I've been testing Spotify Lossless for a week — 3 things I like, 2 things I don't

Spotify Lossless on phone next to Marshall headphones

(Image credit: Future)

In February 2021, Spotify announced that it would be taking on the rest of the streaming landscape with its own lossless playback, then called Spotify HiFi. Four years, six months, 25 days later, I'm able to write a review of Spotify Lossless now that it's finally reached phones, laptops and tablets the world over.

There's a chance that you've already played around with the Spotify Lossless feature. I've spent the last week or so listening to your favorite tunes in lossless, enjoying the extra fidelity it brings. I've certainly been doing all my on-the-go listening with the format, so that I can compare it to the established hi-res lossless streaming platforms that already exist.

So how has my experience with Spotify lossless been, and does it make it rank any higher against the other best music streaming services? Here's 3 things I love about Spotify Lossless — and 2 things I think need to be ironed out.

I like: The sound quality

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I am a self-professed audiophile. I like my music to sound as good as possible, with bitrates as high as they can be. Spotify Lossless sounds much better than the standard high-quality MP3 files the service used to peddle, something that can only be considered a good thing in my eyes.

Listen with a pair of Spotify Lossless compatible headphones (ideally something wired) and you'll find lots to like. There's increased detail, so you can hear more of your music. If you've generally listened to the lower quality MP3s from Spotify, you'll likely hear things you've never heard before, subtleties like musicians shifting position in orchestras or fingers dancing on fretboards.

There's more soundstage to enjoy, and everything is more dynamic. That means that the difference between the loud and soft parts of your music is larger, allowing for a more engaging listen. It might not be the highest of lossless bitrates (more on that later), but it's a welcome update and change.

I like: Improvements for everyone

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While the biggest audio improvements are going to come to those using more impressive wireless headphones with greater codec support or wired cans, there are benefits for everyone.

With a higher quality base track for your phone to compress for Bluetooth transmission, you're going to enjoy better sound on the other side. There's more information for the phone to deal with and the internal DAC can help make music sound better across the board.

I found that switching over to cheaper headphones that don't have support for aptX or LDAC still rendered higher quality music while listening to Spotify Lossless instead of "high quality." It wasn't night and day — the differences were more subtle — but there was still an increase in dynamic range and fidelity.

I like: You can download the Lossless tracks

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You've always been able to download your Spotify library, but it's more important than ever if you want to listen to Spotify Lossless. These are very large files, so if you want the most stable experience possible while listening to music, you'll want to make sure that you've set all your playlists and favorites set to download.

You'll need to set the quality in the settings menu, and then you can enjoy your lossless music on the go. It's a feature I was expecting, given that every other streamer does it, but it works well.

I don't like: Comparably lower lossless quality

Spotify Lossless tops out at 24-bit, 44.1kHz tracks. That's both hi-res and lossless, but it's not the be-all and end-all of high-quality Flacs. It's actually quite low when you compare it to other streaming services, like Qobuz, Tidal and Apple Music.

Those three services all pump out audio at 24-bit 192kHz. That means there's more information being delivered by the tracks for even greater quality. Over Bluetooth headphones, you're not going to notice much of a difference — Bluetooth can't carry bitrates that high — but those who are listening over a soundbar or a smart speaker are going to notice.

It's disappointing that Spotify has chosen a lower-quality stream than the competition. While testing and comparing, I still found that Qobuz sounded better, Tidal came a close second, followed by Apple Music. Spotify came in fourth place. I'd like to see Spotify upgrade its streaming quality further in future updates, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Want to know more about the streaming differences between Spotify and its competition? I've compared them all here.

I don't like: Higher data useage

This one was always going to be a given. It's true for the other hi-res streaming services, but it's no less a drawback for any of them as it is for Spotify Lossless. Because the lossless tracks are so much larger than the standard MP3s, you'll see an increase in data usage when you play them over your phone's data plan.

There are a couple of ways to mitigate this issue. The first is to download all your tracks to your phone, although that uses valuable storage space. Or, you could buy a larger data plan from your carrier, an extra expense so that you can listen to higher quality music.

I spent a couple of days comparing my data usage between listening to Spotify high quality and Spotify Lossless, and my data usage skyrocketed between the two. It's something worth bearing in mind, particularly if you're going to listen to lossless on the go.

Spotify Lossless: My verdict

Is Spotify Lossless worth it? Well, if you're already subscribed, you're not going to pay any more for the service than you are right now. In my eyes, that's a massive bonus. It's another reason to stay subscribed to the service.

If, however, you're looking for the best hi-res lossless experience around, you're better off looking elsewhere. Lossless is the best that Spotify has ever sounded, but Qobuz and Tidal still sound far better at their highest quality. Want to listen over some expensive headphones in a moody, darkened room with a glass of scotch? Ditch the green circle and go for Qobuz.

You'll thank me later.

Spotify Lossless is rolling out to users right now, although we've found that some users (even on the Tom's Guide team) don't have access yet. To double-check you've got Spotify Lossless, make sure the app is updated and then check your streaming quality section. If it's not there, it likely will be soon.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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