Data, storage and hardware costs of lossless music

Lossless music is typically of much higher quality and resolution than standard audio streams. It’s in the name: lossless means that there is little or no data lost during compression and, ultimately, during playback. Although some people may not be able to hear the difference between high-resolution and lossless audio streams, there will definitely be a noticeable change if you go from standard definition audio to lossless audio, and many will find it worth it, regardless of the additional cost incurred. But moving to lossless also introduces some concerns you may not have considered. For example, to actually upgrade, you need the right hardware, not only for playback, but also to store the much larger lossless digital files. If you’re streaming, you’ll also use a lot more bandwidth, which can also lead to additional expenses for mobile data usage.

It makes perfect sense to weigh these higher costs and requirements, even though it’s exhilarating to get the maximum audio quality possible. An audiophile willing to spend all that extra money for the best of the best is a no-brainer, but for the average person the decision might depend more on the extra data, storage, and equipment costs. So how much of a jump in data is there actually?

The usual lossless file, using Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC), is streamed at 1,400 kilobits per second (kbps) or more on average, about four times the bit rate of standard MP3 audio. Depending on quality and bitrate, FLAC files can hold 20 to 40 megabytes (MB) per song, compared to three to eight MB per song for an MP3. These numbers mean that songs take up more space, so you’ll need a larger hard drive or MicroSD card, and they’ll eat up more bandwidth during transfers and streams.

Starting with physical media storage, you’ll need more space to store a full album in lossless formats like FLAC compared to MP3. This is due to differences in audio compression and file compression. To play audio, whether streaming or via wireless connections like Bluetooth, devices use compressed data so that it is smaller and more efficient to transfer. Different media formats, like MP3, AAC or FLAC, use different forms of compression. FLAC uses much less compression than MP3, so the audio files are much closer to the original and have almost flawless quality. But again, they are also larger due to the higher quality and bitrate, and they also require better hardware for optimal playback. In addition to storage costs for larger hard drives or external media, you’ll need headphones, players, and devices that support and can provide higher resolution playback, which may also require upgrading if you’re using existing equipment.

You’ll also use a lot of data during wireless transfers. If you’re streaming over your home’s Wi-Fi network or locally via Bluetooth, such as from a phone or media player to headphones, that’s no big deal, but if you’re using mobile data to stream from the cloud, the additional costs could increase significantly. Lossless audio codecs will consume three to four times more bandwidth than a standard definition format. Spotify’s lossless formats can use about a gigabyte (GB) of data per hour, and if you have limited data limits, you’ll reach them quickly. Even if you have an unlimited data plan, you won’t necessarily be capped by your provider, but you might experience throttling, which is quite common for customers who regularly use a lot of mobile data.

If you’re worried about spending more to hear better sound, you’ll be happy to know that there are ways to soften the blow. For example, instead of streaming lossless audio through your phone in the car, a simple USB drive can be a smarter setup. You can get one large enough and fast enough to host and play lossless digital media. Plug it into a compatible USB port in your car and you have an instant high-resolution library (assuming your music files are stored in FLAC). You can also get a digital audio player (DAP) or use your phone’s storage to host local files for playback rather than streaming.

Media providers like Spotify offer low-cost benefits to premium subscribers, lossless streaming being one, which just leaves one to worry about additional mobile data costs. You can, of course, eliminate any data excess or expense by opting for an unlimited plan. However, local media playback from your phone or a DAP will often be a better, lower cost option than streaming.

With local files, you have more control over the bitrate, so you can change the audio quality in unique ways. You can reduce bitrates slightly to decrease file size, using less storage space and reducing some of the costs involved. There are several additional ways to achieve better sound quality with local audio. Opt for a DAP, fine-tune files with a digital audio workstation (DAW), or use better headphones or speakers. However, if you introduce Bluetooth, you won’t get true lossless quality, because the protocol can’t handle it without some amount of compression, no matter how small. Unless you’re using LDAC, LHDC, or aptX over Bluetooth, lossless mode probably won’t give you much audio improvement.