Spotify Upgrades May Satisfy Purists, but Details on Hi-Fi Tier Remain Scarce

Audiophiles looking to get their music fix in top-notch quality through Spotify may be tapping their toes for a while, if the latest product roadmap reveal from the streaming giant is any indication. During an earnings call with investors this week, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek gave a few more morsels about their in-the-works Hi-Fi streaming tier, leaving fans wanting for more substantive details.

Ek painted the project as still in “the early stages”—a lukewarm response, surely, to disappointment to those looking to pump up the volume. He did, however, lift the lid ever so slightly on what Spotify Hi-Fi will deliver, saying it will not stop at better sound, changing the experience of listening into an all-new “deluxe” offering.

Speculation would have this upgraded subscription sitting at around $17-18 monthly—a $5 bump over the standard Premium package. But Ek teased that Hi-Fi will take personalization and control to another level, along with overall audio quality, packing some unspoiled bonuses. The waiting continues, as Ek isn’t quite ready to spill all of the finely-tuned secrets.

Users have also, for quite a while, demanded the ability to play lossless audio on the platform. Last year saw Spotify start to respond to the calls, but its rollout was delayed after Apple swooped in, one-upping it by offering the perk at no additional cost. Now, in order to remain competitive, Spotify is going to have to ensure that its top membership tier really wows listeners with more than just CD-quality sound.

Insiders hint that extra social features, such as collaborative playlists, could sweeten the deal. He said a “good subset” of Spotify’s 246 million paying users are audiophiles who crave an even deeper connection to music by using cutting edge tools and acoustics.

Over the past couple of years, rumors of Spotify Hi-Fi’s impending arrival arrived via various leaks that offered peeks into how it may take shape, be it as a standalone purchase or value-add for Premium members. Ek’s comments lend credence to the latter outlook—setting up a showdown with streaming rivals as Spotify vies to satiate serious music buffs.

As far as the self-proclaimed worldwide leader in music streaming goes, Spotify will continue to evolve. The most recent earnings show continued growth both in paid subscriptions, now topping out at nearly a quarter billion strong, and overall monthly users, which clocks in at more than 626 million users including free members.