Is Apple Music Louder Than Spotify? Unpacking the Audio Intensity

Yes, Apple Music generally sounds louder than Spotify when played at the same volume setting on the same device. This perceived loudness difference stems from several factors, including differing normalization algorithms, codec choices, and how each service masters its audio. Let’s dive into the granular details.

Understanding Loudness Normalization: The Key Player

The primary culprit behind the loudness disparity isn’t some deliberate attempt by Apple to blast your eardrums. It’s all about loudness normalization. Think of it as a digital volume knob that each streaming service uses to ensure a consistent listening experience across its entire library. Without it, some songs would be whisper-quiet, while others would be ear-splitting.

Both Apple Music and Spotify employ loudness normalization, but they target different Loudness Units Relative to Full Scale (LUFS) values. LUFS is the standard unit for measuring perceived loudness in audio. The lower the LUFS value (represented as a negative number), the louder the audio will perceive to be.

Apple Music’s Approach to Loudness

Apple Music, by default, targets a LUFS value of -16 LUFS. This means that Apple’s algorithms adjust the volume of each track to bring its perceived loudness as close as possible to this -16 LUFS target. This is intended to provide a dynamic listening experience, allowing well-mastered tracks to shine with their full dynamic range.

Spotify’s Strategy: Quieter by Design

Spotify, on the other hand, uses a more aggressive loudness normalization strategy. Depending on the user’s chosen playback quality (Low, Normal, High, Very High), Spotify adjusts the target LUFS value. It targets a LUFS around -14 LUFS on mobile devices and -11 LUFS on desktop and smart speakers. This results in songs being compressed a bit more, leading to a more consistent, albeit less dynamic, volume level across all tracks and, overall, a quieter listening experience when compared to Apple Music at the same volume setting.

Codec Considerations: AAC vs. Ogg Vorbis

Beyond loudness normalization, the audio codecs each service employs also play a role in the perceived loudness and overall sound quality.

Apple Music’s AAC Advantage

Apple Music primarily uses Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), a lossy audio compression codec. AAC is generally considered more efficient than MP3, providing better audio quality at the same bitrate or similar audio quality at a lower bitrate. Apple has optimized AAC for its devices, and the codec handles dynamics well, contributing to a richer sound with more perceived detail, even at lower volumes.

Spotify’s Ogg Vorbis Choice

Spotify predominantly uses Ogg Vorbis, another lossy audio compression codec. While Ogg Vorbis is a perfectly capable codec, it can sometimes sound slightly less detailed than AAC, particularly in complex musical passages. This difference, though subtle, can contribute to the perception of Apple Music sounding “louder” because the intricacies of the music are more pronounced.

Mastering Matters: The Artist’s Influence

While the streaming services apply their own loudness normalization, the original mastering of a track significantly influences the final listening experience. Tracks mastered to be inherently loud will still sound relatively louder on both platforms, even after normalization.

Many modern tracks are intentionally mastered with higher overall loudness, a phenomenon known as the “loudness war.” These aggressively mastered tracks will still sound louder on Apple Music than Spotify because of the difference in normalization targets. If a song is already loud and dynamically compressed, Apple Music’s -16 LUFS target will simply apply less reduction than Spotify’s -14 or -11 LUFS, resulting in a louder output.

Listener Perception: It’s All Relative

Ultimately, perceived loudness is subjective. Factors like the listener’s age, hearing ability, listening environment, and the specific headphones or speakers used all play a role. What sounds loud to one person might sound perfectly normal to another. And, more importantly, your personal preference for sonic character plays a crucial role.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I adjust the loudness normalization on Apple Music and Spotify?

Yes, both services offer settings to control loudness normalization.

• Apple Music: In Settings, navigate to Music and look for “Sound Check.” Turning this on applies loudness normalization. Turning it off disables it, allowing tracks to play at their original mastered volume, which may be significantly louder or quieter depending on the source material.
• Spotify: In Settings, find “Audio Quality” and then “Volume level.” You can select “Normal,” “Loud,” or “Quiet.” “Normal” applies Spotify’s default normalization. “Loud” amplifies the audio further, while “Quiet” reduces it.

2. Does turning off Sound Check on Apple Music make it sound even louder than Spotify?

Yes, disabling “Sound Check” on Apple Music will likely result in a noticeably louder listening experience than Spotify, as it removes Apple Music’s loudness normalization entirely.

3. Does changing the audio quality setting on Spotify affect loudness?

Yes, it does. The chosen quality directly affects the LUFS target that Spotify employs for normalization. Higher qualities tend to have more aggressive normalization.

4. Which streaming service has better sound quality, Apple Music or Spotify?

This is subjective, but many audiophiles argue that Apple Music generally offers slightly better sound quality due to its use of AAC and its less aggressive loudness normalization. However, the difference is often subtle and can be difficult to discern, particularly with lower-quality headphones or speakers.

5. Does Apple Music use lossless audio?

Yes, Apple Music offers lossless audio for its entire catalog, which is a significant advantage for discerning listeners. This means the audio is streamed without any compression that sacrifices audio fidelity. However, lossless streaming requires more bandwidth.

6. Does Spotify offer lossless audio?

Spotify is planning to launch Spotify HiFi, their lossless audio tier, which hasn’t been launched yet.

7. Are there any downsides to disabling loudness normalization?

Yes. Disabling loudness normalization can lead to a very inconsistent listening experience, with some songs being significantly louder or quieter than others. This can be jarring and require constant volume adjustments.

8. How does Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio affect loudness?

Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, offered by both Apple Music and Spotify, can affect perceived loudness. Atmos mixes are often mastered with a wider dynamic range, which can sometimes result in a slightly quieter overall volume. However, the immersive experience often compensates for this.

9. Will Apple Music or Spotify damage my hearing?

Both Apple Music and Spotify can potentially damage your hearing if you listen at excessively high volumes for extended periods. It’s crucial to listen responsibly and keep the volume at a safe level. Follow the 60/60 rule: listen at 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.

10. Which streaming service is better for podcasts regarding loudness?

Both Apple Podcasts and Spotify adjust the loudness of podcasts to ensure a consistent listening experience. Both platforms are very similar in how they handle loudness normalization for podcasts.

11. Is the “loudness war” still a problem in music production?

Unfortunately, yes. While loudness normalization helps mitigate the effects of the loudness war, many tracks are still aggressively mastered, pushing the limits of dynamic range.

12. Does using an external DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) make a difference in loudness?

While an external DAC primarily improves audio fidelity and detail, it can indirectly affect perceived loudness. A higher-quality DAC can reveal subtle nuances in the music, which can be perceived as an increase in overall volume. The primary impact of the DAC, however, is on the quality of audio reproduction, rather than the level of audio.