jude" will help explain eveything.
Jude - New Information

Looks like I solved it myself so Kudos to me ... Lol