Tech tips: How to improve music streaming quality with lossless audio and EQ
Listeners can unlock richer sound across major services by adjusting playback settings, turning off normalization, and using EQ—often without new gear.
Lossless audio is becoming more common on major music streaming platforms, offering the full detail of the original recording. Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon Music all support lossless at CD quality or higher, while YouTube Music still does not offer true lossless. Even when lossless isn’t available, listeners can improve sound by tweaking default settings and applying equalization, typically in just a few taps.
Turn off volume normalization to get closer to the artist’s original intent. Volume normalization smooths the loudness of tracks so they play at a consistent level, which can reduce dynamic range and alter the recording’s tonal balance. Disabling it preserves dynamics, though you may adjust volume more frequently.
Across the major services, here’s how to disable or toggle normalization and what to expect. Spotify users should open the app, tap the profile picture in the upper left, go to Settings and privacy, select Playback, and turn off Enable Audio Normalization (or Volume normalization, depending on version). YouTube Music includes a Consistent volume feature that began rolling out in 2025; if you see a Consistent volume toggle in Settings > Playback, turning it off will give you the most accurate sound and the widest dynamics. If the option isn’t visible, your account or device hasn’t received the rollout yet and there’s no direct way to disable volume normalization.
Amazon Music provides a Normalize Volume control under Playback settings on mobile (Tap profile > Settings > Playback > turn off Loudness Normalization, which may appear as Normalize Volume on some versions). Desktop apps and the web player may vary; if the option isn’t shown, the account type or browser version may not support changing it.
Tune the EQ to your taste. An equalizer shapes the sound and can highlight bass, smooth midrange, or brighten treble. Some apps include presets, others let you craft custom profiles. If an app’s built-in EQ falls short, third‑party options such as Wavelet on Android or Boom on iOS can help.
Spotify’s in-app equalizer can be accessed by tapping the profile icon, selecting Settings and Privacy, then Playback and Equalizer. Users can choose a preset (Bass Booster, Vocal Booster, Acoustic) or manually adjust bass, mids, and treble to taste.
YouTube Music relies on a device’s system EQ. To use it, open the app, go to Settings > Playback and tap Equalizer if available. If the app does not display an Equalizer option, the device’s system EQ is not exposed to the app, and you may need a third‑party tool.
Apple Music on iPhone does not include an EQ inside the app. Instead, go to the Settings app, select Apps, open Music, and then choose EQ to pick a preset (Vocal Booster, Reduce Bass, Acoustic, etc.). On Mac, Apple’s Music app includes an Equalizer under the Window menu: Open Music, choose Window > Equalizer, and select a preset or adjust the sliders. If the Equalizer option doesn’t appear, you may still enable a system-wide sound enhancer from the same Window menu.
Amazon Music does not include its own built‑in EQ; it relies on the device’s system equalizer. If an Equalizer option appears inside Settings > Playback, tapping it opens the device’s sound settings. If no system EQ is exposed, use a third‑party app or OS-level audio tools.
Avoid Dolby Atmos if you want the purest lossless quality. Dolby Atmos adds a spatial, immersive effect. It can be delightful, but it is not the same as lossless fidelity, and on some services it can override lossless formats. On Apple Music, you can download in either Atmos or lossless, but not both at once; Atmos downloads will not be lossless. Other services also differentiate Atmos and lossless in various ways.
Understanding quality options across platforms helps you choose the best setting. Apple Music and many services offer high‑resolution options, and some services label the highest tiers as lossless or Ultra HD. For example, Spotify Premium can offer up to high‑res formats on certain plans, Apple Music supports lossless up to 24‑bit/192 kHz ALAC, and Amazon Music Ultra HD can reach up to 24‑bit/192 kHz. YouTube Music, as of the notes, does not offer a lossless option.
If you want the best possible sound, a few hardware checks can help. Ensure your earbuds or headphones support high‑resolution Bluetooth codecs such as LDAC or AptX Adaptive, and consider a USB‑C DAC if your headphones lack native high‑res support. Matching your audio gear to your source material and transport can reduce compression and preserve dynamic range.
Beyond settings, many listeners can notice a difference by simply downloading higher‑quality streams when possible and avoiding mixed settings. Free tiers commonly default to lower bitrates to save data, while paid plans unlock higher bitrates and sometimes lossless downloads. For example, Amazon Music Ultra HD offers high‑resolution streams, but availability can vary by account and device. YouTube Music remains the only major service without a true lossless option at this time.
As streaming platforms continue to refine audio quality and rollout new features, listeners can experiment with a combination of normalization toggles, EQ adjustments, and higher‑quality playback modes to achieve a noticeably richer listening experience. The simplest improvements often come from turning off normalization and applying a well‑chosen EQ preset tailored to your headphones and hearing preferences.
For context, the landscape of audio fidelity on streaming services remains dynamic, with ongoing updates to how loudness is managed and how EQ controls are exposed to users. Listeners looking for the most consistent, high‑fidelity experience should keep an eye on service settings and device compatibility, and be prepared to adjust as platforms refine their offerings. In practice, small, deliberate changes—such as disabling normalization on one service, using a device EQ, or choosing lossless downloads where available—can yield a noticeable difference across tracks, albums, and genres without purchasing new hardware.