• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Spotify to launch 'Hi-Fi' CD Quality Tier.

pjug

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,775
Likes
1,561
Interesting. I will give it a trial to see if I like their discovery better than Deezer and Qobuz.
 

bluefuzz

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
1,043
Likes
1,774
What's the betting that any new 'Hi-fi' tier will include the current 320 kb rate + 'lossless' for a 75-100% price hike while the current low and medium bitrates will remain at the current price. This will make me sad as I can't hear any difference between 320 kb and lossless flac or cd anyway ...
 

buz

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
Messages
320
Likes
324
Interesting. I will give it a trial to see if I like their discovery better than Deezer and Qobuz.
Discovery was atrocious with qobuz for me. I suspect Spotify will be very good given the immense userbase.

In fairness, Youtube discovery is also not that great so maybe I expect too much.
 

Pearljam5000

Master Contributor
Joined
Oct 12, 2020
Messages
5,125
Likes
5,355
The funny thing is their regular mp3's sound like crap compared to Deezer for example, so I would assume this will apply also to their new tier.
 

pjug

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,775
Likes
1,561
What's the betting that any new 'Hi-fi' tier will include the current 320 kb rate + 'lossless' for a 75-100% price hike while the current low and medium bitrates will remain at the current price. This will make me sad as I can't hear any difference between 320 kb and lossless flac or cd anyway ...
Seems the going rate for lossless with other services is $15/mo for single user so that's my guess.
Discovery was atrocious with qobuz for me. I suspect Spotify will be very good given the immense userbase.

In fairness, Youtube discovery is also not that great so maybe I expect too much.
My experience with both Deezer and Qobuz is that discovery seems good for a while, but they don't update enough and so soon you've heard most of what is being recommended.
 

Jimbob54

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
11,066
Likes
14,697
Maybe, just maybe (but I doubt it) this might mean eventual Roon integration for Spotify.

Though I fear that has always been a Spotify not Roon barrier.
 

Soniclife

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
4,500
Likes
5,417
Location
UK
Maybe, just maybe (but I doubt it) this might mean eventual Roon integration for Spotify.

Though I fear that has always been a Spotify not Roon barrier.
I doubt it will make any difference, Spotify won't give them the metadata, and they want to control the playback.
 

Jimbob54

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
11,066
Likes
14,697
Seems the going rate for lossless with other services is $15/mo for single user so that's my guess.

My experience with both Deezer and Qobuz is that discovery seems good for a while, but they don't update enough and so soon you've heard most of what is being recommended.

I've never even found anything in Qobuz that remotely suggests it is even taking my library/ history into account. I think everything is their view on what (generic) users might/ should like.
 

Jimbob54

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
11,066
Likes
14,697
I doubt it will make any difference, Spotify won't give them the metadata, and they want to control the playback.
Yup. My take too. I fear I am going back round the loop. I ditched Tidal for Qobuz as it was cheaper, but there are just a few too many omissions from their library for me to be 100% happy with it. So I got a deal on Tidal to top it up but still be able to play through Roon. Spotify lossless through Roon would mean I could happily ditch both Tidal and Qobuz.

Still cheaper than buying CD/ files though.
 

Soniclife

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
4,500
Likes
5,417
Location
UK
I ditched Tidal for Qobuz as it was cheaper, but there are just a few too many omissions from their library for me to be 100% happy with it.
I've been considering doing this, but the gaps in the catalogue sound bothersome, so I've not bothered yet.
 

pjug

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 2, 2019
Messages
1,775
Likes
1,561
I've been considering doing this, but the gaps in the catalogue sound bothersome, so I've not bothered yet.
I subscribe to the lossy Amazon tier to fill in gaps (main service currently is Qobuz), since cost is negligible on top of Prime. That seems to work pretty well. I imagine I will still want to do this with Spotify too.
 

Jimbob54

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
11,066
Likes
14,697
I've been considering doing this, but the gaps in the catalogue sound bothersome, so I've not bothered yet.

It is bothersome. I would estimate 1 to 2 albums a month I seek to add to my Qobuz library (out of maybe 10-15 a month) arent there. Tidal usually has the gaps , if it doesnt, chances are it means it isnt on any streaming.

The Qobuz gaps seem to be a label based thing. Saddle Creek isnt/ wasnt on there at all.
 

Matias

Master Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
5,029
Likes
10,799
Location
São Paulo, Brazil

Soniclife

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
Messages
4,500
Likes
5,417
Location
UK
It is bothersome. I would estimate 1 to 2 albums a month I seek to add to my Qobuz library (out of maybe 10-15 a month) arent there. Tidal usually has the gaps , if it doesnt, chances are it means it isnt on any streaming.
I don't remember the last time something want on tidal, but was on Spotify, so it's coverage seems good to me. There are still plenty of things missing from both, I think mainly when the label it was on folded without a clean transfer of the rights to a buyer, same as things being out of print for years.
 
Top Bottom