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Apple Music vs Spotify audio quality

B-mtrd

B-mtrd

drtm-B
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Mar 27, 2007
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I've been using Spotify for the past 3 years or so, prior to that I only used Apple Music.
I was wondering which one offers now better audio quality?
Most of the time I use to listen to music with earbuds or on the car, rarely for podcasts or even stations (Youtube to watch Busa street racing).

I've read that Apple Music has made some improvements to audio quality, but are they really better than the ones Spotify offers?
 
According to Le Internet, Spotify's highest quality setting is 320kbps which is only available to premium users. Apple appears to stream in lossless format, buuuut you're basically limited to 320kbps over bluetooth anyway.
 
If you’re connected to CarPlay, it’s lossless.
 
imo at 320kbps vs lossless, for earbuds or car...no discernable difference. even for a fancy HT setup most of the time, no difference.
 
gnahc79 said:
imo at 320kbps vs lossless, for earbuds or car...no discernable difference. even for a fancy HT setup most of the time, no difference.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree with this mostly.

At home I stream to Sonos and can tell the difference there. I use Amazon Music, which is also lossless. At the time I chose it, they offered a family plan and better audio than most of the mainstream competition.
 
CarPlay is actually a peer to peer wifi setup I believe. Yes it needs a wired (sometimes Bluetooth) connection to pair, but once you’re on wireless CarPlay, you have CD quality (16 bit) audio. If you have higher quality stuff than 16 bit, then you do need to be hardwired with a USB connection.
 
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I'm not an audiophile so the difference between the two doesn't matter much to me.

I've been a Spotify user since 2010ish and the library on Spotify for the music genres I listen to is much extensive with older music, more obscure artists, weekly updates of songs I wouldn't have found otherwise, etc. After 14 years, the algorithm knows what I want pretty well.

I've flip flopped between Spotify and Apple Music with any given rental car and couldn't tell the difference as far as quality. Also, the equipment I have at home isn't exactly high end stuff so whichever is better in that regard, it wouldn't matter for my use.
 
Good to know that the quality to the average person is pretty much the same. My setup is mostly Bluetooth.
I’m reading that Spotify starting next month is increasing the price again. Maybe I can find an Apple Music trial and see if I can replicate my playlists there.
Thanks everyone for the responses 👍
 
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