Glad to hear it because Roon is great. I've turned a few "audiophile" friends on to it and they love it.
More options is all I ask for, competition is good but as I've said, streaming is the future.
Qobuz HiRez streaming has finally hit the U.S. and it’s really really good
- Thread starter Audiofreak71
- Start date
Glad to hear it because Roon is great. I've turned a few "audiophile" friends on to it and they love it.
More options is all I ask for, competition is good but as I've said, streaming is the future.
grey
Super Member
I've had a chance to play with the studio product offering. It seems that the details are sorted well enough to start evaluating the sound quality. Qobuz's desktop player and Tidal's desktop player have been installed onto the same windows laptop for fair comparison.
Qobuz's desktop found the asio driver for the dac right off from a drop down menu. It has options (mp3, cd, 92, 192) for streaming quality that are easily selectable. It also has a buffer slider of generous size. All of these are easily manipulated from the bottom of the application. Navigating for music doesn't seem any or better or worse than Tidal.
The Logitech media server plugin works! LMS claims streaming at a max. of ~5500kbs. It seems to have many of the same limitations and quirky navigation that the Tidal plugin has. According to the Jriver clients, that plugin is working fine as well.
My ears were already worked to well done before messing with this. I'm going to let them rest for a couple of days. Meanwhile, I will be using the web interface to search for favorite albums. The search term that I used to find all of the high resolution albums is "hi-res" with the quotes.
Qobuz's desktop found the asio driver for the dac right off from a drop down menu. It has options (mp3, cd, 92, 192) for streaming quality that are easily selectable. It also has a buffer slider of generous size. All of these are easily manipulated from the bottom of the application. Navigating for music doesn't seem any or better or worse than Tidal.
The Logitech media server plugin works! LMS claims streaming at a max. of ~5500kbs. It seems to have many of the same limitations and quirky navigation that the Tidal plugin has. According to the Jriver clients, that plugin is working fine as well.
My ears were already worked to well done before messing with this. I'm going to let them rest for a couple of days. Meanwhile, I will be using the web interface to search for favorite albums. The search term that I used to find all of the high resolution albums is "hi-res" with the quotes.
Glad you got it up and running , now you can check out the two services for sound quality, I have already done my evaluation and have an outcome , I will be writing on my findings soon , I wanted to wait until some more people give there observations before I write on my findings.
Audiofreak71
For anyone else who wants to join in the comparison between Qobuz and Tidal, the Sennheiser "CapTunes" app still has the 3-month free trial of Tidal available. Download the app, sign up with Tidal (use a different email address if you've had an account in the past), and then delete the app. Go to the computer, cancel the subscription immediately (so it won't renew in 90s), and fill in whatever info you want to use.
I may go pester Qobuz for the trial, seeing that they sent me a trial offer email when I signed up with a US-based account.
I may go pester Qobuz for the trial, seeing that they sent me a trial offer email when I signed up with a US-based account.
grey
Super Member
Do you have a high resolution album list that both services have in common?
I do have my music I use to compare Tidals MQA and Qobuz’s HiRez if that’s what you mean?
Audiofreak71
grey
Super Member
I was hunting for a list of high resolution albums that both services host as high resolution.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Not sure if this was posted previously but:
https://twitteringmachines.com/news-qobuz-prepares-for-us-launch-announces-pricing-plan/
From
Michael Lavorgna
While there’s no set date for the US Qobuz launch, it “will be announced soon”. Soon is good! We do, however, have the Pricing Plan!
Hot off today’s Press Release:
Qobuz offers a subscription to streaming services with genuine CD quality audio of more than 40-million tracks and over 2 million hi-res tracks up to 24/192 resolution from all genres.
Tidal charges $19.99/month for their “HiFi” plan which includes approximately 40-million tracks in CD-quality and 12,855 Hi-Res tracks in MQA [footnote 1]. Seeing as the Qobuz “Hi-Fi” plan is also $19.99/month but is limited to CD-quality only, Tidal has the edge. In terms of numbers.
For the Hi-Res aficionado, access to 2 million tracks (and counting) for the Qobuz “Studio” Hi-Res streaming tier at +$5.00/month compared to Qobuz Studio or Tidal HiFi will be a no-brainer choice—Qobuz wins. In terms of numbers.
With streaming, it all comes down to the library (for me) and the interface. Since I do not listen to music according to bitrates, x number of hi-res tracks doesn’t tip my scale one way or another. Roon integration is more important to me than hi-res and we know that Qobuz is talking to Roon so integration should be coming soon as well. Once that deal is done, Qobuz Studio at $24.99/month looks to be the clear Hi-Res streaming winner.
I will note that the Qobuz library goes deeper into some areas of musical interest for me, mainly in terms of otherwise impossible to find out jazz. Their classical library also appears to better Tidal’s. YMMV.
The extra $50/year for Sublime+ is a case of simple math for people who buy a lot of downloads:
total cost of downloads purchased/year * 50% (estimated average savings)
If that number is > $50, Sublime+ is for you.
All in all, choice is good and a concern for sound quality is good. Qobuz’ entry into the US market is a win-win.
1. MQA data obtained from MQA_list.csv (last updated 26/11/2018)
https://twitteringmachines.com/news-qobuz-prepares-for-us-launch-announces-pricing-plan/
From
Michael Lavorgna
While there’s no set date for the US Qobuz launch, it “will be announced soon”. Soon is good! We do, however, have the Pricing Plan!
Hot off today’s Press Release:
- Sublime+: $299.99/year for full Hi-Res streaming and substantial (40-60%) discounts on purchases from the Qobuz Hi-Res (up to 24-bit / 192 khz) download store.
- Studio: $24.99/month for unlimited Hi-Res (24-bit /up to 192 khz) streaming ($249.99 annually).
- Hi-Fi: $19.99/month for streaming including 16-bit CD quality streaming ($199.9 annually).
- Premium: $9.99/month for 320 kbps MP3 quality streaming ($99.99 annually).
Qobuz offers a subscription to streaming services with genuine CD quality audio of more than 40-million tracks and over 2 million hi-res tracks up to 24/192 resolution from all genres.
Tidal charges $19.99/month for their “HiFi” plan which includes approximately 40-million tracks in CD-quality and 12,855 Hi-Res tracks in MQA [footnote 1]. Seeing as the Qobuz “Hi-Fi” plan is also $19.99/month but is limited to CD-quality only, Tidal has the edge. In terms of numbers.
For the Hi-Res aficionado, access to 2 million tracks (and counting) for the Qobuz “Studio” Hi-Res streaming tier at +$5.00/month compared to Qobuz Studio or Tidal HiFi will be a no-brainer choice—Qobuz wins. In terms of numbers.
With streaming, it all comes down to the library (for me) and the interface. Since I do not listen to music according to bitrates, x number of hi-res tracks doesn’t tip my scale one way or another. Roon integration is more important to me than hi-res and we know that Qobuz is talking to Roon so integration should be coming soon as well. Once that deal is done, Qobuz Studio at $24.99/month looks to be the clear Hi-Res streaming winner.
I will note that the Qobuz library goes deeper into some areas of musical interest for me, mainly in terms of otherwise impossible to find out jazz. Their classical library also appears to better Tidal’s. YMMV.
The extra $50/year for Sublime+ is a case of simple math for people who buy a lot of downloads:
total cost of downloads purchased/year * 50% (estimated average savings)
If that number is > $50, Sublime+ is for you.
All in all, choice is good and a concern for sound quality is good. Qobuz’ entry into the US market is a win-win.
1. MQA data obtained from MQA_list.csv (last updated 26/11/2018)
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Even better when I am paying $11.99 w/military discount.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Thank you for your service.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
Condorsat
Audio Enthusiast
… I have a Spotify free account .. use to have premium but switched to Tidal (lossy due to Military Discount) Just for giggles .. if I try to change Spotify plan to premium for one year .. it lists $199.88 plus tax . Just assumed they don't offer a yearly discount.Yearly discount would be advantage of Qobuz lossy over Spotify.
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I'm pumped. This resonates with me from Lavorgna's announcement:
With Roon support in the works and better musical choices, I don't even have to consider Tidal or Deezer anymore. Cost isn't the issue as it would cost the same for me for any of the three services at the 16/44.1 level. I like having the high-res available but I could live with CD rate since it is "just streaming" for me and not part of serious listening anyway. Yet it's a pittance to spend another $5/month (half the cost of a new CD) to bump up to true 24-bit high-res.
Prices are right where I knew they would be.
With Roon support in the works and better musical choices, I don't even have to consider Tidal or Deezer anymore. Cost isn't the issue as it would cost the same for me for any of the three services at the 16/44.1 level. I like having the high-res available but I could live with CD rate since it is "just streaming" for me and not part of serious listening anyway. Yet it's a pittance to spend another $5/month (half the cost of a new CD) to bump up to true 24-bit high-res.
Prices are right where I knew they would be.
olson_jr
Lunatic Member
I'm pumped. This resonates with me from Lavorgna's announcement:
Prices are right where I knew they would be.
So I assume you are looking for more classical and not the 'out jazz' he mentions?
That’s probably how Tidal will win out for me, I am never looking for classical, I appreciate it (played the Viola)and listen a few times a year, I am more likely to go see a local live performance before I would listen at home for my fix. Whatever Tidal has will be good enough for me if I want to listen at home
.
So I’ve been comparing Tidal and Qobuz for the past few weeks and have come to some conclusions. First sound quality, my system has turned into a highly resolving rig so excellent sounds excellent and garbage sounds well you get the idea , as far Tidal I compare MQA to Qobuz HiRez 24/192 same songs same equipment etc . I find the two services to sound almost identical with Qobuz sounding like the volume is bumped up a bit . I have determined that Qobuz does not have some of the albums that I have and like which is a bit of a problem because these are albums that I use for critical listening (yes quality is good enough to actually critically listen to streamed music now ) .
The other issue I have is I get the military discount with Tidal ($11.99) for HiFi , where as Qobuz is $24.99 for there HiRez package . I think where I stand right now is , I’ll keep Tidal because I get the discount and the very large library I have accumulated and if/when Tidal goes belly up I will have the option to choose Qobuz which is an awesome service but being that I am getting about the same sound quality from the two and I am paying half on Tidal for the same sound quality with more of the music I listen to right now Tidal wins . But all in all we have more high quality streaming to choose from and I’m happy for that .
Audiofreak71
The other issue I have is I get the military discount with Tidal ($11.99) for HiFi , where as Qobuz is $24.99 for there HiRez package . I think where I stand right now is , I’ll keep Tidal because I get the discount and the very large library I have accumulated and if/when Tidal goes belly up I will have the option to choose Qobuz which is an awesome service but being that I am getting about the same sound quality from the two and I am paying half on Tidal for the same sound quality with more of the music I listen to right now Tidal wins . But all in all we have more high quality streaming to choose from and I’m happy for that .
Audiofreak71
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