Can my client hear what the codec does?
Yes, on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. Off by default, because which encode someone gets depends on their plan.
With a platform selected there is a second row: Lossless, or the encode that platform actually delivers. Spotify at Normal quality is Ogg Vorbis around 96 kbps, Apple Music is AAC at 256 kbps, YouTube is Opus. Higher settings and the web player differ, and the low end is where problems show. Switching runs your master through that encoder and plays the result.
It is off unless someone turns it on, because which encode a listener gets depends on their plan and their connection, and we are not going to pick one on their behalf. Platforms that do not publish what they use are not offered at all: an invented number would be worse than nothing.
The difference is largest at the low bitrates, which is exactly where a client's phone on a free account sits. That is usually the version worth listening to together, and we have not found another review tool that plays it. The first encode of a version takes a moment; after that it is instant.
Not covered here? support@soneam.com.