Spotify Hi-Fi Might Not Really Matter, Experts Say GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO News > Software & Apps
Spotify Hi-Fi Might Not Really Matter, Experts Say
Sound quality depends on a lot of things
By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on February 23, 2021 03:31PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Software & Apps Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
Spotify Hi-Fi will launch this year, with lossless, CD-quality audio.Hi-Fi streaming will be for Spotify Premium subscribers.Most users on earbuds, or in noisy places, won’t notice the difference. Nubelson Fernandes / Getty Images Spotify is adding a high-quality audio-streaming option called Spotify Hi-Fi. It will be "CD-quality," and will be available "later this year." But will anyone notice? Spotify Hi-Fi will stream lossless audio to devices, and directly to speakers. It should make streamed audio every bit as good as CDs, or other high-quality sources. But given that we all listen to music on crappy Bluetooth speakers, or via earbuds and AirPods, we might not be able to hear the difference. "I believe most people are listening to music on the [Spotify default] 160kbps or even 320kbps setting," musician and music-video creator Calvin West told Lifewire via email. "I’m certain most people will not notice the difference between 320kbps or 160kbps and lossless. In fact, I would even say that half of audiophiles who claim to hear the difference between 320kbps and lossless would fail a blind test." Lossless Hi-Fi What s the Difference
Digital music is measured in bits, just like any other digital media. We consider bit-depth and bitrate. Bit-depth is mostly irrelevant unless you’re recording and producing. Bitrate is what concerns us here. As West says above, Spotify already goes as high as 320kbps (kilobits per second). "The iPod revolutionized music distribution, but reset the quality bar to 128kbps AAC," says Verge editor Nilay Patel on Twitter. "It's just been a slow march back ever since." CDs have a bitrate of 1,411 kbps. Lossless just means that the music is compressed without losing any information. MP3s are "lossy," like JPGs. They are cleverly engineered to throw away parts of the audio that you probably won’t notice, in order to achieve tiny file sizes (and smaller bitrates when streamed). With Spotify’s lossless offering, we’re finally back to where we were in 1980. Speakers and Headphones
If you’re listening to music on earbuds, or in the car, or at home on your Amazon Echo speaker, then you don’t need lossless streaming. The performance of a music system is not only about the source. Nor is it, as we seemed to believe back in the 1970s, only about the speakers. "Of course there are other factors at play when it comes to the quality of your music," says West. "Most important of which are your speakers or headphones." Ideally, you’d have a good source, great speakers, and good equipment in between. There’s no point feeding the headphone jack of a cheap phone into a $20,000 amp and speakers. The jump from 24kbps to lossless would be noticeable to everyone except users on their phone speakers. Equally, if you live next to an airport or freeway, those $20,000 speakers are pointless, even with an amazing CD player. "Earbuds may be good for running, but not for picking up tiny details," programmer and founder of TechTreatBox Luke Kowalski told Lifewire via email. "So yes, I think that the gear you use and the circumstances really matter in this case." It’s down to context, then, and streaming higher quality than you can hear is just a waste of mobile bandwidth. How Can You Improve Your Audio Today
If you’re already using Spotify, then you should check your current quality settings. Spotify has instructions for this. Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash The lowest rate, used on poor network connections, is 24kbps. For Spotify Premium (paid) plans, users can specify up to 320kbps. You should consider your listening situation, and pick a setting to suit. Or choose "automatic," and let the computer take care of it. You may not be able to tell the difference when Spotify Hi-Fi arrives, but you will definitely notice the difference between Spotify’s Low and Very High options. "The jump from 24kbps to lossless would be noticeable to everyone except users on their phone speakers," says West. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire YouTube Music vs. Spotify: Which Service Better Fits Your Music Needs? Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which One is Right for You? How to Tell the Difference Between Airpods 1 and 2 The 4 Best MP3 Players of 2022 The 9 Best Wired Earbuds of 2022 What Is Tidal? The 9 Best Free Music Streaming Apps for iOS and Android (2022) The 8 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2022 What Is Amazon Music HD, and How Does It Work? The 4 Best CD Players and CD Changers, Tested by Experts Bit Depth vs. Bit Rate in Audio Recording What Is the Best Audio Format for My Portable Device? Can I Use Spotify on Samsung Galaxy Watch? Bose Wave SoundTouch IV Review: Good Audio, Poor Design The Top 10 Streaming Music Apps for the iPad What Is Hi-Res Audio? The Basics Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies