After years of anticipation, Spotify has finally launched its highly requested HD lossless audio feature for Premium subscribers. This significant upgrade provides users with a vastly improved listening experience, offering CD-quality sound for nearly their entire music library. The rollout, initially available in select markets including the US, UK, Australia, and several European countries, will gradually expand to over 50 markets throughout October.
This long-awaited feature utilizes the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format, ensuring that no audio data is lost during compression, unlike the previously used AAC codec. Users can expect a truly superior sound quality, with tracks encoded at up to 24-bit depth and a 44.1 kHz sample rate. While the free, ad-supported tier of Spotify remains without this enhancement, Premium subscribers will receive an in-app notification upon availability.
Spotify's decision to implement lossless audio marks a significant step towards closing the gap with competitors like Apple Music and Amazon Music HD, both of which have offered similar high-fidelity options for several years. Gustav Gyllenhammar, Spotify's VP of Subscriptions, stated that the company prioritized quality, ease of use, and clarity during the development process.
The lossless audio experience is available across various platforms, including mobile, desktop, and tablet apps, along with many devices supporting Spotify Connect. While support for all compatible devices will gradually be released through October, users can already enjoy high-fidelity sound through devices by Sony, Bose, Samsung, Sennheiser, Denon, Marantz, Bluesound, and Yamaha. Users will have control over audio quality settings, allowing them to switch between different quality levels to manage data usage, optimizing for both Wi-Fi and cellular connections. It's worth noting that currently, due to bandwidth limitations, lossless audio requires a wired connection to achieve its full potential; Bluetooth will compress the signal.
To activate this new feature, users simply need to enable lossless audio within their Spotify app settings. Once enabled, a Lossless indicator will be clearly visible within the app's interface. Spotify recommends using a wired connection for optimal sound quality, as this eliminates potential signal compression and interference.
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Originally published at: https://variety.com/2025/digital/news/spotify-hd-lossless-audio-premium-subscribers-launch-1236513178/
