Qobuz Impression

[Pepperamip]

I've solely been using Tidal for the last 6 months or so and I've got no complaints about it at all but just out of curiosity I've decided to give Qobuz a bash (Audirvana give you a 3 month free trial) I'm on the hi-fi subscription.

I've had a few good sessions with it now and I'm finding it a bit harsh sounding as in the highs seem a bit over emphasised for my liking. My system has stayed the same the only thing I've changed is my streaming service.

Has anyone else found this to be the case?

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[User211]

Are you using Audirvana as the playback engine?

If so, try using the Quobuz app, as Audirvana may be the cause.

Then again if it sounds fine with TIDAL it probably isn't.

[disarmamant]

I've had a few good sessions with it now and I'm finding it a bit harsh sounding as in the highs seem a bit over emphasised

Has anyone else found this to be the case?

Not here. I’m using Qobuz studio with Roon, I find the sound quality to be excellent.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Gazjam]

Qobuz?
Top level takeaway...?
Better sounding than Tidal.

Ran them both for 6 months or so, not everything’s on Qobuz that’s on Tidal, and visay-Vicey.
Choose what you want and be happy, I’d go Quobuz personally, more on there unlesss your a Jay-Z fan, and sound quality into a hifi is noticably better.

[Pepperamip]

OK I'm a few weeks in now and I'm going to say qobuz is not in the same league as Tidal.

Every time I crank it things start turning nasty and by that I mean screachy and it make a my ears hurt. Never got that with that Tidal or spotiyfy so it's gonna have to be binned I'm afraid..

Maybe it's my speakers they are on the revealing side to say the least but didn't think I'd hear such difference between streaming services.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[jandl100]

in my experience and from what I have seen of other people's findings, the sound quality you get from the streaming services is highly dependent on the configuration of your system. One person's opinion is simply not relatable to what others hear on their different systems.

So some people rate Tidal sound quality over Qobuz, others have the opposite opinion.
Both are correct ... on their own systems.

[Pepperamip]

I totally agree Jerry. I'm open to trying new equipment and software always.

This opinion is for me in my system. Thought they would all sound the same or very similar. They don't in my system and that's amazed to be honest..

I'm sure others will have completely the opposite experience to me and thatd the ceazy work of musical reproduction. Never makes total sense.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[User211]

TIDAL SQ is better than Qobuz.

Fact.

Or you are just plain deaf / have a dodgy system.

LOL.

[Pepperamip]

Justin this is what I am experiencing without doubt in my mind but as its subjective theres always other factors in play..

I'm going back to Tidal as soon as.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[User211]

I did an extensive compare a long time ago so things could have changed.

I couldn't listen to Spotify, though. I used it as a tool to find music. Then I'd buy the CD. TIDAL was good enough to stop that.

[Gazjam]

Ran both Tidal and Qobuz together for about 6 months, no point having both so wanted to compare.
Best Tidal had to offer imo was the MQA masters, my dac does MQA unfolds so heard it at its best.

Initially impressive compared to 16/44, either streamed or played from local library, over time though something wasn’t quite right.
Almost like a loudness button being hit, took a while but it sounded “processed” and gone back to 16/44 from Tidal as my preference.

Compare that to true 24/192 from Qobuz...

Sound quality wise, it’s Qobuz for me, any day of the week.
Doing direct comparisons of the same album, same 16/44 version, Qobuz was less processed sounding, better dynamic range, vocals more natural, generally just better.

Music availability wise, Qobuz started off on the back foot, but the situation is much better.
What I really like about the Qobuz choice is that whilst you maybe don’t get every album all the time, what you DO get is the rarer recordings, live concerts and studio cuts etc you may not have known about.

Run Spotify because of it’s direct link to the Shazam App link?
Out n about and hear music you like but don’t know?
Run the app and it’ll tell you, and add it to your Spotify library.

Like the albums?
Enjoy it in full quality in Qobuz.

That’ll do for me.

[jandl100]

I'm subbed with Tidal Hifi atm.
On my system it's noticeably more upfront and vivid than Qobuz (16/44), although I wouldn't say that one was right and the other wrong, it just comes down to system synergy, personal preference and perhaps mood of the moment.

I can even settle down happily with Spotify Premium, after a short period of adjustment. It's way more laid back than the other two, but sometimes I'm in the mood for that.

Primephonic (a classical music only streaming service) has a nasty distortion sometimes overlaid on it, I couldn't live with that, although no-one else I have read about seems to suffer from it. Must just be my system configuration.
Deezer is Qobuz-like in presentation but when I tried it (about 18 months ago) its classical catalogue was very limited.

[Pepperamip]

Just an update on this. Ive been using Qobuz through bubble for the last few weeks and it sounds so much better than it does through Audirvana.

All of it goes through my RPI plus Allo Digione then through my Caiman Seg.

Can only conclude that I've not quite got the settings between Qobuz and AV right as suggested in an earlier post or Qobuz doesn't work as well with AV as Tidal does.

More investigation required!!

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

[antonio]

We've just got the free Qobuz trial although we have been using Tidal through Roon. First few comparison we can hear bugger all differences using the same albums. It also looks like Tidal is more suited to our musical tastes. Will say we are very happy with Roon.