The bit rate of 320kbps corresponds to the number of bits per second, in this instance 320,000. It is a destructive format which greatly alters the sound quality. The MP3 file is a lossy audio compression format.
We don’t know if Sonos is one of those speaker manufacturers, but even if it is, Sonos only benefits by opening its hardware up to as many third-party music services as possible. From streaming beginner to audiophile, we dive into ten ambient/techno classics heard ten ways on the French streaming platform. Hi-Res Audio (24-Bit / up to 192kHz) Sound wave MP3 320 Kbps. While it’s unclear what resolution Spotify HiFi will eventually support, the company did cryptically hint that it was collaborating with the “world’s biggest speaker manufacturers” to make sure its service can reach as many of its users as possible. Streaming platforms as Tidal and Qobuz allow to output sound directly to external. Comparatively, standard CD-quality audio files are 1,411kbps and the 24-bit/48kHz audio Qobuz and Sonos are offering is the equivalent of 2,304kbps. SONOS - be able to control SONOS via Deezer App instead of SONOS App.
Right now, Spotify maxes out at 160kbps for free users and 320kbps for Premium users. Spotify is obviously the big music streaming kahuna, and it launching a hifi service probably has similar music streaming services on edge. Qobuz, a music tech company founded in France in 2007 that bills itself as the world’s first and only certified hi-res streaming and download service. The timing also makes a lot of sense, given that Spotify recently announced plans to launch its own HiFi streaming tier later this year.
The partnership very much feels like an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” kind of arrangement. Meanwhile, Qobuz is pricier than other streaming services and lacks the mainstream recognition of other big-name music services. Sonos is a popular brand when it comes to wifi speakers, but it needs to diversify beyond hardware to stay relevant as many smart speakers don’t sound quite as crappy as they used to. In the realm of music streaming, this is a pretty savvy move.