Spotify Premium users rejoice! After years of anticipation, Spotify has finally rolled out lossless audio, a highly requested feature for its subscribers. This means significantly improved audio quality for your favorite tunes. The service is now offering 24-bit/44.1kHz FLAC audio, a format that preserves the original recording's data without compression, resulting in a richer, more detailed listening experience. This upgrade is available in select markets and will eventually be rolled out to 50 markets globally, according to Spotify.
This new lossless audio option sits alongside existing quality settings: Low, Normal, High, and Very High. Users can easily adjust their preferred quality level within the app and see the data usage for each option. This allows for flexibility, catering to different data plans and listening preferences. Importantly, this isn't just limited to the Spotify app itself; compatibility is also being rolled out to various Spotify Connect devices, including products from brands like Sony, Bose, Samsung, and Sennheiser. Sonos and Amazon device support is slated for inclusion next month, extending the enhanced audio experience to a wider range of listening setups.
The addition of lossless audio is a significant step for Spotify, who are playing catch-up to competitors like Apple Music and Amazon Music HD, which launched their lossless audio tiers back in 2021. While YouTube Music continues to offer only compressed music, Spotify's implementation represents a long-awaited improvement for audiophiles utilizing the platform.
Enabling lossless audio is straightforward. Once you receive a notification confirming availability in your region, open the Spotify app, navigate to your profile, tap 'Settings & Privacy,' then select 'Media Quality.' From there, you can choose to enable lossless audio over Wi-Fi, cellular data, or for downloaded tracks. Remember, this needs to be configured separately for each device you use.
The arrival of lossless audio on Spotify Premium marks a clear victory for users who have long-desired higher-fidelity listening experiences. This upgrade elevates the platform's offering and provides a welcome addition for music lovers everywhere.
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Originally published at: https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/lossless-audio-finally-arrives-for-spotify-premium-subscribers-heres-how-to-enable-it/
