If you’re searching for an audio upgrade, you may want to consider buying a new hi-fi. There are a number of factors to consider before making a purchase. From the type of music you listen to, to how much storage space you need, you can find a high-fidelity system to fit your budget.
Lossless audio
The world’s most popular music streaming service, Spotify, will soon introduce high-fidelity lossless audio. Although it’s not available to everyone, you can try it out for yourself.
Lossless audio is a technology that helps fit more data into smaller file sizes. It can also enhance sonic detail. As a result, it can sound more immersive. In addition, lossless files are able to be downloaded and played offline. These types of files can save you a lot of data.
Apple launched its own version of the lossless feature last year. Apple Music has over 75 million songs and also offers high-resolution lossless music, which starts at CD quality and goes up to 24 bit at 48 kHz.
Amazon has also recently introduced high-resolution lossless music. However, the Amazon Music HD library is limited to 9 million tracks in High Definition, while Apple has an entire catalogue in lossless.
Until now, Spotify has been quiet on its lossless plans. But that could change in the future. If it is ready to launch a higher-quality streaming feature, we could see it roll out in the coming months.
The company will have to figure out how to monetize its hi-fi, or lossless streaming, feature. For now, it’s unclear if this will be a separate tier to existing subscriptions, or part of the Platinum plan. This will depend on licensing negotiations, but it’s a possibility.
One of the more intriguing features of Spotify’s new high-fidelity music tier will be the ability to listen to lossless streams on your Bluetooth speaker. Spotify is already working with a number of the world’s top speaker manufacturers. A test of this type is known as an ABX test.
The new Spotify HiFi tier will give subscribers CD-quality lossless audio. It will be available over Spotify Connect. To get the most out of your hi-fi listening experience, you’ll need a Bluetooth speaker with the correct protocols.
Although there’s no set date for the debut of Spotify’s lossless audio tier, you can expect more details to come out soon. You may even be able to find some information about the actual quality of the streaming music.
CD-quality audio
The world’s biggest music streaming service, Spotify, has announced a new feature. The “Spotify HiFi” tier will offer subscribers a CD quality lossless audio experience. It will be rolled out in select markets later this year.
However, Spotify is still in negotiations with the big record labels for a deal that will allow them to provide their customers with this high-end music experience. If Spotify is able to get their hands on this kind of music, they’ll have a real shot at competing with Tidal and Apple Music, the other two major streaming services that offer hi-fidelity audio.
As far as the feature goes, it seems like it may be a bit of a reach, but at least it’s an improvement. Currently, the HiFi tier can only provide 16-bit/44.1 kHz sound. Other high-fidelity streaming services such as Amazon and Tidal offer 24-bit/192 kHz audio streams.
The Spotify HiFi tier will also include higher-bitrate streams than the standard Spotify tier. This is likely because a lossless audio format offers more data, which can give you a wider and more detailed audio experience. Depending on the speakers you use, the experience can be quite immersive.
While it’s not exactly the next big thing, it’s a sign that Spotify is paying attention to the audio quality issue. Spotify has a history of experimenting with new features, and it’s unlikely that this one won’t be a part of the standard Spotify app.
Whether or not this will affect pricing is unclear. Since Spotify has never announced a release date for the HiFi tier, it’s impossible to know if it will be an upsell feature or something completely new.
The Spotify HiFi tier was supposed to debut by the end of 2021. However, rumors suggest that this plan has been put on hold, at least for now.
This could be because of the ongoing competition from rivals such as Amazon and Tidal. These competitors have been offering hi-fidelity music streaming since their inception. They’re also working with the biggest speaker manufacturers on the planet to make sure that the service has the quality and functionality you expect.
Spatial audio
One of the biggest requests for new features from Spotify users has been for a HiFi feature. Earlier this year, Spotify confirmed that it would be launching a HiFi subscription in 2021. However, it’s unclear whether it’ll be a monthly feature or an upsell option.
Spatial Audio is a 3D audio format, allowing listeners to experience music from a different perspective. It works by incorporating head-tracking to simulate a surround sound experience. This format is available on iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, as well as on Apple TV 4K.
Spatial Audio was first introduced by Apple Music in May last year. Now, thousands of tracks will be available in Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos support. These songs will be clearly labeled on the music interface and are playable on Apple devices that have Dolby Atmos.
The feature will be available to all Apple Music subscribers free of charge. The company plans to add more Dolby Atmos studios in major markets, creating playlists of compatible content. Thousands of songs will be added to the Spatial Audio catalog regularly.
Lossless support was added to Apple Music last year. High-resolution lossless audio is an advanced format that allows listeners to experience music on a more immersive level. To take advantage of this service, you’ll need to use a high-quality set of headphones.
In addition to lossless, Apple Music also supports Sony 360 reality audio and Dolby Atmos. All of these technologies are designed to deliver a theater-like experience.
However, if you prefer high definition music streaming, you’ll have to opt for Amazon Music HD or Tidal. Unlike Spotify, they don’t charge extra for better audio.
While Spotify hasn’t announced a release date for its HiFi feature, its executives have said that they will introduce it “later this year.” They haven’t indicated what the specifications will be, but they have said that it will require a good pair of headphones and a DAC.
Spotify will compete with services like Deezer, Amazon, and Qobuz. Several competitors also offer spatial audio. Other services have released high-fidelity features, including Sony’s 360 reality audio and Dolby Atmos.
Dealing with music labels
A lot of Spotify users are wishing for better audio quality. Streaming services like Apple Music and Tidal have been offering more high-res audio options for a while. They give users the option to pay extra for improved audio, while Amazon Music HD recently added a higher-res catalog to its free service.
Spotify recently said it will be introducing a new high-res subscription tier. This feature is expected to launch in several markets in the coming months. However, it is still unknown how much the new service will cost.
The new tier will offer CD-quality lossless audio. It will allow Premium subscribers to upgrade to a higher-quality sound experience. In addition, it will work on Spotify Connect-enabled speakers.
While no pricing information has been released, it is likely that the new tier will cost more than the standard Premium subscription. That’s because it will be a lossless audio streaming service. Lossless audio formats have more data, and they can also sound wider and deeper.
It is unclear whether Spotify HiFi will be available in all markets, though. As with most of its new features, it will be rolled out in a few key regions first. Normally, a new feature launches in the United States and Europe before rolling out to other regions.
Several months ago, Spotify users noticed an icon for the HiFi feature in the iOS app. However, the feature has not appeared on Spotify’s website since February.
Previously, Spotify had been planning to release a HiFi tier in 2021. However, this plan was then delayed. According to CEO Daniel Ek, the company has been dealing with licensing issues. He has also hinted that it may not be ready to bring the new feature to the market until later this year.
Spotify has been testing its new audio streams since last year. It is using Ogg Vorbis, which is said to provide high-quality sound. But the service is still talking with music labels to find out when it will be able to offer its new service.
At a recent investor conference, CEO Daniel Ek did not reveal any further details on the launch of the new tier. Nonetheless, he did say that it would be available in select markets before the end of 2021.