Qobuz - latest retrograde 'upgrade' - June 2024

[Anastasius]

Why, oh why, don't s/w companies learn the old adage ...'If it ain't bust, don't fix it'. Or in this context, why replace a very good user interface with a useless complex, non-intuitive, muddled one ? I despair.

So can anyone recommend another streaming service? What's Apple Music like for classical ? Spotify ? Any others? I've asked Qobuz if it is possible to go back to the earlier version. If not then I fear the parting of the ways which is sad as I've been with them since inception.

[Roger Webb]

Why, oh why, don't s/w companies learn the old adage ...'If it ain't bust, don't fix it'. Or in this context, why replace a very good user interface with a useless complex, non-intuitive, muddled one ? I despair.

So can anyone recommend another streaming service? What's Apple Music like for classical ? Spotify ? Any others? I've asked Qobuz if it is possible to go back to the earlier version. If not then I fear the parting of the ways which is sad as I've been with them since inception.

I'm playing something on Qobuz right now and haven't actually noticed an 'upgrade' being offered....mind you I get Qobuz via Playfi app. - I haven't actually been into the Qobuz app. What is the upgrade?

BTW Qobuz, whilst not 'bust' has several things that could do with improvement, a 'connect' like Spotify to start with, and better track ident and labelling - ie it would be nice to know which work and composer one is listening to on multiple composer albums!

Edit. Just checked, last update 15th May 2024. I have this update (on Android) seems fine. I tried most other streaming services - except Apple - and this is the best, for sound quality, reliability, classical and jazz content.

[Anastasius]

I'm on the beta program. Silly boy, am I.

[richardfinegold]

Why, oh why, don't s/w companies learn the old adage ...'If it ain't bust, don't fix it'. Or in this context, why replace a very good user interface with a useless complex, non-intuitive, muddled one ? I despair.

So can anyone recommend another streaming service? What's Apple Music like for classical ? Spotify ? Any others? I've asked Qobuz if it is possible to go back to the earlier version. If not then I fear the parting of the ways which is sad as I've been with them since inception.

I use Apple. Its catalog is broad and the search engine is better than most streaming services. I have to use AirPlay if I want to send it through my main system, which sounds fine but is an extra step

[Roger Webb]

I'm on the beta program. Silly boy, am I.

The Beta program was introduced before I went to Qobuz, and although I've looked up to see what it was/is I'm none the wiser. What was/is it? And do you have to stay on it once you opted for it?
Also, if you consider Apple, you may need to work out how you get from the app. to your HiFi, as has been pointed out above. I use an Android tablet to control my streamers (Marantz and Quad). The Marantz uses HEOS app. and doesn't support Apple. The Quad uses Playfi app. and doesn't support Apple. This put me off Apple.

Qobuz with Playfi works fine, but if Qobuz introduced 'connect' it would be even better. A dealbreaker for me is 'gapless'. When you play a recording, an opera, say, does it move from one 'track' to the next without inserting a gap? Most streaming services I've tried are not entirely gapless - it's the reason I moved to Qobuz.

Streaming music to my HiFi from Qobuz via Playfi is the best way I've found so far.

[richardfinegold]

Apple is generally gapless with the odd exception. Apple of course will also work with Bluetooth, and most people have some kind of Bluetooth receiving capability, but there is some sonic compromise. AirPlay is better than Bluetooth and close to CD quality, but yes your streamer needs to have that capability. Chromecast is really excellent, but less available and requires and Android device.
I read yesterday that Apple makes more money every year selling AirPods than the entire commercial speaker industry. Given those economics, I don’t expect Apple to start making direct connections into streamers any time soon

[Anastasius]

Oh there definitely is a sonic compromise with Bluetooth. All is reasonably OK but any choral music has distortion (for want of a better word).

@Roger Webb.

The main difference that I can see is that they treat all your music ...Favourites, Purchased ..as one library. Personally I find the user interface clunky and have fed that back. One gripe is that you can see a list of Purchases without Favourites included but not vice versa.

[Roger Webb]

Oh there definitely is a sonic compromise with Bluetooth. All is reasonably OK but any choral music has distortion (for want of a better word).

@Roger Webb.

The main difference that I can see is that they treat all your music ...Favourites, Purchased ..as one library. Personally I find the user interface clunky and have fed that back. One gripe is that you can see a list of Purchases without Favourites included but not vice versa.

Yes Airplay is better spec than bluetooth, as Richard says above...in fact it's better than CD quality (24bts 48k)....and I've used Chromecast, but it's not gapless. Much as Playfi is often criticised (now mostly in the past), it will convey at 24bts 192k HiRes gapless to the streamer/amplifier, and with Qobuz is the best sound I've ever achieved from streamed sources - the only snag is the signal has to travel through the phone/tablet via WiFi to the streamer....Qobuz are working on 'connect', but when?! I had Spotify for ages, but, even with 'Connect' it is not reliably gapless, and has inferior sound MP3 320k....although 'HiFi' has been rumoured for years!

[Anastasius]

Full marks to Qobuz. I pointed out a couple of limitations of the beta version. They've picked up on these and amending as needed.

[Roger Webb]

Full marks to Qobuz. I pointed out a couple of limitations of the beta version. They've picked up on these and amending as needed.

But what distinguishes Qobuz 'Beta' from the ordinary (Alpha?!) version that I have, and can't you just change to it?

[Anastasius]

But what distinguishes Qobuz 'Beta' from the ordinary (Alpha?!) version that I have, and can't you just change to it?

If you can I have no idea how to TBH. Possibly create a new account ?

[Mandryka]

I dumped Qobuz because so much of what I want to hear is just not in their catalogue. I use spotify. I think the sound is absolutely fine, and the software only slightly annoying - you learn to handle it. I generally search it through the Logitech Media Server interface. They have an ENORMOUS catalogue of classical music!

[Roger Webb]

I dumped Qobuz because so much of what I want to hear is just not in their catalogue. I use spotify. I think the sound is absolutely fine, and the software only slightly annoying - you learn to handle it. I generally search it through the Logitech Media Server interface. They have an ENORMOUS catalogue of classical music!

I dumped Spotify for Qobuz! I find they have everything I want....well one or two are missing, for example Chesky's catalogue. Particularly, Qobuz does out of the way French stuff well, which suits me.

A plus on Spotify is 'Connect', this works better than anything else I've tried, Tidal...still have to use the proprietary app for the streamer, Qobuz...hasn't got Connect at all - although they say they're working on it. In the meantime I go through HEOS to my Marantz (HEOS is rubbish!), or through Playfi (ok, but track identification very poor) to my Quad streamer in my preamp.

The biggest problem with Spotify is that it is not reliably 'gapless', meaning that if you play a work which is continuous eg an opera, does the equipment or app insert a gap at track access points. Spotify claims to be, it is not! Qobuz is entirely 'gapless'.....except when in 'Transfer' mode, ie playback is transfered so that the work playing goes straight from the server to the streamer - this function is rubbish!

And then there is sound quality, Qobuz wipes the floor with all the others I've tried....Tidal is a mess, and is backtracking on MQA after exposés of dodgy claims (MQA are now bust!). Spotify is playing catch-up. They promised a HiFi tier back in 2021 - urm, still waiting! 320bt ogg vorbis is not good enough when Qobuz has flac.

[HighlandDougie]

On the question of sound quality of Tidal vs Qobuz, I was asked my views recently by a friend on Tidal or Qobuz, as in which is better. Having recently invested in a new streamer (Auralic Aries G2.2) and as a subscriber to both in their highest res formats, I took the same pieces of music and switched between the two. Somewhat to my surprise, Tidal Max had the definite edge, sound-wise. Not a lot in it but more space round the music and better definition, particularly with 24/192 offerings, e.g. Martin James Bartlett’s recent piano recital. I also have an Apple Classical subscription but haven’t tried that with the Auralic. Sound quality apart though, Qobuz seems to have a wider choice of recordings on offer. I’ve never listened to Spotify so know nothing about it.

[Sir Velo]

Also, not to be overlooked, are the accompanying booklets which Qobuz provides for most new classical releases. That, allied to superior sound quality and a vast catalogue of classical (I'm struggling to think of any of label that does not have practically its entire repertoire represented on Qobuz) make it the streaming app par excellence for classical music. The only omissions to repertoire are those companies which do not make any of their catalogue available for streaming.

However, it's by no means perfect. The search function is woeful and the Android app has an irritating tendency to want to connect to a mobile network and stream at a high bit rate even when one has selcted offline listening. Another feature the desktop app lacks is the ability to switch the location for storing imports (eg expansion drive). I've tried changing in the past, and everytime there is an upgrade the desktop app reverts to the detault location on the hard drive, limiting the amount of files one can save, particularly irritating for hi res files which typically may use 1GB for a large symphonic work!