Fluttering on Spotify streaming music

[Dave B.]

For those of you who use Spotify (or other streaming music sources), have you ever noticed that the music flutters? I have, several times, as recently as this morning. Wow and flutter happens on some inexpensive turntables but I thought streaming media were immune, due to their very nature.

I Googled this topic and found that others have experienced this highly annoying effect too. It seems to have something to do with "watermarking," whatever that is.

I'd be interested in the comments of our esteemed AK community.

Thanks.

Dave

 

[Bodyblue]

For those of you who use Spotify (or other streaming music sources), have you ever noticed that the music flutters? I have, several times, as recently as this morning. Wow and flutter happens on some inexpensive turntables but I thought streaming media were immune, due to their very nature.

I Googled this topic and found that others have experienced this highly annoying effect too. It seems to have something to do with "watermarking," whatever that is.

I'd be interested in the comments of our esteemed AK community.

Thanks.

Dave

Do you mean drop outs or that the sound gets quieter for a quick second? Older versions of Spotify used to have drop outs when running more than one device at the same time using the same account. Newer versions have stopped this. Most Spotify problems are caused by the internet connection fading for a short time. I listened to over 200K minutes of Spotify last year and am on track for the same amount this year and only rarely do I hear any drop outs. Two days ago I did hear it drop out several times in one hour, then it just quit. I walked over to the Fire tablet I use to stream it and it had updated the app and I need to re start it.

 

[Jayrosc]

I've had some problems with spotify premium sending sound that seemed way less than Hi Def, but I've never run into what you are talking about. You mean the sound actually drops out?

 

[Dave B.]

Do you mean drop outs or that the sound gets quieter for a quick second?

Not that. It's like a subtle vibrato. The music "shimmers" (best word I can think of to describe it). I notice it most on classical solo piano music.

Very rarely does it drop out, but the flutter is becoming more prevalent, although not enough to be a big deal. Yet.

Dave

 

[sqlsavior]

Watermarking will become like cattle-branding, one right over another, to make it your own...

 

[Todd Dodds]

I use both Spotify and Tidal, from laptop to DAC. I get a very brief (one second) digital stammer after about two or three minutes of play, with both of them, but then it's all good after that. My laptop doesn't have fuel injection, so it's probably just a carb problem. I ignore it.

 

[restorer-john]

One more reason to stick to physical media if you ask me. We go to tremendous effort and expense to have equipment that doesn't damage the signal and these clowns deliberately nobble the music.

Watermarking music is evil.

 

[Bodyblue]

Never noticed it, ever.

 

[musichal]

I kept getting dropouts/interruptions in service. Finally had enough of it that I dropped Spotify, then Tidal. Too annoying. Sometimes, though, it was caused by Microsoft taking over my computer for updating, or scanning, or whatever evil scheme of world domination they perpetrate requiring frequent use of all my zeros and ones. In previous versions of Windows, I could control when that happens, but now they have first rights of my processing power, offering no way to schedule, delay, or otherwise interrupt their fun. No way I can find, at any rate.

Some claim you can opt out, and update manually. As if I understood what the hell all those update file names do or mean, and which ones I need, or don't.

 

[audioman00]

Good example of what is being described here... IMO

The Scorpions have a album called crazy world I notice a lot of the vibrato type issue that is being described here on that album almost every time and I know dang sure that my cassette tape back in the 90s did not sound like that but I do not have a CD copy to compare the Spotify stream to

 

[restorer-john]

In previous versions of Windows, I could control when that happens, but now they have first rights of my processing power, offering no way to schedule, delay, or otherwise interrupt their fun.

Set your connections (wireless and/or LAN) to metered connections. The updates will be less frequent and smaller. It will tell you there are updates, but you decide when to download and install them.

I used that method on my laptops for wireless and a recent update has allowed it also for LAN.

 

[musichal]

Set your connections (wireless and/or LAN) to metered connections. The updates will be less frequent and smaller. It will tell you there are updates, but you decide when to download and install them.

I used that method on my laptops for wireless and a recent update has allowed it also for LAN.

Sounds nice and simple, except I have no clue whether that is something I set in my laptop software somewhere, or with the ATT U-Verse WiFi, which I don't touch, or...?

I quite literally cannot touch the WiFi. Christine can. She's more hopeless than I with computer stuff... trying to explain what she sees, leading to frustration is not a road I travel unless and until absolutely necessary.

 

[restorer-john]

Its under Settings/Ethernet/click on the connection and see this:



The same is available for the wireless connection.



https://www.computerworld.com/artic...ws-10-updates-using-a-metered-connection.html

 

[Todd Dodds]

Sounds nice and simple, except I have no clue whether that is something I set in my laptop software somewhere, or with the ATT U-Verse WiFi, which I don't touch, or...?

I quite literally cannot touch the WiFi. Christine can. She's more hopeless than I with computer stuff... trying to explain what she sees, leading to frustration is not a road I travel unless and until absolutely necessary.

Its under Settings/Ethernet/click on the connection and see this:

View attachment 1212421

The same is available for the wireless connection.



https://www.computerworld.com/artic...ws-10-updates-using-a-metered-connection.html

And when that's done, pat yourself on the back with a lottery ticket...you're on a winning streak.

My computer skills are on the same level as Muschal's. My auto/motorcycle mechanical skills are also wanting. So I shrewdly decided to get into custom tuning my motorcycle ECU's. One bike no longer runs, and the other only goes backwards, but at least I can listen to Spotify through the tailpipes without any vibrato...a little gurgling and backfire on deceleration, maybe, but that sounds ok with Tom Waits.

 

[musichal]

Its under Settings/Ethernet/click on the connection and see this:

View attachment 1212421

The same is available for the wireless connection.



https://www.computerworld.com/artic...ws-10-updates-using-a-metered-connection.html

Thank you. The article was informative. Appreciate you taking the time.

 

[Todd Dodds]

Thank you. The article was informative. Appreciate you taking the time.

Something's wrong in HalWorld. I just read your BarterTown ad, and hadn't realized you were giving up altogether on Streaming. I'll delve into past posts to learn why, but in the meantime, I'd just encourage you to reconsider scrapping your streaming gear capabilities until your issues can be resolved. Unless you've just gotten tired of paying wifi and subscriptions? In that case, a tip-o-the-hat to you .

 

[EngineerNate]

I had my first real hiccup with Spotify last night, the app wouldn't open on my phone even after a reboot. I reinstalled and all is well. I've never had a problem with the SQ.

To me, it's an invaluable way to discover new music.

 

[musichal]

Something's wrong in HalWorld. I just read your BarterTown ad, and hadn't realized you were giving up altogether on Streaming. I'll delve into past posts to learn why, but in the meantime, I'd just encourage you to reconsider scrapping your streaming gear capabilities until your issues can be resolved. Unless you've just gotten tired of paying wifi and subscriptions? In that case, a tip-o-the-hat to you .

I had my first real hiccup with Spotify last night, the app wouldn't open on my phone even after a reboot. I reinstalled and all is well. I've never had a problem with the SQ.

To me, it's an invaluable way to discover new music.

Well, it annoys me often enough that I resent the subscription fee, sure. CDs sound better anyway, and I'm going back to them as my primary source. I hear some new music on Pandora via my ROKU streamer, which rarely has a glitch with Pandora, Netflix or Amazon video. And I listen to FM some, too. One of my stations is geared toward a younger crowd so I hear new stuff there, also. I can always try out stuff via You-tube, too. There is no one to resolve issues but me, and I ain't enough.

I had planned to try to go practically all-stream a few months ago, but have come to the conclusion that it isn't worth it to me. I became tired of the whole damn thing and quit using the service, and after a couple months of that, I wondered why I kept paying for Tidal, and cancelled. If they ever get it where they can reliably send me good sound, I may try again. As it is, for me, in my location, with my gear, and my limited software ability, it just doesn't measure up. Hope to replace the belts on my three 400-disc Sony disc players this weekend, then use that fancy-ass DAC built into the Levinson integrated fed by the Sonies' digital outputs.

 

[EngineerNate]

I've been using Spotify as my primary music source (along with vinyl and streaming locally from my PC via UPnP) for 4+ years now with the abovementioned issue being one of the only memorable hiccups. Sorry to hear your experience has been different.

 

[GChief]

I have none of these issues streaming Spotify from CCA or Firestick thru TV for the GF friendly set-up. The only time I have an issue is when trying to stream directly from Win based laptops, this is just the occasion drop out, and that only really happens when controlling the stream from another device other than the laptop hooked to the DAC. Example: controlling from iPhone, iPhoine isn't with in reach but Kindle is, take over with Kindle for awhile then go back to iPhone and it may drop out but not always. Everytime I have had a "major" problem with any of the streaming services it has been router or IP issues. I have never noticed any flutter on my main set-up, GF's Firestick to powered speakers or my various headphone set-ups for traveling.