Deezer vs Spotify - bitrate / sound quality
Apr 17, 2015 at 12:50 PM Post #17 of 41
I have started a thirty day free trial with Deezer, and to my ears with HQ enabled the sound quality is not 320 at all. I'm tempted to give Spotify a try with HQ enabled. 'HQ' tracks on Deezer sound like a typical transcoded file you'd find cut off at 16khz; everything sounds muddy. 
 
I'm interested to hear other peoples opinions on this who have Deezer. I've seen some threads where people swear by the service. I am open to the possibility that this could be all psychological. Maybe there was one 128kbps file and it changed my outlook. 
 
Apr 23, 2015 at 8:23 AM Post #18 of 41
Can't comment on Deezer, but this thread got me interested, since I occasionally use Spotify premium on my mobile phone. I burnt some songs from my CD's and converted them to 320kbps mp3's. The mp3's I burnt sounded better on my phone and way better on my big rig using various headphones. I've got a bunch of theories why this is, but it doesn't matter. Unfortunately Spotify doesn't provide true 320kbps quality.
 
Apr 25, 2015 at 1:10 PM Post #19 of 41
I probably should've updated the thread, since it's been a while and Deezer seems to have upgraded their entire library to 320kbps since(according to the amount of data that is transferred during streaming). I've actually moved from Spotify to Deezer around 3 months ago, and as far as sound quality goes, I've got no complains.
 
Jun 27, 2015 at 1:34 AM Post #20 of 41
fufula, have you compared today's Deezer with actual CDs you have? And the same comparison with Spotify premium? Have you noticed any difference? (Not that I believe it's easy to discern a good codec at maximum bitrate from uncompressed audio.)
 
Jul 7, 2015 at 11:54 AM Post #21 of 41
Hi people, I've been testing Premium+ Deezer (supposedly 320 kbps), I mainly listen to japanese artists and the sound quality on Deezer is crap. Not true 320 kbps whatsoever, sounds more like 128 kbps most songs (not popular ones I must say) I've tested. However, when listening to more mainstream artists (eg Kendrick Lamar) it sounds good though.I've been looking for discussions about this issue, but just what I've seen is Deezer propaganda, until I found this forum. Sorry, but I think all these streaming music services are pure scam, true 320 kpbs (let alone lossless!) is just for the well known artists, so people won't complain that much.
 
 
EDIT: I forgot to report that enabling HQ makes no difference at all on the "128kbps" songs.
 
Aug 24, 2015 at 10:54 PM Post #22 of 41
DaniloMisura, I'm not noticing any difference between Premium Spotify and Deezer. As for Spotify/Deezer HQ vs CDs/FLACs, well, it's the usual case of 320kbps/v0 vs lossless: sometimes you can hear a difference and sometimes you can't. Did A/B tests with the help of another person.
 
Vorpax, I disagree. Like I said, according to my ears -- and trust me, I can tell a 128kbps songs from 320kbps ones -- there isn't any difference between the two services. The streamed files are encoded at or around 320kbps, I measured it again on some obscure (6 fans obscure) electronica released this year. Can you provide specific examples where you hear a difference?
 
Sep 20, 2015 at 10:18 AM Post #23 of 41
I am using deezer for more than 4 years and can confirm their SQ improved a lot. 
Sadly there is no other option than to stream it using smartphone. I'd prefer dedicated player though.
 
Nov 14, 2015 at 4:07 PM Post #24 of 41
I was given Deezer for free as part of my Mobile phone package... and already had Spotify.
 
Tested them both by how they sound on: 
 
i) MacBook Pro output via HRT Streamer II to Ruark 4i compact 
 
ii) New MacBook output via HRT HD Streamer to Linn LK! and Isobarik Speakers
 
For me it's correct that Spotify sounds smoother, better separation and bass / treble response. But Deezer's not nearly as bad as I-Tunes which offered me a 3 month free trial!
 
For all their market domination the sound of I-Tunes new streaming service is relatively poor when they could so easily revoloutionise the quality of sound output. The whole world has broadband now and there's no excuse for continuing with small packets of MP3 levels of reproduction.
 
I suppose if streaming was as good quality as CD's no-one would buy them (the cd's).
 
Anyway, I've  cancelled my Free Trial and I'm staying with Spotify.
 
PS - I can also run 'Pure Music 3' as an addition / overlay to the MacBook's audio set-up.
 
Works well - most of the time. Intermittent very slight interferencee but I understand the company's working on it.
 
Jan 22, 2016 at 1:53 AM Post #26 of 41
Deezer has raised 100 millions €, if only they would extend Deezer Elite (FLAC) to all subscriber not just Sonos speakers...
 
Jan 22, 2016 at 11:45 AM Post #27 of 41
  If you want better quality go for TIDAL.

When I reviewed Tidal, I came accross many tracks that was NOT lossless, even some unbelievably crappy 96kbps tracks.
So I rage-quitted the service, and now fight against spreading the Tidal marketing ********s. So, I've have to correct you, not all tracks have better quality than Deezer/Spotify.
As far as I know, only Qobuz have 100% of their catalog lossless. but their catalog is not as good.
 
 
  Deezer has raised 100 millions €, if only they would extend Deezer Elite (FLAC) to all subscriber not just Sonos speakers...


Same here, and I wish it has more Open API and integration services, it can be used on Google Cast and Logitech Media Server, but cannot use it yet with my openupnp/dlna/openhome ecosystem.
 
As a premium subscriber, I don't have complaints with Deezer 320kbps. no problem so far on my smartphone, I love the app.
On PC, I don't like to use deezer with my browser (because of Flash!), so I use LMS + LMS-2-UPNP + Foobar2000. So I can use my foobar DSP and output device of my choice, at the price of a much weaker ergonomy.
 
Jan 22, 2016 at 11:51 AM Post #28 of 41
Good points, but I think Deezer would really rock the streaming market if they decided to widen the Elite offering... the fact they do offer it for Sonos customer might be a hint they're planning on this contrary to Spotify would has no plan apparently to go lossless :-\
 
You're stuck with Tidal or Qobuz if you want better quality... and my main complaint with Tidal is the lack of decent algorythm to build radios or mixes, curated content is good but not enough by far. Spotify is very good in that respect. The issue streaming services will have to go premium is that most customers are unwilling to pay extra for better quality. Not everybody is audiophile or music lover... the business model make it hard to have a wide catalog, decent features and high quality. I think Tidal is losing a lot of money because they over estimate the quality argument for most people.
 
Apr 11, 2016 at 5:50 AM Post #29 of 41
As a premium subscriber, I don't have complaints with Deezer 320kbps. no problem so far on my smartphone, I love the app.
On PC, I don't like to use deezer with my browser (because of Flash!), so I use LMS + LMS-2-UPNP + Foobar2000. So I can use my foobar DSP and output device of my choice, at the price of a much weaker ergonomy.
[/quote]Hello, I also like Deezer. But in my pc windows10 I used bubbleupnp server with Foobar2000 but can not make it work with Deezer. In my android tablet I receive no http stream found. In am interested in the detail of your setup to control Deezer from my tablet. Thank you.
 
Apr 11, 2016 at 6:34 AM Post #30 of 41
Well, only way to use bubbleupnp + deezer on a tablet is to use the Audio Cast function.
This specific option use Wanam Xposed (which itself need the Xposed Framework and a rooted compatible table).
Bubbleupnp just doesn't support Deezer as a cloud service.
 
Since I do not use Wanam Xposed anymore, I use AirAudio for Deezer ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.airaudio )
Off course, you still need a rooted device for AirAudio (because root access is needed to capture audio from other programs).
 

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