Spotify on Onkyo support discontinued

[CakeDestroyer]

Hi Everybody, 

Not really sure if this is the right sub catagory for this post. Today I received the following message from Spotify Netherlands: 

Hey,

We want to let you know that Spotify is no longer supported for your Onkyo speaker.

We want to make Spotify play on your speaker and other devices as easy and as possible. Unfortunately, this means that sometimes we need to stop the integration for certain devices.

If you want to continue playing music on your Onkyo speaker, we recommend you a wireless music streamer. This allows you to play music on your speakers via Spotify on your phone, tablet or laptop.

Click below for a list of music streams with Spotify support, to keep enjoying music on your speakers.

Do not stop the music!

Sincerely,
Spotify

I have a Onkyo TX-NR809 which I am using in combination with spotify. Which works great, you just search the songs and it plays via the Onkyo App. Spotify app does not recognize the device via WIFI (don't know why they don't just support DNLA) so the only option to stream spotify is via the Onkyo. Now they the e-mails states they are discontinuing service. I bought this receiver to play spotify at home. 

1. Can they just stop this service?
2. Is there a workaround? (And I do not mean buy additional devices)

Anyhow, I am not happy with this and was wondering if there are any other unhappy customers out there?

Greetings Melvin.

[Ronnoboy]

I have a chromecast and it works really well apart from the lack of volume normalization and playback is not gapless (gaps up to 8 seconds!). Where do these gaps come from? They are not in the songs, does Spotify add them? When I was with Deezer there were no gaps.

From the start I did not understand why Spotify Connect was integrated in audio receivers. It is not logical to leave that up to a third party. Why did they not make a Spotify Connect device (like chromecast). Or choose an existing streaming/casting device and fully support that: with gapless playback and volume normalization.

[penarthur]

Yes, I bought an hdmi chromecast and it's pretty good. I will never buy
dedicated network hardware again. I might try the audio only one next.

[CRC75]

It's too bad Spotify no longer works on my Onkyo receiver. Especially because Onkyo still advertises the receivers with a bright green "Spotify Inside" sticker, which is a total lie.

Pandora still works, though, for what it's worth. 😞

[Jocky]

It gets better: today tried to listen to Spotify on work PC - the (corporate) old version of Firefox will no longer play Spotify, we are blocked from updating software ourselves and also from downloading apps.So cannot use Spotify at work, most home use cut off because of Onkyo & Logitech fiascos. Less and less reason to subscribe (thankfully cancelled).

Spotify web player is limited in use:

"The web player is supported by the following web browsers:

Chrome 45+
Firefox 47+
Edge 14+
Opera 32+"

[Ronnoboy]

What I don't get is why music services make it so difficult to play the music on your stereo. That is the designated device to play music on (not your computer or your phone).

[CRC75]

Spotify, Pandora, etc aren't designed for audiophiles or musicians... they are mass-market services. People who really care will have records or CDs anyway.

[penarthur]

Onkyo mini network receivers aren't for audiophiles either, so what is your
point?

[FatPlatypus]

Dear all,

As a professor of marketing I can tell you this: For Spotify, the connection to any system may be a SELLING point, yet, for us simple mortals, it is important to have a reason to BUY.

Spotify seems to have joined the league of companies that do not understand what we want but simply make hollow statements like "putting the customer first" and "to improve the user experience."

Well, it creates a need for a successor to Spotify. I want my Onkyo to listen music to, not my smartphone!

[IvarE1]

Got a TX-NR636, bought a couple of years ago. And Spotify-integration was an important factor when deciding to buy that particular device. I don't usually stream music anywere else. Not on phone, not in my car, rarely on pc, only on my home theater device. Chromecast does the trick, somehow. But quality is noteably lower. Besides, I really don't see why I should have to add another device in the first place.

So from this day on it's bye-bye to Spotify Premium.

😞

PS: It's important to note that Onkyo receivers are not the only ones affected by Spotify's total lack of customer orientation. Support has been pulled for most other  major manufacurers as well.

[127734425]

Pandora stopped working on my Onkyo shortly after Spotify....

Yours still work?

[onkyo]

yes  unhappy

2 weeks ago connect through onkyo.  now I can't

[Jimabqnm · Accepted solution]

Hi Melvin,

Yes, there is a work around. 

I had the same issue but was able to restore it (the work around).  

Too many replies here to read through to find out if your issue was resolved. 

On your Onkyo click on Spotify (nothing happens). 

On your phone or tablet install the Onkyo remote app. 

Open it, navigate to the Spotify app, and open it. 

Sign in, locate desired music, and play.

Make sure Spotify is still open on your receiver. 

Locate the line that reads "devices available for connection"  (or something to that effect). 

When your Onkyo device appears on the list, click on it, give it a few seconds,  and it will (should)  start playing on your receiver. 

Good luck, 

Jim 🙂 

[CakeDestroyer]

Hi Jim, 

Thanks for the extensive workaround.

I've sold my Onkyo and gotten a Denon instead which has Spotify Connect.

Maybe some of the other members can elaborate on the fact that the workaround worked for them?

Best regards, Melvin.

[Jimabqnm]

You're welcome Melvin.
How does your Denon compare to your Onkyo?

[127734425]

Thanks Jim.  I think that would work if we were able to log in to spotify on our Onkyo.  As it is, my phone doesnt see the receiver as an available device perhaps because spotify is Technically not yet running on the receiver because we are stuck at the log in prompt.  Maybe I am doing something wrong and would like to hear from anyone else who can confirm success or failure using this method. 

It would be nice if we could use spotify on our receiver again. 

[Jocky]

Could not find a way to make this work, maybe different Onkyo.  (Mine CR-N755).

Noticed that Onkyo has issued new controller but it does not want to connect with the box. Requires firmware update, I think, but not obvious how to get that either. Sigh.

All still working for DLNA and my own music files on NAS.

[Jimabqnm]

Sorry to hear that Jocky; it's a bummer. Mine is a tx-nr656; on the positive side, it came with a premium account, tunein radio app. I use that almost every day and am loving it.

##- Please type your reply above this line -#

[rene_v]

Just found out myself that spotify is no longer working on my Onkyo tx-nr809. Lousy way to loose a great system. Playing from an phone or tablet is not what i like because it is cumbersom. Can anybody from spotify explain why removing spotify from all Onkyo's is the way to improve the use?

Rene

[127734425 · Accepted solution]

It is not removed from all devices from Onkyo. If you buy a new device it
works. But for how long?!?! I will never recommend onkyo and will put
them down every chance I get. For this stupid move they will be getting a
ton of bad advertising from me.

[FatPlatypus]

Well, it seems that I can now connect to my Onkyo TX-NR656 through Spotify
Connect from my MacBook... It just happened... It worked already from my
iPad and iPhone.