When it comes to music streaming, there are a lot of options available. Which one is the best for audio quality? To answer this question, we first need to understand what audio quality is. Audio quality refers to how well a music file can be played back on a device. There are different factors that can affect the audio quality of a music file, including the bitrate, sample rate, and codec. Bitrate is one of the most important factors when it comes to audio quality. The bitrate is the number of bits per second that is being used to encode a music file. Higher bitrates mean higher quality audio, but they also use more bandwidth. If you’re trying to stream music over cellular data, for example, you’ll want to choose a bitrate that’s low enough so that it doesn’t impact your connection too much. Another factor that can affect audio quality is the sample rate. The sample rate is the number of samples per second that are being used in a music file. Higher sample rates mean higher fidelity sound reproduction, but they also use more memory and bandwidth. If you’re trying to stream music over Wi-Fi or cellular data, you’ll want to choose a lower sample rate so that your streaming experience isn’t impacted too much. Finally, codecs play an important role in determining audio quality. Codecs are software programs that help convert digital data into sound waves. Different codecs can produce better sounding files than others depending on their capabilities and specifications. For example, MP3 files typically use less-quality codecs than AAC files do because AAC’s compression algorithm is more effective at reducing file size without sacrificing sound quality ..
Generally, streaming music over the internet means it’s not going to sound as good as physical media or local audio files. High quality audio requires more data. However, there are some services that offer high-quality streaming music.
What Do All These Numbers Mean?
As you’re reading this article, you’ll notice a few different units being used. The main one is “kbps” (kilobits per second), plus there’s “bit” and “kHz” (kilohertz). Here’s what you need to know.
Kbps: The “bitrate” of the audio file. It’s a similar concept to video resolution—the higher the number, the better it sounds. Kbps is mostly used as the metric for regular, compressed audio files. 24bit: The bit depth of lossless file types (AAC, ALAC, FLAC, MQA, etc) and uncompressed file types (WAV). This measures the dynamic range of the file. The higher the number, the more depth there is. You can listen to it quieter without losing detail. kHz: This measures the sampling rate for lossy, lossless, and uncompressed filetypes. Essentially, it tells you how many samples of audio are taken per second. Higher numbers are not always better, but it’s usually a good sign.
RELATED: What Is Lossless Audio?
Tidal HiFi Plus: 9216 kbps
Tidal burst onto the scene in 2014, and it was one of the first streaming services to put a big emphasis on audio quality. It’s still one of the best services if you care about audio quality.
There are three Tidal tiers, two of which offer high-quality audio. The “Tidal HiFi” plan is the best for most people. It serves up audio up to CD-quality, which is equivalent to 1411kbps. A step above is the “Tidal HiFi Plus” plan, which adds “Tidal Masters” lossless audio that goes up to 24bit / 192kHz, 9216 kbps. Tidal supports AAC, ALAC, FLAC, MQA.
That extra high quality comes at a price—Tidal HiFi Plus is $19.99 per month.
The majority of the high-res tracks are labeled “High Definition,” which go up to 1411kbps. One advantage of Music Unlimited over some of the others is the desktop app is also capable of playing high-quality audio up to 3730 kbps. You’re not just limited to your phone.
Apple Music (Lossless): 1411 kbps
Apple Music is a sleeper pick if you’re looking for high-quality audio that doesn’t cost so much. Lossless audio can be enabled on the standard $10 per month plan. Apple uses its own proprietary codec (ALAC) and AAC for CD-quality streams.
There are some caveats if you want the best possible audio quality from Apple Music. First, the desktop app is capped at only 256 kbps. Second, lossless audio only works over wired headphones. If you meet the requirements, you’ll enjoy 24bit/192kHz quality.
What About Spotify HiFi?
You may have noticed one of the biggest names in music streaming hasn’t been mentioned yet. Spotify Premium‘s highest audio quality settings only goes up to 320 kbps. However, in early 2021, the company announced “Spotify HiFi.”
As of October 2022, Spotify HiFi has still not launched. When it does, Spotify claims it will “deliver music in CD-quality, lossless audio format to your device and Spotify Connect-enabled speakers.” That typically means 1411 kbps and 24bit/192kHz.
Spotify did not share whether this will be included for Premium subscribers or if it will require a new plan. Regardless, the leader in music streaming is lagging behind in this area.
RELATED: How to Get the Most Out of Spotify Premium
