That’s a great bit of feedback, Fred. Thank you 👍 It’ll be interesting to hear how Spotify HD compares, when, or if(!)it is released.

Good that you find it interesting, Spannko.
Fred

This is embarrassing, but I have learned something important. It seems my testing with Spotify and Qobuz during the Christmas holiday was done with the all the wrong settings on. Especially Sound normalization and play feedback sounds, which has Spotify playing badly, especially on modern recordings. This made Qobuz sound more solid and musical. Testing now with for example Prince like Sign o Times, and Spotify is more musical. Qobuz is still good on some records, like Wilco for example, but the difference is much smaller. I think the settings came on after upgrading Spotify, so I have learned to always check the settings after upgrading Spotify.
Back to Spotify, then: )
Fredrik

Fred11 wrote: ↑2023-01-13 10:41 I think the settings came on after upgrading Spotify, so I have learned to always check the settings after upgrading Spotify.

Yes, I always check my settings after a Spotify update. Most certainly you have seen the thread with FL's recommended Spotify settings here:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=6130

Yes, it was that thread that reminded me to check. I have also been checking a lot and kept the settings right, but not on this instance: )

🔶 I'm a little surprised,.or a lot.

Nowhere on the "net" except here,.you read that Spotify would be better than Qobuz.
Instead,.everyone writes all over the internet that they are waiting and waiting for Spotify to start delivering high-resolution HiFi-quality.

I have Qobuz myself,.and in my high-resolution musical headphone-system I don't even want to listen or think about Spotify.
To put it plainly,.Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable to me.

Peder wrote: ↑2023-01-17 18:58 🔶 I'm a little surprised,.or a lot.

Nowhere on the "net" except here,.you read that Spotify would be better than Qobuz.
Instead,.everyone writes all over the internet that they are waiting and waiting for Spotify to start delivering high-resolution HiFi-quality.

I have Qobuz myself,.and in my high-resolution musical headphone-system I don't even want to listen or think about Spotify.
To put it plainly,.Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable to me.

I agree, it’s very surprising, Peder! In order to understand your comments a little clearer, can you describe what you mean by “a level of quality”? It feels like this could mean different things to different people.

Spannko wrote: ↑2023-01-18 00:01

Peder wrote: ↑2023-01-17 18:58 🔶 I'm a little surprised,.or a lot.

Nowhere on the "net" except here,.you read that Spotify would be better than Qobuz.
Instead,.everyone writes all over the internet that they are waiting and waiting for Spotify to start delivering high-resolution HiFi-quality.

I have Qobuz myself,.and in my high-resolution musical headphone-system I don't even want to listen or think about Spotify.
To put it plainly,.Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable to me.

I agree, it’s very surprising, Peder! In order to understand your comments a little clearer, can you describe what you mean by “a level of quality”? It feels like this could mean different things to different people.

You'll be reading about it soon in the pages of Stereophile. Look for the Källa review in the Brilliant Corners column by Alex Halberstadt, March 2023 issue. He didn't believe it at first either.

Remember, by better we mean more musically engaging and fun to listen to, nothing to do with things like clarity, speed, imaging, etc.

I find qobuz doesn’t engage me in the same way as Spotify.
I have thought this for a long time, as Fredrik knows.
Strangely many get hung up on hi res, which on many albums is worse with the odd exception. Same applies to remastered.

ThomasOK wrote: ↑2023-01-18 01:00 Remember, by better we mean more musically engaging and fun to listen to, nothing to do with things like clarity, speed, imaging, etc.

I agree. My question was addressed to Peder so I could understand what he meant by better.

Peder wrote: ↑2023-01-17 18:58 🔶 I'm a little surprised,.or a lot.

Nowhere on the "net" except here,.you read that Spotify would be better than Qobuz.
Instead,.everyone writes all over the internet that they are waiting and waiting for Spotify to start delivering high-resolution HiFi-quality.

I have Qobuz myself,.and in my high-resolution musical headphone-system I don't even want to listen or think about Spotify.
To put it plainly,.Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable to me.

Hi Peder
Rather than listening to what "people write all over the internett" I would rather listen with your own ears and try to focus on the music rather than hifi. With Spotify it is very important to have the right settings, as I found it made a big difference. What I really like about LK is that it is not based on an idea of some sort that you thread over your perception top down, but rather in a bottom up process of listening by your self, focusing on the music and how you connect emotionally with it. Which Fredrik works after so excellently. So many "ideas" in hifi that bias and colour our perception of the music.

Can't wait to read March Stereophile!

Fredrik

ThomasOK wrote: ↑2023-01-18 01:00 You'll be reading about it soon in the pages of Stereophile. Look for the Källa review in the Brilliant Corners column by Alex Halberstadt, March 2023 issue. He didn't believe it at first either.

Thomas,
will it be available on "stereophile.com" too?
Thanks

matthias wrote: ↑2023-01-18 12:41

ThomasOK wrote: ↑2023-01-18 01:00 You'll be reading about it soon in the pages of Stereophile. Look for the Källa review in the Brilliant Corners column by Alex Halberstadt, March 2023 issue. He didn't believe it at first either.

Thomas,
will it be available on "stereophile.com" too?
Thanks

I'm sure it will but I don't know how soon they put it up after it appears in print. I did give them permission to use the photos for both print and online publication. The March issue should show up on newsstands and to subscribers sometime in February, probably early in the month.

Peder wrote: ↑2023-01-17 18:58 🔶 I'm a little surprised,.or a lot.

Nowhere on the "net" except here,.you read that Spotify would be better than Qobuz.
Instead,.everyone writes all over the internet that they are waiting and waiting for Spotify to start delivering high-resolution HiFi-quality.

I have Qobuz myself,.and in my high-resolution musical headphone-system I don't even want to listen or think about Spotify.
To put it plainly,.Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable to me.

Would you like to elaborate a bit more as to why you think Spotify does not deliver at a level of quality that is acceptable (to you)?

lejonklou wrote: ↑2021-07-08 11:56 Spotify sounds better than Apple Music, even though the latter streams lossless. Quite a bit better, actually.

I agree that Airpods Pro Max are pretty good!

I just acquired a pair of Airpods Pro Max as a gift and had a play with the Headphone Accomodations settings and prefer the stock settings so have that setting un enabled. I see there are a few folks who use these headphones, any settings that I maybe unaware of to get the most out of these?

I’m not genuinely a headphone user but can see myself getting some use from these as they’re so convenient to use and offer me opportunities during certain times of the day to use.

Wanted to pass along that (at least in the US) you can purchase a $99 annual Spotify premium gift card from target, Best Buy, Amazon and I’m sure others. Saves a couple bucks over the year.