Misc. technical issues - streaming, dynamic range, etc.

[jayne lee wilson]

Or fork out for Audirvana and the problem just goes away.....

https://audirvana.com/buy/

Under financial pressure myself, £84 isn't nothing, I know..... but if you can run to it... lovely user interface too....get a free trial and see....

[Sir Velo]

I always use the Qobuz app for Windows. However, I do not get your reference to "importing". Is this a QOBUZ feature or the use of an external programme such as Audfree you have in mind? If the former, please elucidate.

Hopefully, this elucidates:

1. Click on import and select the download quality for the specific recording, as below.



2. Go to offline library where you will see the progress of your import and the other files in your offline library.



It's worth noting that these imports will remain in the cache until you clear it. In effect they are downloads in all but name, except that they cannot be copied between devices or used with other programs.

Hope that helps.

[Bryn]

Hopefully, this elucidates:

1. Click on import and select the download quality for the specific recording, as below.

2. Go to offline library where you will see the progress of your import and the other files in your offline library.


It's worth noting that these imports will remain in the cache until you clear it. In effect they are downloads in all but name, except that they cannot be copied between devices or used with other programs.

Hope that helps.

It does indeed help. Thanks. I will have another try at the troublesome 'track' using that method.

How I missed that feature, I do not know. I tried an Internet search for "QOBUZ import" but without success. It just suggested using the third party program I mentioned earlier. Thanks again. The errant 'track' now plays right through from the import without a hitch.

[richardfinegold]

I think you must be living too much in the past.

I used to like Walter a lot, but spurred on by comments around here I bought the latest big Walter box. This has made me wonder if in fact he had a very small (by modern standards) repertoire. I'm not suggesting he wasn't good, but I think many conductors these days may have a wider repertoire, and do at at least as well in most of them as earlier conductors. I also think that orchestral standards have generally improved immensely, though some orchestras were outstanding even 50 years ago - the LSO - for example. Bernstein did seem to have a more comprehensive selection of works in his bag.

http://www.bwdiscography.com/

Lastly - recording standards - these have often been variable. In the past there were some fairly poor recordings - often due to poor equipment and/or other factors, and sometimes just ignorance. However, I'm not convinced that modern recordings which are often heavily multi-miked, and in some cases have pitch and other adjustments "imposed" post production, are always better than some of the better recordings from previous eras. There are very likely still some pretty poor recordings being put out.

As much as I enjoy the Walter box, I have also been struck by limited range of the repertoire. I googled Walter and yes, his repertoire was more varied than is reflected by the box. He did perform French and Russian music, and some contemporary Composers. Many Conductors were pigeon holed by recording companies and I suspect that must of occurred. I am also surmising that when Walter wanted to record some repertoire that was unfamiliar to the average listener, and therefore less likely to sell, he saved his powder for Mahler. I am going to further surmise that after his major heart attack in the late fifties that Walter wished to preserve his strength and health by sticking with his base, the Austro German composers, and this box is heavily weighted towards the end of his career. Anyway, if one wants to hear Walter in other music one must turn to the plethora of concerts from the forties and fifties that have been released. I purchased one that featured some Ravel from a Japanese label from a discount source and it sounded awful, with no attempt at digital processing the noise from the shellac disks that were probably the source

[jayne lee wilson]

Was that Opus Kora? I made a similar mistake myself on their transfer of the 1938 Mahler 9.....just a straight, very noisy needle-drop I'm afraid...

[Sir Velo]

It does indeed help. Thanks. I will have another try at the troublesome 'track' using that method.

How I missed that feature, I do not know. I tried an Internet search for "QOBUZ import" but without success. It just suggested using the third party program I mentioned earlier. Thanks again. The errant 'track' now plays right through from the import without a hitch.

Pleasure!

Agreed, Qobuz doesn't make a deal of it which is surprising. Moreover, it's worth noting that the same feature is available on the app. I find it extremely useful for listening on the move (either in the car or taking exercise) as one can download before leaving the house and thus save on the mobile allowance.

[johnb]

I have just encountered another file which stalls. The first movement of the Oboe Concerto of the Strauss Concertos double album, which also has the Tuckwell/Kertesz Horn Concertos, grinds to a halt at 8'27" when using the QOBUZ app to stream it.

I've just checked that concerto on Qobuz using Squeezebox/LMS and there were no problems whatsoever. In fact I can't remember ever having a track suddenly stop when streaming Qobuz with Squeezebox/LMS.

It must be a problem with the Qobuz app (which I rarely use). If this often occurs towards the end of a track I would experiment with the buffer settings (in the "Music Playing" settings). Changing the setting from "Automatic" and trying out the various options, say, starting with 1792. It might have no effect but it's worth checking out.

[Bryn]

I've just checked that concerto on Qobuz using Squeezebox/LMS and there were no problems whatsoever. In fact I can't remember ever having a track suddenly stop when streaming Qobuz with Squeezebox/LMS.

It must be a problem with the Qobuz app (which I rarely use). If this often occurs towards the end of a track I would experiment with the buffer settings (in the "Music Playing" settings). Changing the setting from "Automatic" and trying out the various options, say, starting with 1792. It might have no effect but it's worth checking out.

As reported earlier, it does not appear to be a buffer problem. When it occurs, it is at the same point in the same file ('track') and not necessarily towards the end. It also occurs even after a complete clearout of the cache and a full shut-down and restart of the computer. However, using the "Import" feature does resolve it.

[jayne lee wilson]

Qobuz update - you may recall my writing to them about various tracks being randomly greyed out on a few albums, in particular rendering both recordings listed for streaming of the Florent Schmitt Piano Quintet unplayable/partly playable...?.... Q said they'd try to fix that....

Very pleased to report these albums are complete for playback again now. So its always worth writing in...
....guess whats next up on the playlist....

[richardfinegold]

Was that Opus Kora? I made a similar mistake myself on their transfer of the 1938 Mahler 9.....just a straight, very noisy needle-drop I'm afraid...

I think it was Opus Kuna, or perhaps the Memories Label. All the packaging is in Japanese

[richardfinegold]

I don’t know if this is the area to discuss it, but seems to be the current tech area discussion...My cell phone is an LG V40 (it’s ‘Audiophile Approved’ per Stereophile magazine), and it’s thin as can be. Our gym went belly up due to Covid and so walking is now my main form of exercise. I previously was using weightier phones or portable players. My complaint is the vibrational stability of the phone; compared to other devices it jumps the tracks along as I walk. Have others noticed that lighter portable players have less stability?

[Dave2002]

I don’t know if this is the area to discuss it, but seems to be the current tech area discussion...My cell phone is an LG V40 (it’s ‘Audiophile Approved’ per Stereophile magazine), and it’s thin as can be. Our gym went belly up due to Covid and so walking is now my main form of exercise. I previously was using weightier phones or portable players. My complaint is the vibrational stability of the phone; compared to other devices it jumps the tracks along as I walk. Have others noticed that lighter portable players have less stability?

That seems very odd. Would make more sense for older tech - such as cassettes or CD players - but mobile phones?!

Are you downloading the tracks or streaming them? Maybe you have 4G or 5G - or whatever it's called over there - and you're actually streaming and there are reception issues. We do have those supposedly faster forms of phone connectivity in some parts over here, and it's a while since I tested/checked, but there were definitely very few corridors where the communications actually worked reliably, even in some urban areas.

If the files are stored on your phone then I can only think of some form of localised hardware or software fault.

Walking is good - though I've not done so much lately - but I really should. Swimming has opened up again - sporadically - round here, but walking is free and the hills are a bit of a challenge. Otherwise I use an exercise bike - which is very different, and I thought it was supposed to be for muscle strength, but my friends say it's really for cardio-vascular stuff. Either way - it helps a bit, but walking is better - when it doesn't rain - which is often the way.

[richardfinegold]

That seems very odd. Would make more sense for older tech - such as cassettes or CD players - but mobile phones?!

Are you downloading the tracks or streaming them? Maybe you have 4G or 5G - or whatever it's called over there - and you're actually streaming and there are reception issues. We do have those supposedly faster forms of phone connectivity in some parts over here, and it's a while since I tested/checked, but there were definitely very few corridors where the communications actually worked reliably, even in some urban areas.

If the files are stored on your phone then I can only think of some form of localised hardware or software fault.

Walking is good - though I've not done so much lately - but I really should. Swimming has opened up again - sporadically - round here, but walking is free and the hills are a bit of a challenge. Otherwise I use an exercise bike - which is very different, and I thought it was supposed to be for muscle strength, but my friends say it's really for cardio-vascular stuff. Either way - it helps a bit, but walking is better - when it doesn't rain - which is often the way.

The problem occurs with both streaming and stored files. I repeat this phone is very thin; perhaps no stability for vibrations

[Bryn]

The problem occurs with both streaming and stored files. I repeat this phone is very thin; perhaps no stability for vibrations

How are your earphones connected to the phone? Physically via a plug or via Bluetooth? If the fomer, the leaf contacts have probably lost their effectiveness. You might try applying switch cleaner to the plug and rotating it in the socket to attempt the removal of any insulating layer that may have built up. If connection is via Bluetooth, I have no suggestion to offer. I avoid it lke the plaque.

[Dave2002]

Is the phone now too old to get a refund? Otherwise ask a repair shop. Perhaps not too many other options in the US, which is somewhat curious re consumer affairs in my limited experience, largely, but not only, based on California. Whereas in the EU and still in the UK there may be legal rights re goods considered “faulty”, which should last for up to 2 years, in much of the US 90 days seems to be the limit. However, in practice often the legal rights in the UK are ignored and still sometimes difficult to deal with, though some firms such as the (US based) Amazon are very helpful, while in the US many sellers were very obliging in coming to some form of resolution- such as “I can’t give you a refund, but I can swap it for this brand new one” - up to a year or maybe more after purchase.

An added complication in the UK, but maybe not in the US, is that mobile phones are not always subject to the same consumer laws as other products, something which I discovered many years ago when trying to gain satisfaction for a phone which didn’t work as hoped, and I had to write to my then MP to get a sensible agreement.