Spotify Spotify Lossless is here, it's official!

[ElMuchacho2CH]

Unfortunately on my WiiM pro plus the lossless option is greyed out and when I tap it a message comes saying this device doesn’t support lossless….

I had a similar issue using Spotify with iPhone and WiiM pro.

I didn't want to go through the process of reinstalling Spotify on my iPhone so I just rebooted iPhone and WiiM pro. That seemed to have helped fix the issue. Once you do that, Spotify connect to your device and then go to your settings and choose lossless.

Once you do this, you can confirm that a track is lossless by playing a song and going to your WiiM app and via now playing screen it will show lossless on the top.

 

[SKApretto71]

I wouldn’t expect a CD quality version of the same master to sound different on Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music etc etc. Why would it be different? If it was, then that undermines it being a bit perfect lossless transmission which they’re all supposed to be.

True, but the question I think here is about the statement that we are looking at HighRes - higher than CD quality as 24bit, in some platforms even with higher sampling rates up to 192kHz. Question then become if with proper equipment that can highlight the nuances of 24bit, Spotify and others have audible differences. Some examples may be the platform low/high pass filters, capped frequencies variations to maximize compression algorithms (lossless does not mean uncompressed), ... It may not appeal and interest everyone, but there are arguments that can make a better or worse platform. Forgive me for the non technical lingo, all the experts here.

On my personal side, I do feel differences clearly from 16 bit to 24 bit in sound clarity and separation and - just as an example - like lot more for *personal taste* how Qobuz renders on my equipment than Tidal does. Both HighRes. So, something changes and will ultimately be on personal taste.

 

[kalle]

there isnt more information in high-res, any recording and ears are well within CD-spec. if there is an actual audible difference the data isnt the same source or that various electronics handle different samplerates etc not as well as others.

24/192 Music Downloads are Very Silly Indeed

people.xiph.org

 

[kenwin67]

Review Spotify Lossless vs Qobuz

Equipment:
- Marantz SR8012 (AVR), used 1000-2000$
- JBL L80T (speakers), used 500-1000$
- Subwoofer SVS SP-1000, used 300-500$

Comparison:

1) Spotify Lossless connect (up to 24bit 44,1 kHz set for Marantz SR8012 from Google Pixel 10 Pro smartphone) to AVR Marantz SR8012 (introduced 2017) using Denon/Marantz HEOS internal streaming interface (set to high in HEOS app = 24bit 44,1kHz PCM).
Note! Internal DAC in Marantz SR8012 = AKM AK 4458 and sound mode set to pure direct (2 channel + 80Hz split = above 80Hz -> JBL L80T, below 80Hz -> SVS SP-1000 subwoofer).

2) Spotify connect very high (compressed 320kbps Ogg Vorbis) within same context as 1) above.

3) Qobuz connect (up to 24bit 192kHz) within same context as 1) above.

Result:

1) vs 2) shows big step up in transparency, room information (3D), details (all frequencies) and dynamics, building up more of a "being there" sensation...big thumbs up!

1) vs 3) close...very close. In some songs Spotify Lossless even beats Qobuz but must be different masters from same song. Very hard to distinguish any difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz (even 24bit 44,1kHz vs 24bit 192kHz when same song found).

It's Probably Me by Gregory Porter:
Spotify Lossless:

Qobuz:

Open Qobuz

open.qobuz.com

Conclusion:

Will probably quit my Qobuz subscription in favor to keep Spotify Premium.

However, have an external DAC (Mytek Liberty) and Wiim Ultra streamer and will test them first with the SR8012 before final decision.
Will use USB (with AQ Jitterbug) between Wiim and Mytek DAC, and AudioQuest RCA wires in-between Mytek Liberty and Marantz SR8012 (analog input) with same AVR settings as 1) i.e. pure direct and 80Hz subwoofer split.

Will report when done, and IF this combo squeezes out a clearer difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz, favoring Qobuz, I might keep both subscriptions

- Wiim Ultra (streamer), new 300-400$
- Mytek Liberty MK1 (DAC), used 700$

PS! Share one of my playlists below, including a wide spread of different music but with HiFi in common (watch out your bass on a couple of them)...enjoy:

Qobuz playlist:

Open Qobuz

open.qobuz.com

 

[SKApretto71]

Review Spotify Lossless vs Qobuz

Equipment:
- Marantz SR8012 (AVR), used 1000-2000$
- JBL L80T (speakers), used 500-1000$
- Subwoofer SVS SP-1000, used 300-500$

Comparison:

1) Spotify Lossless connect (up to 24bit 44,1 kHz set for Marantz SR8012 from Google Pixel 10 Pro smartphone) to AVR Marantz SR8012 (introduced 2017) using Denon/Marantz HEOS internal streaming interface (set to high in HEOS app = 24bit 44,1kHz PCM).
Note! Internal DAC in Marantz SR8012 = AKM AK 4458 and sound mode set to pure direct (2 channel + 80Hz split = above 80Hz -> JBL L80T, below 80Hz -> SVS SP-1000 subwoofer).

2) Spotify connect very high (compressed 320kbps Ogg Vorbis) within same context as 1) above.

3) Qobuz connect (up to 24bit 192kHz) within same context as 1) above.

Result:

1) vs 2) shows big step up in transparency, room information (3D), details (all frequencies) and dynamics, building up more of a "being there" sensation...big thumbs up!

1) vs 3) close...very close. In some songs Spotify Lossless even beats Qobuz but must be different masters from same song. Very hard to distinguish any difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz (even 24bit 44,1kHz vs 24bit 192kHz when same song found).

Conclusion:

Will probably quit my Qobuz subscription in favor to keep Spotify Premium.

However, have an external DAC (Mytek Liberty) and Wiim Ultra streamer and will test them first with the SR8012 before final decision.
Will use USB (with AQ Jitterbug) between Wiim and Mytek DAC, and AudioQuest RCA wires in-between Mytek Liberty and Marantz SR8012 (analog input) with same AVR settings as 1) i.e. pure direct and 80Hz subwoofer split.

Will report when done, and IF this combo squeezes out a clearer difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz, favoring Qobuz, I might keep both subscriptions

- Wiim Ultra (streamer), new 300-400$
- Mytek Liberty MK1 (DAC), used 700$

Thanks for sharing. This will ultimately land in personal taste, but sharing personal experience and setups is great to read, informative and wonderful content. I'm looking ahead to get the Lossless feature available in Italy for my account to do something similar. I still recall as I got Qobuz how much songs started to be more vibrant, with all instruments finally being heard clearly - a new discovery of music. Your 1) vs 2) scenario, I was there as well. No more regrets of not having my physical CDs handy.

 

[Carabassa]

The problem with Spotify lossless is the lack of bit perfect sound chain in android and PC. You can't bypass android mixer while you can with Tidal and Qobuz using USB audio pro app and an external DAC.
If this is possible in the future I will cancel my Qobuz subscription for sure.
However this is a big step and very welcomed.

 

[SKApretto71]

The problem with Spotify lossless is the lack of bit perfect sound chain in android and PC. You can't bypass android mixer while you can with Tidal and Qobuz using USB audio pro app and an external DAC.
If this is possible in the future I will cancel my Qobuz subscription for sure.
However this is a big step and very welcomed.

In a perfect world, with Lossless available Spotify could allow direct access to the audio stream to relying apps. This would enable the various BubbleUPnP, mConnect, USB Audio Pro etc etc to play their magic, as they do with Tidal and Qobuz already. If they are serious to music lovers, this could enable Spotify as an upstream provider for the like of Audirvana or Roon as well.
But the strategy seems to us their player as the only way to access the catalogue, thanks to the strong support of manufacturer via Spotify Connect, and this will only allow what they want the app to be capable of. Any device manufacturer player I used (Naim, WiiM, Cambridge Audio) always defer to the Spotify App, does not hanlde it internally.
I'd love them go that path, but there are no signs it will even happen. The good news is that Connect is just what I would need as I only listen via a streamer and never via the PC local connection, so the mixer is never a concern for me, and will definitely evaluate to drop Qobuz as well once I'm enabled.

 

[harkpabst]

The problem with Spotify lossless is the lack of bit perfect sound chain in android and PC. You can't bypass android mixer while you can with Tidal and Qobuz using USB audio pro app and an external DAC.

In how far does this bother you if your external DAC is connected to e.g. a WiiM streamer, using Spotify Connect?

 

[MCG555]

Review Spotify Lossless vs Qobuz

Equipment:
- Marantz SR8012 (AVR), used 1000-2000$
- JBL L80T (speakers), used 500-1000$
- Subwoofer SVS SP-1000, used 300-500$

Comparison:

1) Spotify Lossless connect (up to 24bit 44,1 kHz set for Marantz SR8012 from Google Pixel 10 Pro smartphone) to AVR Marantz SR8012 (introduced 2017) using Denon/Marantz HEOS internal streaming interface (set to high in HEOS app = 24bit 44,1kHz PCM).
Note! Internal DAC in Marantz SR8012 = AKM AK 4458 and sound mode set to pure direct (2 channel + 80Hz split = above 80Hz -> JBL L80T, below 80Hz -> SVS SP-1000 subwoofer).

2) Spotify connect very high (compressed 320kbps Ogg Vorbis) within same context as 1) above.

3) Qobuz connect (up to 24bit 192kHz) within same context as 1) above.

Result:

1) vs 2) shows big step up in transparency, room information (3D), details (all frequencies) and dynamics, building up more of a "being there" sensation...big thumbs up!

1) vs 3) close...very close. In some songs Spotify Lossless even beats Qobuz but must be different masters from same song. Very hard to distinguish any difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz (even 24bit 44,1kHz vs 24bit 192kHz when same song found).

It's Probably Me by Gregory Porter:
Spotify Lossless:

Qobuz:

Open Qobuz

open.qobuz.com

Conclusion:

Will probably quit my Qobuz subscription in favor to keep Spotify Premium.

However, have an external DAC (Mytek Liberty) and Wiim Ultra streamer and will test them first with the SR8012 before final decision.
Will use USB (with AQ Jitterbug) between Wiim and Mytek DAC, and AudioQuest RCA wires in-between Mytek Liberty and Marantz SR8012 (analog input) with same AVR settings as 1) i.e. pure direct and 80Hz subwoofer split.

Will report when done, and IF this combo squeezes out a clearer difference in-between Spotify Lossless and Qobuz, favoring Qobuz, I might keep both subscriptions

- Wiim Ultra (streamer), new 300-400$
- Mytek Liberty MK1 (DAC), used 700$

PS! Share one of my playlists below, including a wide spread of different music but with HiFi in common (watch out your bass on a couple of them)...enjoy:

Qobuz playlist:

Open Qobuz

open.qobuz.com

Thanks very much! I hoped for that!

 

[Carabassa]

In how far does this bother you if your external DAC is connected to e.g. a WiiM streamer, using Spotify Connect?

I only have a Wiim Ultra in my living room and sometimes use my DAC with my PC or my phone.
No problem at all with Wiim, I tried yesterday to use a DAC through USB and was impressed to find out it streams the original bitrate with Qobuz. I thought it would upsample everything to 192K.
Now waiting for Spotify to allow me to use lossless

 

[Burnside]

I believe Spotify have already said they hope to start work on a wasapi/asio “bit perfect sound chain” for Windows, but don’t recall anything being said yet about improvements on mobile platforms

 

[pieterv1]

I believe Spotify have already said they hope to start work on a wasapi/asio “bit perfect sound chain” for Windows, but don’t recall anything being said yet about improvements on mobile platforms

In the recent Q&A on Reddit, the Spotify tech highlighted how they were so eager to finally make lossless available to the masses.
If that's of any indication, these technical quirks might be fixed soon