Spotify Launching 'HiFi' Lossless Streaming Option Later This Year

[AppleUser2]

Also, the mix of the music. I’ve been playing with some obsolete formats recently (MiniDisc and turntables), and I’m convinced there aren’t too many factors that affect sound quality. There’s the pickup mechanism (only relevant on analog), quality of manufacture of media (again, only relevant on analog, digital will play anything as long as it’s in spec), bandwidth (increased tape speed, disc speed, bitrate), build issues that adversely impact bandwidth (poor encoders in the digital space, low quality DC motors in tape, records), speaker quality, and the original mastering of the mix.

Actually, I’m somewhat convinced that the limitation in my own audio setups is mostly either the speakers I use or me. I have a HomePod, AirPods Pro, first gen AirPods, and the earphones that came with my MiniDisc player. I’m going to do some tests with a new record I bought, compare that to the same record on Apple Music, doing some tests with Hi-MD MiniDisc. I plan on doing an AB test with 1) record recorded to MiniDisc with a modern digital sampler connected optically to my MiniDisc player recording in PCM, with the same setup and sampler recording Apple Music, 2) Apple Music to PCM with the modern sampler and with the MiniDisc recorder’s 17 year old sampler, and 3) Apple Music using the built-in sampler to PCM, Hi-SP, and Hi-LP. If I had optical on my laptop, I’d test whether Sony’s SoundStage software introduces any issues, and I’d check speaker quality with some better speakers. My hypothesis is that, with the three tests, I might notice a difference on Hi-LP, but probably none of the others.

MiniDisc! Loved that format. Good luck with the tests. I’ve found my best option is the Momentum’s wired and Tidal but most of the time I use them BT and listen to Apple Music.

 

[kc9hzn]

MiniDisc! Loved that format. Good luck with the tests. I’ve found my best option is the Momentum’s wired and Tidal but most of the time I use them BT and listen to Apple Music.

Oh seriously. Convenience usually wins out against quality. They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and that goes for audio, too. I probably wouldn’t muck around with MiniDisc and turntables if it weren’t for the nostalgia and fun of playing with old formats (especially ones I missed).

 

[deevey]

Actually, I’m somewhat convinced that the limitation in my own audio setups is mostly either the speakers I use or me. I have a HomePod, AirPods Pro, first gen AirPods, and the earphones that came with my MiniDisc player.

Your setup(s) is not one you would notice a difference on. The APP perhaps, but only if you are using them wired.

I'm not too sure if we ever got conclusion if there is additional Processing going on when wired though or if its simply AD>DA direct to the drivers. It is however just 16bit from the cable.

 

[deevey]

Oh seriously. Convenience usually wins out against quality. They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and that goes for audio, too. I probably wouldn’t muck around with MiniDisc and turntables if it weren’t for the nostalgia and fun of playing with old formats (especially ones I missed).

But when the hardware is fully capable of higher quality, but let only down by the limitations of the file format it's quite frustrating.

 

[deevey]

yeah get that sweet HIFI straight to your bluetooth 320kbps codec. It's a gimmick.

Alot of folk here have decent audio setups.

 

[Realityck]

Alot of folk here have decent audio setups.

Absolutely be it a 2.1 computer speaker arrangement, or 7.1 home audio setup for your best 4K tv setup. All you need is to have USB-C connectivity for straight into a DAC, the output then to your speakers.

Comparisons to using Tidal and others just make one wince that hey get away charging extra for CD quality tracks. Not like the royalties are used to pay the artists, it’s pure profit grab.