To answer the OP’s original question; I feel very good about Qobuz – Tidal, not so much.
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I’m looking into putting my own nas at home and using it to stream my own music and be independent from services. I can move my stuff from my local streamer to the nas and use dlna. Just have to find a place to put a box in.
I’ve not really thought about it till now but I consider a streaming service in the same way as the few commercial and public broadcasting/internet radio and television stations I choose to support. The difference is the flexibility to choose what I listen to vs station programming, both of which I value. If one or the other goes away for whatever reason I bemoan its loss and move on.
I’m relatively new to streaming, having started with internet radio a few years ago, and just recently subscribed to Qobuz. I chose Qobuz primarily based on comments from Emiko Carlin during an Audioholics livestream that Qobuz does a better job of compensating artists than other services. During the free trial I found pretty much everything I looked for so am satisfied with the content.
I have a modest CD collection mostly comprised of compromised stuff of the 80’s that I rarely listen to. My vinyl collection available to digitize is of similar size, vintage, quality, and limited interest.
As I consider my digital commitment, I’ve been adding a few carefully considered new and old CD, SACD, and now downloads to the collection and will continue to do so. But there is no way I can afford to build a library of everything I might want to listen to at any given moment.
I’m an unsophisticated, maybe uncommitted, consumer of streamed content. Regardless of streamed source, I’m paying for access to rather than ownership of content. I think a streaming service, just one, will remain part of my digital future.
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FWIW, most of my “critical listening” is done streaming local files – the majority of which are “ripped” files from CDs and SACDs I have purchased. (I rarely download files b/c I prefer to own physical media*.)
I also subscribe to Roon (lifetime subscription), Qobuz and Tidal – music from the latter two are usually played via Roon, unless I am away from my home system (I use their applications in the car and at the office).
“Serious listening” with the “Big Rig” is almost exclusively:
iMac/JRiver Media Center (as server/renderer) >
Wi-Fi >
Router >
Ethernet (w/ galvanic isolation) >
Streamer (currently Holo Red or PSA Bridge II) >
PSA DS DAC MK I.**
Roon/Qobuz/Tidal are used to explore new music (or the occasional “better resolution” recording) and listen to Roon Radio when I am not interested in selecting records and tracks from my personal files to listen to.
*I also don’t like limiting/risking my access to music by relying on others’ servers, the “Cloud” and the vagaries of business models and business failures.
**If I had to guess, I spend about 20% of my listening time spinning CDs and SACDs on my PSA DirectStream Memory Player, 75% of my listening time on my “local” files and 5% or less of my time streaming music via Roon/Qobuz/Tidal.
Cheers.
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I have been using Qobuz for over 5 years now, and seldom access my ripped albums on NAS any more. I use it to explore albums in my preferred Baroque genre, and 95% of my listening is new-to-me music.
I do listen to the ripped albums when travelling. I have an Xduoo music player with 256Gb of storage, and a pair of Iloud Micro Monitors, and these give a very satisfying listening experience when away from home.
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That’s excellent (and I would say, pretty rare). It can be challenging to resist the urge to return to old favorites again and again.
Regards.
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Happy cake day, Scott!
If the service disappeared, or music on it disappeared, I’d be disappointed about it, but I wouldn’t be angry, thinking something that was mine had been taken from me (unless I was still owed time on my subscription).
I view streaming services the same as I do a lending library. I entered into the contract with that understanding, knowing that all I’m paying for is access, and with the clear understanding that anything I find there, but don’t purchase for download, remains the property of others, subject to the licensing agreements of others, and that it could all disappear in a flash.
That informs the way I use the service, too, which is a tool to sample things I might be interested in, but had never bought, or to hear for myself when reading print reviews of new records, and if it’s something I really like, and I don’t want to take the chance it will disappear, I’ll try to buy it, either on disc or download.
It’s like paying an entry fee to an incredibly well-stocked record store that lets you play everything, and that’s outfitted with my own music system. That’s all I expect from it.
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Happy Cake Day, Scotte1!
After I acquired PST, I increased my SACD/CD collection by hundreds, and streaming was mainly a tool for finding more CDs because there was a significant SQ gap between PST and Bridge2. Then I replaced the bridge with a dedicated streamer and there was some improvement. When I upgraded the DS to MK2, the streaming SQ improved more. This got me interested in improving my streaming chain.
I have since added a switch, added a great USB cable (remained to be one of the biggest improvements. Yes! from a cable), upgraded to a better switch (finding it actually makes a noticable difference), added two more power cords (benefit everything), and rearranged my streaming chain (adding Fiber Optic). Today, the SQ between PST and streaming are very close. In fact, I believe with a better streamer, the streaming SQ will be superior.
My listening habit has moved from 80% discs to 80% streaming now. After I upgrade the streamer, I am not sure I will keep buying discs anymore. Of course, it only means I will download more files.
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TY, Tony.
SEE
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I just jumped from Tidal to Qobuz and used a tool to move my lists. $4. Not a big deal. Did a few songs miss, yeah, but I lived. If I want those I can buy. For me the convenience if way bigger factor than missing a song or two. Discovery of new things, being able to relax and sit and listen for hours w/o moving excepting picking up my drink.
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Happy cake day Scotte1! If I do critical listening it will be a disc on the PST. Can’t beat that as far as I’m concerned. I use local and internet streaming for general listening.
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Thanks @pmotz.
The DMP sounds pretty darned good as well, especially spinning up great recordings on SACD.
I remember MOG! I really enjoyed using that service while it lasted. Then got bumped to beats, then that got bought out. Went to Spotify, then tidal, now Qobuz. Qobuz pays for a service that allowed me to move over the playlists I had from prior services. Moving from one to another hasn’t been particularly stressful. I’ve got tons of physical media too. I don’t particularly rely on my personally’curated’ lists but usually just type in an artist into the search and find an album to play. Much as I flip through my vinyl.
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@danm I forget the monthly sub price of MOG in 2009 but, for some reason, I think it was $10.
I also don’t recall if it was 320k mp3 or a lower bit rate.
HappyCakeDay Scott!
I have nearly a dozen portable music players and three with 1TB memory cards. Full. I mostly listen to them playing all tracks at random. I love it. Once in a while I use the Qobuz app. Mostly at friends homes so they can request whatever they wish. Sometimes we try to stump Qobuz. Clever peeps can do it with one try. Fun
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TY, Al.
Cheers
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I totally get your concern, ivo. It’s frustrating when your music collection is at the mercy of streaming platforms. I’ve had similar experiences, and it’s made me appreciate owning physical copies or digital downloads of my favorite tunes. Streaming is convenient, but it’s not without its drawbacks. Also, here you can find some useful guides on streaming (onlinetvcast.com). Good luck!
Jriver for example has the option of remotely providing a local library over internet and stream the hires files to the mobile after on the fly downconverting to MP3. That’s great.
What exactly is great about that? Ewe!