Spotify VS Apple Music - Does lossless matter?

Поділитися
Вставка
  • Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
  • GoldenSound compares the sound quality, library and features of two streaming giants; Spotify and Apple Music.
    Apple Music: www.apple.com/apple-music/
    Spotify: spotify.com/
    LosslessSwitcher: github.com/vincentneo/Lossles...
    Read more headphone, IEM, amp, and DAC Reviews: Headphones.com/TheAudioFiles
    Our Editorial Policy: Headphones.com/TheAudioFiles/...
    Join our Discord server: go.headphones.com/discord
    Measurement Index
    forum.headphones.com/t/index-...
    Resolve's Headphone Ranking:
    headphones.com/blogs/buying-g...
    How to read the new measurements:
    • A new standard for hea...
    The 10 stages of headphone measurements
    • The 10 stages you’ll g...
    00:00 - Intro
    00:44 - Library Size
    02:38 - Sound Quality
    08:21 - Extra Features
    09:59 - Conclusion
  • Розваги

КОМЕНТАРІ • 642

  • @SomeThingElseYT
    @SomeThingElseYT 6 місяців тому +1683

    Remember when spotify announced they would be getting lossless soon? Sigh... 2 years later still waiting

    • @GoldenSound
      @GoldenSound 6 місяців тому +113

      "It's been 84 years....."

    • @eruilluvitar
      @eruilluvitar 6 місяців тому +44

      Do you remember when Spotify promised to stream lossless? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

    • @kartoffelbrei8090
      @kartoffelbrei8090 6 місяців тому +41

      lossless streaming is a scam anyways.

    • @Johannes1694
      @Johannes1694 6 місяців тому

      @@kartoffelbrei8090not if you stream on a hifi system

    • @leokuiper2593
      @leokuiper2593 5 місяців тому

      @@kartoffelbrei8090explain

  • @DeTAYL.
    @DeTAYL. 5 місяців тому +566

    Apple Music has come a long way. I felt at one time that Spotify was clearly the best streaming service out there. But with the improvements that AM has made in regards to gapless playback, song credits, karaoke etc. I really believe AM is the best streaming service available at the moment.

    • @davidRios622
      @davidRios622 5 місяців тому +31

      also very good integration with iCloud , can upload albums not available on streaming , and will be available for me on all devices .

    • @CGingerbreadman
      @CGingerbreadman 5 місяців тому +5

      And now you can do collaborative playlists finally, and the discovery station they introduced ain’t too bad either

    • @iam_eduu
      @iam_eduu 5 місяців тому +18

      i love AM but i always see myself coming back to spotify because of the way song queue works. spotify creates a list of songs when you select songs to play next, but AM adds the song to play immediately after, ignoring a list order

    • @zoande83
      @zoande83 4 місяці тому

      Also the deal for iCloud space and every single Apple subscription is also a great deal

    • @notinterestedx
      @notinterestedx 4 місяці тому

      if you click play later, it will work properly. For some reason, clicking play next quite literally means play next and will mean that any songs you have already got queued will keep getting pushed back. but clicking play later keeps it in the order you want.@@iam_eduu

  • @davenewcomer
    @davenewcomer 5 місяців тому +96

    I have both services and always thought that Apple Music had an edge in audio quality. That being said, I much prefer using Spotify as I find the app much friendlier to use. I also prefer how Spotify functions across different devices, it works very seamlessly between my phones, iPad, Apple TVs, HomePods, and echo devices. Apple needs to work on the interface/user experience.

    • @ellimac4386
      @ellimac4386 3 місяці тому +8

      I had the same complaint but my problem was with Spotify😂I like that Apple Music is more album-oriented whereas Spotify is almost purely playlist-based. AM is exactly like a personal library and Spotify is more of a platform. I used Spotify for four years before switching to AM in 2016. Nowadays I still use the free Spotify from time to time but I can’t never go back. It’s really down to personal preferences.

    • @RexRex-tz3dv
      @RexRex-tz3dv 2 місяці тому

      Ikr I like the audio quality(speaker) from spotify even though I’m using an iphone it’s so weird.

  • @joshuapatton675
    @joshuapatton675 6 місяців тому +279

    I switched from Spotify to Apple Music for three main reasons:
    1. External Files Support: Apple Music makes it easy to add my own files to my Apple Music library. These files even sync to all my devices.
    2. Smart Playlists: I can create playlists that are automatically populated based on Boolean logic. Some examples include a playlist that contains all songs in my library released in 2023 and a playlist that contains all no longer available songs, so I know which ones to replace using the previously mentioned feature.
    3. Spreadsheet-Like Desktop Interface: Apple Music gives you several columns of properties to hide or show in your library, such as the last time you listened to a song and the genre of the song.

    • @CaptureCat88
      @CaptureCat88 6 місяців тому +22

      Nerd!

    • @marcosvictor4935
      @marcosvictor4935 6 місяців тому +17

      I wasn't aware you could add external music files to Apple music thanks for the info, will be exporting some of my foobar library right away into my phone.

    • @ChronosSSR
      @ChronosSSR 6 місяців тому +8

      note that the syncing works via some kind of cloud (not iCloud), so all lossless files that are in your local apple music library on your Mac get converted to / appear as AAC on your phone / tablet. For true lossless "syncing" you have to manually move all of your files to your external device (via USB), every single time you want to add new music.
      Edit: I think this also works via WI-FI now if you want to sync wirelessly.

    • @joshuapatton675
      @joshuapatton675 6 місяців тому

      @@ChronosSSR I didn't know this, so thanks for letting me know. Regardless, I'll still use this feature for its convenience.

    • @ChronosSSR
      @ChronosSSR 6 місяців тому

      Fair @@joshuapatton675

  • @chessforfunonly1586
    @chessforfunonly1586 5 місяців тому +13

    PS: great video, by the way! And no annoying sponsor commercials in it.
    Love it!

  • @PaulSeagull
    @PaulSeagull 5 місяців тому +40

    Didn't say a word about Dolby Atmos? Among other things, it's one of the main reasons why I choose Apple Music.

    • @bobbyDig
      @bobbyDig 2 місяці тому +4

      It is a game changer. It gets better all the time.

    • @baoboba
      @baoboba Місяць тому +7

      it’s great for speakers, not so great for headphones imo

    • @jaan-die-Skaap
      @jaan-die-Skaap Місяць тому +1

      @@baoboba i love iy with headphones

    • @jivansuy
      @jivansuy Місяць тому +3

      ⁠@@baoboba nah with head tracked feature on my airpods pro, it’s a complete game changer

  • @GoufinAround_
    @GoufinAround_ 6 місяців тому +33

    White Sea Studio did a good comparison video using a song that he had mixed for a client to test each major service for data loss vs the original master and vs each service at each tier’s maximum streaming bit rate . He explains his methodology in the video too. It’s a good watch. I’d also like to see you compared UA-cam music since it comes with UA-cam premium and allows you to add videos people have just uploaded into you audio only playlists on UA-cam music

    • @AK4SHGaming
      @AK4SHGaming День тому

      Bruh it doesn't take a genius to figure out UA-cam music gives you ear cancer. Even a kid could answer your question

  • @andrewchitwood8554
    @andrewchitwood8554 6 місяців тому +20

    Really appreciate your detailed analysis of Spotify and Apple Music. Very enlightening. Would love to hear your views on other music services as well--Tidal and Qobuz in particular.

  • @acescok
    @acescok 4 місяці тому +4

    Well, by now it is fairly straightforward and simple for me. I use spotify for genre specific music recommendations based on my listening experiences and Apple Music for playing it out loud on my hifi and also for streaming specific songs

  • @MOWFWDU
    @MOWFWDU 6 місяців тому +7

    Thanks for the review. I was hoping you would talk about Airplay and the quality of wireless streaming connections for both services. It's clear that while Apple Music connected to my network wirelessly is very good sounding (using Audirvana Studio), it's clear that when I connect my MacBook Pro (to my LAN with an ethernet cable (using a good network switch which feeds my steaming DAC) and streaming Apple Music upnp, the quality of the music is noticeable better. I am still hazy about Airplay's capabilities....

  • @alstonmaccow9386
    @alstonmaccow9386 6 місяців тому +6

    You are so right with everything you say. I love watching your videos but they are few and far between. We need more content

  • @NotTheOnlyMattAround
    @NotTheOnlyMattAround 6 місяців тому +56

    As an Amazon Music HD user, I'd love to see that thrown into the mix. It also has an exclusive mode on PC, but I have to confess that until this video I was never fully clear on what it did.

  • @Phaseish
    @Phaseish 5 місяців тому +1

    i am again confused by the mac switching are you saying that everysong that you play on applle music you have to switch to the bitrate / sample rate from what is showing on the hud interface?
    and for windows you're saying you can't play lossless with apple music preview , again I don't get that either?

  • @bakebass
    @bakebass Місяць тому +1

    you people have my sub! what a great comparison

  • @kristophergurley585
    @kristophergurley585 6 місяців тому +6

    Lossless switcher was unstable and mucked up other facets of my audio when using. Granted, my Macs are older and I use then in odd ways(broadcasting)but for me at least, it wasn't a end all solution for me.

  • @Patagoona
    @Patagoona 6 місяців тому +8

    Amazon Music (standard) please! Also, what was the specific track that you ABXed lossless to 320kbps 14/15 trials and how did you determine they were from exactly the same master?

  • @smoloms
    @smoloms 6 місяців тому +11

    I’m just gonna stay on Spotify because it just works. At the end of the day as long as I’m enjoying the music does it really matter what you are using?

  • @johnchallenger3204
    @johnchallenger3204 4 місяці тому +2

    excellent presentation - I learned a lot, thank you

  • @panzer3279
    @panzer3279 6 місяців тому +20

    5:57 This has changed with Android 14. Android will no longer resample audio to 48 kHz. Quoting from Google directly:
    "Android 14 gains support for lossless audio formats for audiophile-level experiences over USB wired headsets. You can query a USB device for its preferred mixer attributes, register a listener for changes in preferred mixer attributes, and configure mixer attributes using a new AudioMixerAttributes class. It represents the format, such as channel mask, sample rate, and behavior of the audio mixer. The class allows for audio to be sent directly, without mixing, volume adjustment, or processing effects. We are working with our OEM partners to enable this feature in devices later this year."

    • @thunderstar254
      @thunderstar254 5 місяців тому +2

      Unfortunately we're still waiting, first for every phone manufacturer and second for Spotify and Apple to get on board and actually try implementing it functionally... LG could've been counted on but... Good luck with that lol. Knowing Spotify's superpremium plans, apple's elitist attitude, and both of their track records, Android will remain screwed for the foreseeable future.
      The real question is how soon affordable DAP companies can secure contracts from Android 14 chipset suppliers, but knowing _their_ small-scale purchasing power and track record, Android 16 or 17 will probably be out by the time 14 reaches affordable DAPs.
      Apple ruined the industry and destroyed innovation as always, when they began pushing camera supremacy narratives, nuked everything else including their iTouch, and easily manipulated their gullible base.

    • @charlienyc1
      @charlienyc1 5 місяців тому

      ​@@thunderstar254All good points. Another one: Apple influenced Samsung, OnePlus, etc. to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from their devices, stifling the ability to use high quality wired headphones and other output devices without a $h1ttY dongle.

  • @AndrewYates179
    @AndrewYates179 5 місяців тому

    Hi Can you tell us which sound gear you use ..? Now I’m using Apple Music. Thanks for the great video.

  • @giacomonovara
    @giacomonovara 5 місяців тому

    Good. Bing deeply in the Apple ecosystem, if you want to stream Apple Music to a hifi system, does airplay allow high quality streaming? Which streamers work best with Apple music? Is the eversolo as good as advertised for this? Thanks

  • @kurdistan2000
    @kurdistan2000 5 місяців тому +31

    It would be great to have an integration of the live dates of the artists in Apple Music. Also the transparency of the clicks and more social features with friends (which is very limited and complicated at the moment)

  • @marcosvictor4935
    @marcosvictor4935 6 місяців тому +1

    The availability issue I have is for all streaming services and is specifically on the OST... Genre? Spotify seems to be the one with the most OSTs available to stream, but still doesn't have all of them, Apple music comes in second place from the 3 services I tested, and lastly deezer has almost none of the OSTs I listen to. Mind you I listen to OSTs from all kinds of audiovisual productions, so it includes movies, videogames, western and eastern animations, etc. I've been using apple music because it also has lossless streaming and is cheaper than Spotify but really I'd be glad if I could have more OSTs in there.

  • @Lishtenbird
    @Lishtenbird 6 місяців тому +33

    Technically, you can bypass Android's audio subsystem, but that does require separate apps (USB Audio Player Pro, Poweramp...) which will communicate with your DAC directly.

    • @RaphaelStarr
      @RaphaelStarr 6 місяців тому +2

      Can you do that with Apple music though? I thought those options were just for Tidal, Qobuz, and local files.

    • @Lishtenbird
      @Lishtenbird 6 місяців тому +5

      @@RaphaelStarr Not from what I know - but apparently USB audio is coming with Android 14, so maybe these apps will support it then natively.

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому +5

      That's the beauty of Android. You can do whatever you want.

    • @jackdelarosa6036
      @jackdelarosa6036 6 місяців тому

      I stream Apple Music through Eversolo DMP-A6 own Android version of Apple Music and send the HI Def to the main Amp/speaker system or separately to my headphone Amp. It bypasses Androids forced down sampling restrictions and get Apple Music streamed lossless Hi-def bitstream so problem solved.

    • @therumbler
      @therumbler 5 місяців тому +1

      Apple's iOS has always been superior for audio. From day 1 it has had the best pipeline for developers. Yes, Android might have "a way" for devs to do it, but it's not the default. And Spotify/Apple Music do not have that support. Not _really_ "do what you want" if the devs haven't added support in the apps.

  • @GadZookz
    @GadZookz 6 місяців тому +3

    Thanks GS! You always give us truly useful info and lots of it. To test variety fully it would help to have a huge playlist with tens of thousands of tracks from someone who has been around forever like Count Trackula. Vampires are not known for their generosity so good luck getting it though. 🤔

  • @user-eu1kq3xq6o
    @user-eu1kq3xq6o 6 місяців тому +4

    using a dragonfly cobalt, be curious your opinion on tidal vs qobuz. I liked apple but compared to the other two services i feel like apple is quieter and less low end. seems like qobuz has the best soundstage to my ears

    • @Lauren080508
      @Lauren080508 5 місяців тому

      Probably you should upgrade your dongle first, yours is old tech, not to mention overpriced, its amp is poor, has little ability to drive low impedance headphones, there countless of modern dongles that outperforms the cobalt by miles for a fraction of the price

  • @iKaGe01
    @iKaGe01 6 місяців тому +5

    Interesting on your 14/15 correct tests on ABX.
    Which song was it?
    I've done many tests, even on a KEF LS50 and only when switching unrealistically fast could I hear any difference in say, cymbal hits

    • @Lauren080508
      @Lauren080508 5 місяців тому +1

      I've done same test and failed, and I have high-end Revel speakers, the true is you have to be trained in detect compression artifacts and have special setting where you can swtch back and forward really really fast in very short specific areas where compression artifacts reside. Doing it listening a song for few second then switch is quite difficult. It is like a guy telling me he can run 100 meters under 10 seconds, yes it is possible , but I would have to see it to believe it.

    • @Chris_Hruska
      @Chris_Hruska Місяць тому

      @@Lauren080508 also a full 100mb photo on my phone looks exactly the same even when zoomed in compared to the same photo compressed to 2.5 mb. it's wild that you don't really seen Any artifacts even when zoomed in. audio is the same. its like looking at both zoomed out. nobody can tell the difference.

    • @qq_qq_qq
      @qq_qq_qq 25 днів тому

      @@Chris_Hruska there are someone out there can tell the difference, by training and know what you are looking for.
      Does it mean it will sound better? absolutely not.

  • @marmottestar
    @marmottestar Місяць тому

    Loved the video but an angle I would have also been interested in is how both platforms pay the artists and if one is better

  • @nimzerz2422
    @nimzerz2422 6 місяців тому

    Nice, didn't expect to see the Jiro Inagaki album on there, I love that one

  • @RealMusicHype
    @RealMusicHype 6 місяців тому

    Good stuff.. We would love to add your music on our music blog!

  • @compromisedssh
    @compromisedssh 4 місяці тому

    Dumb question about the Lossless Switcher app mentioned in the video. Does it work with all media players? I usually listen to .flac files with VLC or Vox on MacOS. Should I be using Quicktime? I realize this video isn't focusing on this particular tangent, but I wouldn't have hated a bit more information.

  • @ishaan4193
    @ishaan4193 2 місяці тому +2

    00:02 Comparing Spotify and Apple Music in sound quality, song availability, and extra features.
    01:24 Both Spotify and Apple Music have extensive music libraries covering various genres.
    02:44 Apple Music offers higher sound quality than Spotify.
    04:10 Having lossless files is a meaningful upgrade if you have the gear for it.
    05:30 Apple Music provides bit perfect audio on iOS and macOS with some limitations
    06:56 Exclusive mode output allows for bit perfect audio
    08:20 Spotify offers podcasts, audiobooks, and personalized recommendations
    09:41 Spotify provides better cross-device accessibility and control.
    Crafted by Merlin AI.

  • @youwerekilled
    @youwerekilled 6 місяців тому +2

    Can you put links to the Playlists for both services in the description

  • @yanngranger498
    @yanngranger498 6 місяців тому +5

    Hi GoldSound, I would definitely like to see Tidal (now without the MQA thing) & Qobuz added into the Mix :) Thank you for the good work!

    • @ajc5869
      @ajc5869 4 місяці тому

      Tidal was the worst streaming service I ever used. Suffered through it for over two years, but the second apple music released lossless I dumped it and switched. Tidal’s UI and reliability is beyond terrible.

    • @ruger6049
      @ruger6049 4 місяці тому

      'I've never had problems with reliability, whatever that means, but I''m interested to know if Apple Music is available in all Countries. Tidal does not work in many European countries. Now that, pissed me off. But Tidal is on my DAP so I like that. I'm more interested in which service sounds the best. @@ajc5869

  • @YogaSusetya
    @YogaSusetya 6 місяців тому +1

    I use FiiO M11S, it’s Android and I can stream lossless via Apple Music. I used Samsung before and yes it downsampled because of its ‘audio enhancer’ feature.

  • @tool8337
    @tool8337 6 місяців тому +1

    We use napster which offers lossless. Would love to have a comparison 😊

  • @richardayrton2697
    @richardayrton2697 5 місяців тому +2

    Can I ask what may be a silly question re: sound quality? Assuming that the majority of folk stream via Bluetooth and do not use a DAC - what is the real world difference in sound quality between different streamers? I've read that Bluetooth via compression reduces sound quality - would this narrow the gap between Spotify & Apple for instance?

    • @TommyTaylorTX
      @TommyTaylorTX 2 місяці тому

      I’ve tried it with a dac and wired headphones vs Bluetooth, you can tell the difference wired but Bluetooth not so much, I could barley tell the difference if there even was any and only because I was concentrating on the side by side comparison between lossless and normal quality right then and there. Unless you have a audiophile ish set up at home your streaming quality doesn’t matter between these services if you’re listening via Bluetooth at that point the quality of your earbuds or headphones matters more than anything

  • @carlosalvarez7445
    @carlosalvarez7445 6 місяців тому +2

    Thanks GS, your videos are the most informative and clear. Of course we want to have a second part with other services compared. Only thinking you already have some of that info in a DMS video, which is already quiete good, so I'd like to get something added to that other video. Speaking of which, can USB Audio Player Pro help folks with Android phones get bitperfect music from the Apple service?

  • @matthiasblanco9381
    @matthiasblanco9381 24 дні тому

    Great Information, thanks! Could you do the same lossless test to check the actual sample rate listening to Apple Music through Airplay 2. Meaning playing the song directly from the Apple TV divide and streaming it from the iPhone over Airplay 2. I read some mixed opinions about this topic telling that it's being downsampled to an AAC lossy file. Would be amazing, thank you very much in advance!

  • @monterok006
    @monterok006 6 місяців тому

    But how can an ios software handles the sample rate if i use apple proprietary lightning to 3.5 dongle which are limited to 24/48? Wouldn't it downsamples hi res to 320kbps mp3? And also can it play 24/48 tracks bit perfectly?

  • @ConsecDesign
    @ConsecDesign 6 місяців тому +4

    Can you guys hit us with the playlist links?

  • @qboogie
    @qboogie 6 місяців тому

    Nice to hear you are into Droeloe. They have awesome production and sound incredible on great cans. BTW Saw him live and he pronounces it Droo-loo.

  • @krishaanmodi5769
    @krishaanmodi5769 Місяць тому

    can i play lossless audio with my nothing phone 2 on the nothing ear 2( both of which support high res audio codec i.e LHDC) if I change the bt audio sample rate to 192khz from the developer options on my phone?

  • @flowstatelabs
    @flowstatelabs 6 місяців тому +3

    Dude u own this niche on u tube. Keep bringing it brooo

    • @iikatinggangsengii2471
      @iikatinggangsengii2471 5 місяців тому

      i believe for other types wont be as intense, since they already represented perfectly, but who knows maybe some surprises

  • @kbar11
    @kbar11 6 місяців тому +4

    Use YT music since it comes with premium. Just wish it had lossless, with music videos and many songs that are no where else since they are on UA-cam only makes me like it a lot.

  • @audmac7534
    @audmac7534 6 місяців тому

    Respect those bands on the plaques! Where can I get them?

  • @syanhc
    @syanhc 5 місяців тому

    Can anyone help me install the lossless switcher on Sonoma macos? I can't see which file in the zip file I'm supposed to click on to install it? I've tried dragging it into applications but all that does is move the folder there!

  • @kirkhamilton775
    @kirkhamilton775 6 місяців тому

    I feel like I read somewhere that 44k gets upsampled to 48k on android but the higher bitrate files get passed to the dac. Only talking about upsampling in a few cases and not down sampling higher quality streams to 48k

  • @alexandre08
    @alexandre08 Місяць тому +2

    And dolby atmos ?

  • @frankw6496
    @frankw6496 5 місяців тому

    Can you actually get lossless music from Apple Music when playing music on Sonos devices?

  • @davegorthuis679
    @davegorthuis679 6 місяців тому +81

    Please do the same with Spotify and Tidal.

    • @rogerhuston8287
      @rogerhuston8287 6 місяців тому +16

      Agree, because Golden loves MQA on Tidal.

    • @rialdoroeloffze628
      @rialdoroeloffze628 6 місяців тому +3

      I have access to both. The quality difference does become audible if you have some good gear and then it becomes worth it but not if your system isn't particularly resolving. Tidal has better suggestions for my tastes than Spotify and Tidal also has better options for adding to your play que.

    • @rogerhuston8287
      @rogerhuston8287 6 місяців тому

      @@rialdoroeloffze628 - Yes, I used to like Tidal as well, until they weren't even giving me lossless quality. I do miss their suggestions algorithm, but I have covered that with Roon. I think once Spotify releases HQ audio, it will be game over for everyone else.

    • @snds2236
      @snds2236 6 місяців тому +12

      I’d also appreciate Apple vs Tidal

    • @davegorthuis679
      @davegorthuis679 6 місяців тому

      @@rialdoroeloffze628 thanks for your reply, i listen music via My Shanling up2022 portable dac connected to Kinera Celest Phoenixcall iem’s.

  • @fotogordon
    @fotogordon 5 місяців тому

    Sony NW-A306 runs on Android 12 and you can play High Resolution music. I don’t know if with streaming everything is resampled to 48000.

  • @openjaws
    @openjaws 5 місяців тому +2

    i love discovering new music which Spotify is great at doing, so im stickign with it

  • @Neil_Mackie
    @Neil_Mackie 6 місяців тому +2

    A Spotify vs ... series would be interesting. Im a dyed in the wool Deezer user so would be interested in your views on that, plus the twrrible recent redesign and the children's drawing like logo.

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому

      Spotify is the worst in terms of quality. Deezer is lossless. Even if you compare it to Tidal you won't be able to tell the difference. Because deezer is good enough already.

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому

      Who cares about the logo? LOL Deezer is awesome. I use it along with tidal and qobuz.

    • @Neil_Mackie
      @Neil_Mackie 6 місяців тому

      ​@@madd5because it went from a clean legible icon and UI/UX to one that looks like an icon for a niche dating app on your home screen. The update has also caused more errors for more people than before.

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому

      @@Neil_Mackie I don't know, it's working fine for me. The design is pretty good too. Yes, the heart on the icon is stupid LOL
      But their new font is awesome. Telling that as a web developer.

  • @philipm.4738
    @philipm.4738 5 місяців тому +2

    Very well done comparison. I have both and even with a cheap dongle DAC connected to my iPad mini and a budget pair of IEMs the difference in sound quality is very significant in favour of Apple. However, just as you say, Spotify is much better with their recommendations, especially their Release Radar Friday playlist. But just like you, I've been with Spotify much longer so that could be a factor. However, I've belonged to Apple for almost a year now and it's still more miss than hit on their recommendations.

  • @1swm1
    @1swm1 4 місяці тому

    Great comparison, GoldenSound. I've found that Apple does a great job with bluetooth devices, whereas Tidal is terrible from my experience. I can definitely tell the difference on my Svanar Wireless headphones, and so I use Tidal for my wired listening via my SP3000 and HiFiman Ananda Nano's which is great! I will say apple music sounds great as well with the latter set up. I also did try spotify and I'm not a fan. Its more the UI for me. And finally, your deep dive into MQA was awesome and I actually cancelled my Tidal subscription after that video. I recently restarted it after your lastest review of Tidal vs. Qobuz. Thanks for the great vids!

  • @AlumarsX
    @AlumarsX 6 місяців тому +3

    Apple Music on Android has cast, so I can keep my 5 year old Chromecast Audios rocking on for all my systems. I wish they'd do Cast on iOS as well instead of airplay.

  • @carson_cwc3671
    @carson_cwc3671 Місяць тому

    I might be switching to Spotify as I have an active Apple Music subscription that renews on April 16th but for some reason I can’t listen to music without wifi… I thought that was one of the main selling points of subscribing to music platforms was listening to music offline…

  • @nespressoman
    @nespressoman 5 місяців тому

    Thank you for this video. Looking forward to seeing if Qobuz is better than Apple.

  • @regentalwharf5310
    @regentalwharf5310 6 місяців тому

    What are the album planks on the background?

  • @krakentortoise7531
    @krakentortoise7531 6 місяців тому

    I would love a comparison of Roon and Audirvana. Coverage is sorely lacking in that space

  • @mumenrider677
    @mumenrider677 6 місяців тому +1

    Would love a video tutorial on how to setup a PC for optimal audio quality

  • @jdrukman
    @jdrukman 6 місяців тому

    “As long as providers are providing the same files to both services”… well that’s the rub isn’t. Apple has its Apple Digital Masters program (formerly Mastered for iTunes) which provides specific tools to help mastering houses understand how the music will sound once it’s been processed via’s apple pipeline. Theoretically they can make adjustments prior to delivery which will ensure a better final product.

  • @jeremiahbrown2339
    @jeremiahbrown2339 3 місяці тому +1

    I’m wondering does Apple having Dolby atmos matter as well?

  • @patblack9641
    @patblack9641 Місяць тому

    What headphones did you show in the clip?

  • @stevenlamontagne526
    @stevenlamontagne526 6 місяців тому

    Thank you Golden Sound! you make my mojo turn colors!

  • @jimmckeand8854
    @jimmckeand8854 6 місяців тому +4

    I enjoy the sound quality of Apple Music (I’m deep in the Apple ecosystem); however, I end up listening to albums (as opposed to individual tracks) on Qobuz or Tidal, as Apple Music is not providing Gapless playback, so linear albums (e.g. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon or side 2 of the Beatles’ Abbey Road) have significant/noticeable gaps between tracks, ruining the experience. I have been away from Spotify for a while now, but I believe that Spotify does present albums gaplessly (as do Tidal and Qobuz). I do like Apple Music’s Discovery system, as I’ve found many artists to listen to via that method - and its success there may be due to my having used Apple Music (and iTunes before that) for many, many years.

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому

      Tidal now has Suggested Tracks when you're listening to something. It's really good.

    • @razisn
      @razisn 6 місяців тому +4

      What are you talking about? What are you using for listening to Apple Music? Apple Music certainly provides gapless playback. I'm listening to the Dark Side on my Mac as I'm writing this and I promise you it couldn't have been more gapless..

    • @jimmckeand8854
      @jimmckeand8854 6 місяців тому +3

      @@razisn - this is interesting…I just played the first few tracks of Dark Side Of The Moon…and, yes, they were Gapless. I then tried parts of side 2 of Abbey Road, and…yes, they were Gapless, too. The only thing I can say is that something must have changed in the last week (either with my system/network or with Apple), as I even opened a support ticket with Apple on it. So…I’ll keep experimenting to see if I am able to duplicate my problems from before. I’m hoping that I cannot, as I enjoy using Apple Music. Thanks for your comment, it has spurred me to further research.

    • @jimmckeand8854
      @jimmckeand8854 6 місяців тому +1

      I _think_ I might have an answer…Apple has some albums that are mixed-format - “Lossless” and “Hi-Res Lossless”, and it “gaps” when switching between those two formats. At least that’s what I’m experiencing at the moment. I’ll keep testing.

    • @Chris_Hruska
      @Chris_Hruska Місяць тому

      @@jimmckeand8854 apple has had gapless as part of their music systems since at least the iPod 2001 maybe earlier but iTunes and any audio player they have ever made has had fully gapless playback for me. Steve Jobs was a big music fan and he made sure of this.

  • @gentleman3931
    @gentleman3931 6 місяців тому

    @the headphone show please share the 3 playlists. I want to discover new songs and genres. Thank you very much ❤️

  • @lolyes1786
    @lolyes1786 28 днів тому

    What about Spacial audio? And Dolby Atmos on Apple Music?

  • @Koutsn_
    @Koutsn_ 6 місяців тому

    I was running tidal for about a year, now back on spotify because the windows app of tidal got messed up with so many bugs. spotify sounds noticably worse, but at least it works for me, good enough to enjoy music.

  • @I_am_Pratik
    @I_am_Pratik 5 місяців тому

    My question is, if an Android phone advertises itself as "hi-res certified", can I listen to hi-res music on apple music from phone's speakers? Or it'll still resample to 48kHz ?

  • @turbomustang84
    @turbomustang84 6 місяців тому +4

    Apple allows me to add albums from my personal library that are not available from any streaming service but I still listen to UA-cam music most of the time because of convenience and it's free with my UA-cam premium

    • @madd5
      @madd5 6 місяців тому +1

      so does the tidal and deezer

  • @4crafters597
    @4crafters597 6 місяців тому +5

    As an Apple Music User, i agree that both the recommendations are hit or miss and the app connect is sorely missing, however the integration into Apples other products is great and most of the time streaming music from the device via bluetooth or airplay is all you need. Also, it is a bit cheaper due to the family plan and i, personally, prefer the look, so i really think it comes down to your preference

  • @Some_Where_On_Venus
    @Some_Where_On_Venus 7 днів тому

    Doesn’t Apple Music also have Dolby Atoms on most of the songs? Ik it doesn’t do much w just headphones but it is noticeable

  • @ninjanerdstudent6937
    @ninjanerdstudent6937 Місяць тому +16

    I like UA-cam Music more.

    • @balegdeh.
      @balegdeh. Місяць тому

      same, both apple music and spotify are very expensive where i live (11€ for each) but youtube music is included with youtube premium for me, my parents, and my 2 siblings🤷‍♂️ for just 24€ a month
      edit: not to mention that most of the things i care about (mashups, cupcakke remixes, normal remixes, etc) are not available in spotify/ apple music

  • @thegrumptastic
    @thegrumptastic 5 місяців тому

    Post each playlist?

  • @potheadluck
    @potheadluck 6 місяців тому

    could i get the 3 playlists?

  • @redwed6
    @redwed6 3 місяці тому

    Random little game I played while watching you for the first time, how many albums did I recognize behind you on your wall: Gorillaz (x2), Tame Impala, Daft Punk, Studio Killers, Mother Mother, WoodKid, Sugar Pine 7 (That's a funny one), Half Alive, Two Door Cinema Club, My Chemical Romance

  • @veetour
    @veetour 6 місяців тому

    0:12 Those ZMF Atriums look gorgeous.

  • @zuur303
    @zuur303 6 місяців тому +2

    I literally see Code Cool by Patricia Barber unavailable on the third playlist, yet scored 100 percent on both services?

  • @minhkhoinguyen8588
    @minhkhoinguyen8588 5 місяців тому

    9:45, Apple does provided Apple Car Play not only just for Apple Music but also has a lot of features

  • @DuranInternational
    @DuranInternational 6 місяців тому

    lossless switcher doesn't work my macbbok won't let me open it, it says there is no app that can open it

  • @FernandoGomez-jf1cv
    @FernandoGomez-jf1cv 4 місяці тому

    Does anyone knows if you can play lossless audio from the usb-c port on the iphone 15 pro?

  • @Lychegsye-nc6td
    @Lychegsye-nc6td 3 місяці тому +1

    APPLE MUSIC shows credits for mix, master, n instrumentalists. Just for that gets a thumbs up from me

  • @janidevansh
    @janidevansh 5 місяців тому

    I would love to see youtube music comparison as well!

  • @apkrishnamusic
    @apkrishnamusic 5 місяців тому +2

    there is no way to compare these two. Apple Music has so so much higher quality than Spotify. Cherry on top is that music makers upload high quality and spatial ( dolby atmos ) mixes to Apple Music, which is specialised for apple music only. Spotify compresses a 60MB WAV or FLAC file to a 7MB file. WTH 🤦
    Spotify compresses the file and re-encodes it to a smaller version, in this process the audio loses almost 30% of quality, especially in the lows and the higher frequencies. So it sounds very low and if you are a regular apple music guy, you will find it a huge different in terms of quality.

  • @jonathanwoodward6182
    @jonathanwoodward6182 Місяць тому

    Just checked, molossus is on spotify music in the batman begins album. Unless you are referring to a differen't track

  • @BillyKueekSG
    @BillyKueekSG 4 місяці тому

    I subscribe to Apple Music. On my MacBook Pro, I use the midi control so the switcher app is useful. What about iPhone and iPad Pro?

  • @marc8vino
    @marc8vino 6 місяців тому

    With MacOS...doesn't Apple Music play the best quality it can if you set the settings at a higher rate? Meaning if you set if for 192 and the file is 96 it will play it back at 96 or whatever the file is. I didn't think you had to match every song exactly.

  • @ramsatagopam18
    @ramsatagopam18 5 місяців тому

    Bro what about Dolby atmos ,Video songs ,sing mode & shareplay etc …??? You didn’t mention them. Now in india you can get apple music subscription free after adding cash via redeem code to apple account ( one month )

  • @ZotmundSzele
    @ZotmundSzele 5 місяців тому

    Spotify can also be downloaded and working offline on Garmin watches.

  • @TheTheCriticX
    @TheTheCriticX 9 днів тому +1

    What about iPad OS is this same as iOS

  • @x2damn
    @x2damn 5 місяців тому

    at 1:34 Track no 14 is unavailable on spotify

  • @stofferrussell
    @stofferrussell 5 місяців тому

    Also Apple lets you upload and store your own songs (ones they don’t already have) to their service so that’s a big plus for me.

  • @TheChazas
    @TheChazas 6 місяців тому +2

    6:04 ain't Android 14 finally stopped downsampling and is bit-perfect?

  • @NENathaniel
    @NENathaniel 6 місяців тому

    Is Apple Music still lossless with Sound Check (volume normalization) enabled?

  • @Chris_Hruska
    @Chris_Hruska Місяць тому

    do you really hear the difference between lossy and lossless. I can't for some reason. 320 aac is pretty great. what part of a song is best to tell the difference? everything that gets removed is quiet stuff that's hidden behind the loud stuff. like a person whispering behind a yelling person. you don't need the whisper data because its not heard over the louder stuff. is that not true?

  • @doniacx
    @doniacx 3 місяці тому

    is that an eversolo music streamer at 2:27?

  • @fishwinker
    @fishwinker 6 місяців тому +1

    I'm very interested in this, as I've just jumped into Apple Music from Spotify. I have always used Android phones, and I currently have a Galaxy S20FE (Android 13) and my old phone is an LG V30 (Android 9). I listen using a Hidizs S9 Pro that has an LED that changes colour when playing hi-res files, and it *does* change when fed a hi-res file from the Samsung, but not on the LG. I have no way of knowing exaclty what the sample rate is, so I'd love to know exactly what file format the Samsung is feeding to the DAC.

  • @lll8112
    @lll8112 5 місяців тому +1

    Apple music has better quality, while spotify has larger music catalog. Also, spotify has good recommendation base on your listening history and preference. Though I still prefere Apple music since it also come with free apple tv lol (student here btw).