Sound quality, how good are your ears?

[idc]

I listen to Spotify, a lot. This year, I was in the top 4% of users worldwide, a drop from the top 2% last year. I was the first person on the What Hifi forum to get Spotify, back when it started and needed an invitation to get listening. I pay for premium and stream at the highest rate. Occasionally, I have noticed a drop in sound quality and found it was down to updates that defaulted the streaming to a lower quality.

Yesterday, I noticed a drop in quality, but Spotify has not updated recently. I checked settings and streaming quality anyway and saw it now has a message that if bandwidth drops, it will automatically lower quality, to stop dropping out. The computers in the house had been running slow, so that was the answer.

I am chuffed to bits that at 58, I can still detect drops and improvements in sound quality, which makes the use of a decent quality hifi worthwhile.

 

[abacus]

Considering the cost of lossless streaming is no more expensive than the lossy Spotify, why not go for that. (Although I will admit that Spotify still has the best user interface)

Bill

 

[Rui]

i think the same as friendly user, spotify is above all . The drops in quality i noticed them when first i had not the premium account , about when the service is slower . It´s like already said and i totally agree but never had this problem after in 2017 , created a paid account or premium, and even improved using only my laptop by using a old MD deck AD-DA convertion, it sure increased a bit my spotify sound on my sound system currentelly using at my family´s house

 

[davidf]

I am chuffed to bits that at 58, I can still detect drops and improvements in sound quality, which makes the use of a decent quality hifi worthwhile.

It's surprising what the human ear can detect, despite words to the contrary posted by some on these forums and the internet in general.