If you’re a HiFi fan, you may have heard of the Spotify CDquality feature. This is a service that allows you to play lossless audio from Spotify through your high-end speakers. Although you’ll have to pay a small fee, the service is sure to improve your music listening experience.
Bitrates for lossless audio streams
If you’re interested in getting the most out of your Spotify music experience, you might be wondering what the best bitrates for lossless audio streams are. Streaming has become the dominant way to listen to music. But you don’t need to pay a premium for a high-quality stream. Some services like Tidal offer high-res audio for as little as $5 a month.
In addition to the size of the file, the bitrate affects the quality of the sound. The higher the bitrate, the more detail that can be reproduced. For example, the average bitrate of Amazon Music HD tracks is 850 kbps. That’s not as high as Tidal’s -0.20 – but it’s still better than the average sound of an MP3.
Bitrates are generally measured in kilobits per second (kbps). This is the amount of information that is transferred in a certain amount of time. Typically, a higher bitrate is more desirable.
However, you may have noticed that Spotify’s premium service does not offer lossless audio. If you are a free member, you can’t download any high-quality music. And, it’s not yet clear where the container for the HiFi service will be located. Eventually, the company will likely offer CD-quality services.
But before signing up for a service, you’ll need to know what to look for in a bitrate. The right one depends on what you’re using the music for. While it’s possible to get decent-quality sound at a low bitrate, you should look for higher ones.
One of the best options is to use the Ogg Vorbis codec. This format is used by most digital devices. It maintains an accurate waveform and has a high ODG score of -0.34. You’ll also want to make sure your audio playback device supports it.
Another option is ALAC, a lossless format. This file type can store as much as three times as many bits as MP3 and can provide crystal-clear sound. Even so, it’s not ideal.
As for what bitrates you should expect from streaming services, the range is from 96 to 160 kbps. However, Spotify’s highest-quality stream is 320 kbps.
Hi-fi speakers should be detailed enough to hear a difference
If you’re in the market for a new hifi, you may want to give a second look at the Spotify branded AV units that are on the market. Not only will you get a better sound for your buck, but you’ll also be able to tap into the streaming juggernaut’s library. It has over 50 million songs, and is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux. Some models are compatible with other streaming services, such as Apple Music and Tidal. Alternatively, you might be more interested in picking up a pair of AirPods, a popular wireless earphone brand that is available on Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart.
You might not have noticed, but the company has been a bit quiet on the release of its aforementioned hi-fi speakers. A spokesperson told us that the company has been working with the big names in the speaker industry to “test, develop, and improve on all aspects of its new speaker product.” Considering the quality of the aforementioned products, however, it’s not surprising that we haven’t seen a firm release date. That’s a shame, because the product is a major player in the hi-fi space and could have been rolled out sooner if the company could find the bandwidth.
To be fair, it’s difficult to pinpoint a solid launch date, but the company has certainly been a lot more active in launching its most notable products over the past year. Among its more recent announcements are the first ever streaming branded headphones. The company also unveiled a handful of other cool af stuff, including a slew of new acoustic technologies, such as new room correction algorithms, and a number of new music genres. So, it seems the company has learned its lesson after all. And the fact that the aforementioned headphones are the first of their kind for consumers means that we’ll likely be hearing a lot more from the company over the coming months. We’re still waiting on the nihilistic news, but the aforementioned aforementioned hi-fi aficionados aren’t going to be the last to hear from the streaming juggernaut.
Will it be priced competitively with other similar services
If you’re a fan of Spotify’s streaming service you’ll want to pay attention to the company’s upcoming HiFi service. Though the service hasn’t been officially confirmed, it’s likely to make its debut later this year. It will be available over Spotify Connect, which eliminates the need for Bluetooth pairing.
The new service will allow users to listen to CD-quality lossless audio streams. While it’s not clear exactly what quality level this will be, it’s a definite upgrade over the Spotify Premium tier’s 320 Kbps. Plus, it’s likely the service will offer a free trial for a few select markets.
As a result, it’s likely that the new tier will be priced competitively with similar services. For example, Qobuz and Amazon Music HD both offer similar CD-quality audio streams for around $10 a month. However, neither service offers the same features as Spotify.
Similarly, Tidal also offers an audiophile-friendly service that can handle larger file sizes than its Premium tier. But in the same vein as Spotify, Tidal is only focused on music.
Of course, the big question is whether or not Spotify will actually support these high-quality streams in the real world. Although it hasn’t yet officially confirmed this, the company has been in constant dialogue with major labels about the possibility of offering this feature.
Spotify is currently lagging behind the competition in terms of audio quality, but with the introduction of a hi-fi tier, it could change that. In the past, the company has stepped up to the plate by providing lower bitrates through its web app. By eliminating its free tier, it may not entice enough subscribers to pony up for the higher tier.
There’s no doubt that Spotify has a large library of music, but its current pricing strategy doesn’t reflect the quality of its offerings. For the price, you can get much better audio at other services, including Apple Music, which is known for its hi-res lossless streams.
If the price is right, Spotify’s hi-fi service could be a major win. But will it be enough to keep the company on top?
Will it be part of the standard Spotify app
Spotify has announced a new service tier called “HiFi,” which will feature CD quality, lossless audio. The service is expected to launch later this year in select markets. It will cost a bit more than the standard Premium subscription. Depending on your device, the service will offer different streaming quality settings.
Some users have complained that the current lossy music streaming quality on Spotify is lacking. In addition, the company has been talking with music labels about getting higher-quality streams. They’ve tested CD-quality audio streams as early as 2017. However, the company isn’t ready to reveal technical details of these streams yet.
The service is expected to come with a free trial period. A paid upgrade would likely cost $5-10 per month, which is a substantial bump over the price of the standard Premium membership. For those who aren’t able to pay for the premium, it’s unclear whether the company will offer a cheaper plan.
Regardless of its release date, the Spotify HiFi tier will be a significant upgrade for the popular streaming service. Currently, the highest quality that the service provides is 320kbps. Other services, such as TIDAL, offer high-resolution streams.
Spotify may also introduce spatial audio, allowing users to listen to music in the actual space where it was recorded. This would allow for more accurate audio reproduction, as well as a better experience.
Another feature that could be in the works is a Headphone Tuner, allowing users to tune their headphones. While this feature isn’t confirmed, the company has said it’s been in talks with major music labels about licensing.
Spotify HiFi will be compatible with smart speakers and Bluetooth-enabled devices. However, you won’t be able to listen to these high-resolution streams through your car’s stereo. You’ll have to use Spotify Connect to do so. Fortunately, the Connect app is compatible with most networked devices, including Xbox, PlayStation, Roku, and Garmin wearables.
As with other Spotify tiers, the company has not provided an exact date for the service’s launch. Though it’s expected to arrive later this year, it’s possible that the company will delay its debut.