Napster or Spotify for my Sonos

[emptage]

I want to take out a subscription to one of the streaming services such as Napster or Spotify. I will be using my Sonos system. Which do people prefer now for sound quality and reliability. I will be using the iphone app.

 

[CustomCable]

Personally I would say that both services are about as reliable as eachother. Quality wise Spotify is better, however there are many, many, many more songs on Napster. I have both for the best of both worlds.

Phil

 

[gowiththeflow]

I've asked a similar question in the Wi-Fi section of the Forum.

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/wi-fi/im-not-sure-about-spotify#comment-2655614

The concern I have is that unlike Napster or any other of these services, Spotify runs as a P2P network with subscribers having to download the Spotify app to their computer and participate in hosting music for streaming to other users. In other words they use your computer as a server to upload music onto the network. I understand the subscriber can choose to limit this aspect through settings in the app?

I'm aware that Napster sound quality can be a lot poorer than Spotify, even very poor at times, even if the Napster music library is larger.

I'm currently using We7, which has a smaller library than Spotify, but is catching up quite fast and much larger than it was 6 months ago. Also, We7 runs in the browser, with no apps to install. Unfortunately We7 isn't supported on Sonos .....at the moment? ...... :wave: Hello Sonos !!!

 

[Lee H]

The concern I have is that unlike Napster or any other of these services, Spotify runs as a P2P network with subscribers having to download the Spotify app to their computer and participate in hosting music for streaming to other users. In other words they use your computer as a server to upload music onto the network. I understand the subscriber can choose to limit this aspect through settings in the app?

Or just close the app - as others have already suggested.

I have both, thoughts are:

Napster: More music, better menu, easier to find new releases, pre-defined playlists by genre/category, exclusive sessions

Spotify: Far superior quality, quicker to load/play tracks, better quality cache on mobile devices.

It's your choice. Do Napster still offer the 30 day free trial in Sonos? If so, load it up and give it a go.

 

[Anonymous]

Spotify has a huge library, and is great quality. Napster, bigger, low quality, We7 - Adverts.

With a full subscription on Spotify you can also stream to your smartphone...Android, iPhone or Symbian. And if (like me), you have an unlimited data plan, you can use it on your travels...I connect it to my Jabra cruiser and use it in the car too.

 

[The_Lhc]

Unfortunately We7 isn't supported on Sonos .....at the moment? ...... :wave: Hello Sonos !!!

I doubt Sonos will be monitoring this forum for suggestions, however they DO monitor their own forum, so perhaps adding this on there would be an idea?

 

[gowiththeflow]

Spotify has a huge library, and is great quality.

Napster, bigger, low quality,

We7 - Adverts.

To be fair We7 only has adverts on the free service. That's the same as on Spotify.

However, unlike Spotify where the free service is now limited to 10 hours a month and any one track limited to a maximum 5 plays, We7 is still unlimited.

Also I regularly get ad-free days for regular listening, probably about one a week for around 8 or so hours listening. Do Spotify do that?

I've found that the ads on the free We7 subscription, are fairly infrequent for the less popular or older content. I can often listen to several albums worth, before a short ad is played. Skipping tracks, FFW or rewinding tends to bring them back.

Of course more popular or recent material has more advertising attached to it.

I understand that Spotify ads are at regular time intervals? If that's so, then that's more than I've experienced with We7.

With a full subscription on Spotify you can also stream to your smartphone...Android, iPhone or Symbian. And if (like me), you have an unlimited data plan, you can use it on your travels...I connect it to my Jabra cruiser and use it in the car too.

Spotify are not unique in that regard. Other services offer the same roaming facilities on portable devices.

 

[The_Lhc]

Unfortunately We7 isn't supported on Sonos .....at the moment? ...... :wave: Hello Sonos !!!

I doubt Sonos will be monitoring this forum for suggestions, however they DO monitor their own forum, so perhaps adding this on there would be an idea?

A quick search finds a post from the We7 CTO stating that they're looking into ways they can make their model work on Sonos. The post dates from June. 2009.

 

[The_Lhc]

I understand that Spotify ads are at regular time intervals? If that's so, then that's more than I've experienced with We7.

Regular-ish, sometimes it's every few tracks, sometimes it'll go for tracks on end and then play two ads.

I don't think you'd like Spotify though, given that you only seem to be focusing on the perceived negatives of the system and ignoring the positives (such as better quality audio).

 

[gowiththeflow]

I don't think you'd like Spotify though, given that you only seem to be focusing on the perceived negatives of the system and ignoring the positives (such as better quality audio).

If you don't mind me saying, I think you may have read my posts wrong.

It's precisely for the better audio quality that I'm thinking about a subscription. The recent aquisition of a Sonos system now allows me to hook up ZP90's to my Audiolab and Arcam based set-ups in different parts of the house and stream to them for the first time. Until now I've been limited to access just in my study.

For that, I'd much rather have 320kbps streams than the 192kbps i've been using for the last year.

 

[The_Lhc]

I don't think you'd like Spotify though, given that you only seem to be focusing on the perceived negatives of the system and ignoring the positives (such as better quality audio).

If you don't mind me saying, I think you may have read my posts wrong.

Possibly but it seems to me every time someone comes up with a positive for Spotify you come back with a negative (don't like the peer to peer model, don't want to install the software...). Lots of people are using it and are very happy and nobody's reported any issues stemming from the peer-to-peer aspect of it.

Mind you, it probably is worth pointing out that both Napster and Spotify have exhibited perfomance problems on Sonos on more than one occasion, although the last Spotify issue was due to the Amazon servers that are used to provide the service to Sonos (regular non-Sonos Spotify users weren't affected, possibly because of the peer-to-peer model they use, that's just a guess though).

 

[gowiththeflow]

Possibly but it seems to me every time someone comes up with a positive for Spotify you come back with a negative (don't like the peer to peer model, don't want to install the software...). Lots of people are using it and are very happy and nobody's reported any issues stemming from the peer-to-peer aspect of it.

If you've read my original post in the other thread (linked to further up this thread), you'll see that I asked if my concerns were unfounded?

If you don't mind me saying, you seem to be accusing me of putting down Spotify by bringing up negatives. In my original post I raised these aspects of their (almost) unique method of providing a streaming service as something that I didn't like the sound of; particularly the P2P aspects. The reason for my posting was to enquire if my concern was unfounded or mis-placed.

Opinion on this forum, including your own (for which I'm thankful), suggests I have nothing to fear.

I've posted the same enquiry elsewhere with mixed responses. I'm still deliberating over it but am still interested.

What I have found is that many happy users of Spotify are totally unaware of the P2P nature of the service, including a good mate of mine who's been subscribing for a few years and had no idea. That surprised me as he's pretty tech savvy and runs several websites for bands or band fan clubs.

One other question I have concerns the Spotify app running in the background. Responses here and elsewhere tell me that if the app is completely closed then that's it. However, elsewhere I've read that it still runs as a background service, even if the user thinks it has closed down.

I'm interested in where the truth lies on this one guys?

 

[steve_1979]

For that, I'd much rather have 320kbps streams than the 192kbps i've been using for the last year.

Most of the music on Spotify Premium is NOT available in 320kbps. Most of it's only 160kbps!

See here for details: www.spotifyclassical.com/2011/07/dear-spotify-please-give-us-premium.html

 

[The_Lhc]

Possibly but it seems to me every time someone comes up with a positive for Spotify you come back with a negative (don't like the peer to peer model, don't want to install the software...). Lots of people are using it and are very happy and nobody's reported any issues stemming from the peer-to-peer aspect of it.

If you've read my original post in the other thread (linked to further up this thread), you'll see that I asked if my concerns were unfounded?

If you don't mind me saying, you seem to be accusing me of putting down Spotify by bringing up negatives. In my original post I raised these aspects of their (almost) unique method of providing a streaming service as something that I didn't like the sound of; particularly the P2P aspects. The reason for my posting was to enquire if my concern was unfounded or mis-placed.

Opinion on this forum, including your own (for which I'm thankful), suggests I have nothing to fear.

Yes I know and once those people had made their comments you then came back with a different "problem", namely not wanting to installing the Spotify software. That's when it appeared to me that you were looking for reasons NOT to use Spotify, rather than reasons to use it (your original query was quite interesting as it happens).

One other question I have concerns the Spotify app running in the background. Responses here and elsewhere tell me that if the app is completely closed then that's it. However, elsewhere I've read that it still runs as a background service, even if the user thinks it has closed down.

I'm interested in where the truth lies on this one guys?

I can't see any evidence for that, it's not listed in the Services, there's no suggestion in the Registry that it's installed as a service and I can't find anything running in Task Manager (from what I can tell it only installs two files, spotify.exe and uninstall.exe). I can't think of any reason why they'd go out of their way to hide that it was running in the background, unless it's secretly an advanced AI spreading itself around the globe ready for a signal to take over of course...

 

[Lee H]

If you just close it it runs in the Task Bar. You have to right click and "exit" to fully shut it.

 

[gowiththeflow]

If you just close it it runs in the Task Bar. You have to right click and "exit" to fully shut it.

Thanks Lee. Exactly what I was looking for. :cheers:

 

[gowiththeflow]

Yes I know and once those people had made their comments you then came back with a different "problem", namely not wanting to installing the Spotify software. That's when it appeared to me that you were looking for reasons NOT to use Spotify, rather than reasons to use it (your original query was quite interesting as it happens).

Well no, it's all part of the same issue AFAIC.

I appreciate that software needs to be installed to run the P2P service. It's just that I'm used to accessing streaming services which don't require any software to be installed at the user end. I'd rather not, but it's not a deal breaker by a long chalk. If that's what's needed then so be it.

Rather than your assertion, I'm looking for reasons to use Spotify and want to fully understand the implications of doing so. That's not unreasonable is it?

I can't see any evidence for that, it's not listed in the Services, there's no suggestion in the Registry that it's installed as a service and I can't find anything running in Task Manager (from what I can tell it only installs two files, spotify.exe and uninstall.exe). I can't think of any reason why they'd go out of their way to hide that it was running in the background, unless it's secretly an advanced AI spreading itself around the globe ready for a signal to take over of course...

Ah ! ...as I suspected.

Seriously though, that answers my question. Thanks for that.

 

[Anonymous]

spotify! reason? beacause its better!

 

[Trefor Patten]

Another vote for Spotify. Give me quality over quantity any day. I have some rather obscure tastes in music, but I find a lot of what I want on Spotify. 320kbps Ogg Vorbis may not be the best, but it is pretty darn good - better than almost all DAB output.

 

[Anonymous]

we dont need napster and thats the other thing why r people still buying cds when theres spotify come on itunes keep up let people rent yr libary of music for £10 a month your make ven more money lol

 

[Anonymous]

By the way

http://pansentient.com/2011/03/music-streaming-services-who-has-the-most-music/

And now 99% IS 320kbps too...

http://www.spotifyclassical.com/2011/09/spotifys-latest-statement-on-sound.html

 

[lotty]

Read through the posts and I'll admit I find it all a bit confusing maybe due to my age but here goes .

I recently bought Sonos but not the speakers and I use my Bose 3-2-1 system as my amp and speakers . Around 10 days ago I registered with spotify ; free for a month and start paying from 14/1/14 . Very happy at first for about 6/7 days and then I couldn't log in . Didn't recognise my details even though they were the one's showing when I accessed my account details . Anyway went through support outlining my problem and 4 emails later despite being told I can now log in , I still can't and still being told that I may have changed my password or there may be a spelling mistake so basically I'm just about ready to call it a day .

I came across Napster on my Sonos by accident but have used it for the last couple of days and found it to be very good up to now . Have to say I cannot detect the quality being any better or worse than spotify although it does seem to be easier and just as quick as spotify but with more music available . I'll have to reserve judgement .

 

[skippy]

I use rdio (can't get spotify in Canada) and it's good service. Rdio is from the makers of Skype.

I've only ever had one time were I couldn't log on in 2 years.

Don't know what the bps is, but I believe it's variable, the main thing is I have no issues with sound quality.

I just continued after the 30 day free trial.