The state of lossy audio in 2022.

[Ambient384]

In that case, increase the bitrate to 192kbps and call it a day. At 192kbps, modern codecs like Opus, AAC, and Vorbis are tied and essentially transparent.

Yeah AAC is 2nd when It comes to having support and I'm willing to agree that It blows MP3 out the water at 192kbps VBR after testing FHG AAC & Apple AAC more.

 

[Ambient384]

The gap is very wide 160kbps AAC is transparent at 100% with FHG covering other stuff that chokes on QAAC, while I need 256kbps MP3 to come close at 98% quality wise.

 

[Palladium]

My ears are getting more lossy for each year that passes.

Probably the reason why I couldn't tell any difference between the Hydrogenaudio's original castanet.wav and the 1999 Xing 64kbps MP3 encode on my Topping E50 + iLoud monitors. Before that I thought 64kbps would be an obvious slam dunk degradation like music coming out from a cellphone speaker.

 

[all24bits]

I've run extensive tests on Spotify vs Tidal. At 320 Spotify, the sound is more energetic and punchy and full. It sounds more "alive". I even prefer it to the 320 Tidal which sounds a bit washed out. When you get to Lossless on Tidal, that's where the sound pulls ahead, depending on your preferences - the Tidal Lossless sounds more laid back and expansive. But I can see people prefering the Spotify even over Tidal Lossless if they like a richer fatter sound.

 

[Aerith Gainsborough]

I've run extensive tests on Spotify vs Tidal. At 320 Spotify, the sound is more energetic and punchy and full. It sounds more "alive". I even prefer it to the 320 Tidal which sounds a bit washed out. When you get to Lossless on Tidal, that's where the sound pulls ahead, depending on your preferences - the Tidal Lossless sounds more laid back and expansive. But I can see people prefering the Spotify even over Tidal Lossless if they like a richer fatter sound.

That reads as if there is some normalizing / post processing involved on the streaming services end.

 

[ahofer]

That reads as if there is some normalizing / post processing involved on the streaming services end.

or the listener end

 

[Basic Channel]

or the listener end

He did extensive tests though....

Personally I'd stream spotify 320 to my sub for rich and fat low end and the tidal flac to my main speakers for the smooth laid back detail of lossless. Although if I am listening to something ambient, maybe I'd play it in tidal 320 so it sounds really washed out. And if I put music on and go for a shower in the nearby room I'd play spotify 320 because the alive nature of it runs down through the hallway and into the bathroom.

A format for all situations.