Yes it really would. I understand the legal position Steve and Clare are in so no issues there. Let’s see how this plays out, I’m sure Spotify will be competitive as they are a tad late to the party.
I was just reading an article about Spotify users, I think it said they have 300 million versus 3 million for Tidal . I think the Hifi version will be available in Canada too. Makes you wonder if the other streaming services will just fold, if Spotify gets it right price wise.
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Well it depends if they limit themselves to baseline resolution pcm ie 44.1/16 or offer higher resolutions on how impactful it will be…
if limited to baseline lossless then it might challenge the likes of Deezer etc but not others like Qobuz…
The position on MQA might be interesting, as I guess Spotify is mostly consumed by the mobile device market
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Spotify state “CD-quality lossless”. If they venture into so called “hires” lets hope they are smarter - like why send 24-bits when no DA can use more than 20-bits?
Spotify use the open free Ogg format today - any reason they would switch to the locked-in paid format MQA?
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Jan, thanks… interestingly new content is increasingly published above ‘CD quality’ as its baseline resolution - eg 44.1/24 or 48/24. Therefore I hope they mean they won’t be using decimated downsampled versions like Tidal do…
BTW I suspect most systems can’t offer more than 12 or 14 bit equivalent total dynamic resolution, however it’s the relative ranges which I think that are more important, and here 24 bit is audibly better than 16 bit… just listen into a good orchestral recording in 16 and 24 bit… to me the advantage of the extra definition becomes clear. Our hearing is non linear, but we use LPCM.
Yes Spotify use the open source Vorbis codec format in in Ogg container … I can’t see them switching to a licensed format such as MQA.
Be interesting to see how many Spotify lossy streamers can be won over by Naim with Spotify Hifi, maybe an update in Muso and Uniti owners.
Sadly I always wanted Spotify Hifi but it’s taken forever, so I will probably still end up with Qobuz Sublime, Tidal Hifi and Spotify Hifi
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Why didn’t they just call it ‘Spothifi’?
G
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Obviously the promised “this year” release for Spotify HiFi hasn’t materialised, and “this year” is now “last year”
A very interesting thought piece on WhatHifi that fills in some of the blanks as to what might be going on…
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Hi Matt,
Have you received the Solstice?
Happy new year
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Happy new year everybody!
Spotify Hifi was officially cancelled for 2021 (German press article):
https://www.golem.de/news/musikstreaming-spotify-haelt-an-plaenen-fuer-bessere-klangqualitaet-fest-2112-162048.html
The project has been postponed indefinitely (2022 (?)).
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Hi Johnny
Can you say what your system is?
And how you make CD rips?
Jim
Zen Mini or Mac with error correction on to rip cd’s . All in either FLAC or ALAC.
Well - it didn’t arrive, so we can say that yes!
It’s still coming though - just when….
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HAPPY new year 
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I’ve hung on with Spotify, waiting for their new output, but to leave it till now and basically say “up yours” I think is out of order not to keep their subscribers informed. I sense a lot of subscriptions being cancelled, including mine, with people moving now to other providers who have at least a cd quality output for the same price, or thereabouts as Spotify charge, they brought it upon themselves if this happens, and I’m sure it will!
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I am sure they would not care if a few audiophiles switched. Your a drop in the ocean compared to their wider market. At least if it arrives it will work without any extra kit or faff. I imagine getting all the manufacturers out there in line and up to date for a global launch is proving difficult. Apple in comparison had little to in this regards as it’s not integrated in devices, airplay is independent from it, and doesn’t currently supply it anyway unless your kit still uses legacy Airplay,
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That’s what it said in my post: 
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You know my friend, I’m sure you’re absolutely correct. But if they did care just a little they might have put out updates, that would have demonstrated a good attitude toward their clients.
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