Spotify Audio Quality vs Slacker

[TheGrimSweeper]

WIth V10 rolling out and Spotify coming to North American market I wanted to see if there was any discernible difference in quality between Spotify and Slacker.

I believe Slacker streams at either 128kbps or 160kbps.

Should we expect the same from Spotify?

 

[JGard]

From what I've read, Slacker streams at 64kbps in the Teslas

 

[towndrunk]

From what I've read, Spotify premium ($10/month after 3 month trial) is required. Slacker is free.

I'm sticking with Slacker.

 

[Zorak03]

I can’t tell any difference in the audio quality. I just happily canceled my premium slacker subscription.

 

[Moze1021]

From what I've read, Spotify premium ($10/month after 3 month trial) is required. Slacker is free.

I'm sticking with Slacker.

FWIW, comparing Spotify to Slacker is like comparing on-demand video to old school basic cable with no dvr...

 

[JD M3]

I can’t tell any difference in the audio quality. I just happily canceled my premium slacker subscription.

I didn't notice any difference in the quality either

 

[MoHazee4]

Either way, Slacker (imo) is pretty much garbage. Same songs over and over.

 

[wingnutsglory]

That's disappointing (bitrate/quality), though I didn't really expect that it would increase. At least it's not what Spotify classifies as "Low" (24 kb/s). Wish it was High at least though (160)...

 

[TheTonester]

FWIW, comparing Spotify to Slacker is like comparing on-demand video to old school basic cable with no dvr...

Can you elaborate on this? I assume you're saying Spotify is superior. What is better about it/worse about Slacker?

 

[Dan203]

Can you elaborate on this? I assume you're saying Spotify is superior. What is better about it/worse about Slacker?

Spotify has a much bigger catalog. It also has a huge collection of playlists that are curated by both the company and the community.

 

[Mike Prachar]

Want to get depressed? Compare a song back to back on the streamed Spotify in the Tesal app to bluetooth from your phone...

 

[firstsnow]

Want to get depressed? Compare a song back to back on the streamed Spotify in the Tesal app to bluetooth from your phone...

which is better? I’m trying to compare and see but I’m not an audiophile.

 

[JulienW]

Streaming quality is selected/dictated by the device (Car). Tesla limits the data rate to about 64Kbps since they are paying. So any differences would be in codec and/or mastering.

 

[Moze1021]

Can you elaborate on this? I assume you're saying Spotify is superior. What is better about it/worse about Slacker?

Don't have Spotify in my car yet... But my experience as a Spotify premium user for several years and Slacker in car user since June:

With Spotify you can make your own playlists, listen to a favorite album straight through, start a song over or repeat it, listen to almost any song you want any time, and they have discover "channels" that will play music similar to what you like (not like the Slacker "favorites" channel where they just throw you different songs by artists you have liked a song for)

Spotify is on demand, listen to what you want. Slacker is basically radio.

 

[TheTonester]

Don't have Spotify in my car yet... But my experience as a Spotify premium user for several years and Slacker in car user since June:

With Spotify you can make your own playlists, listen to a favorite album straight through, start a song over or repeat it, listen to almost any song you want any time, and they have discover "channels" that will play music similar to what you like (not like the Slacker "favorites" channel where they just throw you different songs by artists you have liked a song for)

Spotify is on demand, listen to what you want. Slacker is basically radio.

I asked this question in another thread and haven't gotten an answer: when I say "play Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", and it plays, what is the source? Slacker? And if so, isn't that "on demand"? Because so far every song I've requested has played.

 

[Bill Price]

Spotify is on demand, listen to what you want. Slacker is basically radio.

IMHO, Pandora has both of these streaming apps beaten soundly. Pandora allows me to listen to what I want without repeating those songs over and over AND will interject or suggest other songs to play that are similar in genre to what you want to listen to. You can thumbs up or thumbs down whatever song you like or dislike. If you thumbs down a song, you will never hear it again. My only caveat to Pandora is that I need to connect to it via bluetooth with my iPhone and, as such, the sound quality is not up there with those that use streaming directly to the Tesla.

 

[KFORE]

I've noticed slightly better quality when streaming Spotify via BT vs. using the native Spotify player. It's quite unfortunate, really.

 

[wingnutsglory]

What is the car's BT "ability" (max rate)?

I searched for it and couldn't find a source for the max transfer rate a M3 is able to receive from a phone. That would help in quantifying the differences between native streaming, BT streaming from another source, and playing from a USB stick.

 

[dmurphy]

What is the car's BT "ability" (max rate)?

I searched for it and couldn't find a source for the max transfer rate a M3 is able to receive from a phone. That would help in quantifying the differences between native streaming, BT streaming from another source, and playing from a USB stick.

v10 added 48khz sampling via BT. That helps a ton.

 

[KFORE]

v10 added 48khz sampling via BT. That helps a ton.

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