With millions of songs across various genres, Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming platforms in the world. However, Spotify is yet to roll out lossless streaming. Its biggest competitor, Apple Music, has had it since its inception in 2021. However, with the right settings and optimisations, you can still get an excellent audio experience on Spotify. Here’s what you need to do: Maximum audio quality from Spotify Compared to Apple Music, Spotify currently prioritises efficiency. This means streaming music on Spotify will consume less data compared to Apple Music. Many users may not notice any difference at all unless they use high-end headphones or speakers. However, with some simple fine-tuning, you can enhance your Spotify experience significantly. Go to Settings > Audio Quality and select "Very High". This enables streaming at 320kbps, which is the highest quality Spotify currently offers. However, this option is only available for Premium Spotify users. Similarly, enable the "Download in Very High-Quality" option. This will not only improve music quality but will also help you save data, especially if you are someone who listens to select songs repeatedly. Lastly, turn off the “Data Saver” Mode (Settings > Data Saver), as it reduces audio quality to conserve bandwidth. These three changes can significantly improve your Spotify user experience. Needless to say that you need to have a high-speed, uninterrupted internet connection as patchy networks can impact your music-streaming experience. Customise playback settings Spotify offers playback settings that can enhance your listening experience. This includes the Crossfade (Settings > Playback > Crossfade) option, which enables a smooth transition between songs. You can also turn on the Gapless Playback option. This, at least for some users, will deliver a seamless switching experience between songs. You can also enable the Normalise Volume option that eliminates sudden spikes to ensure the entire song plays at the same tempo. However, according to some, this feature makes the music sound flatter. Upgrade your audio gear No matter how optimised your settings are, your output device plays a significant role in audio quality. This simply means you need better earphones, headphones, or speakers to get the best possible music-streaming experience on Spotify. Invest in wired headphones or buy wireless earphones or headphones with high-quality Bluetooth codec support, such as aptX, LDAC, or AAC. To further enhance your experience, you can also invest in an in-ear monitor (IEM) and pair it with an external Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), especially if you’re serious about audio fidelity and plan on listening to music the way artists wish you would. Until Spotify HiFi is released, these optimisations ensure you get the best possible audio output. Spotify's high-bitrate format, coupled with proper settings and high-quality audio gear, can still provide an impressive listening experience.
