Spotify Connect - one MAJOR flaw

[LorPGDL]

Ok so I love the idea of Spotify Connect, however, I use spotify as my only music app, so I also have locally stored files that are not on spotify yet (or my region)- now it is not possible to play those songs via spotify connect.

this makes spotify connect completely useless to people like me, that have songs outside of spotify but use spotify as their music app.

Is there a way around this? I dont want to use a separate app for my locally stored music as my playlists contain both spotify songs and locally stored songs.

[Peter__]

Unfortunately not currently. Spotify Connect actually streams directly from Spotify on whichever device is playing (unlike airplay which streams from the controlling device to another - so Connect is much more battery friendly) so Connect doesn't have access to the local files.

[wileydotco]

Hi, sorry to kind of hijack this thread but i am looking for views from anyone using Spotify Connect.

Currently I stream from Macbook pro and Ipad via AEX to active speakers. The question is whether Connect offers any kind of improvement in sound quality terms?

My AEX and Airplay connections are rock solid, no issues there, just a question of whether the fully wired Connect setup actually sounds better than the same source over Airplay.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Peter__]

From my experience yes, Connect sounds far better on my Pioneer system I guess because it is streaming 320kbps directly from Spotify.

[wileydotco]

Care to elaborate?

So far my Airplay system is solid, and I can of course use both Macbook and iPad, there are clear functional reasons not to use Connect but I would be prepared to make the adjustment.

All my music listening is via Spotify, buying a Connect enabled streamer is an extra expense that I am prepared to go to to get a consistent improvement in sound quality. Naturally the Apple community say that Airplay in this context is effectively transparent, other audiophile type communities say otherwise.

Getting a hi-fi dealer to demonstrate the difference is very difficult, half of them have no idea what Connect is, despite offering suitable product. I tried to get a local dealer to demonstrate this using a Nad D7050 (there was one on the shelf), I asked if he could set it up on a network and stream Spotify via Connect, which I could then compare to my iPad via Airplay. You would have thought I was speaking Chinese, he simply had no idea what I was trying to do, in the end he just said "we can't do that" and that was that....!

[Peter__]

Maybe someone else who has a connect speaker like @Daniel can elaborate more, but for me it just sounds fuller, more bass and of course the main bit for me is it not eating the batteries on my devices.

[Daniel]

Hi. While I can't comment on AirPlay due to not owning an apple device I personally think that any kind of wifi enabled device would be similar in quality of the data stream. 320kbps is 320kbps however you output it.

However you put this through a yamaha component system with tannoy speakers for example then you have a system an audiophile would be proud of.


Essentially... Connect is good, but it really is dependant on the quality of the speaker system you are using.

[user-removed]

On boards like these, I tend to look at the number of replies a thread has before clicking on it- the more reply's I see the less likely I am to open it, as it seems like they have already had enough help. So I am more likely to see if I can help on a thread with just a couple of answers.

It isn't hard to create a thread, and it is probably best when your 'hijack' has very little to do with the OP, which can create confusion.

In the future it might be more polite to simply start a new thread, that way you don't run the risk of the original poster not getting responses to the question they ask. It also means that anyone else with a question like yours will be able to find it easily- which they wouldn't be able to do if it is in a differet thread entirely. It helps prevent the advice going to waste if other people can't find it easily.

I am not trying to come across as rude or offensive, by the way, I just feel it might be a better course of action in the future. It seems like you got a good informative response to your question, which is great. It would just help others thinking the exact same thing find the answer if it had it's own thread.

Hope you have a good day, and I am glad you found the answer you were looking for. xxx