Don;t you have to set the max stream rate in the settings?
I am a Studio subscriber in the UK - it was defaulted at 16/44.1
Just click on your username in the upper right and you get here… what is it set at?
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I just got a “you were not selected yet” email, saying “we are adding testers everyday”. The survey in the “welcome” email is not the same as actually being selected as a beta selector. But I do, currently, have a temporary comp\
This.
I applied for the beta (and got rejected), but then remembered that Roon integration was TBD, so meh. When there’s Roon + Qobuz, sign me up.
That said, I am looking forward to there (hopefully) being an app that has both Roon integration and works reliably with Apple CarPlay. Tidal is unusable (literally, album list loads maybe 10% of the time) in CarPlay, and I’ve resorted to signing up for a Spotify (ick) for CarPlay functionality alone, which brings other headaches like syncing favorited albums. #firstworldproblems
I’m guessing you’re joking about a Roon CarPlay app. But if you want hassle-freeTidal in your car, all you need is a headphone port. In my car, there’s one in the center armrest console. To that, I’ve attached an analog cable, an Apple camera adapter, an Audioquest Dragonfly Black, and an iPhone, on which I have Tidal access, not to mention an 800-track Tidal playlist. Et voila! Sounds more complicated than it is; works great.
I’m talking about a Qubuz app that works well on CarPlay. I was comparing it to the Tidal app, not Roon. But hoping for Qobuz integration in Roon so my one (future) Qobuz account would work well at home (Roon) and in my car (Qobuz app via CarPlay).
I don’t need anything but a USB-lightning cable. CarPlay is built in to my car.
I was also selected to be a Qobuz beta user. As there is no Roon interface, I had to go back to using a Logitech Touch with LMS and the Qobuz app written for it. I am using iPeng on my iPhone to select tracks.
It is a bit clunky and I would really love to have Qobuz directly integrated with Roon.
This is my first try at a streaming service. I have about 13,000 albums in my collection so I have not felt the need, up to now.
So far, I like the options to hear new artists and preview albums.
I will give it a month and hope that Qobuz does become integrated with Roon.
The sound quality is EXCELLENT.
I received the same email rejection as well, and am not sure either that I need another service. However, those in Europe I know basically tell me that the service ends up being free if you factor in the savings from the high-resolution downloads via the service.
However, here is another area of discussion. If it’s any music from the pre-digital era or if it was ever done on tape it’s impossible to be high resolution because the source material does not meet the high resolution criteria. I am with Dr. AIX/Mark Waldrep on this one. It will sound great, but, really is no better than CD quality in a larger container. There are those that will vehemently disagree as you know.
I may give the service a try briefly and honestly don’t care right now if it integrates with Roon or not. Time will tell how this shakes out.
Chuck
You need an LG V30!
Very high quality internal DAC, so you only need the analogue cable. And Android, so you can use USB Audio Player Pro to bypass the bits of Android that mess with sound quality. It plays Tidal, only issue is you can’t download for offline use (Tidal don’t allow it).
Sounds really good. Suspect you might be ever so slightly resistant to moving to Android though!
Phil
Ever so slightly, Phil. But thanks.
I got an email saying I was now in, via the second round of beta testers, after getting the initial rejection email. Anyone else get added to the list in this manner?
For those that have been in for the past week or two, what are the latest impressions?
I just got accepted as a beta user. It’s telling me that on Feb 17th, it will charge me $25 if I don’t cancel. My question is whether the service will be live by then? I shouldn’t be changed for the beta.
Basically I’m making assumptions that both Qobuz US launch and Roon integration will be done by then.
To me this almost looks like a bait and switch, under the guise of “you are chosen as a beta user” but in reality it seems that what they really are doing is getting me to sign up and I get one month free in exchange. Their hope is that for a large number of users who sign up for this “beta” that they will just not bother to cancel and there is a good revenue stream for them. Not sure at this time whether I am going to fall for this or not. I would expect beta users to be a few months, two or three at least, in exchange for the feedback they are asking for, or, I don’t mind signing up to help but should not be required to put in any payment info until the beta is over and I elect to become a regular user.
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Well I definitely not paying if it’s still beta. First of all they already said we’re not getting 100% of the catelog. This also makes it hard to try and move over our Tidal catelog. I’ve already noticed older albums missing that Tidal has. I’ll just set reminder to cancel before the 17th.
I’d also hope the give another free month when service is launched since a new user gets a free month. And most likely can try with roon at that point. Not any real benefit to being a beta tester other than early access.
There is a guy on the PS Audio forums who was an early early adopter of Qobuz in the UK and seems to know all the ins and outs of that service. I have asked him to comment on this. He buys a lot of downloads however, classical, choral and the like. He says the discounts that are afforded to them buying through the service more than pay for the cost of the service compared to what you would pay from HD Tracks or elsewhere. I don’t buy much of anything, and usually do CD when I do (used or cheap with Amazon credits ha ha). So…I may not find any real benefit.
I ended up using Soudliz premium to pull over my Tidal catalog but I can’t tell how much came over. There’s an issue on iPhone not showing all my favorited albums even though the webplayer does. I couldn’t get webplayer to work on Safari but does on Chrome. As far as hires, I’ve only found a few albums at 24/192 but most are 24/96 or lower. As some with the hires symbol don’t even stream in hires, only available to buy in that format. Kind of misleading.
I’m still not sold on Qobuz being better than Tidal. I still need to see full catalog and how it integrates with roon. And if roon releases the mobile update, I’d be using the roon app instead of Qobuz’s.
So I’ve been a beta tester for a couple of days. Without Roon integration, it’s hard to make a real judgement. My initial interest is based on their store which Tidal doesn’t have. Looking through the offering s in the store, I didn’t see much of anything I couldn’t find on 7Digital or HDTracks. I haven’t found a way to easily bring in my own library either. Finally, can’t seem to figure out how to stream to my main system yet. I’m underwhelmed at this point, but will look at again if they reach a deal with Roon. BTW, I’m pretty satisfied with Tidal except for the inability to buy music through them.
After a week of beta use:
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Catalog is limited, but from our out of USA members assume it will fill with time.
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Desk top app and iPhone app are not as robust as Tidal.
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But the Hi Res Files sound better on my equipment than Roon+MQA–I do have a Audioquest dragonfly in one set up.
With better sound I find what I have for years: the better the sound the more music I " like" and the longer I listen.
Bottom line I will be keeping the Qobuz Studio service month to month, in hope of library expansion and Roon Integration.
Well they did say the catalog for beta isn’t 100% of what US catalog will be on official release. So I may do one month when it goes live to really compare.
I was able to look over the Soundliz transfer results and at least for playlists, they’re not good. I saw one that only transferred 32 of over 100 tracks. As said, this is still beta so I’ll have to do another transfer when it goes live and see if it greatly improves.
I haven’t bothered to test the hires on my dac because I’d really end up using them thru roon integration and then onto HQPlayer. But just listening on iphone, I do think Qobuz sounds better.
I decided not to reply to the email and will sit this one out until they go live, then reconsider. I just don’t know that I need another service, as I continue to be happy with Tidal and Spotify. Pandora even was my friend for a couple of hours this morning while I shoveled the driveway and sidewalk, using my Sony noise-cancelling cans and it was satisfying doing that. Good luck all with your testing, I will lurk away and see reports!
Can’t wait to try the integration tonight when I get home. I’m surprised roon updated while US was still in beta. Would have expected Qobuz to launch at same time but both services are global.
As far as my testing is going on iPhone app not the best. It only loads 300 of farovited albums on start and have to scroll to bottom to load next 300. I have over 3500 albums favorited. Ran into some issue where red error pops up. Also noticed some 24/192 MQA albums in Tidal are only in 24/96 in Qobuz.