Qobuz USA - Official Beta Testing Confirmed

[steinkrieg]

I just received this message from Qobuz:

[Audiophilehi]

I got the same email. I just signed up as a beta tester. Basically it’s a 30 day free trial.

[steinkrieg]

Yep... It's a bit disappointing that they seem to be just hooking you in for a 30 day trial so they can get a subscription from you. I dunno... I'm going to wait for the reviews. Tidal is "ok", but I'm definitely interested in learning more about Qobuz, as there are a LOT of high res / MQA albums that are not on Tidal. I can say that the Qobuz interface looks pretty nice (way better than Tidal), but I'm devoted to Roon, so I guess it doesn't really matter.

Regardless, it's VERY nice to know there is a new player in the scene.

[Jack]

How much free service do you think they should give you? You are supposed to be reporting problems to them.

[steinkrieg]

I'm not saying they should give X or Y amount of free service... That is up to them.

I'm just saying that they presented it as a beta testing scenario that was invite only... In reality it's just a free month before a subscription starts. The only way to actually activate the beta testing month is to give your credit card and sign up for the subscription. Yes, you can cancel at anytime. It was just a bit deceptive... That's all...

[Jack]

I think from everything David has said they really do want to hear from you about what you like and don't like and they know the catalog is not complete yet as they are still working on licensing agreements plus working with Roon. Unlike the people at Tidal they seem to really want to know what you think which is why two of the executives have been participating on CA for over six months. Plus to me the interface and the sound is better using four different streamers playback software.

[Hounddog]

You guys did better than me. I was rejected as a beta tester!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Kingrex]

They rejected me. I teared up for a while. I wonder what happens in 30 days. If your on a subscription, will they be open to everyone then.

[CPP]

You guys did better than me. I was rejected as a beta tester!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Same here

[tdimler]

I signed up but didn't hear anything back. Now I feel even worse. Did you get a rejection letter? LOL

[Darrel]

Hi all. New to the forum. I also got a beta test invite. And I was accepted. Been using it for about two days. I have been using Tital for a few months and I've been pretty satisfied with it. MQA can sound pretty sweet. Qobuz runs well on my Firefox browser. But, the app keeps locking up. I got a work around from Qobuz support but it still isn't ready for prime time IMO.

[joeinid]

Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.

[Audiophilehi]

Hi all. New to the forum. I also got a beta test invite. And I was accepted. Been using it for about two days. I have been using Tital for a few months and I've been pretty satisfied with it. MQA can sound pretty sweet. Qobuz runs well on my Firefox browser. But, the app keeps locking up. I got a work around from Qobuz support but it still isn't ready for prime time IMO.

Hi Darrel....I’m using Qobuz on my Aurender N100H. So far it’s seamless with no issues and the sound is pretty darn good.

[Kingrex]

Mine locks up all the time. Even when I try to save to the offline library. I may have a different access as I have a show pass.

[jnelson2000]

I’d agree. It is no where ready for prime time. On my iPhone, locks up, cannot play songs, restarts after hitting play, pita way of using airplay.

I realize this is in beta, but it feels like alpha. Lots of issues. Wouldn’t dump tidal for this just yet.


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[Darrel]

I've yet to get the desktop app to work. I turned off the firewall and got what I thought was a clean install. I managed to add and look through areas. But, when I went to play a 24/192 song. It locked up. I'll keep playing with it. But, Tital is still my go to streamer. I'm not thrilled with the forced hip hop and rap offerings. But, I have a rather large catalog of artist and albums at this point.

[Kingrex]

Maybe all the beta people on the server now but I cant even get into the search bar without it locking up. Every letter you type takes literally 15 seconds to think through so it can compile everything it is seeing at that time. Then another letter and a wait. I'm getting pretty frustrated with it.

However, it has a way better classical and jazz library than tidal. It also has a ton of Led Zeppelin in high Rez.

[Jack]

It's been playing continuously in my system since 7pm EST with no issues with either mControl or the Lumin app.

[Kingrex]

I wonder if its a PC issue. I am hearing people with Lumin and other servers have no issues. I'm wondering if the people with Windows PC machines are. What machines are being used that are working and what are not working?

[jnelson2000]

I wonder if its a PC issue. I am hearing people with Lumin and other servers have no issues. I'm wondering if the people with Windows PC machines are. What machines are being used that are working and what are not working?

Mine is iOS app using Chromecast to a Naim ND5-XS2. Definitely some issues with Naim.


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[Jack]

Kingrex

From my reading through various forums it does seem that the more pieces that are involved in the streaming chain the more problems people are having. I have never had a problem with Qobuz using Auralic, Lumin, Teac, OPPO or Bridge II's native software with the Qobuz app embedded. Never tried it with a PC or NAS of any type involved as the worry of getting extra parts and pieces to work together makes it defeat the purpose of streaming for simplicity. If I want want extra work to listen I have about 4000 albums and CD's I can spin instead.

jnelson

I think if you will check the multiple long running threads on Computer Audiophile/Audiophile Style you will find that there are known issues with using a Chromecast and Google has been hard to work with even before they discontinued the Chromecast. Maybe time to look for something like a used Aries Mini or the like.

[Kingrex]

[QUOTE=Jack;259686]Kingrex

From my reading through various forums it does seem that the more pieces that are involved in the streaming chain the more problems people are having. I have never had a problem with Qobuz using Auralic, Lumin, Teac, OPPO or Bridge II's native software with the Qobuz app embedded. Never tried it with a PC or NAS of any type involved as the worry of getting extra parts and pieces to work together makes it defeat the purpose of streaming for simplicity. If I want want extra work to listen I have about 4000 albums and CD's I can spin instead.

My system is as simple as all those you noted. The only real difference is it does not have Qobuz embedded. It also runs on a Windows platform. I had the Linux platform removed. I like the windows sound. Thats just me. But hey, shouldn't Qobuz work on any PC/Apple tablet. So many people plug their laptop into a Dragonfly or out the headphone jack into a preamp and off they go. I bet there are still many more people streaming music on a phone and or laptop than those purchasing a purpose built machine. If what I am experiencing is a PC/Qobuz issue. I would hope they would address it. That is why I am asking if those with issues are running say a laptop/tablet. Something other than say a Lumin or Aurender. Just curiosity on my part.

In the broken listening I was able to get in tonight, I really could not tell the difference between Beethoven Symphony NO. 9 on either Qobuz or Tidal. Qobuz did have a lot more high resolution choices. Only a couple were good. Oddly the one with Leonard Bernstein in 16/44.1 was one of the best. I was amazed at how many bad recordings are out there. And a lot were in 24/96. Makes me wonder why someone thought to reissue them.

Led Zeppelin 4 on Qobuz 24/96 tonight sounded better than I have ever heard it on my system. I think my whole system is dialing in. Amps, front end, speakers, cabling, network. Its been a lot of learning and experimenting. I actually felt I was hearing it, as I heard it via tape on a half million or so system. The other setup was of course far better. But, I am finally getting the tone and just the life of the music to really come alive. Its kind of a high when it all starts to click. It's a nice feeling when you hear the best and can come home and mimic it to a degree on your own small system.

[CPP]

And users need to remember what a BETA is, its work in progress to identify issues so they can be resolved before an official release. And know doubt along the way there are going to be lots of updates until the product is stable and functional to support the US market.

[Kingrex]

Good point Chris. I guess we see them all the time with JRiver, Roon and Spotify. I wonder what operating system they use in Europe. Is it MS. I was a little surprised to find out Asia uses a phone called Oppo. A few apple, not many. I forget the rest of the world has their own products and devices to perform work and communicate.

[shadowlight]

I have been using via UK registration for the last 5 months or so and I have had issues only one case with desktop/iphone/squeezebox/Audirvana, etc. The only time that I had issues was when I was using 6 or so year old laptop on wireless in the room that was furthest from access point. Sometime the queue will freeze at the end of the song and not move to the next song but hitting the next it would start working again. Replaced the laptop with something newer and the problem went away.

[Kingrex]

I was just looking at my account. Its also a UK version. Maybe my issues are having to wait for high speed access to cross an ocean. I have no idea if they have servers here in North America. I would assume, but who knows. For now I am going to default that that is my issue.

[Jack]

All of us with long term regular accounts are streaming from the EU and have no speed issues. Mine is a UK account. There was talk on CA that the US accounts would be using AWS. If you have a regular laptop I suggest you download the Qobuz app and stream direct from there by hardwire connection to your DAC and see if the problem is still present. Take the Mojo server out of the equation and without Roon.

[Kingrex]

I assume my pass was time sensitive and 1 time. I will wait till I can get real access and tech support which they will not provide me at this time. If it works when live, then great.

[MikeCh]

Watching this thread with interest. I too use the Tidal HiFi subscription and it would be nice to have options especially if it sounds better. I have done absolutely zero research into qobuz at this point... but I am off to look for information!

Without knowing anything other than what I've read in the threads here on AS, I will gladly sign up as Jack has done with the European subscription. I have two Lumin D1's in two different systems and it seems like that service works fine for purpose built streamers like Lumin, Aurender, etc. as reported here and in other threads.

I'd love to hear for myself the difference in quality from one service to the other or if I can even discern a difference. It will be a fun comparison with my most recent purchase of a Chord Qutest. By tomorrow, the Qutest will have been running 24 hours a day for two weeks time...336 hours. It's nicely broken in and sounds very beautiful. I have the Qutest's analog outs connected to a spare preamp input as well as the Lumin digital out BNC coax to the Qutest BNC in. For a streaming service it should be fine to compare, but due to the limitations across the 75 ohm coax connections of the Qutest, comparing higher resolution files is not as fair of a fight.

[Jack]

So your not willing to test your "network environment" to see if it's the problem?

[Jack]

Mike

I've used both services in two different systems with multiple streamers and DAC's not to mention the multiple amps and speakers and I hear the same difference between the two services in every instance. To my ears Tidal has an upper mid-range grain that Qobuz doesn't have. Even my wife can tell the difference.

[MikeCh]

Mike

I've used both services in two different systems with multiple streamers and DAC's not to mention the multiple amps and speakers and I hear the same difference between the two services in every instance. To my ears Tidal has an upper mid-range grain that Qobuz doesn't have. Even my wife can tell the difference.

Nice.

Seems I'd best get to listening soon!

[shadowlight]

All of us with long term regular accounts are streaming from the EU and have no speed issues. Mine is a UK account. There was talk on CA that the US accounts would be using AWS. If you have a regular laptop I suggest you download the Qobuz app and stream direct from there by hardwire connection to your DAC and see if the problem is still present. Take the Mojo server out of the equation and without Roon.

Qobuz is hosted on AWS. I will double check tonight but the last time that I had looked my stream was being served by AWS server located in NYC area.

[Kingrex]

My network is not the issue. I hired a network administrator to assess and optimize my home. I have a dedicated router to Demark the utility and a dedicated gaming router to assign IP addresses and do wifi. My audio is all connected with Blue Jean's CAT 6. Speed test show I am very fast. I forget the numbers, but no other device is hampered at my house.

I'm going to step away from worrying about qobuz and let them follow their own course. If they go live I will sign up. If the issues don't go away I will seek tech support at that time.

[Darrel]

Just read on this forum about a Roon update to connect to Qobuz. Did a update and now I can use my iPad to control the Oppo, Tital and now Qobuz libraries. I've had no luck with Qobuz in a Windows 10 desktop app. But, that's no longer a concern to me. I can now start my beta test with some freedom. At least that's my plan until something changes.

[UltraFast69]

Received the beta test email today, and reentered information as instructed - I had the trial pass prior. Everything synced up, and is sounding good. Also, this time it took my credit card and said it will charge this March 6th as this month is free for testing.

I liked it before and listening now I like - it is sounding forward on the top end and clear but need to go back and compare Tidal against this as I really do not want two services. Also, I am struggling with paying Aurender for the 1st unfold of MQA and having a DAC that supports full unfold MQA - perhaps first world problems, but none-the-less a problem for me

[Kingrex]

Does your Brinkman DAC take a ethernet renderer card?

[Jack]

Streaming capability built-in

[UltraFast69]

Rex, Jack is correct. Built into the Brinkmann Nyquist are Quboz, Tidal, Roon, along with a few others I am not familiar with - simply insert a RJ45 cable, high quality of course :-)

Oddly enough, we have the same amount of posts 511, and joining not that far from each other.

[CPP]

Rex, Jack is correct. Built into the Brinkmann Nyquist are Quboz, Tidal, Roon, along with a few others I am not familiar with - simply insert a RJ45 cable, high quality of course :-)

Oddly enough, we have the same amount of posts 511, and joining not that far from each other.

Same with the Lumin, just attach via the old Ethernet cable and select Qobuz and off ya go.

[aKnyght]

have been using qobuz via roon integration for 2 weeks now -- without issue.

seamless experience and everything works as expected. qobuz library is a bit limited at this point for some of the lesser known titles that i traffic in, especially in the alt-country / nashville 2.0 genres. hi-res titles more or less reflect what is available elsewhere for purchase and download. qobuz desktop app is a bit wonky but not an issue for most here given roon integration.

[Kingrex]

Both Tidal and Qobuz just pulled Despacito with Bieber and Fonsi

[BendingWave]

I have been using it for a few days on ROON without any issues. I like the interface and so far I believe it sounds really good. There seems to be a lot of high res stuff and I hope to try to compare some items from both services. I am not convinced that high res is always better sound however it is nice that I can have access to try without buying first and being disappointed. I have found a lot of new things that I have liked and added to my playlist and for that I am extremely pleased, So far I think its worth joining.