Spotify announces HiFi music streaming

[bogi]

Chromecast audio works nicely with Deezer. I tried it few weeks ago, since Chromecast was a Christmas gift I bought to my nephew.

What I liked was support of lyrics on some albums. Since I never visited English speaking country, it is much easier for me to understand lyrics when I can read it as it is sang.
https://9to5google.com/2020/03/11/deezer-chromecast-lyrics-support/

 

Now I ordered one for myself. This one for 50 EUR from Slovakia store, powerful CPU, Android TV 10, everything certified.
https://www.amazon.com/Homatics-Dongle-Q-Android-TV/dp/B091HP8SKH

[bogi]

I just understood you didn't wish Chromecast but UPnP. 😐

For Android 10 (or 11) or for rooted Android phone/tabled there is a possibility to use AirMusic app to send all audio from phone (so it applies to Deezer too) to other device. AirMusic supports Apple AirPlay, DLNA, SONOS, Google Cast, Qualcomm® AllPlay™, Denon HEOS, Amazon Fire TV, Roku & Samsung Multiroom. https://www.airmusic.app/
If you are using iPhone, AirMusic exists for iOS but I'm not sure if it supports sending all audio (and thus also from Deezer) to other devices.

[stefano_mbp]

13 hours ago, bogi said:

AirMusic exists for iOS

… same name but … different developer … not the same thing at all

and almost dead, last update was 2 years ago

[audiobomber]

22 hours ago, bogi said:

I just understood you didn't wish Chromecast but UPnP. 😐

For Android 10 (or 11) or for rooted Android phone/tabled there is a possibility to use AirMusic app to send all audio from phone (so it applies to Deezer too) to other device. AirMusic supports Apple AirPlay, DLNA, SONOS, Google Cast, Qualcomm® AllPlay™, Denon HEOS, Amazon Fire TV, Roku & Samsung Multiroom. https://www.airmusic.app/
If you are using iPhone, AirMusic exists for iOS but I'm not sure if it supports sending all audio (and thus also from Deezer) to other devices.

I tried AirMusic and quickly requested a refund. It seems this program copies music to my phone, then transmits to my music players. I have no interest in having my music stream through the phone. I use my phone as a controller only.

[bogi]

12 minutes ago, audiobomber said:

I tried AirMusic and quickly requested a refund. It seems this program copies music to my phone, then transmits to my music players. I have no interest in having my music stream through the phone. I use my phone as a controller only.

 

It isn't stated anywhere that it could work as control point. It is able to cast sound output of your phone (regardless what for app you are running to produce sound) to other device, including a computer.

[matthias]

Sorry, but we are completely OT now.

 

Matt

[audiobomber]

2 hours ago, matthias said:

Sorry, but we are completely OT now.

 

Matt

Finding software that will send Spotify to any UPnP receiver is on topic, IMO. What's the point of paying for full resolution if I have to play it through an inferior network player like Chromecast or an AVR?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, audiobomber said:

Finding software that will send Spotify to any UPnP receiver is on topic, IMO. What's the point of paying for full resolution if I have to play it through an inferior network player like Chromecast or an AVR?

I agree with you. Services like Deezer lossless are good and all, but without integration into other apps or a good way to play the lossless on a high end system, it's somewhat meaningless. 

 

Spotify lossless will be neat, but given Spotify's total control over the interface, unless you're Sonos, it won't be important in HiFi. 

[Cebolla]

1 hour ago, audiobomber said:

Finding software that will send Spotify to any UPnP receiver is on topic, IMO. What's the point of paying for full resolution if I have to play it through an inferior network player like Chromecast or an AVR?

 

The Logitech Media Server supports Spotify Connect (Premium accounts only) by enabling the Spotty LMS plugin.. Running LMS on a cheap efficient low powered SBC like the Raspberry Pi should make up for it not being available on Android or iOS. Originally conceived to supply audio to Squeezebox type streamers, LMS can also be used in the same way for AirPlay, Chromecast & UPnP/DLNA supporting streamers, by enabling the appropriate 'Bridge' LMS plugin. 

 

It's not clear whether LMS will support Spotify HiFi, as its Spotty plugin uses an open source implementation. BTW, LMS also supports Deezer HiFi, but as there's no Spotify Connect equivalent on Deezer, user interaction would be via any Squeezebox controller app (the built-in LMS Squeezebox controller is available via any web browser) rather than the Deezer app.

[matthias]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Spotify lossless will be neat, but given Spotify's total control over the interface, unless you're Sonos, it won't be important in HiFi. 

 

I think Lumin has invested a lot of work into their Spotify HiFi implementation, so I can imagine that this would sound pretty good.

 

Matt

[Cebolla]

Lumin's investment is also evidence that Spotify HiFi isn't just vapourware.

[matthias]

1 minute ago, Cebolla said:

Lumin's investment is also evidence that Spotify HiFi isn't just vapourware.

 I would be really happy if you are right.

 

Matt

[The Computer Audiophile]

32 minutes ago, matthias said:

 

I think Lumin has invested a lot of work into their Spotify HiFi implementation, so I can imagine that this would sound pretty good.

 

Matt

 

22 minutes ago, Cebolla said:

Lumin's investment is also evidence that Spotify HiFi isn't just vapourware.

 

 

Absolutely. The issue with it is likely going to be that Spotify requires use of its own app / interface when playing Spotify content. Flipping back and forth between Spotify for streaming and the Lumin app for local is so 2005. I'm sure Lumin would love to integrate it into the app, but Spotify stopped allowing that many years ago. 

 

I'm eager to use Spotify HiFi with Lumin, but more of a curiosity and in an educational way than anything else. 

[matthias]

6 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

The issue with it is likely going to be that Spotify requires use of its own app / interface when playing Spotify content. Flipping back and forth between Spotify for streaming and the Lumin app for local is so 2005. I'm sure Lumin would love to integrate it into the app, but Spotify stopped allowing that many years ago. 

I'm eager to use Spotify HiFi with Lumin, but more of a curiosity and in an educational way than anything else. 

 

I get your point, in my case I would be happy with the Spotify (HiFi) app since I have no local files.

 

Matt

[bogi]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I agree with you. Services like Deezer lossless are good and all, but without integration into other apps or a good way to play the lossless on a high end system, it's somewhat meaningless. 

 

Spotify lossless will be neat, but given Spotify's total control over the interface, unless you're Sonos, it won't be important in HiFi. 

What one can do:
1) Deezer or any other desktop streaming app on Win10 (or Mac) + Virtual Audio Cable (or Loopback audio device) to connect it to audio processing app (for example HQPlayer or as alternative for example foobar2000 streaming into HQPlayer Desktop running on other computer). Disadvantage is that Deezer or Spotify desktop app cannot be easily controlled from phone.

 

2) Deezer or any other streaming app on phone and then using a mirroring application on Win10 (or Mac), then using Virtual Audio Cable (or Loopback audio device) to connect it to audio processing app (like above). Disadvantage is that all the streaming flows through phone (so phone does not act as control point only) but advantage is convenience of playback control on phone.

 

A suitable desktop application as cast receiver is AirServer (version for Mac exists too). When you cast from iPhone using AirPlay, then AirServer is able to provide audio only endpoint so no unnecessary video is transferred. With Android phone I could connect to AirServer with both Miracast and Google Cast (the latter sounding better). With Google Cast I was able at least to lower video refresh frequency to 1 per second, that quite lovered load on my Atom CPU Win10 mini PC.

 

I successfully tried Google Cast from Deezer running on Android phone to Airserver running on Win10 mini PC. Airserver is then playing through Virtual Audio Cable to foobar2000. Then I have 2 possibilities: a) on evenings or weekends I can stream from foobar2000 to HQPlayer running on my notebook (when I have booted my home OS) or b) during my working hours I can perform PCM to DSD128 in foobar2000 (the Atom mini PC is able of that) and send it through DAC to A/V receiver. I am using this route to get non intrusive easy listenable quiet background music when I am working (no HQPlayer, work OS booted).

[feelingears]

On 1/13/2022 at 10:18 AM, bogi said:

A suitable desktop application as cast receiver is AirServer (version for Mac exists too). When you cast from iPhone using AirPlay, then AirServer is able to provide audio only endpoint so no unnecessary video is transferred.

 

Just to either muddy the waters or demonstrate my misunderstanding, or both, casting from iPhone via Airplay is the least audiophile solution available based on my experience.

 

As a tried and true believer in Airplay (for local Redbook files, hi-res downloads but not DSD, etc.), my experience w/ streaming Spotify via Airplay is that it's just not worth it for enjoyable high-res listening. I keep hearing how compressed, blurred, and all around uninteresting the sound is. For background audio during a party or something, sure, works fine.

 

OTOH, streaming via Airplay from a Mac, using hardware or Mac software such as AirFoil by Rogue Amoeba, sounds much better than streaming from iOS.

 

But streaming Spotify to an endpoint with Spotify Connect seems to be the best of these. I have an Auralic Aries manta-ray for this purpose. I hope Spotify Connect is updated to suit whatever hi-res they may have cooking (I say "may" because so far it's vapor vapor vapor trails). But it seems from what I've read that Spotify has not been promoting Spotify Connect-ivity with manufacturers. And then in my case there's the new Auralic/Amazon Unlimited thing which is subscription (to Unlimited) only. Suggests to me that maybe Spotify is less...I dunno. We'll see.

 

I suppose, if I really want hi-res, I will just buy the music by the album or by the track. Or the CD. Local files are still the best for me, I guess.

[bogi]

5 hours ago, feelingears said:

casting from iPhone via Airplay is the least audiophile solution available based on my experience

I don't oppose and cannot comment, since I'm using Windows and Android only (no Airplay from phone). For me Google Cast sounded better than Miracast.

 

I agree using those casting techniques is a workaround only for missing standard streaming solution for services like Spotify or Deezer when streaming lossless audio from phone to an audio computer.

5 hours ago, feelingears said:

I suppose, if I really want hi-res, I will just buy the music by the album or by the track. Or the CD. Local files are still the best for me, I guess.

Streaming is perfect way to discover new music. For me, Qobuz through HQPlayer does not sound worse than local playback. But I think also that for music I like most download is the way. Streaming creates a new dependency on streaming services with some uncertainty how it can evolve. Tidal with MQA shows that there is no real guarantee of future availability of lossless and hi-res content. We also cannot predict future streaming prices for lossless and hi-res category.

[feelingears]

Thanks @bogi, and I do want to stress I am not trying to say Airplay beats HQPlayer in any way in terms of sound quality. I should probably be much more careful about using the term "hi-res" around here since I have for various reasons not roamed into the rarefied settings of HQPlayer.

 

I would be happy if Spotify hi-something turns out to be competitive with Qobuz, if only for your point about the changing realities of digital subscriptions, the current dissatisfaction with Roon in some cases here seems to be an illustrative example as well.

[matthias]

On 1/15/2022 at 11:33 AM, feelingears said:

I would be happy if Spotify hi-something turns out to be competitive with Qobuz

 

+1

 

Matt

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

On 1/13/2022 at 6:08 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

Absolutely. The issue with it is likely going to be that Spotify requires use of its own app / interface when playing Spotify content.

 

That could be a good thing for some. Spotify Connect will also be a big plus over Qobuz. Neither service ticks all boxes.

[The Computer Audiophile]

27 minutes ago, hopkins said:

 

That could be a good thing for some. Spotify Connect will also be a big plus over Qobuz. Neither service ticks all boxes.

Makes me wish I had no local content. Life would be easier. But, some great music isn’t coming to streaming any time soon. 

[Stereo]

11 hours ago, hopkins said:

 

That could be a good thing for some. Spotify Connect will also be a big plus over Qobuz. Neither service ticks all boxes.

Qobuz is currently working on a connect feature at least.

[Rexp]

After realising that most of the music i like is hirez (im a slow leaner) I no longer care about Spotify.

[HC515]

By the time Spotify gets Hifi rolling they will have lost a number of great artists. First Neil Young and now Joni Mitchell. Wonder who is next? Maybe I don't need Spotify after all because Young and Mitchell are both artists I like to listen to. 

[One and a half]

A couple of articles lean towards Apple offering lossless for little money over the notlossy music. So Spotify would need to charge more for lossless, but if a major competitor is undercutting them, then there's little room to move.

 

Qobuz manages to charge extra, and is still existing (don't know really how). Apple missed the boat, by offering some weird complicated thing that suited the marketing department and confused everyone.

 

Speculation #1 Why Has Spotify HiFi Been Delayed Indefinitely?

 

Speculation #2 https://thenextweb.com/news/spotify-hifi-had-to-get-better

 

I gave up on  Spotify, second time around, just didn't use it enough, that was the no ads premium tier.