Qobuz.

@thyname,

That’s correct. Aurender streamers are capable of unfolding MQA encoded files.... upto 24/96kHz resolution 😉

I know @lalitk 

I can do the same with my Roon. But to get the second, and the final MQA unfold, you need a MQA DAC. So not completely MQA you are comparing, and not fair

Just today I was approved for the Qobuz beta free trial and have been poking around and comparing hi-res Qobuz to Tidal MQA streaming within Roon.  There are fewer 24/192 titles than hoped for on Qobuz, but they sound amazing and are a clear notch up from 24/96 with or without MQA.

LOL!! The only 24/96 Tidal has is WITH MQA

@thyname,

The comparison was made between identical files of same resolution between Tidal and Qobuz, i.e. Tidal MQA 24/96kHz and Qobuz 24/96kHz. And Qobuz files sounded fuller and natural in comparison. 

The point i was trying to make is with Qobuz streaming upto 24/192kHz resolution, one doesn’t have to rely on a external MQA decoder. As is there are very fewer MQA compatiable DAC’s currently available. In contrast, most modern DAC’s regardless of price point are now capable of decoding resolution upto 24/192kHz and beyond. 

@dgarretson,

I believe the beta trial limits the access to 24/96kHz resolution files only. I don’t use Roon so you may be prevue to something I couldn’t see through my Aurender Conductor app during the trial. 

I am just glad that we have options on how we stream our favorite tunes. Qobuz is a keeper for me, bye bye $14-25 high resolution downloads from HDTracks. 

I’m running both Tidal and Qobuz via Roon and preferring Qobuz more generally. UI is irrelevant due to Roon. I am finding more high res pop and rock titles with Qobuz, and both have gaps, nice to use both. Not sure whether I’ll pick one or just keep both.

I just joined closed beta this week.  Looking forward to canceling my relationship with Jay Z.  Qobuz hires blows away my standard tidal.  I’m running tidal and Qobuz through aurender n10. 

I'm still a free beta Qobuz user, but it integrates so well with Roon and the 96/24 sounds so good I'm sure to be a subscriber.  I plan to keep Tidal as well.

My Roon friends report they already can sort albums and have filters for hi-res selection.

You can sort for Qobuz Hi Res in Audirvana too!

I can do the same with my Roon. But to get the second, and the final MQA unfold, you need a MQA DAC. So not completely MQA you are comparing, and not fair

Of course it is unfair. Qobuz is true 24/96/192 where Tidal MQA is at best upsampled(unfolded) to 24/96 or 192 if it goes there. Ive been using Qobuz for months, and most anything that you can find in MQA on Tidal can be found in a true hi res version on Qobuz.

Classic I just got an email from Quobuz saying I may now sign up for an account. I've been a beta user for two weeks already. ;p

I think it sounds incredible.  I never knew my system could sound so good.

How the heck does Qobuz sounds so much better than playing the same files thru itunes with Fidelizer ?

I’m in the Qobuz beta now. Observations so far:

- I *love* Hi-Res audio enough to probably stick with Qobuz over Tidal, despite:

-The lack of an Apple TV app
-Many many missing albums, not just in hi-res, but missing completely, by smaller indie artists I like. Have a lot of this on CD though, so maybe not too big a deal.
-Cannot even get the Desktop app to mount.

The bass on the hi-res files tickles my eardrums - this is listening with standard issue apple earbuds and an iPhone. I go back to CD-quality and it sounds weak. I am so happy that artists/labels have gone and produced hi-res versions of songs and albums. Some I have enjoyed so far are Neil Young (of course, but I also subscribe to his NeilYoungArchive), Wilco, Marshmello w/Bastille, the 1975, Grateful Dead.

bye bye $14-25 high resolution downloads from HDTracks

I plan to switch from Tidal to Qobuz soon (I don't understand why anyone prefers MQA over true hi-rez). If I sign up for the top tier Qobuz service, what is the typical price range if I want to buy an album?

Here’s an honest review from someone with an MQA DAC.  I’m currently using an Aurender A10 (which I purchased in order to stream MQA tidal files).  I would like to believe that I have decent equipment that could showcase the potential differences (McIntosh preamp, 601 monoblocks, and Amati Futura speakers).  I’ve been A/B’ing the Tidal MQA files against the comparable Hi-Res files and will say that they are very close to identical for me.  Here’s what it boils down to:

Tidal - $5 cheaper/month, even though MQA is lossy - it sounds identical (to me) to the uncompressed Hi-res files from Qobuz.  The downside is that you have to have an MQA DAC to get the full potential from MQA.  

Qobuz - The biggest plus for Qobuz is that you do NOT need a specific DAC to recognize the potential of Hi-Res and It sounds ohhhh so sweet! Did I mention that they have Springsteen in Hi-Res?  I’ve been quite impressed with their Hi-Res catalog. 

If you have an MQA DAC, you will be just fine with Tidal.  If not, I would recommend Qobuz.  When all is said and done I will probably stay with  Qobuz due to the fact that I prefer their Hi-Res catalog and like the fact that I can purchase the music from them as well.

Just started my trial today.  Compared to the last time I perused Tidal, there seems to be a lot more Classical available, not to mention better organized 

beetlemania I just clicked on a random album in the Quobuz store Mini Mansions.....A Guy Walks Into a Bar and the CD version $12.99 hi-rez $14.99 but hi-rez with the sublime streaming package $7.49. Quite a nice savings! The Sublime Tier is $299.99 per year. It's basically the same monthly rate at the Studio tier $24.99/month but you pay upfront.

@jond Thanks. I plan to try it soon, probably go with the sublime package.

I have both Tidal and Qobuz at the moment. 

Comparing 24/96 Qobuz and Tidal MQA unfolded to 24/96, both sound good but different. For certain tracks, vocals seem to have more body and are more present on Tidal than Qobuz. For certain tracks, Qobuz seems to have a wider soundstage and better at micro details. On balance, I slightly prefer the sound quality of Tidal. 

At this point, I might stick with Tidal since I find the interface more intuitive (probably since I've been using it longer and prefer the black background) and music selection better aligns with mine. It's not a strong preference and I could be convinced either way. I do find the option of not having to get an MQA DAC a very big plus for Qobuz. 

By the end of the week I'll be thru my month's trial of Qobuz and will need to decide if I'll buy a membership.  I'm leaning to do so and to also keep my Tidal account as well.

I do enjoy many (but not all of the) MQA masters on Tidal.  If there's anything that doesn't sound "right" to me, it's that many of them seem to have accentuated the bass.

When I've compared the sound of "regular" CD quality albums, Tidal vs. Qobuz, using the same Windows machine, same USB connection to the same DAC, the only difference is the Tidal vs. Qobuz app to do the playback, I must say I believe that the sound quality on Qobuz is slightly superior (i.e. a little better clarity, sound stage, stereo image), not a "day and night" difference, but it does seem to be better with Qobuz.

Have been using Qobuz for three weeks. The high res is better than 24/96 MQA (my dac is not MQA) in most cases. I've had no trouble with skipping or lock up using windows app. I do find that Qobuz is lacking in many areas of Jazz in regard to Tidal. They are almost even for all of the usual suspects, but on many lesser names they are way behind. They claim that they do not have there entire catalog available as of yet, licencing issues perhaps. I will give them a few months to get this squared away before I dump Tidal.

Meats, I'm with you. When it's not stopping or locking up or having to put your audio info in every time you start it up, yeah it sounds great. But I'm a jazz guy and the stuff I'm looking for I search for. Sometimes it shows up sometimes it doesn't. Until their whole catalog is there, whats the point of great sound if there is nothing you want to hear. I'll come back in a couple of month's and check it out. Until then, Spotify. More music then I know what to do with. For me it's more about the music. 

Qobuz has more bodies than Tidal MQA. But the Qobuz App beta is difficult to look compare to Tidal. Lack of App on Apple TV and Oppo 105, 204 player is another draw back. Tidal HiFi/MQA has $9.99 price discount for student and Sprint customer. I would say Tidal wins so far.

My Qobuz trial was up tomorrow, decided to "take the plunge" and sign up for a year of the hi-res streaming plan.  I find that they have a better selection of classical music and the search for that is a little better than Tidal.  I'll be keeping Tidal, using it and Qobuz with my Roon subscription.

I was a Tidal subscriber, and am now using the Qobuz trial.

I find the sound quality on Qobuz to be superior to Tidal.  However, >50% of the time, I'm not able to find titles (jazz, electronic) that I find on other services.

So for me, I'll probably not renew Qobuz for the time being.  I'm assuming (hoping) that the catalog will only grow (it is offered as beta), so I expect to check-in again.

I haven't yet directly compared SQ of Tidal MQA against 24 bit Qobuz but I did prefer 24 bit files on my drive to Tidal MQA using Roon to do the first unfold. I am quite certain I do not want, much less need, MQA. Pretty sure I will cancel Tidal and pay for Qobuz subscription.

 

The only thing that gives me pause is the ~30 titles in my library on Tidal but not Qobuz. Some are obscrure artists but others are more mainstream (eg, John Prine, Josh Ritter). I am hoping Qobuz will get many of these titles as they move out of beta. But I think I will just buy many of these files rather than keep paying Tidal.

I too was as hopeful as the rest for Qobuz USA. And then I tried the beta trial.

For me the subjective improvement in sound quality isn’t enough to overcome the objective shortfalls: the native app UX & function, the web app UX & function, their catalog gaps, the metadata misses, the weirdo curation, etc. All of that and for +$5/mo. more than the kinda-comparable Tidal "HiFi" plan. Tidal has its issues for sure - like I said in a earlier post it ain’t quite a race to the bottom, but it’s close. It’s just that for now, Qobuz wins that race.

I’ll stay with Tidal. Maybe later, after Qobuz sorts ’le merde’.