Thread: Qobuz vs Tidal

I’ve been testing QoBuz vs Tidal for a while and have run into some interesting observations.

For example, this new Andrea Bocelli album is listed as “High-Res” for QoBuz, but it is only 16/44 (see below). Playing the same album on Tidal Masters shows 24/96 (see below).

Originally Posted by apdoc2004

Mike,

What is your take on Qobuz vs Tidal when it comes to sound quality?
Thanks,
Anshul

Too early to tell.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Mike

I’ve been testing QoBuz vs Tidal for a while and have run into some interesting observations.

For example, this new Andrea Bocelli album is listed as “High-Res” for QoBuz, but it is only 16/44 (see below). Playing the same album on Tidal Masters shows 24/96 (see below).

Mike, after one year of use, I observe the following evolution on Qobuz: more and more hi-res titles available.
The Blue Note 24/192 albums for example, are truly excellent.
The weekly new releases are 60-70% 24/88.2, 24/96 or higher. Important classical releases even near 100%.
Mind you, I'm mostly interested in classical and jazz, occasionally blues, pop, rock, world music, but even the most popular rock and pop appear to be often in hi-res.

Sometimes, and this will vary from region to region, some titles are listed as hi-res, but are only streamed in 16/44.1.
To have access to the hi-res version, you'll have to buy it.
But... sometimes, a while after the release, the hi-res version becomes available to stream.

I have Tidal also, but I don't have a MQA DAC.
My Tidal account fills in the gaps of the albums that Qobuz doesn't offer (less and less).

Both services are now also compatible with Apple Carplay (Qobuz only since last week).

any differences on ease of creating or retrieving playlists of music between the 2?

I have a dCs Rossini on loan at the moment, before I would not give an advantage to Tidal or Qobuz, but with the Rossini, I have to say I really appreciate MQA files.

Originally Posted by imprezap2

I have a dCs Rossini on loan at the moment, before I would not give an advantage to Tidal or Qobuz, but with the Rossini, I have to say I really appreciate MQA files.

+1

My local impromptu audio group did a Qobuz vs Tidal comparison. Each picked a song and it was played via each. One person handled the switching so it was completely blind. All participants chose Tidal.

Originally Posted by nc42acc

My local impromptu audio group did a Qobuz vs Tidal comparison. Each picked a song and it was played via each. One person handled the switching so it was completely blind. All participants chose Tidal.

Tidal output seems to be a little bit louder then the Qobuz output, if not adjusted it can influence the outcome of such a test. Have to say I like the MQA files over a good MQA DAC.

Originally Posted by Mike

For example, this new Andrea Bocelli album is listed as “High-Res” for QoBuz, but it is only 16/44 (see below).

I found there are multiple listings of "Si" albums in Qobuz Hi-Res. Some result in "The Record Label does not permit streaming of this album" for my Sublime+ UK testing account. Some result in 16/44.1 as you've experienced.

However, I can stream the "If Only" track in 24/96 in "If Only" Hi-Res single from Qobuz.

Originally Posted by shadowlight

On Computer Audiophile David Caraff from Qobuz has said that Qobuz is working on differentiating/identifying albums which are available for purchase in HiRes but only streamable in redbook. They have the right to sell HiRez but not stream.

If that is true, it is lot less appealing than I originally thought.

That's not up to Qobuz but the label and sometimes the restriction goes away after the new release period has passed.

Yes, that's true, but I'd rather they hide the non-streamable albums/tracks from streaming accounts. Instead they allow people to have the option to purchase the album using the native app.

Since a few weeks I use Qubus. I have no experience with Tidal.

IMHO there is very little hires content. It does not really matter to me but I think maybe 1 in 20 albums of the music I look for is available in hires. Also what annoys me to no end is that the almost never have the full catalogue of certain artists. I you look for bands like Alternative 4, the 3rd and and Mortal, Einsturzende Neubauten etc Tidal normally has some of their music but certainly not everything.

My other main complaint is that looking for classical music can be a PITA when there is no universal way to spell the composer's name. Like:

Sjostakovitsj vs Shostakovich vs Schostakowitsch vs Sostakovic etc.

A Dutch newspaper also found out that search results are app dependent. They got different results on the phone app, streamer app and computer app. If I remember correctly this true for most streaming services.

So far I'm happy with Qobuz but I do hope they will expand their catalogue more.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

Search results is one of the main complaints I have made to every service. Its absolutely frustrating with Roon. How can they not hand me all my "The Who" album when I only type "who".
All I'm saying is the search engine is no worse or better than any other.

The catalog of music is another story. They vary between sites. If your only going to have one service, try a few and find the one that best suits you.

I personally find Spotify to be the best at serving suggestions I may like. In their "Discover" browser every Monday they have an especially for you section that changes every week and I look forward to what's new in there.

In all reality, when I want to find new music, I actually leave the big sites now and just look elsewhere. Forum chatter such as "what are you listening to tonight" usually has some jems. Actually Pandora can serve up some surprises. I listen there too and when I hear something I like, pull it up on Qobuz or Tidal.

I have a complaint how I'm sick of spending close to $70 a month on subscriptions. I want to dump Roon first. I don't upsample. Why do I need to spend $14 or so a month for a library took that's not that great, as in it leaves so much out of search results because I did not include a hyphen or capitalize wrong. It does integrate HQ player well and I assume they will take on Qobuz. It's going to be a monopoly play. Pretty smart really.

Ah you do know there is other artist with the name Who , right

Guess Who, The Who, Betty Who, Who is fancy, You Know Who etc.. etc..

Originally Posted by Kingrex

Exactly my point. Google will serve them all up as suggestion. Roon, total, qobuz, pandora all say no results match that search criteria.

Hey then use Google, as the first name up on Google is the World Health Organization. and the who never went by the name Who, it was always 'The Who" , from the site " Townshend preferred "the Hair", and Barnes liked "the Who" because it "had a pop punch".^[18] Daltrey chose "the Who" the next morning"/. I can go to Tidal either using Tidal via a desk top or via my LUmin App, type in The Who and up comes The Who , nobody else.

Originally Posted by Kingrex

Search results is one of the main complaints I have made to every service. Its absolutely frustrating with Roon. How can they not hand me all my "The Who" album when I only type "who".
All I'm saying is the search engine is no worse or better than any other.

The catalog of music is another story. They vary between sites. If your only going to have one service, try a few and find the one that best suits you.

I personally find Spotify to be the best at serving suggestions I may like. In their "Discover" browser every Monday they have an especially for you section that changes every week and I look forward to what's new in there.

In all reality, when I want to find new music, I actually leave the big sites now and just look elsewhere. Forum chatter such as "what are you listening to tonight" usually has some jems. Actually Pandora can serve up some surprises. I listen there too and when I hear something I like, pull it up on Qobuz or Tidal.

I have a complaint how I'm sick of spending close to $70 a month on subscriptions. I want to dump Roon first. I don't upsample. Why do I need to spend $14 or so a month for a library took that's not that great, as in it leaves so much out of search results because I did not include a hyphen or capitalize wrong. It does integrate HQ player well and I assume they will take on Qobuz. It's going to be a monopoly play. Pretty smart really.

Indeed, Roon is just a Google but more expensive.

Originally Posted by cycles2

Does anyone know if dCS is working on support for the Qobuz service, specifically for the Rossini?

Do you mean when using the dCS app or integrated with Roon? I never used the dCS app with either the Rossini nor the Vivaldi just Roon.

Originally Posted by cycles2

Thanks Jim. I prefer to use the native dCS iPad app. I'm trying to reduce the amount of equipment needed in my 2-channel setup and Roon requires use of a computer for Roon Core. I'm not sure I want to add Roon just to support Qobuz unless folks think the sound quality of Qobuz is superior to TIDAL HiFi / MQA and has a similar collection of titles.

You are correct Roon has to be run on a computer or server somewhere on your Network. Like you I didn't want to clutter up the 2-channel room with extra devices and that is why I installed the sonicTransporter i5 for Roon and my music in a closet upstairs. I only have one ethernet line entering the 2-Channel room which connects to my Upsampler. I go back and forth controlling Roon with my iPad Pro and laptop. It usually depends on which device I happen to be using at the time.

Also like you I will wait a bit before trying Qobuz. In an initial brief listening session at a friends I didn't hear any noteworthy differences in the SQ between Qobuz and Tidal and Qobuz was missing a few newer titles I knew were available on Tidal. Again, that was only a brief session and I am sure I will try it in my own set-up at some point going forward.