Spotify - who's got Premium then? (not really a techie thread, so I've put it in the caff)

[SpokeyDokey]

Doesn't matter how fast it's streamed it is still compressed lossy music. Ok for 'on the hoof' listening or bathroom fun but not the real deal imho.

 

[Norm]

I've got Spotify Premium (6 month subs came with Virgin Media account) and, well, Meh.

I've only been playing for a few weeks, but everything seems focused on selling me music.

The interface looks like itunes. I flipping hate itunes, Spotify emulating it is a huge negative point for me.

The last thing I want is to publish the music I'm listening to on Faecebook. No-one I know cares what I'm listening to, in just the same way that I don't care what they are listening to. If I want to publish something on Faecebook, I'll make the decision and do it myself.

I generally like listening to music in the car (not easy on Spotify), in bed (ditto) or at the PC (I'll give them that) but an ipod & WMP is much easier, with YouTube allowing me the opportunity to find new stuff if I want.

Overall, I'm distinctly unimpressed.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Do Facebook own Spotify then, why the tie-in? It certainly puts me off upgrading from Poverty Spotify.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

...hip young things seem to like it.

You called!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Have you actually listened to it?

I literally cannot tell the difference between Spotify premium - which is 320 kb/s - and the same album on CD.

Yes I have listened to it.

I am glad that you cannot hear the difference as your listening will be that much cheaper - cheaper kit, cheaper files.

The kbps figure is just something that some music providers have latched onto eg 320kbps must be better than 128kbps.

At the end of the day an mp3 file has had a lot of information 'extracted' from the source simply to reduce its file size.

I am baffled as to how some people can hear the difference between 128kbps and 320kbps but not between the latter and a CD that has a bitrate of just over 1400kbps - I am not suggesting that kbps is the final arbiter of quailty by this.

 

[yello]

re Facebook, I don't have an account (or whatever it's called) but I do listen to Spotify. I'm assuming you only have to have an fb account thing for Spotify Premium?

 

[MossCommuter]

If you had a Spotify account prior to the FB tie-in you do not need to join FB to continue using Spotify.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/27/zuckerberg_reservation_and_the_future_of_content_platforms/

 

[Norm]

Norm, there is a little box saying "publish what I'm playing on Facebook". if you uncheck it, it doesn't!

Yes... and?

My point, if I need to make it more transparent, was that the default is to publish. Requiring an opt-out like that is, IMO, immoral.

Then again, I think that is the fault of FB rather than Spotify. They did well forcing Spotify to require all new users to have FB accounts and getting little, other than a chance to bask in a little of the FB aura, in return.

 

[redcard]

Thought I'd revive this one!

Just messing about with Spotify this morning - got 48 hour free trial.

One thing I like about iTunes is how I can set up a 'top 20 most played' playlist and have automatically update and sync with my phone etc. Spotify doesn't appear to keep track of play counts, right?

 

[yello]

I used it on free trial also (over Christmas) and really liked it. I didn't have it linked or scrobbling though, so can't answer your question rd. I think it's too expensive to have a subscription though. I can't justify it.

I've settled on Skyfm for now. A different beast entirely, with far fewer features, but provides what I was looking for.

 

[redcard]

Also how does everyone organise playlists?

For my favourite bands I would probably want to add every album to a playlist, then create another playlist with my favourite songs from those albums, or somehow flag the individual songs as favourites. Can't see options to browse my music by album unless I create a playlist for each album.

I suppose I want to be able to browse music like I do in iTunes. Is this expecting too much?

 

[Haitch]

[QUOTE 1695784, member: 259"] I have a Logitech Squeezebox connected to the hifi and the Spotify audio goes through that.[/quote]

I've got this set-up as well. Greatest advance in the human condition since people started using flint tools. The only downsides with Spotify (unless you can advise otherwise) are that there is no artist radio and if you search for an artist some of the albums displayed on the Squeezebox are "not availalbe in your territory". The PC and tablet shelter you from such frustration by simply not displaying such albums. I don't think I will ever buy a CD again.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I tried the premium free trial but didn't use it enough to justify the cost so I'm back on spotify poverty - I'll stick to that, CDs and vinyl.

 

[Dan B]

I had spotify premium because it seemed to be required to use their mobile app. It stopped working when I cancelled my Facebook account though. These days I use the last.FM app instead, which is by no means the same thing but serves the same ultimate purpose of playing music at me while I walk to work

 

[Neil363]

I've been paying for the premium version for the last 3 years or so after selling all but 3 of my CDs.

Couldn't do without it at home (connected to my Sonos player) or whilst out on the bike.