Rdio Android App Update Lets You Turn AAC Audio Quality All The Way Up To 320 Kbps

Rdio Migrates Entire Catalog to High-Quality AAC Audio Across The Globe

Four bitrates available for both streaming music and offline downloads

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Rdio, the groundbreaking music service available in 60 countries, today introduced high-quality AAC audio to its critically acclaimed application and services. Rdio’s entire catalog of over 30 million songs has been converted to the AAC format for this launch.

Listeners worldwide will have four sound quality settings to choose from on iOS, Android, the web, and other supported devices. Bitrates range from data-efficient 64 kbps all the way to pristine-quality 320 kbps, with the highest-quality audio setting of 320 kbps available only to Rdio Unlimited subscribers. Additionally, users can individually select audio settings for Wi-Fi streaming, cellular streaming, and offline downloads.

“With a full 320 kbps catalog, Rdio now matches or exceeds the highest quality sound available for mobile streaming and downloads in the industry,” said Ron Buell, SVP of Engineering at Rdio. “At the same time, 64 kbps AAC provides a better listening experience for our customers than the previous low bitrate standard of 96 kbps MP3 without compromising sound quality and reducing data usage by 33%.”

“Customers have been asking for both the highest quality mobile streaming and the most efficient use of data,” said Anthony Bay, CEO. “This experience will extend to every one of our listeners around the globe — it’s higher sound quality online and offline for those who want it, while lowering the cost of streaming and the use of storage for our price-sensitive smartphone users on mobile networks.”

Rdio’s commitment to sound quality deepens with its partnership with Bob Weir, the legendary founding member of the Grateful Dead and champion of Musicians for Audio Quality Initiative. To celebrate the launch of AAC audio, Rdio will release an exclusive catalog of tracks recorded at TRI Studios, his state of the art studio in Marin County, CA, featuring Weir as well as musicians like Dave Schools, Sammy Hagar, and many others. “I’m happy to partner with Rdio to further digital streaming standards and let listeners hear the music as it was intended,” said Bob Weir. Some of the tracks by Weir and friends can be heard through the exclusive “Live from TRI Studios” playlist on Rdio.