Spotify's new lossless audio quality offers a noticeable improvement over its standard streams, especially with acoustic music and using wired headphones. However, the difference is subtle and may not be apparent with compressed music or Bluetooth listening. While competing services offer hi-res lossless audio, the improvement over standard lossless is minimal and often not worth the extra cost or technical requirements. Spotify's lossless audio is capped at 24-bit/44.1kHz, unlike some competitors offering 24-bit/192kHz. To fully appreciate Spotify Lossless, wired headphones and the desktop or mobile app are necessary.

Prepared by Jonathan Pierce and reviewed by editorial team.