{"id":142915,"date":"2025-09-14T08:36:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T08:36:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/142915\/"},"modified":"2025-09-14T08:36:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T08:36:10","slug":"if-youre-using-airpods-spotify-lossless-wont-save-your-bluetooth-commute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/142915\/","title":{"rendered":"If you\u2019re using AirPods, Spotify Lossless won\u2019t save your Bluetooth commute"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AirPods<\/p>\n

Chase Bernath \/ SoundGuys<\/p>\n

Spotify finally rolled out its Lossless audio feature<\/a>. After four years of delays and vague promises, it\u2019s here: 24-bit\/44.1kHz FLAC audio streaming for anyone who wants a more detailed, higher-fidelity listening experience.<\/p>\n

On paper, it sounds magical. But if you\u2019re listening on a pair of AirPods or literally any other wireless Bluetooth earbuds, high-end or not, you simply won\u2019t hear the difference. Lossless audio is only as good as the connection getting it to your ears. And Bluetooth? It\u2019s still very much a bottleneck.<\/p>\n

So, before you flip on HiFi mod<\/a>e and expect your playlists to suddenly transform your morning commute into a private Abbey Road listening session, let\u2019s talk about what this update really offers, who can take advantage of it, and why it\u2019s not designed for your morning train ride to work.<\/p>\n

\nWhat you\u2019re actually getting with Spotify Lossless\n<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how to flip on Spotify Lossless audio.<\/p>\n

Spotify\u2019s new Lossless mode streams your music in up to 24-bit, 44.1kHz FLAC. That\u2019s full CD-quality audio with no lossy compression. Compared to Spotify\u2019s existing \u201cVery High\u201d setting, this version preserves even more of the original recording and production details in each track. Vocals sound more detailed, instruments are easier to distinguish, and subtle textures like reverberated vocals or modulated guitar tones come through more easily.<\/p>\n

Sounds ideal, doesn\u2019t it? The truth is, this new feature only matters if your gear is actually capable of delivering that detail, and this is where your expensive wireless earbuds<\/a> fall short.<\/p>\n

Bluetooth still compresses everything
\n\"A<\/p>\n

Some members of our team found the new AirPods 4 design comfortable; others did not.<\/p>\n

No matter how fancy your earbuds are or how much you paid for them, AirPods Pro<\/a>, Sony\u2019s WF-1000XM5s<\/a>, Bose QC Ultras<\/a>, whatever your flavor, none of them currently support lossless audio over Bluetooth. End of story. Even with codecs like LDAC<\/a> or aptX Adaptive<\/a>, Bluetooth doesn\u2019t have the bandwidth for accurate CD-quality audio. At best, you are getting something that is close to lossless under perfect conditions, but at the end of the day, it\u2019s still compressed.<\/p>\n

So while Spotify might send a pristine lossless stream, your earbuds are compressing it again before it ever reaches your ears. That compression flattens dynamics and takes some of the life out of your music. Those are the exact things Spotify Lossless is supposed to fix.<\/p>\n

What you need to hear Spotify Lossless
\n\"A<\/p>\n

Christian Thomas \/ SoundGuys<\/p>\n

Wireless headphones need a wired USB-C option.<\/p>\n

To actually hear Spotify Lossless, you need a setup that avoids Bluetooth entirely. That means keeping the audio signal digital until it reaches a proper digital-to-analog converter (DAC)<\/a>, which turns digital audio into the analog signal your headphones or speakers need.<\/p>\n

Every phone and computer already has a built-in DAC, but those DACs are often limited. If your phone doesn\u2019t have a headphone jack, you\u2019re relying on a USB-C or Lightning adapter to handle the conversion, and those adapters usually contain very basic DAC chips. That\u2019s why many people choose to upgrade to a desktop DAC, which gives you cleaner conversion, more power, and better support for a wide range of headphones.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what works:<\/p>\n

Wired headphones and IEMs connected to a DAC: This could be an external USB DAC like the FiiO K11<\/a>, or even an audio interface like a Focusrite Scarlett<\/a>. If you\u2019ve already got something like the Scarlett on your desk, you\u2019re good to go\u2014just plug in your wired headphones or IEMs<\/a> and stream lossless from the desktop app.<\/p>\n

Headphones that support audio over USB-C:\u00a0Some headphones, like the Sennheiser Momentum 4<\/a> (when plugged in), Audeze Maxwell<\/a>, or even the AirPods Max<\/a> with the right cable, have their own DACs built in. In this case, your phone just passes the digital stream, and the headphones themselves do the digital-to-analog conversion.<\/p>\n

For example, if you plug the Sennheiser Momentum 4 into an iPhone 16 over USB-C, you\u2019re good to go and can enjoy Spotify Lossless. The Momentum 4 uses its built-in DAC, and the iPhone just sends the digital signal along. Adding an external DAC wouldn\u2019t improve much, because the headphones are already handling that process internally.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t built for the subway
\n\"A<\/p>\n

You\u2019d be surprised how noisy the outside world is.<\/p>\n

Even if you had the perfect mobile setup with lossless audio, streaming music while walking through a noisy street or riding the subway isn\u2019t going to unlock some magical new dimension of sound. Your ears are already working overtime to compete with traffic, construction noise, screeching brakes, and the guy two seats down watching TikToks with no headphones. This is what commuter listening looks like. It\u2019s chaotic, random, and loud. In this setting, fit is everything.<\/p>\n

A proper fit, whether using earbuds or over-ear headphones, will do more for your sound quality than any streaming upgrade during your commute. A good seal improves passive isolation<\/a>, which lets ANC<\/a> do its job. When that\u2019s working well, your ears can finally focus on the music.<\/p>\n

Fit also determines whether your bass sounds tight, or lacking. If your earbuds are too loose, or your over-ears are leaking sound, maybe you\u2019re wearing sunglasses or a beanie, no amount of FLAC files is going to save the experience. So, if you are trying to improve your commute, don\u2019t start by chasing Spotify\u2019s new Lossless feature. Start with better-fitting ear tips<\/a>. That\u2019s still the most impactful upgrade you can make.<\/p>\n

Where Spotify Lossless does make sense
\n\"Man<\/p>\n

Jhaycee Calvez \/ SoundGuys<\/p>\n

Do you still take time to listen to music?<\/p>\n

Spotify Lossless really shines when you\u2019re in a quiet space with the time and gear to actually appreciate it. Maybe you\u2019ve already got a pair of wired headphones and a good DAC. Maybe you\u2019re listening through a proper home theater setup with a receiver and decent speakers. Either way, it\u2019s that kind of setup\u2014where you can sit down and really pay attention\u2014that makes lossless streaming worth it.<\/p>\n

This is for those moments when you\u2019re not just throwing on a playlist in the background. It\u2019s for when you\u2019re queuing up a favorite album, start to finish, and giving it your full attention. That\u2019s when you start to hear the little details. It\u2019s not always a night-and-day difference, but if you love music, you\u2019ll probably notice it.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve already got gear that can reveal that detail, there\u2019s no reason not to flip on lossless. It costs nothing, and it gives you a cleaner window into the music you already love. Just don\u2019t expect it to work miracles on a crowded subway or with AirPods in your ears. Lossless is for when you\u2019re really listening.<\/p>\n

The takeaway
\n\"The<\/p>\n

Chase Bernath \/ SoundGuys<\/p>\n

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come with a 2.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable.<\/p>\n

Spotify Lossless is finally here, but it\u2019s not all sonic rainbows for everyone. For the millions of people streaming Bluetooth audio on the go, it\u2019s irrelevant. Unless you\u2019re wired, you\u2019re still hearing a compressed version of your music. That\u2019s not a problem, it\u2019s just a limitation of the tech.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re listening casually with ANC earbuds<\/a> during your commute, stick to \u201cVery High\u201d and enjoy your playlist. If you\u2019re listening critically at home with the right gear, such as a pair of wired headphones running through a desktop DAC or an audio interface, turn on Lossless and hear what you have been missing.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, lossless audio isn\u2019t for everyone, but for those who care, it is finally an option.<\/p>\n

Will you use Spotify Lossless Audio?<\/p>\n

38 votes<\/p>\n

Yes, with the right gear.<\/p>\n

61%<\/p>\n

No, I only use Bluetooth.<\/p>\n

39%<\/p>\n

Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chase Bernath \/ SoundGuys Spotify finally rolled out its Lossless audio feature. After four years of delays and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":142916,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[59426,49,48,6758,61],"class_list":{"0":"post-142915","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-airpods","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-spotify","12":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142915","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142915"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142915\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142915"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142915"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142915"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}