{"id":187572,"date":"2021-02-24T08:29:28","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T05:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test\/"},"modified":"2021-02-24T08:29:28","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T05:29:28","slug":"before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test\/","title":{"rendered":"#Before you pay for Spotify HiFi, try to pass this lossless audio test"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35a98839975\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35a98839975\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test\/#Test_your_hearing\" >Test your hearing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test\/#So_whats_the_point_of_lossless\" >So what\u2019s the point of lossless?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#Before you pay for Spotify HiFi, try to pass this lossless audio test<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<div>\n                                Spotify yesterday announced a \u2018HiFi\u2019 upgrade tier for its streaming service that provides lossless audio, promising music free of compression artefacts. Although it won\u2019t be available until later this year,\u00a0Spotify HiFi promises \u201cCD-quality\u201d audio and <span>aims to steer audiophiles away from other lossless streaming competition like Tidal and Deezer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>But even if you consider yourself an audiophile, you probably don\u2019t need to pay extra for lossless music.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s true that most music streaming services compress audio in one way or another in order to minimize data usage, almost always leading to some lost information. There <em>are<\/em> ways of compressing music losslessly, but they <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly can\u2019t reduce file size as much as a decent lossy compression.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unsurprising, then, that most services turn to lossy compression. After all, the vast majority of listeners do not have the hearing ability to tell the difference between lossless audio and music that is compressed at a high enough quality.<\/p>\n<p>Spotify Premium (the existing, $9.99 ad-free tier) already streams at a maximum of 320 kbps (256 kbps on the web) if you\u2019ve <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/support.spotify.com\/us\/article\/high-quality-streaming\/\">enabled this in the app\u2019s settings<\/a>. Although at low bitrates the differences between lossy and lossless audio can be quite obvious, I\u2019m willing to bet most people can\u2019t tell apart a lossless file from a 256 kbps MP3 one \u2014 let alone a file compressed with the more modern Ogg codec that Spotify uses.<\/p>\n<p>Our hearing is subject to a whole lot of placebo. Simply believing that a certain upgrade or key specification will make your speakers or headphones sound better is often more likely to cause to an \u2018improvement\u2019 than any actual change. Still, many golden-eared audiophiles will swear they can hear a difference without evidence.<\/p>\n<p>So before you get your wallet out for the promise of higher quality audio, why don\u2019t you actually put your hearing to the test?<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Test_your_hearing\"><\/span>Test your hearing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are plenty\u00a0of blind tests out there to help you compare lossless audio with \u2018lossy\u2019 audio formats, but I like the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/abx.digitalfeed.net\/spotify-hq.html\">Digital Feed ABX test<\/a>, initially created to test whether listeners could tell the difference between Tidal\u2019s lossless audio and lossy compressed music.<\/p>\n<p><span>The link above compares Spotify\u2019s 320 kbps streaming against a lossless file, so it should be equivalent to comparing Spotify\u2019s Premium and HiFi tiers.\u00a0<\/span>In this test, the goal is to\u00a0<span>match one of two clips (A or B) to a reference clip (X). They\u2019re randomized, and you don\u2019t know which clips are lossless or not; you just have to pick whether A or B is identical to X.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2018\/09\/2018-09-07_17h03_54.jpg\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span>There are five tracks, for each of which you\u2019ll have to complete 5, 10, or 20 trials, depending on how much time you have to kill. The more trials you do, the more statistically significant your results are. I\u2019d recommend starting with 5 repetitions, as the test can get quite time consuming as you switch between tracks obsessing over tiny differences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you are like most audio enthusiasts \u2014 let alone most regular people \u2014 you probably won\u2019t be able to hear the difference. I just took the test with some $400 headphones and failed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1340258 lazy\" alt=\"\" width=\"309\" height=\"468\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Snag_1fa1e3d0.png\" data-lazy=\"true\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Snag_1fa1e3d0.png 497w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Snag_1fa1e3d0-139x210.png 139w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Snag_1fa1e3d0-179x270.png 179w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Snag_1fa1e3d0-89x135.png 89w\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>But I\u2019ve also passed the test before. Problem is, doing so involves a kind\u00a0of extreme scrutiny that virtually never <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lies to normal listening or even \u201ccritical\u201d listening.<\/p>\n<p>In my case, passing this comparison means making my home as quiet as possible, using the best gear I have, and\u00a0<span>repeating a two or three-second portion over and over again in hopes of hearing the tiniest bit of extra detail or a subtle change at a specific moment. Moreover, I\u2019ve done this type in multiple iterations hundreds of times and\u00a0<em>know<\/em> what to look for.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2018\/09\/Screenshot_2018-09-01-23-58-39-e1536354178431.png\" data-lazy=\"true\"\/><\/figure>\n<p><span>Perhaps even more importantly, being able to identify which tracks match doesn\u2019t mean you can tell which track was more <em>realistic <\/em>\u2014 i.e., which track was actually the lossless one. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>I\u2019m reminded of a survey performed by audio blogger\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/archimago.blogspot.com\/2013\/02\/high-bitrate-mp3-internet-blind-test_3422.html\">Archimago<\/a>\u00a0several years ago, in which 151 participants were asked choose between two sets of samples \u2014 one lossy set, and one lossless. 30% thought the lossless tracks sounded better. 18% said there was no audible difference. A whopping 52% actually <em>preferred the\u00a0lossy track<\/em> over the lossless one (there are a few possible explanations for this beyond the scope of the article).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Mind you, it\u2019s fair to assume these participants were mostly audio enthusiasnts too; 60% of them reported using audio systems costing $1,000 or more. And this is just one of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/cdvsmp3.wordpress.com\/cd-vs-itunes-plus-blind-test-results\/\">numerous<\/a> <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.audiosciencereview.com\/forum\/index.php?threads\/can-you-really-hear-the-lossy-codec-a-public-blind-test-result.4090\/\">examples<\/a> around the web.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"So_whats_the_point_of_lossless\"><\/span>So what\u2019s the point of lossless?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The fact most people can\u2019t tell the difference between lossless and high-bitrate lossy audio doesn\u2019t mean lossless streaming is completely pointless. Some reasons you might want to try it include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Peace of mind, so you don\u2019t get the itch of knowing there\u2019s something better out there.<\/li>\n<li>If the placebo effect makes you think your music sounds better, then in a way it kind of does sound better?<\/li>\n<li>You want the best possible rendition of the music for some sense of musical \u2018purity.\u2019<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re a statistical anomaly with platinum hearing abilities.<\/li>\n<li>There\u2019s a very hypothetical argument that we need <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aes.org\/e-lib\/browse.cfm?elib=20547\">extended listening<\/a>\u00a0in order to truly hear small differences in sound quality.<\/li>\n<li>Spotify could include other perks with the HiFi tier.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019re holding out hope one day audio gear will be good enough to make the difference more obvious.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There\u2019s also the matter of price: Spotify hasn\u2019t announced pricing for the HiFi tier yet, but you can bet it\u2019ll be more expensive than regular-old Premium. Just make sure the added monthly investment \u2014 and it definitely adds up over the years \u2014\u00a0 is worth it before you shell out your hard earned-money.<\/p>\n<p><i>Did you know we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>letter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013<br \/>\n            <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/thenextweb\/plugged-in\">and you can subscribe to it right here<\/a>.<br \/>\n            <\/i><\/p>\n<p class=\"c-post-pubDate\">\n                                    Published February 24, 2021 \u2014 05:29 UTC\n                                <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script data-src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;appId=378011798897423&amp;version=v2.6\" id=\"socialSrcFacebook\" type=\"text\/template\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/plugged\/2021\/02\/24\/before-you-pay-for-spotify-hifi-try-to-pass-this-lossless-audio-test\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Before you pay for Spotify HiFi, try to pass this lossless audio test&#8221; Spotify yesterday announced a \u2018HiFi\u2019 upgrade tier for its streaming service that provides lossless audio, promising music free of compression artefacts. Although it won\u2019t be available until later this year,\u00a0Spotify HiFi promises \u201cCD-quality\u201d audio and aims to steer audiophiles away from other&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":187573,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/plugged?filter_last=1&fit=1280,640&url=https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/Spotify-Lossless-lossy.jpg&signature=beac34e9144b68d3dcb94305cf9ddfdc","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/187572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/187573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=187572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=187572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}