Spotify lossless

[Matt99man]

I understand that Spotify lossless is finally here. Currently, they are phasing it out across UK accounts..

Has anyone used it yet? Looking to see if I can cancel my tidal account!

[karma mechanic]

I got it a while back. It works absolutely fine with Spotify Connect on a Yamaha A3080, the app shows tracks as lossless (assuming you've selected that of course). It is limited to 'very high' on an older receiver upstairs.

I doubt whether I can tell it from the very high setting reliably, but there isn't a simple way to compare since changing the setting tends to persistent for a given track, may be some server side stuff.

I also doubt whether there is much difference via Bluetooth, but it doesn't hurt to have more data.

I have no complaints at all, CD quality for playback is enough for me.

[toon10]

I tried it on my Naim Nova and I'm not convinced I could hear the difference between that and very high if I'm honest. My ears are 51 years old to be fair. I might need to do more back to back testing with different tracks.

I tried it on my older secondary setup (Yamaha RN-602) and it's not compatible. At least not yet.

[the-norseman]

I've been using it on Google devices around the house and my Google Buds, I can tell something has changed but cant say its a massive difference in my opinion, suppose it depends on the quality of the hardware you are using.

[S100HP]

The other thread has been closed...

However, I'm impressed. Bose headphones and speakers here and can certainly hear an improvement. Everything just has more depth. It's all richer in sound. A great improvement.

[the-norseman]

I can definitely tell something has changed even on my cheap Google hardware.

[AC43]

As per the other thread, it's deffo better on my various set ups

- Streaming through a Chromecast Audio dongle into a Yamaha amp to Monitor Audio Golds
- Streaming through the Integrated Automotive system in my car to Focal speakers
- Streaming from my Galaxy S24 to Galaxy Pro 2 buds (or to wired Flare in ear monitors)

All the set ups support the higher bit rate and I can hear a lot more detail.

[AC43]

Matt99man said:

I understand that Spotify lossless is finally here. Currently, they are phasing it out across UK accounts..

Has anyone used it yet? Looking to see if I can cancel my tidal account!

Yes. I've resisted a Tidal subscription for a long time even though I much preferred the sound quality. Now I have the best of both worlds.

The handy thing is between my test of Tidal (2 or 3 years ago) I've ended up with a newer Samsung handset and newer buds that now support the higher bitrate over bluetooth. Previously I'd have had to go wired. That's a huge bonus.

[budgie smuggler]

Spotify must have been encoding the lossy versions incorrectly or using a ste encoder if you can hear a clear difference between the Very High and Lossless modes. Very high was IIRC 320 KBPS AAC or Opus, both of which are normally transparent way below that bitrate (assuming they were encoded properly).

Edited by budgie smuggler on Friday 3rd October 10:48

[justin220]

Does lossless still work via Bluetooth headphones? Will need to try it out

[AC43]

justin220 said:

Does lossless still work via Bluetooth headphones? Will need to try it out

As I understand it you'll always still lose something over BT but some manufacturers (Sony, Samsung) have codecs which reduce a lot of the loss.

[outnumbered]

I've got it now, and I can't detect any obvious difference between 320 Ogg Vorbis and lossless on my system on fairly casual listening (in this case, direct Spotify Connect on a pair of highly regarded and expensive active studio monitors). I think it just goes to show how good 320 OV is.

Obviously I'll leave lossless enabled, "just because"

[dhdev]

AC43 said:

As per the other thread, it's deffo better on my various set ups

- Streaming through a Chromecast Audio dongle into a Yamaha amp to Monitor Audio Golds

All the set ups support the higher bit rate and I can hear a lot more detail.

AFAIK lossless isn’t supported by Chromecast Audio, certainly when connected to my CCA Spotify states that “Very high” is the highest sound quality supported. Googling confirms that. It’s disappointing as the CCA can support 24/96, but the Spotify stream is throttled. It might force me to get a Wiim mini to replace my CCA.

[AC43]

dhdev said:

AC43 said:

As per the other thread, it's deffo better on my various set ups

- Streaming through a Chromecast Audio dongle into a Yamaha amp to Monitor Audio Golds

All the set ups support the higher bit rate and I can hear a lot more detail.

AFAIK lossless isn t supported by Chromecast Audio, certainly when connected to my CCA Spotify states that Very high is the highest sound quality supported. Googling confirms that. It s disappointing as the CCA can support 24/96, but the Spotify stream is throttled. It might force me to get a Wiim mini to replace my CCA.

Doh. I mis-read what Spotify was telling me; you're right CCA is limited to "Very High".

I just re-tested the car audio (aftermarket Integrated Automotive box piggy backed into the MB system) and that's showing as Lossless as is my Samsung phone/buds combo.

Goes off to look at Wiim minis......

[budgie smuggler]

AC43 said:

Doh. I mis-read what Spotify was telling me; you're right CCA is limited to "Very High".

I just re-tested the car audio (aftermarket Integrated Automotive box piggy backed into the MB system) and that's showing as Lossless as is my Samsung phone/buds combo.

Goes off to look at Wiim minis......

This is the trouble, it's so easy to convince yourself. ABX testing me humbled me big time

[AC43]

budgie smuggler said:

AC43 said:

Doh. I mis-read what Spotify was telling me; you're right CCA is limited to "Very High".

I just re-tested the car audio (aftermarket Integrated Automotive box piggy backed into the MB system) and that's showing as Lossless as is my Samsung phone/buds combo.

Goes off to look at Wiim minis......

This is the trouble, it's so easy to convince yourself. ABX testing me humbled me big time

LOL. Busted.

[AC43]

I had a look into the "lossless" Samsung BT connection and it turns out it's only transmitting something like 600 kb/s. Sony do almost 900 on their version and actual CD quality is around 1400. Fair enough - and there I was thinking Samsung had performed some witchcraft and somehow got around inherent BT bandwidth restrictions. But no, it's compression/decompression.

I'd previously presumed I'd have to use my wired in-ear monitors to take advantage of lossless so I'll just revert to that plan. The "lossless" capability of the Buds was just a bonus.

For the car, I've emailed Integrated Automotive to ask them about the wired/not wired bitrate. I think their unit uses wifi not BT to stream so hopefully the bitrate will be chunky. If not, I can just plug my phone in; there's a USB cable which doubles as a charger.

For the home system I'll get a Wiim at some point.

[shirt]

Spotify high quality is fine for when I’m out and out and I’ve had it forever. but at home with a DAC there is a noticeable difference when compared back to back against Apple Music. I’ve been gradually copying my library across, getting used to the interface and the discovery playlists but still have both.

Spotify lossless isn’t available in my region yet so I guess I’ll keep copying across. I also bought a fiio k17 which doesn’t support Spotify connect.

[legzr1]

AC43 said:

For the home system I'll get a Wiim at some point.

Let me know how you get on.

I’ve got a couple of first generation Naim streamers which do not work with Spotify lossless connect.
I have a work around for the main system using software on NAS drives allowing hi-res Qobuz to feed the NDS.

I’m looking at a cheap WiiM mini as a temp solution to feed the digital signal to the excellent DAC in the NDS.

[Sford]

Annoyingly it isn't supported on my Echo Link that I bought for the hifi however it is supported if I connect from my laptop/phone via bluetooth. Now looking at something that will support it. Anyone with a Cyrus streamer that has tried it?