Is Spotify as good of quality as the HD-Tracks?

Amarra sQ is a separate app that breaths life into any streamed content service. sQ integrates a mastering-level four-band EQ with linear phase filter technology and advanced dither that allows users to tailor the tonal output with an extremely intuitive user experience. Content from Spotify, YouTube, Beats Music, iTunes Radio, and video services such as Netflix and Hulu sound significantly better when used with Amarra sQ.

Any comments?

For Immediate Release Contact: Sonic Studio info@sonicstudio.com
Sonic Studio Debuts AmarraTM Version 3.0
Introduces All New Amarra sQTM Streaming App, Amarra ClarityTM Noise Elimination Technology, iRC(b) Impulse Response Correction, and Support for DSD Playback
(T.H.E Show - Newport Beach, California) May 30, 2014 - Sonic Studio, LLC today introduced Amarra 3.0, the latest version of its award winning and industry acclaimed music playback software. Amarra 3.0 includes a range of new features and updates that define a new benchmark for quality and innovation. New features include DSD playback, real-time sample rate conversion, a new noise elimination feature called, Amarra Clarity, and iRC(b) impulse response correction designed to control bass anomalies in listening rooms. Sonic Studio also introduced a new streaming application called Amarra sQ that enhances the quality of experience for all Internet content services. Targeted for delivery in June, the combined feature set of Amarra version 3.0 plus the new Amarra sQ streaming application delivers the most significant release of Amarra to date.
“With Amarra 3.0 we have broadened the scope of what is possible with high quality music playback. The sonic improvements of integrated streaming and Amarra provide an amazing sound experience when used with services such as Spotify, YouTube, Beats Music, Netflix, iTunes Radio and more. Combined with a new modern look and increased stability, Amarra 3.0 achieves a level of playback enjoyment that is noticed from the very first beat,” said Jonathan Reichbach CEO and chief engineer at Sonic Studio.
New features in Amarra 3.0 include the following:
• Amarra sQ: Amarra sQ is a separate app that breaths life into any streamed content service. sQ
integrates a mastering-level four-band EQ with linear phase filter technology and advanced dither that allows users to tailor the tonal output with an extremely intuitive user experience. Content from Spotify, YouTube, Beats Music, iTunes Radio, and video services such as Netflix and Hulu sound significantly better when used with Amarra sQ.
• DSD Support: Amarra 3.0 now includes support for .dsf and .dff two channel 2.8224 MHz content.
• Real-time Sample Rate Control: Amarra 3.0 integrates our mastering-level real-time sample rate conversion technology that has been used on millions of commercially recorded tracks. With real-time sample rate conversion, Amarra 3.0 enables users to play any high resolution content, with any sample rate up to 384kHz and DSD, and be assured of both the compatibility with their existing digital to analog converter and the quality of Amarra’s processing engine.
• Amarra ClarityTM: A new noise reduction capability in Amarra 3.0 that enables users to significantly reduce artifacts and noise caused by highly compressed streaming. Amarra Clarity is based on Sonic Studio’s Emmy® and Academy Award winning NoNOISE IITM technology.
• iRC(b): a frequency and impulse timing analysis and correction capability designed to eliminate low frequency problems in listening rooms. Developed in conjunction with Swedish company Dirac Research, iRC(b) provides an excellent solution to low end audio issues found in typical listening spaces.
Sonic Studio plans to release Amarra 3.0 in June. Sonic Studio will be demonstrating Amarra 3.0 at The Home Entertainment Show in Newport Beach, California from May 29 through June 1st. Visit www.theshownewport.com for more information about T.H.E. Show.

Thanks for the info. That's great news.

Amarra sQ will be part of the Amarra 3.0 upgrade but is a separate app that is installed as part of the process.

To use Amarra sQ after initial setup, all you really need to do is have it running, launch your browser and head to your favorite streaming audio site. The output will be routed through Amarra and get the great Amarra sound on playback.

This is great news.

to your original question, hdtracks offers much higher resolution that spotify premium, which streams at up to 320kb and, i expect, would sound much better. however, i'm finding that even at the lower resolution spotify's sound quality is more than adequate--better than the late, lamented mog. i'm led to believe that the audio codec used by spotify (ogg orbis) preserves a wider range of frequency and sounds less compressed and more transparent at the same bitrates than comparable codecs.