Sound Quality and Streaming Services on Phantom

Sound Quality and Streaming Services on Phantom

 

There are 3 main categories to designate the quality of a sound file:

• Lossy: A file compression in which some original data is lost for maximum size reduction.
• Lossless or CD Quality: The compression keeps the original data intact, but still reduces the size.
• Hi-Res: A file with no compression. The highest quality file with the biggest size.

Phantom is compatible with these 3 categories. However, not all streaming services offer all three sound quality options.

Note: Please keep in mind that the higher the bit rate and kbps of a music stream are, the higher the file's quality will be (because it will contain more detail). 

 

STREAMING SERVICES

Deezer:

• Classic: Lossy MP3 (128kbps/320kbps)
• HIFI: Lossless CD (16-bit/44.1khz)

Qobuz: 

• Studio Premier: Lossless CD (16-bit/44.1kHz) and Hi-Res (24-bit/96)

Spotify:

• Premium: Lossy OGG Vorbis (320 kbps)

Apple: 

• Apple Music: Lossy AAC (256 kbps)

Tidal:

• Premium: Lossy AAC (320 kbps)
• Hifi: Lossless CD (16-bit/44.1khz) and Hi-Res (24-bit/96khz)

Amazon: 

• Unlimited: Lossy MP3 (320kbps)
• HD: Lossless CD (16-bit/44.1khz) and Hi-Res (24-bit/96khz)

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SIGNAL PATH

An audio system consists of several elements, for instance:

• A source where the music is stored (like the music servers at Spotify)
• A streaming protocol to send music to your speaker (such as Bluetooth)
• The hardware capabilities of your audio speaker (defined by the components in its motherboard)

These 3 elements must be compatible with the sound format you want to reproduce to obtain the desired sound. Let's say that you have a Tidal subscription capable of delivering music at 24-bit/96khz. To do that, you will have to: 

• Find a song in Tidal available at their "Master" quality format (24-bit/96khz).
• Send that song to your speaker with a streaming protocol compatible with the 24-bit/96khz format from Tidal.
• Play that stream on a speaker with hardware capable of reading the 24-bit/96khz format from Tidal.

Devialet Phantom is currently compatible with the following streaming protocols: 

• Bluetooth up to 16-bit/44.1khz
• Airplay 2 up to 16-bit/44.1khz
• Spotify Connect at 320 kbps
• UPnP at 24bit-48khz or more

 

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