Tyler Wynn
Spotify's sound quality has been a topic of discussion among users, with some reporting issues such as muffled audio and poor playback. While Spotify offers a range of audio quality options and bitrate settings, some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the sound quality, particularly when compared to competing services like Apple Music. The Audio Normalization setting, intended to provide a consistent listening experience, has been criticized for negatively impacting sound quality. However, there are ways to improve Spotify's sound quality, such as adjusting equalizer settings and ensuring optimal audio quality configurations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sound quality | Muffled, especially compared to Apple Music |
| Audio Normalisation | Makes music sound worse but offers a more consistent listening experience across songs |
| Equalizer | Can be manually adjusted to improve sound quality |
| Podcast quality | 96kbit/s on mobile/tablet and 128kbit/s on the web player |
| Music quality | Can be turned up or down depending on preference |
| Maximum bitrate | 160kbps for Free users and 320kbps for Premium users |
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What You'll Learn
Spotify's 'audio normalisation' setting
Spotify's audio normalisation setting, also known as "Enable Audio Normalisation" or "Normalize Volume", aims to provide a consistent listening experience by balancing soft and loud songs. It automatically adjusts the volume of tracks to a standardised level, eliminating fluctuations and ensuring all songs play at a similar volume regardless of their original recording levels. This feature can be particularly useful when shuffling an album or listening to tracks from multiple albums, as it prevents abrupt changes in volume that could impact the user's experience.
To activate normalisation, users can navigate to the "Audio Quality" or "Playback" section in their Spotify settings and toggle the "Enable Audio Normalisation" or "Normalize Volume" option. Additionally, Spotify offers \"Quiet\" and \"Loud\" settings within normalisation to fine-tune volume levels according to different environments or preferences. It's worth noting that the "Loud" setting has a warning, indicating that it may not be suitable for all users or situations.
While normalisation can help standardise volume levels, some users and audio engineers have expressed concerns about its potential impact on audio quality. Some claim that normalisation can \"ruin\" audio quality, especially with the previous normalisation methods employed by Spotify. However, Spotify has since updated its normalisation process, and recent comments suggest that the current normalisation method does not affect audio quality.
It's important to note that Spotify's normalisation setting does not apply to the web player or third-party devices like TVs or speakers. Additionally, the highest quality audio on Spotify is typically available through Spotify Premium accounts, which offer 320 kbps streaming. Users can also enhance audio quality through external tools like the CapCut desktop video editor, which provides features such as sound enhancement, noise reduction, and audio normalisation.
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Running other apps simultaneously
Several Spotify users have reported experiencing poor audio quality when running other apps simultaneously. One user attributed the issue to Spotify's normalization settings, which can be adjusted to improve sound quality.
In some cases, the problem may be specific to certain devices or platforms. For example, a user reported that their songs sounded worse on their phone than on their PC, despite having Spotify Premium and using Bluetooth headphones. Another user compared the sound quality of Spotify to that of other music platforms, finding that Spotify's quality was inferior, even when the streaming quality was set to the highest possible on both apps.
To address sound quality issues on Spotify when running other apps, users can try the following:
- Check and adjust the normalization settings: In some cases, turning off normalization altogether may improve sound quality.
- Clear the device's cache and restart the app: This can help eliminate any temporary files that may be impacting performance.
- Ensure that audio quality settings are optimized: On mobile or tablet devices, users can adjust the audio quality settings to "very high" to potentially improve sound quality.
- Compare sound quality across platforms and devices: Users can try playing the same song on different platforms and devices (e.g., Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music) using the same headphones or speakers to identify any noticeable differences in quality.
- Contact Spotify support: If none of the above solutions work, users can reach out to Spotify's support team for further assistance in troubleshooting the issue.
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Equalizer settings
Spotify has an equalizer built into its mobile and desktop apps, with preset options and custom settings. The equalizer settings can be accessed by opening the Spotify app, clicking on the profile icon, scrolling down to find the "Playback" section, and selecting the "Equalizer" option.
The equalizer settings in Spotify typically feature a set of sliders (five on most platforms and six on iOS) that allow you to modify the audio's characteristics. Each slider corresponds to a specific aspect of the frequency spectrum, influencing different aspects of the sound.
- Experiment with different presets and make manual adjustments to find the sound quality that suits your personal preferences and audio devices.
- If you want to listen to music as the artist intended, keep the equalizer settings neutral or flat.
- When using headphones or AirPods, consider using balanced equalizer settings to improve audio quality.
- For bass-heavy genres like hip-hop and EDM, boost the bass and cut the high mids.
- For classical, acoustic, and vocal-centric music, focus on enhancing the vocals and achieving a balanced sound.
- If you are using small or low-quality speakers, the "Small Speakers" preset can help improve sound quality and clarity.
- Upgrade to Spotify Premium to access higher-quality audio streams.
- Select "Very High" quality settings in Spotify to improve the audio quality of songs.
- Invest in good headphones or speakers to enhance your listening experience.
- Use an external DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) device to make your music sound clearer and more powerful.
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Premium vs Free accounts
Spotify Premium offers a higher maximum bitrate than the free version, allowing for a higher quality listening experience. With Free Spotify, the maximum bitrate is 128 kbps on the web player and 160 kbps on mobile and desktop apps, while Spotify Premium offers 256 kbps on the web player and 320 kbps streaming on desktop and mobile. This higher bitrate means that Spotify Premium's music contains more audio data points and, therefore, more detail in its sound.
Some listeners may not notice a significant difference in sound quality between the two tiers, especially if they are using lower-quality gear or are not particularly audio-sensitive. However, for those with high-quality headphones or speakers who want the best possible sound, the upgrade to Premium may be worth considering. Additionally, those who want to be able to download music for offline listening or remove ads between songs will need to upgrade to Premium.
It's worth noting that Spotify is preparing to launch its Music Pro tier, which will offer lossless audio quality at a higher price point than the base Premium plan. This tier may be appealing to those seeking the highest possible sound quality.
While Premium does offer improved sound quality, it is not the only factor to consider when choosing between the two tiers. Premium also provides additional features such as ad-free playback, unlimited track skips, early access to select new releases, and the ability to download songs and podcasts for offline listening. These features may be more important to some users than sound quality alone.
In conclusion, whether you choose a Free or Premium Spotify account, you'll still have access to Spotify's massive library of songs and podcasts. However, if you're an audio enthusiast seeking the best possible sound quality, or if you want access to Premium-exclusive features, upgrading to Spotify Premium or the upcoming Music Pro tier may be the best option for you.
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Spotify vs Apple Music
When it comes to music streaming services, some people believe that Apple Music outperforms Spotify in terms of audio quality. Apple Music offers lossless audio, which provides an uncompromised listening experience with richer and clearer sound. On the other hand, Spotify's highest quality setting is 320 kbps, available only to premium users, and does not offer lossless audio. However, some people argue that the difference in sound quality between the two platforms is not noticeable, especially when using Bluetooth devices or non-high-end equipment.
Apple Music's lossless audio, also known as Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), delivers music as it was intended to be heard, similar to listening to a CD. It supports high-resolution lossless audio up to 24-bit/192kHz, providing a more immersive experience. In contrast, Spotify's audio format is lossy (Ogg Vorbis), which can result in a loss of quality during conversion.
It is worth noting that Apple Music's lossless audio can only be accessed via a wired headphone connection, as streaming lossless audio over Bluetooth is not currently possible. Spotify's premium users can set their audio quality to 320 kbps, which some may find comparable to lossless audio. Additionally, Spotify has announced plans to introduce ""Spotify HiFi," aiming to provide a similar lossless audio experience to Apple Music.
While audio quality is a significant consideration, other factors come into play when choosing between Spotify and Apple Music. Some users prefer Spotify's interface, finding it more intuitive and convenient for displaying current and recent listening activities. Spotify also offers a free version, albeit with limitations, such as ads and restricted playback options. In contrast, Apple Music does not offer a free tier but provides additional benefits for iPhone users, including bundles with Apple TV+, Apple Fitness+, and News+.
Ultimately, the decision between Spotify and Apple Music depends on individual preferences for audio quality, user interface, device compatibility, and the availability of additional features and content. While Apple Music may have an edge in audio quality, especially for audiophiles, Spotify remains a popular choice due to its interface, free tier, and integration of podcasts and audiobooks within the platform.
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Frequently asked questions
Spotify's default audio normalization setting attempts to equalize the loudness of all songs, which can make the music sound worse, especially for songs that tend to be louder.
You can improve Spotify's sound quality by disabling audio normalization and the equalizer, and setting the audio quality to "Very high" for Premium or "High" for free.
Spotify Premium offers a higher maximum bitrate of 320kbps, compared to the free version's maximum of 160kbps, which should result in better sound quality.
This could be due to a bug or the audio normalization setting. Try disabling audio normalization, skipping to the next song, or adjusting the equalizer.
