Last week, Spotify Lossless was unveiled to the world and loyal subscribers everywhere let out a collective sigh of relief. Finally, no more crunchy audio playback.
Now that it’s rolling out to Premium subscribers bit by bit, some users (myself included) have had some time to get used to Spotify’s new Lossless setting, but the upgrade isn’t as monumental as I thought it was going to be – and that’s not an unpopular opinion.
Don’t get me wrong: Spotify Lossless is a huge step for the music streaming service, and while I’ve definitely noticed an improvement, I have to really pay attention to pick up on the differences. Initially, I thought it was just me, but it turns out I’m not the only one who’s noticed.
The difference is there, but only just
Since enabling Spotify Lossless in my settings, I’ve been listening as often as I can to see where it differs from Spotify’s second best audio streaming quality, which was the highest setting before Lossless arrived. I’ve been using my pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones to test which have really helped, and there’s definitely a subtle difference.
The vocal clarity stands out the most – especially with backing vocals – and the bass has more of a bite. But still, these are minor differences, and other headphone users out there have picked up on it too. There’s just one thing getting in our way; Bluetooth.
Though Spotify’s announcement hypes the Lossless experience, it does state that Bluetooth doesn’t ‘provide enough bandwidth to transmit lossless audio’ – even if you’re using a pair of the best wireless headphones. Instead it recommends using wired headphones or non-Bluetooth devices compatible with Spotify Connect to make the most of Lossless listening. In that case, announcements like this should come with a ‘*on headphones’ disclaimer as the user below suggests.
Does Lossless even matter?
This is another question that’s been raised online in the wake of the rollout of Spotify Lossless, with many raising the argument that the upgrade is so small that it’s still difficult for audiophiles to distinguish.
Other users with access to Spotify Lossless have agreed that, for most people, the difference with lossless audio is ‘basically placebo’. For some, listening to Spotify Lossless with a critical ear is also a key factor in identifying the differences.
With that said, we’re only a week into the rollout of Spotify Lossless, so it’s still in its infancy. While some users have noticed some upgrades, there’s still definitely room for improvement, and I have no doubt the user criticism will keep coming.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
