Let\u2019s talk about what that means.<\/em><\/p>\n Currently, Spotify only plays MP3s, with the maximum quality available being 320kbps. These files are known as lossy. The reason for this is that parts of the original track are literally lost<\/em> in the compression process. This is to reduce file sizes as much as possible.<\/p>\n Lossless files, on the other hand, aren\u2019t compressed. Without getting bogged down in info, that means if you have the right equipment, the music should sound richer, rounder, and clearer. We\u2019ll get onto the veracity of that later.<\/p>\n As a quick comparison, the highest quality MP3 has a bitrate of 320kbps, while CD\u2019s have a 1,411kps bitrate. The latter is what Spotify HiFi will deliver to you soon.<\/p>\n And Tidal should be worried.<\/p>\n Basically, the only reason you\u2019d use Tidal over Spotify is for lossless files. With this gone, Tidal loses its only real competitive edge over many over streaming services.<\/p>\n When it comes to flexibility, design, the user interface \u2014 anything else you can name, really \u2014 Spotify is better than Tidal. In my experience with using the latter, I\u2019d grit my teeth in order to access the higher-quality music files.<\/p>\n This makes something very clear: now I can get top quality tunes on Spotify HiFi, why would I bother with a worse experience elsewhere?<\/p>\n In the sake of balance, Tidal does have a feature Spotify HiFi is unlikely to emulate: Tidal Masters<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like with anything audio-related, this is both contentious and complex. To summarize as quickly as possible, Tidal Masters allows you to listen to tracks above<\/em> CD quality. The big thing is\u2026 you\u2019re basically incapable of hearing those extra details. CDs were literally designed to exceed the capabilities of your ears.<\/p>\n Of course, there are camps that dispute this, so if you\u2019re interested in wading into that mire, please be my guest.<\/p>\n There is one benefit of Tidal Masters over Spotify HiFi though, and that is some<\/em> of the albums are actually mastered differently. For example, it\u2019s pretty common for songs to have mixes made for the radio \u2014 which means they have more compression and less dynamic range \u2014 that appear on streaming services and albums. It\u2019s not always clear when this is the case though\u2026<\/p>\n To try and sum that up: Spotify HiFi is going to hoover up all but the most fervent music streaming fans \u2014 which is going to be a problem for Tidal.<\/p>\n This is a great point. Honestly? I\u2019m a fan of lossless music, but there is less difference between it and high-quality lossy files than you\u2019d think. If you\u2019re interested in testing your ears, go and do this test<\/a>. In that, you compare a 320kbs MP3 with a FLAC file. It\u2019s much harder than it sounds.<\/p>\n For me, I love the idea of Spotify HiFi and will definitely subscribe \u2014 but you\u2019ll probably have a great audio experience whatever you do.<\/p>\n Just listen to the music love and enjoy it, okay? If it makes you happy, who am I to judge?<\/p>\n In regards to Spotify HiFi, it\u2019s unclear when this will launch, where it will be available, or how much it\u2019ll cost, but it won\u2019t be long until that information becomes clear. And I, for one, cannot wait.<\/p>\n Did you know we have a newsletter all about consumer tech? It\u2019s called Plugged In \u2013 and you can subscribe to it right here<\/a>. <\/i><\/p>\n Published February 23, 2021 \u2014 10:17 UTC <\/p>\nWhy is Spotify HiFi such a problem for Tidal?<\/h2>\n
![\"tidal](\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/02\/tidal-masters-796x418.jpg\")
Does lossless really matter though?<\/h2>\n